Senior marketing judgment, without the senior payroll.
Service 02 · Fractional CMO · San Diego and remote
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing and business-development leader who works in your company part time, usually a few days a month, owning strategy, pipeline and marketing priorities without the cost of a full-time executive. CWV Consulting provides fractional CMO services to owners of growing businesses in San Diego and remotely across the United States.
Who it is for
When a fractional CMO is the right call
- You have outgrown founder-led sales but are not ready for a full-time marketing executive.
- Marketing spend is going out, but nobody can draw the line from it to pipeline.
- You have agencies, freelancers or a junior team who need direction, not more tasks.
- A launch, a new market or a pricing change is coming and the plan lives in your head.
- You need to know which marketing hire to make next, and how to interview for it.
- Buyers are starting to ask AI assistants for recommendations and you are not in the answers.
What is included
The work, in numbered deliverables
Every proposal lists exactly which of these you are buying, with the same numbers carried through to the invoice and the cover memo.
- 01
Positioning and messaging
Who you are for, why you win, and the words your sales conversations, website and proposals should share.
- 02
Pipeline and channel plan
A 90-day plan across the channels that actually produce buyers for you, with budget and owner for each.
- 03
The weekly scoreboard
Dashboards in Salesforce, HubSpot or a sheet that show leads, pipeline and cost per opportunity, reviewed every week.
- 04
Agency and vendor management
Briefs, scopes and accountability for the outside help you already pay for, and a straight answer on what to cut.
- 05
Hiring plan
Which roles to hire in which order, the job descriptions, the interview loop, and a hand-off when they start.
- 06
AI search baseline
Where you show up in ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews today, and the fixes worth making first.
How it works
What the first months look like
- 01Month 1
Diagnose
Interviews, a look at the numbers and the funnel, and a written 90-day plan you approve.
- 02Months 2–3
Build and run
The scoreboard goes live, the first channels are fixed or launched, and the team has clear owners.
- 03Every week
Scoreboard meeting
Thirty minutes on what moved, what did not, and the one decision that needs you.
- 04When it is time
Hand-off
A documented playbook and, if you want one, help hiring the full-time leader who takes it from here.
Related work
Where this has worked
Clients are not named publicly without permission. References are available on request.
Questions
Fractional CMO: common questions
What does a fractional CMO do?
A fractional CMO sets marketing strategy and owns the results part time: positioning, the channel plan, budget, the pipeline numbers, and direction for the team and agencies. With CWV that also includes business development, the weekly scoreboard and the hiring plan for your next marketing roles.
How is a fractional CMO different from a marketing agency?
An agency executes a defined scope, such as ads or content. A fractional CMO decides what should be done in the first place, holds every channel and vendor accountable to pipeline, and sits on your side of the table. Many clients keep their agencies and get more out of them.
How much time does a fractional CMO spend in my business?
Usually a few days a month, set in the proposal and adjusted as the work changes. Heavier at the start while the plan and scoreboard are built, lighter once the team is running it.
How much does a fractional CMO cost?
It is a monthly retainer with a three-month minimum, quoted in a one-page proposal after a free 30-minute call. It typically costs a fraction of a full-time marketing executive's salary and benefits.
When should I hire a full-time CMO instead?
When marketing needs a leader every day: a large team to manage, a budget big enough that daily decisions matter, or a board that expects a full-time executive. Part of a CWV engagement is telling you when you have reached that point and helping you hire for it.
Do you work in San Diego only?
No. CWV Consulting is based in San Diego and works with clients remotely across the United States, with in-person sessions in Southern California when they help.
Next step
Bring the problem. The first call is free.
Thirty minutes, no deck. If it is a fit, you will have a one-page proposal within a week.