What is Fractional Marketing? and why modern growth demands a new hiring model

I learned a hard lesson about hiring specialists early in my career.

Years ago, I worked with a company that hired a brilliant PPC marketer. The first 90 days were fantastic. They set up campaigns, optimised targeting, and drove solid results. Then, something shifted.

They were just keeping the lights on.

The campaigns ran smoothly, but there wasn't much left to build. We tried expanding their role, but they weren't interested in broader marketing so didn't throw everything into it. They wanted to scale PPC spend, but our budget was capped.

They felt disenfranchised. Eventually, they left.

Looking back, we made a classic error. We paid a full-time salary for a focused project, setup and training, that became low-intensity maintenance work. We should have brought in a specialist for a sprint, then moved on.

The Specialisation Paradox

Here's what I've noticed working with lean teams over the past 20 years: modern marketing has become too specialised for one person to master it all, yet too automated to require a specialist for everything.

The fractional leadership market has doubled from 60,000 professionals in 2022 to 120,000 in 2024. That isn't a trend, it's a structural shift. Gartner forecasts that by 2027, over 30% of midsize enterprises will have at least one fractional executive on retainer.

Why? Because the technical barrier to entry is lowering while the strategic barrier is rising.

With tools like Performance Max and AI, a generalist can often handle day-to-day channel management. However, knowing what to say, who to target, and how to measure success requires senior experience.

Strategy Before Tactics

The mistake I see most often? Companies hiring for channel execution before they have a fully formed marketing strategy.

When a company comes to me, I don't touch the ad account immediately. I run a full marketing audit:

• Foundations: Value proposition, ICP, personas, and messaging frameworks.
• The Funnel: Deep-dive into analytics, past campaigns, and the sales pipeline.

You need a holistic view before defining channels. PPC might be a small part of the mix.

Research shows that startups in early stages need versatile marketers. Teams with aligned sales and marketing see up to a 36% increase in conversion rates, yet nearly half of all misalignment stems from disconnected lead funnels. A fractional Head of Growth bridges this gap without the overhead of a full-time executive.

The Agency Alternative vs. The Fractional Offer

When companies lack internal leadership, they typically turn to full-service agencies. But usually, the math doesn't add up for early-stage growth.

The Agency Model:

• Utilisation: Agencies bill for senior staff but often pass work to junior members.
• Focus: Junior staff utilisation is ~75%, while directors drop to ~33%. You pay for strategy but get junior execution.
• Cost: High overheads to cover agency margins.

The Fractional Model:

• Experience: 72.8% of fractional professionals have 15+ years of experience.
• Focus: You get the senior person actually doing the work, not just overseeing it.
• Cost: Typically £5k–£10k per month. No benefits, no recruitment fees, no long-term lock-in.

An experienced full-time marketing manager costs £60k–£120k/year (plus recruitment and overhead). A fractional lead delivers senior strategic thinking at the right growth stage, often for less.

"Stay in Your Lane"

Credibility comes from knowing what you don't do.

I'm clear about my boundaries. I run growth channels - SEO, PPC, paid social -and I lay the foundations with proper tracking, analytics, and high-converting landing pages.

Content creation? Social media management? Digital PR? That isn't me.

When someone asked if I'd take on a CRM project, I declined. I could have figured it out, but "figuring it out" isn't what you pay a senior lead for. I’ll either stay on to manage the growth channels, train your team, or bring in the right freelancer for the specific skills I lack.

Building Your Marketing Function

If you are a Series A company building your marketing function, here is my practical advice:

1. Full-timers should be "T-Shaped": They need a deep understanding of your product, market, and company culture. They are the custodians of your brand voice.
2. Fractional Leads kickstart the engine: We come in to fix infrastructure, validate channels, and set the strategy.
3. Specialists fill the gaps: Once a channel is proven and scaling, hire a specialist or agency to run that specific piece.

Marketing budgets as a percentage of revenue fell by 15% in 2024. The median CMO tenure has plunged to just 35 months. The era of the "set it and forget it" full-time hire is fading.

The Right Skills at the Right Time

That PPC marketer from years ago wasn't a bad hire. We just matched the wrong talent model to our actual needs.

The fractional model solves the "right skills at the right time" challenge. Your Series A needs differ from your seed stage needs. Your growth stage requirements will differ again.

Stop hiring for the job you have today. Start hiring for the agility you need tomorrow. If you aren't sure which one that is, let's look at your audit first.

Photo by Bruno Drv: https://www.pexels.com/photo/vintage-alarm-clock-close-up-photo-7934627/