The fractional CMO template for senior marketers serving funded startups.
Fractional CMO work is leverage, not hours. This template positions the engagement around outcomes (strategy clarity, team built, growth metrics owned) instead of time spent. Tiers map to engagement depth — Advisor, Fractional, and Embedded — so prospects pick based on their stage.
Setup fee + monthly retainer. Round numbers. Each tier includes everything below it plus specific upgrades. The middle tier is recommended — most clients pick it.
Pre-seed to seed founders who don't yet need a full-time CMO
Series A/B startups needing senior marketing leadership while scaling
Series B+ scale-ups bridging the gap to a full-time CMO hire
Cover, Executive Summary, Understanding Your Business, CMO Services, Our Engagement (Onboarding → Strategy → Execution → Team), Timeline, Investment (3 tiers), Why Us, Case Study, Next Steps.
Advisor: $6,000/mo, 8h/month strategic time + weekly office hours. Fractional CMO: $14,000/mo, 16h/week embedded + own external agencies + hire marketing roles. Embedded CMO: $28,000/mo, 32h/week + build full marketing org + IR + succession to FT CMO. Don't quote hourly — clients will nickel-and-dime your time. Sell the seat.
1) Quoting hourly (caps your earning + invites scope arguments). 2) Vague deliverables — define what "strategy" means. 3) No succession plan — clients should know when they'll outgrow you. 4) Mixing advisor work with execution — pick a tier.
Pre-seed to Series B startup that doesn't yet need a full-time CMO but needs senior marketing thinking. Founder is the de-facto marketing lead and needs a partner. Buyer is the CEO or board, not a junior marketer.
Adjust hours/week + scope. Toggle hiring + IR add-ons. AI rewrites in your voice. Trackable share link.
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