FRACTIONAL CMO · THE ACTUAL WORK
What does a fractional CMO do?
A fractional CMO sets marketing priorities, recommends budgets, directs the delivery team and reviews results. The owner and CMO agree decision authority and available time before work starts.
01 · THE MONEY
Money
Recommend where the budget goes using margin, demand, capacity and the evidence available.
02 · THE PEOPLE
Hires
Define who builds the work, the included capacity and the review process.
03 · THE MACHINES
Engines
Choose the channels and work that fit the buyer and business, then test the assumptions.
04 · THE RESULT
Wins
Agree a business outcome and baseline. Use diagnostic measures to explain what changed.
15 minutes. No purchase required. A brief summary and next steps.
01
THE WORK
The work, task by task
The role turns evidence into decisions and coordinated work.
| Duty | What happens | Reviewable output |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnose | Review the accounts, sales records and business context before changing campaigns. | Baseline, data gaps and an initial diagnosis. |
| Choose budget and priorities | Evaluate margin, demand, cash timing and capacity; agree spending authority. | Budget recommendation with assumptions and an approval record. |
| Review offer and positioning | Check the customer problem, price, promise and supporting evidence. | An agreed offer or a bounded test. |
| Direct execution | Brief named specialists or the existing team and check the work. | Owners, quantities, dates and a change log. |
| Improve measurement | Connect available records and define what each metric includes. | A scorecard that keeps unknown sources and sales lag visible. |
| Review and adjust | Compare observations with the baseline and decide the next action. | Written interpretation and the next decision. |
Discovery can be necessary. It should have a question, a time limit and a useful output. Use a workshop when it resolves a defined uncertainty and produces a useful decision.
02
THE DELIVERABLES
What lands in your inbox every month
One scorecard, one recommendation, one call.
THE SCORECARD
Five numbers, every month
Agree a small set of business measures such as qualified enquiries, acquisition cost, won revenue, contribution and repeat purchases. Keep definitions consistent. Clicks, impressions and other diagnostics can explain a change but do not replace business outcomes.
THE RECOMMENDATION
One call, in writing
A recommendation that states the evidence, the next action, its expected cost and the assumptions to test. When the evidence is weak, the next step may be measurement rather than more spending.
THE REVIEW CALL
Decide the next constraint
Review the scorecard, allow for the sales cycle and agree the next action. Meeting frequency and response expectations belong in the scope.
03
THE BOUNDARIES
What is not in the job
The contract separates executive decisions from production work.
Not in scope
- Daily production is performed by named specialists or your existing team within the agreed scope.
- Brand identity and video can be directed by Jason; production capacity and outside costs must be stated.
- PR, earned-media outreach and offline buying require an explicit scope or partner. They are not included by default.
- Five-day on-site executive coverage requires a different arrangement.
- Your company retains employment decisions and the authority reserved in the contract.
The services and responsibilities table sets out decisions, delivery and separate costs. Named roles and capacity are agreed before the engagement starts.
04
ILLUSTRATIVE FIRST 90 DAYS
How the work starts
Capture the baseline, then investigate and change the work.
01
DAYS 1 TO 14
The diagnosis
Agree access and authority. Record spend, available sales results, contribution and tracking coverage before intervention. Investigate customer or offer questions where needed.
You get: baseline and initial diagnosis
02
DAYS 15 TO 30
The plan
Rank the evidence, then write the initial plan with owners, quantities, dates and acceptance checks. Adjust the schedule if access or essential records are delayed.
You get: a written 90-day plan
03
DAYS 31 TO 60
Changes ship
Release the scoped work after review. The changes may address the offer, campaigns or enquiry journey. Keep a dated log and test the customer path.
You get: approved changes and their record
04
DAYS 61 TO 90
Measurement
Compare with the starting baseline, allowing for sales lag, seasonality and incomplete source coverage. Decide what the evidence supports and what needs another test.
You get: interpretation and the next decision
COASTAL CAROLINA COMFORT · HVAC
$1.32M → $2.18M
Coastal Carolina Comfort reported $1.32M revenue in 2023, when its ROI.LIVE engagement began, and $2.184M in 2025, a 65% increase. This is reported business revenue; ROI.LIVE does not claim sole causation or credit for the later acquisition.
2023 TO 2025 · REPORTED
BLUE TREE · POOL & OUTDOOR LIVING
$906
August 2025–August 2026: $163,062 in advertising, agency and website investment for 180 signed projects worth $4.16M—$906 in recorded marketing cost per project. Internal sales payroll and job delivery costs are separate. Read the case and definitions.
RECORDED COST PER SIGNED PROJECT
WINDOWS SOURCE OF HOUSTON · META
4.86x
September 18, 2024–April 30, 2025: $170,893.50 in Meta-attributed sales ÷ $35,194.81 in ad spend = 4.86x. Agency fees and job costs are excluded. This is an ad-spend ratio, not profit.
SALES / AD SPEND
05
QUESTIONS
Questions owners ask about the work
What happens in the first 30 days?
We begin with your business goals and current performance, then agree priorities, owners and dates.
Does the fractional CMO run the ad accounts?
At ROI.LIVE, Jason owns direction and budget recommendations. A named specialist performs the agreed daily build and management. An authorised human approves live changes. Account access and responsibilities are written down before work starts.
What should a monthly report contain?
The agreed business outcomes, their definitions, period and source; an explanation of important changes; and the next decision. Diagnostic measures can be included when useful. Unknown sources and sales lag stay visible.
Does the role include PR or offline advertising?
These can be considered when relevant, but they are not part of every retainer. ROI.LIVE requires an explicit scope or partner for PR, earned-media outreach and offline buying. An outlet decides whether it publishes or cites the business.
How much time and production are included?
Capacity is confirmed when the scope is agreed. Ask for committed executive hours, specialist hours, response expectations, cover during absence and the start date. A client count alone cannot establish whether someone has enough time. The proposal separates executive time from specialist hours or deliverable quantities. Additional work needs an agreed change.
THE NEXT STEP
Bring your numbers.
Use the free call to discuss the responsibilities your business needs. Detailed investigation and the written plan are separate agreed work.
Availability and start date confirmed before you commit.
