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Fractional CMO Services
Senior marketing leadership without the senior salary
A full-time CMO costs $300K base. Most mid-market companies need 60% of that workload, not 100% of that headcount. We embed a senior operator into your business at a fraction of the cost, with the same accountability.
Trusted by PE-backed and growth-stage companies
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing executive who operates inside your business part-time, typically 10 to 25 hours per week, leading strategy, hiring, vendor management, board reporting, and execution. Truax Marketing fractional CMOs are operators with CRM, demand gen, and AI background. Engagements start at $7,500 per month.
When you need a CMO and when you do not
Full-time CMO is the right hire when:
- You have $50M+ in revenue
- Marketing org with 8+ people
- Complex multi-product motion
- Board pressure requiring full-time exec presence
Fractional CMO is sharper when:
- $10M to $50M revenue with marketing under-resourced
- Team of 2 to 6 marketers needing direction more than management
- Product-market-fit moment needing an operator not a strategist
- Budget that cannot absorb $300K base plus equity plus benefits
Same seniority. Same accountability. 50 to 70% lower fully-loaded cost.
What a Truax fractional CMO does
Eight responsibilities, one operator
Strategic leadership
Quarterly planning, board reporting, agency selection, budget allocation, growth strategy.
Team management and coaching
Direct management of your marketing team. Hiring, performance reviews, 1:1s, career development.
Operating cadence
Weekly leadership team, monthly all-hands, quarterly OKR reviews, board prep.
Demand generation accountability
Pipeline targets, channel mix, paid media oversight, content strategy. We own the number.
MarTech and CRM ownership
HubSpot, Salesforce, Marketo, Pardot, analytics. Calls on what to keep, cut, or buy.
AI enablement
SDR enablement, content production, campaign analysis, RAG knowledge. AI as operator.
Sales and marketing alignment
Weekly sessions with VP Sales and RevOps. Clear handoff criteria, shared definitions.
Crisis response
PR, security incidents, brand crises, competitor moves. Senior judgment when stakes are highest.
The 90-Day Embed Protocol
Week 0
Discovery
Free 90-minute working session. Meet CEO, sales leader, marketing team. 30-day plan preview, no obligation.
Weeks 1-2
Diagnostic
Full diagnostic across team, MarTech, CRM, content, pipeline. Week-two readout with three biggest opportunities.
Weeks 3-6
Stabilize
Quick wins that prove the model: lifecycle cleanup, attribution, vendor renegotiation. 30-50% MarTech bloat reduction in first 60 days typical.
Weeks 7-12
Build the plan
12-month strategic plan, budget, OKRs, hiring plan, operating cadence. Team owns the system by week 12.
Weeks 13-26
Operate and execute
Weekly leadership cadence, agency management, team 1:1s, quarterly OKR rollouts, board prep.
Imagine this scenario
You are the CEO of a $25M B2B services company. Your last CMO left six months ago. You have been functioning as the de facto CMO ever since, and pipeline has been flat for two quarters. The board is asking questions. You cannot afford a $400K full-time hire and you cannot keep being the CMO.
Twelve weeks in: senior marketing leadership in place 15 hours per week, marketing team has weekly clarity, MarTech bloat cut by 28%, attribution rebuilt in HubSpot, AI tools deployed for SDR enablement, content production restarted, and a 12-month strategic plan the board endorsed at the last meeting. Total cost: $115K annualized versus the $400K+ full-time hire.
That is the deliverable.
Clear pricing, serious commitment
Three-month minimum. Most engagements run 6 to 12 months. Saves 50-70% vs. full-time CMO total comp.
Not your typical fractional CMO
| Factor | Truax Marketing | Typical Fractional CMO |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Operator, CRM and AI fluent | Career consultant or retired exec |
| Hands-on execution | Yes, owns outcomes | Advisory only |
| MarTech and CRM expertise | HubSpot, Salesforce, Marketo deep | Generic frameworks |
| AI integration | Designed into workflows | Not on the radar |
| Pricing model | Fixed monthly retainer | Hourly billing surprises |
| Team management | Direct management of your team | Strategic oversight only |
| Transition support | Permanent CMO search included | Hands off at handoff |
| First 90 days | Documented Embed Protocol | "We will figure it out" |
Is this right for you?
Yes, if...
- Last CMO left, 6 months into looking for replacement
- Marketing team is 2-8 people with no senior leadership
- You promoted a director who needs an executive coach
- Pipeline is flat and the board is asking why
- Pre-Series B and need senior judgment without senior cost
- CEO is functioning as de facto CMO and it is a bottleneck
- You inherited messy MarTech and CRM full of debt
- Exploring a category shift, rebrand, or new product launch
No, if...
- Pre-product-market-fit with no marketing function yet
- You need a doer for a single channel
- You want strategy slides without execution accountability
Outcomes you can measure
30-50%
improvement in marketing-sourced pipeline
Forrester TEI, 2024
25-40%
reduction in marketing CAC
HubSpot, 2025
50-70%
cost savings versus full-time CMO total comp
60-90%
improvement in internal team confidence
Gartner CMO survey, 2024
23%
average MarTech spend reduction
Gartner CMO Spend Survey, 2024
About your fractional CMO
Truax Marketing was founded by Aaron Truax in 2022. Aaron has led marketing, CRM, and AI enablement for B2B mid-market companies in insurance, warranty, SaaS, and professional services. Engagements include CRM rebuilds, MarTech consolidation, AI workflow design, and full-stack demand programs. Background: marketing leadership, CMO consulting, CRM and automation strategy, AI enablement operations.
Frequently asked questions
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