Why is it called a "fractional" CMO in the United States?

"Fractional" is the standard American word for a senior executive who works for a company a fraction of the week. It belongs to the vocabulary of international, VC-backed, English-speaking companies. In France the same model is called Part-time CMO, and iytro created it there in 2019. For days, prices and logistics, read part-time CMO in the United States. This page is about the decision.

A fractional CMO is a member of the leadership team. They own strategy, budget, team and results. What changes compared with a full-time CMO is the number of days, and the fact that you can adjust it.

Which situations call for a fractional CMO in the US?

• After a funding round. The board expects a marketing plan and a credible owner for it. The budget exists. The senior person to allocate it does not.
• Between two CMOs. The CMO leaves and the search will take time. An interim leader holds the seat, keeps the team moving and can help write the brief for the permanent hire.
• Entering the US market. A European company arrives with a product that sells at home and positioning written for home buyers. Someone has to rebuild the message, pick the first segments and channels, and decide what to spend. A full-time US CMO is a heavy bet before the market has answered.
• Leaving or scaling back. A company that reduces its US presence still has customers, a brand and a pipeline to maintain with a smaller setup.
• A founder who still runs marketing. It worked early on. Now it takes hours the founder does not have, and the team needs a manager who has done the job before.

How does it compare with a full-time CMO, an agency or a freelancer in the US?

Full-time CMO. The right choice when the company needs a marketing executive five days a week and can wait for the search. In the US that means a competitive talent market and a package with salary, bonus and usually equity. A fractional CMO starts sooner, you pay only for the days you use, and there is no long-term commitment.

Agency. The US has agencies for every channel and every budget. An agency works to a brief. Sitting in your leadership team, arbitrating between channels and managing your people are outside its role. A fractional CMO writes the brief and holds the agency to it.

Freelancer. A freelancer is usually a specialist in one discipline, hired for a defined output. A fractional CMO is accountable for the whole function. With iytro there is also a range of senior profiles behind the engagement: CMO, Head of Growth, Brand Director, Product Marketing, CRM, Content, Field and Partner Marketing, Marketing Ops.

For a European company, there is a fourth option: running the US from head office. It tends to work until the time difference and the distance from American buyers start slowing decisions. For how one leader covers several home markets, see fractional CMO in Europe, written for European companies expanding to the US and beyond.

What does a fractional CMO cost, and how many days does it take?

An iytro leader is embedded in your team 1 to 3 days per week, or as an interim. The day rate is €1,100 to €1,500, stated in euros. Two days a week is about €10,000 to €12,000 per month. There is no long-term commitment and the volume is adjusted month by month. The model is described on the part-time CMO page.

What do the first 90 days look like?

A typical plan runs in three stages:

• Days 1 to 30: diagnosis. Interviews with the founder, sales and US customers. Review of positioning, funnel data, budget, team and agencies. The output is a clear view of what works, what does not, and what to stop.
• Days 31 to 60: plan and first decisions. Priorities for the next two quarters, a budget, targets the board can follow, and the first changes to team and suppliers.
• Days 61 to 90: execution. The plan is running, the team has a weekly rhythm and reporting is in place. This is also the moment to review the number of days.

How does iytro work in the United States?

iytro has offices in Paris, Barcelona and New York. Its US office is in New York and it has no other office in the country. Elsewhere in the United States, leaders work from New York, on site when needed and remotely otherwise.

iytro has worked with 400+ clients since 2019, 86% of clients recommend it, and it is B Corp certified. Two case studies show the model at work: Qovoltis and Lifen.