Fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
Senior growth leadership that owns the plan and the results, part time.
From $8k/mo · 90-day minimum
What is a fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO, or fractional chief marketing officer, is a senior marketing executive who works part time, usually one or two days a week. They own the growth plan, budget, team and agencies. Some companies call the role a fractional head of growth or fractional chief growth officer. I offer it to established and PE-backed companies.
Merrick Lee Jr. is a strategic growth advisor based in New York City, and the founder of Croes Ave, a digital marketing agency he started in 2014. He works with established, owner-led and PE-backed service brands across New York City and the US.
Do you need a Fractional CMO?
Signs it's the right fit for an established, owner-led or PE-backed service brand.
- You need a growth leader but aren't ready for a full-time executive hire
- You're PE-backed and need board-ready marketing reporting
- Several agencies or brands need one plan and one standard
- Your marketing team needs leadership and direction
- Growth has stalled and someone needs to own the turnaround
What's included in the Fractional CMO?
1–2 days a week
Embedded with your leadership team
Growth plan ownership
Strategy, priorities and the roadmap
Budget ownership
Allocation, forecasting and spend decisions
Team & agency leadership
Managing marketers, hiring and agency selection
Board / PE reporting
Monthly reporting on pipeline, CAC and return
Executive meetings
A seat at leadership and board prep meetings
How does the Fractional CMO work?
What do you walk away with?
- One accountable owner for growth
- A budget tied to outcomes
- Reporting your board or investors can rely on
- A stronger team and a plan for a full-time hire if needed
How it connects
Most engagements start with a Growth Audit or run it as the first 30 days. If needs scale down later, the role can step back to an Advisory Retainer.
Where Croes Ave comes in
As your Fractional CMO I lead the work and the vendors. Croes Ave can be one of the execution teams for paid search, paid social, email automation and conversion sites, scoped and priced separately and only if it's the right fit.
Results
Results from Croes Ave clients
Paid Search campaigns with intake tracked end to end. Over the last 90 days, Paid Search sessions converted to key events at 36.8% — up 44% vs the prior 90 days.
Father's Day brunch campaign on Meta that packed the room for pennies per guest.
Google Ads and Meta campaigns that fill summer camps and enrollment classes.
“If I have any kind of a problem, any kind of an issue, I call and he picks up — or he calls me right back.”Harry Sgantzos · Owner, Clark's Diner
Fractional CMO questions
What does a fractional CMO do?
A fractional CMO, or fractional chief marketing officer, sets the growth strategy, owns the marketing budget, leads the team and agencies, and reports results to leadership or the board, working part time.
How much does a fractional CMO cost?
My Fractional CMO engagement starts at $8k a month for one to two days a week, with a 90-day minimum.
Fractional CMO vs. marketing agency: which do I need?
An agency executes campaigns. A fractional CMO decides what the agency should do, sets the budget and holds it accountable. Many companies need both.
Chief Growth Officer vs. CMO: what's the difference?
A CMO usually owns marketing. A Chief Growth Officer owns growth more broadly: marketing, the funnel, and how leads turn into revenue. As a fractional role, the titles often overlap.
Do you work with private equity-backed companies?
Yes. Reporting is built for operating partners and boards, and I can work across several brands in a portfolio.
Do you work with tree care or lawn care companies?
No. Because of my exclusive partnership with Almstead, I don't take on tree care, lawn care or landscaping clients. If that's your industry, Almstead is in great hands.
Ready to start with a Fractional CMO?
Book a 30-minute fit call. If it's not the right fit, I'll tell you what is.
Prefer to send a message? Open the contact form
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