Fractional CMO
A fractional CMO for teams that need senior marketing leadership.
The MCS Agency serves as your chief marketing officer. We set the strategy, shape the brand, build the website, grow your social media presence and run the communications.
A fractional CMO is an experienced marketing executive who leads an organization’s marketing on a part-time or contract basis. The MCS Agency provides fractional CMO services to nonprofits, purpose-driven organizations and small businesses in Cincinnati and beyond, so a small team gets the experience of a full one.
What is included
What a fractional CMO does for you.
01
Set the strategy
Audience, goals, positioning and priorities, written down and agreed on.
02
Shape the brand
Voice, story and identity that people recognize as yours.
03
Build the website
Planning, design and build, with your team trained to maintain it.
04
Run the communications
Campaigns, social media and outreach carried out against the plan.
Your fractional CMO
Senior leadership, from the first call.
Clara Matonhodze leads the strategy on every fractional CMO engagement. She brings more than 26 years of communications experience across media, journalism, nonprofit and civic work.
Clara sets the strategy and reports to your leadership in plain language. Her team executes it for you, from newsletters and social media to brand materials and your website, so you get the judgment of a chief marketing officer and the hands to carry out the work, without a full-time hire.
Read Clara’s story →Compare the options
Three ways to get marketing leadership.
| Full-time CMO | Traditional agency | Fractional CMO with The MCS Agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | An executive on staff who leads marketing every day. | A vendor that carries out defined projects. | A senior leader who sets direction and a team that delivers the work. |
| Time commitment | Full time. | Project by project. | Part time or on contract, scaled to your needs. |
| Best fit | Larger organizations with a full marketing department. | Teams that already have a strategy and need production. | Small teams without a marketing department. |
| Scope | Strategy and team management. | Campaigns, creative or websites. | Strategy, brand, website and communications under one plan. |
How it works
How a fractional CMO engagement runs.
Senior strategy first, then a team to carry it out, on a schedule that fits your budget.
Listen and review
We meet your leadership and review your current messages, materials and results.
Set the strategy
Clara sets priorities, audiences and goals in a plan your board can follow.
Carry out the work
The team produces the newsletters, posts, materials and web updates in the plan.
Report to leadership
Regular check-ins show what is working and set the next round of priorities.
Questions
Questions about fractional CMOs.
What is a fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO is an experienced marketing executive who leads an organization’s marketing strategy on a part-time or contract basis. A small team gets senior leadership without hiring a full-time executive.
How is a fractional CMO different from a marketing agency?
A marketing agency typically carries out defined projects such as a campaign or a website. A fractional CMO sets the overall marketing direction, decides which projects matter most and holds the work accountable to goals. The MCS Agency provides both leadership and delivery.
Is a fractional CMO a good fit for a nonprofit?
Yes, particularly for nonprofits that serve several audiences at once, such as funders, donors, volunteers and the people they serve, and have no marketing department. A fractional CMO builds one strategy that speaks to all of them.
What does a fractional CMO do for a small business?
A fractional CMO clarifies the brand, makes the website earn inquiries and keeps content consistent without adding headcount. The role connects each of those to a single plan.
How does an engagement begin?
It begins with a short call about what you want to achieve. From there we define the audience, find root causes, choose a strategy and agree on how success is measured.
Keep exploring
Related services
Strategic Communications
Plans, messaging and outreach built on audience insight.
Learn more Related serviceBranding and Storytelling
A voice, a story and an identity people recognize as yours.
Learn more Related serviceWebsite Design
Accessible sites your team can find, use and update.
Learn moreTell us what your team is working toward.
Start with a conversation about your goals, your audience and the team you have today.
Start a conversation