A fractional CMO sets your marketing strategy, manages your budget and campaigns, leads or hires your marketing team, and reports results directly to you. These are the same responsibilities as a full-time Chief Marketing Officer, delivered part-time for a fraction of the cost. At Mojave Agency, that role is filled by founder Jeremy Forsberg, who held in-house CMO roles before starting the agency. The strategy you get is built by someone who has been responsible for the results, not someone who only advised on them.
If you run a growing business in Las Vegas or anywhere else, you’ve probably reached the point where marketing matters too much to leave to guesswork. You may not be ready for a $200,000+ executive hire, though. That gap is exactly what a fractional CMO fills.
Core Responsibilities of a Fractional CMO
“CMO” stands for Chief Marketing Officer, the senior leader responsible for how a company attracts and keeps customers. “Fractional” means you get that person for part of their time, usually a set number of hours or days each month, instead of full-time. Here’s what that looks like in practice.
1. Building your marketing strategy
Before spending a dollar, a fractional CMO answers the big questions. Who is your best customer? What makes you different from competitors? Which channels will actually reach those customers? These channels might be Google search, social media, email, referrals, or local advertising. The result is a written plan that tells everyone what to do and why.
2. Managing your marketing budget
Many business owners know they’re spending money on marketing but aren’t sure what’s working. A fractional CMO decides where your budget should go, cuts spending that isn’t producing results, and shifts money toward what is.
3. Leading your marketing team
If you already have marketing staff, even one coordinator or a part-time social media person, a fractional CMO gives them direction and priorities. If you don’t have a team, they help you decide who to hire and when, and can help interview candidates.
4. Overseeing campaigns and vendors
Most growing businesses work with outside help: a web designer, an ad agency, a freelance writer. A fractional CMO manages those relationships, holds vendors accountable, and makes sure all the pieces work together instead of pulling in different directions.
5. Measuring and reporting results
A fractional CMO tracks the numbers that matter to your business. These include leads, sales, and the cost to win each new customer, not just “likes” or website visits. They report directly to you or your leadership team in plain language, so you always know what your marketing is returning.
Fractional CMO vs. Marketing Consultant vs. Agency Retainer
These three options often get confused. The main difference is how much ownership they take over your results.
| Fractional CMO | Marketing Consultant | Agency Retainer | |
| Main role | Leads your marketing as part of your leadership team | Gives advice and recommendations | Carries out specific tasks (ads, SEO, content) |
| Sets strategy? | Yes, and owns it | Recommends it | Usually follows yours |
| Manages your team and vendors? | Yes | Rarely | No |
| Accountable for results? | Yes, across all marketing | Limited to advice given | Limited to their channel |
| Best for | Businesses needing senior leadership without a full-time hire | One-time problems or second opinions | Businesses that already have a clear strategy |
A consultant might hand you a great plan, but once the engagement ends, putting it into action is up to you. An agency on retainer will run your Google Ads or post on social media, but it usually won’t decide whether those are the right channels in the first place. A fractional CMO sits above both. They set the direction, then make sure the consultants, agencies, and staff you already pay are all working toward the same goals.
Signs Your Business Needs One
You may be ready for a fractional CMO if any of these sound familiar:
- You’re spending on marketing but can’t say what’s working. You have bills from an ad agency, a web developer, and a social media freelancer, but no clear picture of which one brings in customers.
- Growth has stalled. What worked to get you here, such as word of mouth or a single ad channel, isn’t enough to get you to the next level.
- You’re the one doing the marketing. As the owner, you’re making marketing decisions late at night instead of running the business.
- Your marketing team lacks direction. You have capable people, but no senior leader to set priorities and coach them.
- You’re preparing for a big move. You’re launching a new product, entering a new market, opening a second location, or raising investment, and you need a marketing plan that holds up.
- You can’t justify a full-time executive yet. A full-time CMO salary plus benefits is out of reach, but you need that level of thinking now.
For Las Vegas businesses in particular, competition is intense in industries like hospitality, healthcare, home services, and professional services. A clear strategy often makes the difference between blending in and standing out. Learn more about our Fractional CMO services in Las Vegas.
How Mojave Agency Structures a Fractional CMO Engagement
Every business is different, but most Mojave Agency engagements follow the same basic path.
Step 1: Discovery
Jeremy starts by learning your business: your goals, your customers, your current marketing, your numbers, and your team. This includes reviewing what you’re already spending and what it’s producing.
Step 2: Strategy and roadmap
Next comes a written marketing plan with clear priorities, a budget, and measurable goals. You’ll know what’s happening, who’s responsible, and how success will be measured.
Step 3: Execution and leadership
Jeremy leads the work: directing your team, managing vendors, and filling any gaps with Mojave Agency’s own resources where needed.
Step 4: Reporting
You’ll receive regular reports in plain English, focused on the numbers that affect revenue.
Step 5: Handoff or long-term partnership
Some clients keep a fractional CMO long-term. Others use the engagement to build a strong team and eventually hire a full-time marketing leader. Either way, the goal is to leave your marketing in better shape than we found it, with documented strategy, trained people, and systems that keep running.
FAQS
How much does a fractional CMO cost?
Fractional CMO fees vary widely based on experience, time commitment, and business size, but they typically cost far less than a full-time executive’s salary and benefits. The exact fee depends on the scope of work and how many hours you need each month.
How much time does a fractional CMO spend on my business?
It depends on your needs and stage of growth. Many engagements run anywhere from a few hours a week to a couple of days a week.
What happens when the engagement ends?
A good fractional CMO plans for the end from day one. Before an engagement wraps up, Mojave Agency documents your strategy, processes, and results. We also train your team and, if needed, help you hire a full-time marketing leader. You keep everything we build together.
Do you work with businesses outside Las Vegas?
Yes. Mojave Agency is based in Las Vegas and works closely with local businesses, and we also partner with companies in other markets.
Ready to Find Out If a Fractional CMO Is Right for You?
If your marketing needs senior leadership but a full-time hire doesn’t make sense yet, let’s talk. A short conversation with Jeremy will help you figure out whether a fractional CMO is the right fit and what an engagement could look like for your business.
