What is fractional marketing? Your complete guide to fractional marketing directors
If you're a small business owner, you've probably noticed something frustrating: hiring marketing help is either crazy expensive or mediocre quality — or both!
You have three main options: pay $60-80K+ for a full-time entry-level marketing coordinator (who's learning as they go), opt for an experienced full-time marketing director at $120K, or take your chances with agencies and freelancers to execute specific tactics and risk inconsistent results.
What if I told you there's a fourth option most business owners don't know exists?
It's called fractional marketing. And no, that's not a typo or industry jargon—it's actually a game-changing model that could transform your business growth.
What does "fractional" mean in business?
I recently learned that most small business owners have never heard this term before, so let's start with the basics.
Fractional = Getting senior-level expertise for a fraction of the time (and cost) of a full-time hire.
The math is simple:
NOT fractional: Hiring a marketing director at $120,000/year working 40 hours/week
Fractional: Getting that same level of expertise for 10 hours/week at $60,000/year (or less)
You get 15+ years of marketing experience at the price of an entry-level hire.
What is a fractional marketing director?
Look, here's the difference between fractional and everything else you've tried:
Consultants: Come in, give advice, leave. You're stuck implementing alone.
Agencies: Execute whatever tactics you tell them to. They stick within the “scope of work.”
Fractional directors: Actually become part of your team. Strategy AND execution oversight, ongoing.
I work with 3-4 businesses, dedicating focused time to each. You get strategic marketing leadership without paying for someone to sit in your office 40 hours a week doing busy work.
Common small business scenario: Multiple marketing vendors working in silos
Picture this: A small business owner managing multiple marketing vendors who don't talk to each other. Sound familiar?
Current situation:
Social media freelancer: $1,200/month (posting 3x/week on social media - including Instagram where your B2B audience isn't even at - no strategy)
Website agency: $1,500/month (only makes changes when you ask, no proactive optimization or ongoing content creation)
Trade publication ads: $1,000/month
Trade show expenses: $2,000/month
Considering email marketing: another $800/month for platform + freelancer
Total: $5,700/month (or $6,500 with email)
Plus YOU’RE spending 15-20 hours a week on sales and vendor management as the business owner.
The real problems: Your social media person posts without understanding the target audience or buying cycles. Your website agency waits for you to tell them what to do, lacking proactive, strategic thinking. Trade show leads go into a spreadsheet and die there.
Nobody's connecting the dots. You can't track if social posts drive website visits. You don't know if website visitors came from trade shows. There’s zero analytics connecting marketing to actual sales.
And now you're considering adding ANOTHER vendor for email marketing? More coordination, more vendor management, more time learning about your business on your dime.
What fractional marketing could look like for this company:
For around $5,000/month, fractional marketing direction would provide:
One person coordinating all marketing efforts
Proper analytics tracking from first touch to closed deal
Trade show leads actually get followed up with email and LinkedIn nurturing
Website optimized for conversions, not just updates when you remember
Content strategy that works across all channels (including search engine marketing)
Email marketing built in (no additional vendor needed)
One point of contact instead of managing 3-4 different people
Same investment, coordinated strategy, way less headache.
Fractional marketing director cost vs full-time marketing director
Full-time marketing director actually costs:
Base salary: $80,000-$150,000/year
Benefits (30%): $24,000-$45,000
Equipment/software: $5,000-$10,000
Office space: $3,000-$8,000
Total: $112,000-$213,000/year
Fractional marketing director (10 hours/week):
Service fee: $48,000-$78,000/year
No benefits, equipment or space needed
Vendor network included
Multi-industry experience included
Total: $48,000-$78,000/year
You save $64,000-$135,000 annually and get MORE strategic value because I'm not sitting around waiting for something to do.
Why fractional marketing beats full-time for most small businesses
Multi-industry experience
While a full-time employee learns from one company, I see what works across multiple businesses daily. I can spot patterns, avoid mistakes and implement proven strategies immediately.
Fresh perspective
Full-time employees get tunnel vision. I bring constant exposure to new solutions from working with diverse businesses.
Flexibility to scale
Fractional marketing lets you increase or decrease hours based on your business needs—no long-term commitment required.
Signs you need fractional marketing direction
You probably need fractional marketing if:
You're spending $2,000+ monthly on marketing without clear ROI
You can't immediately name which efforts brought in your last three customers
Your marketing feels scattered across random activities
You're managing multiple vendors who don't coordinate
You've tried agencies and consultants but nothing sticks
Your current team executes well but lacks strategic direction
How fractional marketing direction works for your business
Fractional marketing isn't one-size-fits-all. The engagement depends on your current marketing setup, budget and growth goals—whether you need strategic oversight, vendor coordination or complete marketing leadership.
Different businesses need different levels of support, from basic strategic direction to full marketing department replacement.
The process-powered marketing method
At LSX Partners, I bring fractional marketing to life through what I call the Process-Powered Marketing Method—systems that make marketing predictable and profitable.
Instead of random marketing activities, I build:
Strategic frameworks for consistent decision-making
Content systems that scale without reinventing the wheel
Tracking processes that show exactly what's working
Vendor management systems for seamless coordination
Growth systems that work even when I'm not actively managing
Because marketing without systems is just expensive guessing.
Ready to transform your marketing?
If you’ve been searching for a small business marketing consultant, choosing fractional marketing direction might be the solution you didn't know existed.
Schedule a complimentary marketing strategy consultation where I'll:
Audit your current marketing and identify immediate opportunities
Outline a clear 90-day action plan
Discuss how fractional marketing could work for your specific situation
Show you exactly what you'd get for your investment
Contact LSX Partners today to schedule your free fractional marketing service consultation!
