HOW MUCH DOES A FRACTIONAL CMO COST? BUDGET FOR THE WHOLE MANDATE

The fee depends on how much time the leader commits, the number of markets and teams involved, and whether the work includes hands-on execution or direction of existing specialists. A diagnostic, a monthly advisory role, and an operating CMO mandate are different purchases. Ask for the decisions and deliverables behind the number.

Brennen’s fractional CMO engagements start at $5,000 per month. That is a starting point for an ongoing leadership mandate, not a quote for every company. Media spend, production, software, and specialist work are scoped separately so the owner can see the full investment.

List the leadership fee, creative and web production, paid media, data or CRM implementation, and internal time. Then map each expense to a specific part of the customer journey. If the plan calls for more demand but the team cannot answer calls or follow up quotes, fund that repair before scaling acquisition.

Compare candidates on the operating plan they would run. One may offer strategy only; another may lead vendors and sales handoffs. A higher fee can be justified by broader accountability, but no honest provider can guarantee a revenue multiple before inspecting your economics and capacity.

Agree on a 90-day scope, weekly decision cadence, access to data, who approves spend, and who does the work. Ask how the CMO will distinguish channel failure from a conversion or operations bottleneck. Require a scorecard that reaches qualified opportunities and sales where the data allows it.

Use the first diagnostic to settle the mandate. The output should tell you what to stop, what to repair, and what to test. If it produces only a generic channel menu, you still do not know what the retainer is buying.