Services Pricing How It Works Our Work About Insights Learn Contact Book a Call
Service Category

What Is a Fractional CMO
and How Does
TDS Deliver It?

A Fractional CMO is a senior Chief Marketing Officer engaged on a part-time or retainer basis — delivering the strategic marketing leadership of a full-time CMO without the $200,000–$400,000 annual salary. TDS uniquely bundles Fractional CMO strategy with a full creative production team — designers, videographers, photographers, and web developers — all operating under one integrated brief. Companies with dedicated marketing leadership grow 2.3× faster than those without. TDS makes that leadership accessible at every growth stage.

What's Included

What does a Fractional CMO include
in a TDS subscription?

TDS Fractional CMO is not a consultant who disappears after a strategy deck. It's ongoing senior marketing leadership embedded in your business and connected directly to creative production.

Marketing Strategy

Annual marketing plan, quarterly campaign calendars, channel strategy, budget allocation guidance, and KPI frameworks. Strategy built to be executed — not filed away.

Brand Positioning

Brand architecture, market positioning, competitive differentiation, and value proposition development. The strategic foundation everything else is built on.

Go-to-Market Planning

Product and service launch planning, campaign strategy, audience targeting, messaging hierarchy, and channel mix. From brief to execution plan.

Creative Brief Oversight

Every creative brief is reviewed and approved by the CMO before production begins — ensuring design, video, and photography output is strategically aligned, not just aesthetically pleasing.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

Monthly strategy sessions with your leadership team, board presentation support, marketing performance reporting, and internal marketing team mentoring.

Agency & Vendor Oversight

Brief and manage media agencies, PR firms, digital agencies, and other marketing vendors on your behalf. Coordinate the ecosystem so nothing falls through the cracks.

How It Works

How does TDS deliver
Fractional CMO services?

TDS Fractional CMO is embedded in your business from day one — structured onboarding, monthly cadence, and direct integration with the TDS creative production team.

01

Business & Marketing Audit

The CMO conducts a full audit of your business objectives, current marketing activity, brand positioning, competitive landscape, and team capability.

02

90-Day Marketing Plan

A prioritised 90-day plan with clear objectives, campaigns, channels, and creative requirements — briefed directly into the TDS production team for immediate execution.

03

Ongoing Strategy Sessions

Monthly strategic review with your leadership team. Campaign performance review, next period planning, and brief sign-off. The CMO stays across your business — not just their inbox.

04

Creative Production Integration

All strategy flows directly into TDS creative production — no translation layer, no briefing delays. The CMO and Creative Director work as one integrated team.

Tier Availability
Scale Tier — From
$7,000/mo
Monthly strategy + CMO brief review
Custom Tier — From
$15,000/mo
Deep engagement, board reporting, team oversight
Full-Time CMO Cost (vs.)
$200k–$400k/yr
Why TDS

Why choose TDS for
Fractional CMO?

Strategy + Production in One

The TDS CMO doesn't hand you a strategy document and leave. They brief the TDS production team directly — design, video, photography, and web all activate the strategy immediately.

Senior Experience, Accessible Cost

TDS Fractional CMOs are senior practitioners with 15+ years of brand and marketing leadership. You access this calibre of expertise at a fraction of the full-time employment cost.

No Translation Layer

With a traditional CMO consultant, strategy gets handed to an agency who misinterpret it. At TDS, the CMO and Creative Director are the same team — zero briefing loss.

Scales with Your Business

Start at Scale tier for strategic direction with production. Upgrade to Custom as your business grows and your marketing complexity increases. No re-onboarding, no change of team.

Related Services

What other services complement
Fractional CMO?

FAQ

Frequently asked questions
about TDS Fractional CMO

What is a Fractional CMO?
A Fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) is a senior marketing executive who works with your business on a part-time or retainer basis — providing strategic marketing leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. They own your marketing strategy, align creative output to business goals, and act as a senior marketing voice in leadership conversations.
How is TDS's Fractional CMO different from a standalone CMO consultant?
A standalone CMO consultant gives you strategy but no production capability. TDS bundles Fractional CMO leadership with a full creative production team — designers, videographers, photographers, and web developers — all working under the CMO's strategy. Strategy and execution in one subscription.
What tier includes Fractional CMO services?
Fractional CMO services are available on the Scale tier ($7,000/mo) and Custom tier ($15,000+/mo). The Scale tier includes monthly strategic sessions and CMO input on all creative briefs. Custom tier includes deeper engagement, board reporting, and dedicated CMO time.
How many hours per month does a TDS Fractional CMO dedicate?
Hours vary by tier. Scale tier includes approximately 4–8 CMO hours per month across strategy sessions, brief reviews, and stakeholder check-ins. Custom tier is scoped based on your specific requirements — typically 10–20+ hours per month.
Can a Fractional CMO attend our leadership or board meetings?
Yes. TDS Fractional CMOs can attend leadership meetings, present to boards, participate in strategic planning sessions, and represent the marketing function internally. This is included in Custom tier and available as an add-on at Scale tier.
Further Reading

Deep-dive resources on Fractional CMO

Get Started

Ready for senior marketing leadership
that actually executes?

Book a discovery call. We'll assess your marketing maturity, identify the strategic gaps, and show you how a TDS Fractional CMO can close them — with production that starts immediately.