The Life of a B2B Hands-On Fractional CMO: A week in the trenches

The Life of a B2B Hands-On Fractional CMO: A Week in the Trenches

When asked what it's like to be a fractional CMO, I candidly reply that it's not for everyone, and you'll either love it or run for the hills. As a fractional CMO in the B2B space, there's no such thing as a "standard week." The role demands wearing multiple hats, juggling competing priorities, and finding time to execute and think. Let me walk you through what this busy and rewarding position entails.

The RevOps Engineer

A significant portion of your time is spent deep in the revenue operations machine:

• Documenting the customer journey from lead to deal in excruciating detail

• Building out HubSpot workflows that reflect how humans buy things

• Refining lifecycle stages to ensure perfect alignment across departments

• Troubleshooting automation that mysteriously fail for specific contact segments

• Creating custom properties to track metrics that matter

• You are in HubSpot daily, if not hourly.

The Content Creator

When you're not in HubSpot, you're likely crafting messaging that resonates:

• Rewriting website homepage copy that speaks to pain points while incorporating key messaging

• Balancing SEO requirements against conversational, engaging language

• Ensuring value propositions are crystal clear and compelling

• Briefing Fiverr designers on one-pagers, infographics, and presentations needed on tight deadlines

• Drafting partner copy that satisfies multiple stakeholders while driving action

The Brand Champion

As the guardian of the brand, you're constantly:

• Scrutinizing every visual element for brand consistency, from slide decks to social images

• Obsessing over aesthetic details others might dismiss as "good enough." CEO Rhys Maddocks from Hire Intelligence can testify that I do not settle for good enough; I seek the best execution.

• Rejecting designs that technically follow guidelines but somehow miss the brand essence

• Educating internal teams on why that shade of green or blue or orange matters more than they realise...

• Fighting the constant battle between business urgency and brand integrity

The Messaging Maestro

Your pursuit of perfect messaging becomes nearly obsessive:

• Agonising over word choice in headlines late into an evening because it's "almost right"

• Caring deeply about whether prospects genuinely understand your unique value

• Ensuring messaging hierarchy properly guides prospects through their decision journey

The Data Scientist

Data analysis becomes second nature in this role:

• Building dashboards that tell the growth story while highlighting areas for improvement

• Analysing campaign performance across channels to determine what's working

• Reconciling disparate data sources to get the "single source of truth."

• Responding to numerous requests for "quick reports"

• Identifying trends and opportunities that others might miss

The Channel Master

Amplifying your message requires expertise across multiple platforms:

• Coordinating social media content across LinkedIn, and industry-specific platforms

• Aligning partner marketing initiatives with your overall strategy

• Managing digital ad spend and optimising campaigns

• Creating thought leadership content that provides genuine value to prospects

The Strategic Partner

Throughout it all, you're constantly collaborating with the sales team:

• Those daily check-ins with the sales team aren't interruptions but vital touchpoints

• Enablement sessions that strengthen the go-to-market approach

• Creating reports that showcase the joint impact of marketing and sales efforts

• Gathering real-time market feedback to inform strategy adjustments

The Weekend Warrior

Despite best intentions, work inevitably spills into what should be personal time:

• Catching up on emails missed during the week's meetings

• Preparing for Monday morning executive meetings

• Thinking time

The Reality Check

The fractional CMO role isn't bound by traditional hours or a five-day workweek. The key isn't working harder but working smarter:

• Ruthlessly prioritising initiatives with the highest impact

• Building systems and processes that scale without your constant involvement

• Documenting everything to ensure knowledge transfer

• Learning faster and always learning.

The fractional CMO life isn't for everyone, but for those who thrive on variety, challenge, and tangible business impact, it's hard to imagine a more rewarding role – even if it means blurring the lines between work and personal life. Truth be told, I wouldn't have it any other way because seeing that perfectly executed campaign, flawless brand expression, or spot-on messaging that drives genuine business value makes it all worthwhile.