If you’ve ever felt unsure whether your business needs a marketing assistant, a strategist, or someone with C-suite experience—you’re not alone. As a Fractional CMO and CSO, I hear this all the time: “We need help with marketing, but we’re not sure what kind of help.” The truth is, not all marketers are created equal—and that’s a good thing. Businesses at different stages need different types of support. In this article, I’ll break down the three most common types of marketing support: Doers, Strategists, and Fractional CMOs.
The Marketing Doer: The Executors
Marketing doers are the boots-on-the-ground professionals. They get stuff done. Need a social media post created and scheduled? Need a blog formatted and posted? Need someone to load an email in Mailchimp? A doer can handle it.
Typical Roles:
- Social Media Managers
- Copywriters
- Email Marketing Coordinators
- Marketing Assistants
Best For:
Small businesses with clear direction and someone already leading strategy. These professionals are task-oriented and don’t typically work well without guidance.
Salary Range:
$40,000 – $70,000/year (or hourly/freelance)
Pros:
Affordable, fast execution
Cons:
Need direction, not strategic thinkers
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The Marketing Strategist: The Planners
Strategists bridge the gap between vision and execution. They assess your business goals, review your current efforts, and create a plan to move you forward.
Typical Roles:
- Marketing Consultants
- Brand Strategists
- Campaign Planners
Best For:
Companies looking to pivot, launch something new, or refine an underperforming funnel.
Pros:
Objective perspective, measurable roadmaps Cons: Often don’t stay to execute; need implementers
Fun Fact:
According to HubSpot, 63% of businesses say their biggest marketing challenge is generating traffic and leads. A strategist helps solve that by diagnosing why your current efforts aren’t converting.
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The Fractional CMO: The Leader
A Fractional CMO is a senior-level executive who joins your team on a part-time basis. They do more than plan—they lead. They partner with the CEO to align marketing with business goals, oversee team performance, and drive growth.
Typical Responsibilities:
- Build and oversee your marketing team (internal or contractors)
- Define positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategy
- Collaborate with sales to improve pipeline health
- Analyze KPIs and report to leadership
Best For:
Businesses in the $2M-$20M range who need marketing leadership but don’t have the budget or need for a full-time CMO.
According to Forbes, fractional executives are one of the top trends in business leadership for SMBs, allowing high-growth companies to get C-suite expertise without the full-time cost.
Pros:
Strategic alignment, leadership, flexibility Cons: Requires a cultural fit and clear authority from the top
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Visual Comparison: Doer vs. Strategist vs. Fractional CMO
| Role | Tasks | Strategic? | Leads a Team? | Works with CEO? |
| Marketing Doer | Executes blogs, posts, emails | No | No | No |
| Marketing Strategist | Builds strategy, audits performance | Yes | Sometimes | Sometimes |
| Fractional CMO | Leads strategy + team, partners with CEO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How This Plays Out in Real Life
Here’s a recent example: A $6M manufacturing client brought me in thinking they needed someone to “help with marketing.” What they really needed was direction. Their internal team was busy, but efforts were disjointed. They had a talented graphic designer, a sales team hungry for leads, and a CRM they weren’t using. Within three months, I clarified positioning, launched a new campaign aligned with sales, and assigned roles clearly across internal and freelance contributors.
That’s the kind of shift only a fractional leader can make.
Final Thoughts
Not sure where your business fits? Start by asking yourself: Do I need someone to do the work, plan the work, or lead the team? Each role has its place, and knowing the difference could save you thousands—and months of trial and error.
