Guide
How to choose a fractional CMO
Choose on relevant experience, a written plan, clear scope, and fair terms.
In short
- Ask what you receive each week and each month
- Ask for a written 90-day plan
- Be wary of guaranteed results and vague scope
- Check the term, the exit, and who owns the work
The full answer
Choose a fractional CMO on three things: whether they understand your kind of business, whether they will tell you exactly what you receive each week and month, and whether they will put the plan and the terms in writing. Be wary of guaranteed results and vague scope.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Have you worked with businesses like mine, and what did you actually do for them?
- What exactly will I receive each week and each month?
- How often will we talk, and how quickly do you reply?
- Will you write a 90-day plan, and can I see an example?
- Who does the hands-on work, you or someone else?
- How will you report results, and what would make you tell me to stop something?
- What is the term, what does it cost, and who owns what you build?
- How many clients do you take at once?
Red flags
- Guaranteed rankings, leads, or revenue. Nobody can honestly promise these.
- No written plan or deliverables, just "strategy".
- Reports full of activity and no results.
- A fee that goes up when your ad spend goes up, with no one else checking.
- Long lock-ins with no clear way out and no ownership of what is built.
- Case studies with no named business, or results that cannot be explained.
What a good first conversation covers
A good first call asks about your customers, your jobs, how leads arrive and what happens to them, and what you have already tried. It ends with a view on your biggest opportunity and an honest statement of whether the engagement fits, including when it does not. Our strategy call works that way: 20 minutes, free, and it is just a fit check.
Fit matters as much as credentials
A fractional CMO who has led marketing in your kind of business will spot the problems faster. Ask about relevant experience, and ask them to describe a mistake they made and what they changed. Credentials are less useful than specifics.
Why WRD Media is built this way
You work directly with Howard Kan. The engagement is two levels with named deliverables, a 90-day initial term, and you keep everything built. We take three clients at a time. We do not publish case studies because WRD Media has no client results to show yet; the track record is Howard's own career. See the fractional CMO page.
A simple scorecard
| What to check | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Scope | A clear list of what you receive each week and month |
| Plan | A written 90-day roadmap with priorities, owners, and dates |
| Reporting | Results in plain language, including what did not work |
| Terms | A short initial term, clear exit, and you keep what is built |
| Experience | Specific examples in businesses like yours, with the mistakes included |
| Access | A named person you speak to, with a stated reply time |
Common questions
How do I compare two fractional CMOs?
Compare what you receive each week and month, how they report, the term, and who owns the work. Price alone hides the differences.
Should I ask for references?
Yes, from clients you can actually contact, in a business like yours.
Do I need to meet in person?
Not necessarily. Many engagements run remotely with regular live sessions.
What if it is not working?
Look for a short initial term and clear exit terms, and make sure you keep the work.
How long should I commit?
At least a few months so strategy has time to show up in results. A short initial term is a good sign.
Not sure where to start?
Book a 20-minute strategy call. We will look at your biggest marketing opportunity and what Howard would do about it, even if we never work together.