Services & Engagement Models
Senior marketing leadership without a six-month hiring process. Four ways to work together, depending on what the business actually needs.
Every engagement is scoped to the business, not sold from a fixed rate card. Fractional, interim, project or advisory — we agree the right shape and fee once I understand what's actually needed.
Also searching for a Fractional CMO, Interim Marketing Director, or just a Marketing Consultant? Same work, different name — each page explains the distinction. Also: how I run a marketing performance audit, what this actually costs, IR35 explained, and support for London businesses.
Specialisms
Industries and situations I work with most often
How this compares
Where fractional support sits against the alternatives
| Fractional | Full-time hire | Marketing agency | Recruiter placement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | Fee agreed to scope | Salary + NI + benefits | Retainer + media spend | Placement fee + salary |
| Start time | Days | 2–6 months | Weeks | 2–6 months |
| Strategic ownership | Senior, accountable | Senior, accountable | Executional, briefed by you | Depends who's hired |
| Commitment | Flexible, scoped | Long-term, hard to unwind | Contract term | Long-term, hard to unwind |
| Best for | A gap, a fix, or senior direction now | Sustained in-house function | Hands-on execution at volume | A permanent, full-time need |
How an engagement actually runs
Beyond the diagnostic call — what the first three months look like
Month 1
Audit & diagnosis
Tracking, spend, agency accountability and ownership reviewed against the commercial outcome. You get a clear, evidenced picture of where the leak actually is.
Month 2
Foundation & quick wins
The highest-confidence fixes get made first, alongside the structural work — taxonomy, measurement, agency briefs — that everything else depends on.
Month 3
Scale & optimise
With the foundation in place, budget and effort move toward what the evidence says is actually working, with reporting you can hand to leadership.
Who this is for
Being clear about fit saves everyone's time
This is a good fit if
- There's a real leadership gap or a specific, evidenced problem to fix
- There's budget to actually execute, not just plan
- Leadership is willing to look at the numbers, including uncomfortable ones
This isn't a good fit if
- You need a full-time, hands-on operator in the building every day
- You want sign-off on decisions that are already made
- You're looking for the cheapest possible option rather than the right one
Common questions
Is a Fractional Marketing Director the same as a Fractional CMO?
In practice, yes — the terms are used interchangeably in the UK market. I use Fractional Marketing Director because it's the clearer title, but the scope of work is the same senior, strategic role.
Does this work inside IR35?
Engagements are structured project and outcome-based, with control over how the work is delivered, which is how genuine outside-IR35 fractional work is typically structured. Your own status determination depends on your specific engagement — full explanation here, or check it against HMRC's tool for your circumstances rather than relying on a general answer.
How long does an engagement typically last?
Fractional and interim work usually runs 3–6 months at minimum to see the impact through, though it varies by scope. Project work is often 2–8 weeks. Nothing is sold as a long minimum term.
Will you be dedicated to us, or working with other clients too?
Fractional and advisory work is designed to run alongside other clients — that's the point of the model. Interim engagements are typically full-time and dedicated to one business for the duration.
Can we use this alongside our existing marketing agency?
Yes, and it's a common setup — I often sit above the agency relationship, briefing and holding it accountable, rather than replacing it.
What happens if it's not the right fit?
We find that out on the discovery call, before anything is agreed. If it isn't a fit, I'll say so plainly rather than take on work that won't produce a result.
What happens on the diagnostic call
01
You describe the situation
What’s working, what isn’t, and what you’ve already tried. No prep needed — the conversation itself tends to surface the real problem quickly.
02
I ask the questions you haven’t been asked
Usually about tracking, attribution, agency accountability, or who actually owns the marketing outcome end-to-end. Most businesses have an answer to these questions — but haven’t been pushed to articulate it before.
03
We agree whether there’s a useful next step
No sales pitch, no follow-up pressure. If there’s a clear fit between what you need and what I do, I’ll say so plainly and suggest the right engagement type. If there isn’t, I’ll say that too.
Most calls take 15 minutes; I allow 30 minutes in the diary so we are not cut short.
Book a call
Every engagement is scoped to the business, not sold from a fixed rate card. Fractional, interim, project or advisory — we agree the right shape and fee once I understand what's actually needed.