I think transparency is important, I’ve listed out my rate card below. Rates will vary based on length of engagement, I value long-term relationships.

Day Rates

1) Fractional CMO on retainer: £850-950 per day (+VAT)

2) Consultancy/ Project work: £1250-1350 per day (+VAT )

3) Interim CMO: dependent on duration & length, similar to Fractional.

Monthly Rates / Packages

Monthly rates vary based on the rates above.

Retainers start at £1k per month for those who simply want ongoing check in and support on an ad-hoc basis. Usually to a maximum of £15k a month on the upper end.

Fractional CMO Rates & Pay

I want to encourage businesses to cut out the middlemen. So much money goes into ancillary costs, which don’t directly add value to your business. Something you can avoid by working directly.

Using Marketing Agencies

In London, top-tier marketing agencies typically operate with a cost structure that includes three layers:

  1. Headcount Costs
    Agencies need to pay full-time salaries, national insurance, and competitive benefits. They also factor in underutilisation, which gets built into your fees. Not to mention, as teams grow, you’ll be paying for functions like ‘account management’.

  2. Overheads
    This is often the most significant cost. Overheads can be as high as the headcount cost itself (80-110%). If you are paying £1 for talent, you are likely paying another £1 in overhead. This covers office space, IT infrastructure, internal marketing and sales teams, and general running costs.

  3. Mark-up
    After covering headcount and overheads, agencies add a margin for profit. This is usually between 10 and 25 per cent.

To make rates more appealing, agencies often include junior staff in the mix. While this lowers the day rate, it also reduces the senior input you receive.

Using Marketing Consultancy Firms

The cost model is similar to agencies, however it’s mainly project based. They’ll be pricing a larger premium for headcount who are on the bench & overheads are likely to be higher due to client-churn.

Using a Fractional CMO Agency

Fractional CMO agencies may not hire full-time staff, but they still carry significant sales and marketing overheads.

From experience and peer conversations, many of these agencies take around 40 per cent of the fee paid for freelance fractional CMOs. That’s a markup you can avoid.

Why Hire Directly?

When you hire a fractional CMO directly, you remove the ‘multiple’ middle-man & substantial overheads.. No fancy office, no ‘IT’ person and limited marketing costs.

You do not pay national insurance, healthcare or any benefits.

You get more direct access, more senior input, and better value. You’re paying for clear value-add services & time from a senior expert without all the crap in between..

How does this compare against other models?

FAQs

  • My rates vary depending on the nature and length of engagement. Long-term relationships get better value. If we work together consistently, I will adjust the day rate downward to reflect that.

  • My time: You get hands-on senior input. I operate on a hybrid model within London or remote with visits outside of London/ in Western Europe.

    My network: Depending on your engagement I may pull in freelancers who are specialists in particular areas. This will be done transparently and upfront.

    Resources: I will also distribute templates and best-practice frequently during engagements.

  • The Competition:

    Yes, against other fractional CMOs my rates are competitive. Against CMO salaries at an enterprise-level, my rates are low. Typically I’ve seen rate-cards which are 50-70% higher.

    I’ve adjusted them to be viable for smaller businesses that I’d like to work with.

    Country Dependent:

    Salaries of course vary from location to location. When comparing my rates to a CMO in Switzerland / North America, I’ll be 50-60% cheaper.

    Against other models

    Against other cost models, like agencies and fractional CMO companies, I'll be significantly cheaper, as I have limited overheads & don't need to mark-up headcount costs.

  • I’m a board trustee at charities. I’m open to supporting other charities pro-bono, as a trustee however it needs to align with my values & interests.

    In general, I offer discounts for non-profit & charities that need CMO support.

Interested?

Let’s chat further, book a free 15-minute complementary session