Fractional CMO services, without the executive fees.

WHAT IS A FRACTIONAL CMO?

The difference with CairnsCom is simple: you are not hiring an agency or a strategist who hands over a deck and disappears. You are hiring me, Tom Cairns, and I implement the work as well as direct it. Most growing businesses do not need another agency selling them tactics. They need one senior person who can set the direction, hold the budget, manage the people doing the work, and answer for the result, across marketing, sales, and the systems underneath. A whole executive team's range, in one person.

WHAT I OWN

FRACTIONAL CMO VS AGENCY VS FULL-TIME HIRE

A marketing agency sells execution against a brief. A full-time chief marketing officer owns the whole picture but costs a heavy six figures. A fractional CMO sits between the two and removes the downside of both.

HOW MUCH DOES A FRACTIONAL CMO COST?

A fractional CMO is priced as a monthly retainer that matches the scope you actually need, which is why it sits well below a full-time hire. A full-time chief marketing officer in the US frequently costs 250,000 dollars or more per year before bonus, benefits, and equity, plus the time and risk of recruiting one. With a fractional engagement you get the same level of senior judgment for a defined monthly fee, you can change the scope as your needs change, and there is no severance or long notice if priorities shift. I share specific pricing after a short qualification call, so the number reflects your situation rather than a package you do not need.

PROVEN RESULTS

Results delivered across senior roles throughout my career.

He has proved to be the standard that every consultant wishes to emulate. A dedicated and devoted professional who leads by example, consistently performing at the top level month in, month out.

JASON CALHAU · ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE, SALESFORCE

COMMON QUESTIONS

A senior marketing leader who owns your strategy, budget, and growth plan on a part-time retainer. You get the experience and accountability of a chief marketing officer without a full-time salary, working directly with one operator who implements as well as advises.

A monthly retainer scaled to the scope of work, a fraction of a full-time CMO, who in the US often costs 250,000 dollars or more per year before bonus and equity. I share specific pricing after a short qualification call.

An agency sells execution. A fractional CMO owns the whole picture, including managing any agencies you already use. For most growing businesses, one accountable senior leader beats another vendor selling tactics.

Yes. Much of my background is scaling startups and B2B technology companies, so the engagement suits founders who need senior go-to-market leadership but are not ready for a full-time hire.

I implement. I have worked every floor of a business, so I set the strategy and then build the systems myself, using the right tools for the rest. You are never handed a plan with no way to execute it.

Yes. Much of my background is scaling startups and B2B technology companies, so a fractional CMO engagement suits founders who need senior go-to-market leadership but are not ready for a full-time executive hire.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS

A thirty minute call is enough to tell whether a fractional CMO is the right fit. No pitch deck, no pressure, just an honest conversation about your business and the number you want to move.