Outsourced CMO Services • CMO Outsourcing • Outsource CMO

Revenue focused Outsourced CMO services to drive profitable growth and optimize marketing ROI

CMO Consultation

Outsourced CMO Services

Make Your Vision a Reality

Every business owner has a vision for their business, a pinnacle they wish to reach and goals they ultimately want to accomplish. Achieving these accomplishments usually requires expertise that is usually not on staff in startups and small to mid-tier businesses (SMBs). For example, the accounting expertise of a CPA or the legal expertise of an attorney. Astute Groups’ Outsourced CMO Services provide that caliber of marketing and revenue growth expertise to achieve your goals and make your vision a reality.

An Astute Outsourced CMO will hit the ground running and instantly add strategic guidance, marketing expertise and leadership to transition marketing from an expense into an investment. A profitable investment that goes beyond creating awareness and driving demand, to generating profitable revenue and sustainable growth. 

Get the benefits of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), for a fraction of the cost

Custom tailored CMO engagements designed to fit your needs and achieve your goals

Offload the complexities of marketing to an expert for profitable sustained growth

Expand with a new and unbiased perspective from a 3rd party expert

Get Optimal Implementation from an Outsourced CMO

Rely on the executive marketing expertise of an Outsourced CMO for optimal implementation of marketing strategies. Your CMO will provide proven tactics, scalable resources, and agile practices to gain a strong competitive advantage. We keep that advantage by driving continuous improvement for sustainable growth.

An Outsourced CMO from Astute Group brings years of experience, deep insight, and strong business acumen to hit the ground running. Providing clear guidance and dedicated focus to overcome marketing challenges, and achieve goals. Relieving the stress and freeing valuable time to focus on what you want.

What an Outsourced CMO does

  • An Outsourced CMO integrates into your team to provide the level of strategic expertise, guidance, mentoring, and advising needed
  • Implement strategies, tactics, best practices, technology, and training to gain and keep a competitive advantage
  • Provide a new perspective of the big-picture with deep insight to sieze new opportunities and make the most of existing programs
  • Devise and implement strategies for short and long term planning, to drive sustainable growth
  • Dedicated executive leadership that provides the focus, support and guidance needed to accelerate profitable growth

When to Outsource CMO Services

  • Lack of strategic marketing plan and objectives
  • Marketing is viewed as supplemental, rather than a primary driver of sales and revenue growth
  • Temporary need for marketing expertise to fill a vacant position or execute an important project
  • Difficulty with market positioning and developing a strong competitive advantage
  • Poor Return on Marketing Investment (RoMI)
  • Marketing efforts generate sporadic results

Outsourced CMO Service Engagements

We have designed our Outsourced CMO service engagements to be scalable and deliver the right level of help for your organization’s goals and needs. Our work is structured to fit your needs, not the other way around. Each of our Outsourced CMO engagements provides a cost effective solution that eliminates employment expenses and liabilities associated with staff.

Part-Time CMO

An Outsourced Part-Time CMO provides all of the benefits of a dedicated CMO for a fraction of the cost

Ideal For:

  • Companies looking to generate substantial growth, become market leaders, and optimize their brand perception
  • SMBs looking to expand into new markets or become market leaders
  • Venture funded startups that must accelerate growth
  • Long-term planning and sustainability
  • Visionary leaders that need help commercializing their ideas

More about Part-Time CMO

Temporary CMO

Goal specific Outsourced CMO services to get the job done right!

Ideal For:

  • Assistance with filling a vacated position
  • Implementation of critical strategic marketing projects
  • Launching a new business, brand, or product
  • Expansion into new markets
  • Seeking to overtake market leader position
  • Recovering from sharp downturns, declining revenues, detrimental incident
  • Transition of business model or digital properties (websites, automation systems, virtual communities)

More about Temporary CMO

Advisory CMO

Access to CMO caliber marketing expertise as needed

Ideal For:

  • Lack of quarterly or annual planning
  • Assistance with strategy development (not implementation)
  • Fully functional marketing departments reporting to CEO / COO
  • Business seeking acquisition (a profitable exit strategy)
  • Improving marketing ROI and implementing analytics

More about Advisory CMO

Virtual CMO Services

Executive marketing expertise regardless of your location

Ideal For:

  • Startups or Solopreneurs that do not have facilities
  • Organizations that operate remotely
  • Businesses located in rural areas or overpriced markets
  • Organizations with tight budget limitations

More about Virtual CMO Services

Recovery CMO

An emergency responder to resuscitate growth and sustainability

Ideal For:

  • Venture capital or other acquisition of a struggling organization
  • Three or more consecutive quarters of declining revenues
  • Recovery after a devistating event (pandemic, bankruptcy restructuring)
  • Response to dramatic changes in market conditions (competition, regulations, etc.)

More about Recovery CMO

CMO Coach

Learn to think like a CMO and develop strategic marketing skills

Ideal For:

  • Executives that want to think like a Chief Marketing Officer
  • Marketing management that needs to gain advanced strategic marketing skills
  • Hands-on executives that want help doing major strategic marketing projects themselves
  • Mentoring and skills development for the marketing or management team

More about CMO Coach

How an Outsourced CMO Works

Tap the expertise of an Outsourced CMO to gain the help you need for your business with one of the five CMO engagements we offer. Each is designed to fill a common void with the most effective, yet efficient approach. 

Continual (Part-Time) Outsourced CMO

Our contribution

One of our Outsourced CMOs will integrate into your executive team as a dedicated marketing executive on a part-time schedule.

  • Develop and implement highly-effective strategies to make your vision and goals realities
  • Optimize every component of the marketing function
  • Conduct weekly department meetings and monthly executive dashboard reviews
  • Empower sales channels with knowledge and resources
  • Establish performance baselines, budgets, and analytical dashboard with the right KPIs
  • Identify and obtain resources needed to operate with extreme efficiency and improve RoMI

Your benefits

  • Generate reliable growth and eliminate the concern and frustration caused by marketing experimentation
  • Optimize Return on Marketing Investment (RoMI) for profitable revenue growth
  • Eliminate marketing from your list of responsibilities
  • Accelerate the journey to achieving your vision and Realizing Full Potential
  • Make the most of the marketing function and your resources with proven tactics, innovative technology, and development of skills and capabilities

 

Interim (Temporary) Outsourced CMO

Our contribution

Add an Outsourced CMO on an temporary basis to complete critical projects. The Interim CMO engagement is goal focused, the engagement ends when the goal is accomplished.

  • Utilize our expertise for one time projects
    • Temporarily fill a vacated CMO position while seeking a full-time replacement
    • Develop and implement a marketing plan
    • Lead development of new products or take new products to market
    • Manage development and implementation of a website, virtual community, or mobile app
    • Conduct market research and analysis to assess new market opportunities and viability
    • Almost any strategic marketing or large digital project

Your benefits

  • Seemless integration of individual projects with the existing marketing function
  • Instant access to high caliber marketing expertise that reduces downtime and hassles
  • Efficient, cost effective “only pay for what you use” access to a marketing CMO
  • Rest assured projects will be completed at a superior level of quality
  • Resolve challenges that are limiting growth and goal attainment

On-Demand (Advisory) Outsourced CMO

Our contribution

Gain a trusted advisor that is available when you need them. Have an Astute Fractional CMO on speed dial to easily tap the mind of a marketing expert.

    • Quarterly and Annual planning
    • Monthly progress meetings with analytics review
    • Availability for questions, advice, recommendations
    • Ideation and strategy development sessions

Your benefits

    • Gain dedicated focus and support for long term goals
    • Fill gaps in strategic planning for marketing
    • Advice from an unbiased seasoned expert offering a fresh perspective

Virtual CMO (vCMO) Outsourced CMO

Our contribution

Add a high-caliber marketing executive to your business, regardless of where its located or other physical limitations. We eliminate physical limitations to help your business generate substantial growth.

Get all of the key benefits of a CMO at a reduced cost. Eliminate travel, equipment, and office space expenses.

    • Dedicated schedule like a part-time staff member
    • Weekly meeting with marketing team
      • Manage projects
      • Assess campaigns and content
    • Monthly meeting and and Astute Analytics™ reporting to chief executive
    • Resource management including processes, people, and technology
    • Comprehensive analytics to validate the Return on Marketing Investment we provide

Your benefits

    • Highly effective leadership and strategic planning
    • Reduce cost for Outsourced CMO services
    • Generate a profitable return on marketing
    • Development of a marketing system for sustained growth

Recovery (Turnaround) Outsourced CMO

Our contribution

Just as extreme health concerns require a highly skilled surgeon, struggling organizations require a highly skilled marketing executive. In these situations every moment is critical, one wrong move could mean fatal consequences. Therefore, you want someone with extensive experience, training, and knowledge to step in and quickly turn things around. Our Recovery CMO services are designed to generate improvement within 90 days.

    • 90 Day emergency response marketing plan
    • Focus on target markets that yield highest returns
    • Implement tools to optimize efficiency
    • Pause or eliminate poor performing campaigns, offerings, and resources

Your benefits

    • Save your business and increase sustainability
    • Start growing again within 90 days
    • Develop a lean and highly-effective marketing system
    • Learn what mistakes not to make again

Please be aware – Recovery CMO services will only be provided once a thorough assessment of your business is conducted by an Astute CMO. It is our duty to determine the likelihood of recovery, rather than accept a new client to increase our revenues.   

Why an Outsourced CMO?

Most small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) have the demand nor the budget for a full-time CMO. However, they need strategic marketing guidance and executive-caliber expertise to establish a competitive advantage. One that enables them to effectively compete, create profitable growth, and achieve goals.

Our Outsourced CMO Services provide the executive caliber marketing expertise and leadership needed to seize and maintain a strong competitive advantage. Add a pro to your team in the capacity that fits best with your needs, and forget about your marketing challenges.

outsourced cmo services

More Than a Consultant

An Astute Group Outsourced CMO is much more than a consultant. They become a part of your leadership team, providing executive-level marketing expertise while taking a vested interest in achieving your goals. 

This engagement results in a dedicated leader pulling together all aspects of marketing to reach your overall goals. They lead the charge and manage your resources, department, 3rd party service providers. As well as implement proven tactics and develop efficient and highly effective practices to unleash the power of marketing and help your business realize full potential. 

CMO Outsourcing Insight – Outsource CMO

What is an Outsourced CMO?

An Outsourced CMO (Outsourced Chief Marketing Officer) is an experienced senior marketing executive that provides their exertise as a service. They offer a CMO as a Service to help businesses with strategic planning, executive leadership, and marketing expertise to navigate the best route for profitable growth. 

What are the benefits of CMO outsourcing ?

CMO outsourcing has gained greater acceptance over the past decade. The role of the CMO has come under great scrutiny according to CNBC.  The tenure of a CMO is the shortest of any C-level executive. As companies are transitioning their expectations for a CMO, they have found that outsourcing enables them to try CMOs with varying experience, skills and mindsets, to determine which is the right fit for their needs.

CMO outsourcing is a very cost effective approach to reaping the benefits of a Chief Marketing Officer. An Outsourced CMO is not an actual employee of the company, therefore expenses such as benefits and taxes are not incurred.

What does it cost to Outsource CMO services?

The cost to outsource CMO services can vary greatly. The cost is dependent upon three variables

  1. Experience
    • Size of organization
      • Public Corporation
      • Mid Market company ($51mm or greater)
      • Small Business (Under $50mm)
    • Title
      • Marketing Director
      • Marketing VP
      • Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
  2. Education and Certification
  3. Accomplishments and Awards

For example, a Marketing VP with at least five years of experience at a mid-market company will bill somewhere between $250 to $400 an hour on average.  

While an actual CMO with Fortune 500 experience can charge between $600 to $1,000 an hour. Keep in mind they are accustomed to big budgets and spend your money generously.

What you want to make sure to stay clear of is someone that lacks significant experience as a senior marketing executive claiming to offer Outsourced CMO services. 

How does outsourcing CMO services help my business?

Outsourcing CMO services gives your business a strong competitive advantage. An Astute CMO provides your business with sound strategies, proven tactics, best practices, and dedicated leadership to make the most of your marketing resources and efforts. 

Marketing covers a vast array of functions, making it very complex to manage and effectively utilize. Results are driven by key strategies, such as

  • Market segmentation and targeting
  • Competitive differentiation and brand positioning
  • Digital strategies (website, social media, virtual community, mobile app, email, etc.)
  • Channel strategy
  • Pricing strategy
  • Advertising and promotion strategy  
  • Product launch and product marketing 

then there is an array of tactical functions that need to be executed. 

Our Outsourced CMO will optimize the ROI on your investment by 

  • Developing sound strategies that are synergistically integrated into a comprehensive plan to improve the performance of the entire marketing function
  • Providing leadership, guidance and mentoring to align focus, improve effeciency, increase effectiveness and ultimately achieve goals
  • Analytical assessment of Key Performance Indicators to gauge performance, identify potential issues, and continuously evolve for sustainability

 

Fractional CMO Services -  Strategic Marketing Expertise

Brand Strategy

Product Marketing

Strategic Marketing

Digital Strategy

Outsourced CMO

Fractional CMO Services are available in:

Albuquerque

Atlanta

Austin

Baltimore

Boston

Buffalo

Charleston

Charlotte

Chicago

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus

Dallas

Detroit

Ft. Wayne

Grand Rapids

Hartford

Houston

Indianapolis

Jacksonville

Jersey City

Lansing

Los Angeles

Louisville

Miami

Milwaukee

Minneapolis

New Orleans

New York

Newark

Orlando

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Pittsburgh

Raleigh

Richmond

San Diego

St. Petersburg

Tampa

Traverse City

Washington DC

Canada

Windsor

Toronto

Montreal

Virtual CMO Services available throughout the entire United States and Canada

Strategic Business Development

Go-To-Market Strategy

Sales Enablement

Growth Strategy

Innovation Enablement

Digital Transformation