9 Marketing Leadership Options: $9.5K to $676K/Year (Which Fits Your Revenue?)

"We need marketing leadership."

That single statement leads companies down wildly different paths:

• Full-time CMO at $470K-$676K total comp
• VP Marketing at $200K-$280K
• Fractional CMO at $144K-$180K/year
• Marketing agency at $96K-$180K/year
• Growth advisor at $24K-$60K/year
• Strategy sprint at $9.5K-$12.5K one-time

The wrong choice wastes 6-12 months and $50K-$200K+.

TL;DR:

• 9 marketing leadership options compared: Full-time CMO, VP Marketing, Marketing Director, Fractional CMO, Growth Advisor, Marketing Agency, In-House Generalist, Marketing Consultant, Strategy Sprint
• Cost range: $9.5K one-time (strategy sprint) to $676K+/year (full-time CMO)
• Revenue fit: Each option has optimal revenue range (strategy sprint for $1M-$25M, fractional for $2M-$50M, full-time CMO for $50M+)
• Key decision factors: Revenue, team size, budget, need (strategy vs leadership vs execution), timeline
• Comparison tables: Side-by-side cost, scope, timing, and fit analysis

Here's every marketing leadership option—when to choose each, what you get, and what it costs.

---

The 9 Marketing Leadership Options

Option 1: Full-Time CMO

What it is:
Permanent, C-suite executive leading entire marketing organization. Reports to CEO, often has board seat.

Total annual cost: $470K-$676K

• Base salary: $280K-$400K
• Benefits (30%): $84K-$120K
• Bonus (20-40%): $56K-$112K
• Equity: $50K-$200K annual value
• Recruiting fee (one-time): $70K-$120K

Salary data shows that average CMO salary is $280K-$373K, with total compensation packages reaching $470K-$676K+ at mid-market companies and $5M+ median at S&P 500 companies.

Time commitment: 40-60 hours/week

What you get:

• Strategic leadership (long-term 3-5 year vision)
• Operational management (daily decisions)
• Team building and department development
• Board-level marketing representation
• Full-time availability and attention
• Brand building and market positioning
• Complete accountability

What you DON'T get:

• Guaranteed success (average CMO tenure: 40 months)
• Immediate impact (6-12 month ramp time)
• Flexibility (3-6 month severance if you need to change)

Best for:

• Revenue: $50M+ (preferably $100M+)
• Team: 10-15+ people
• Marketing budget: $5M-$15M+ annually
• Complexity: Multiple products, markets, or go-to-market motions
• Stage: Series B+, growth stage, pre-IPO

When NOT to hire:

• Revenue under $50M (can't support cost + complexity doesn't warrant it)
• Team under 10 people (not enough to manage)
• Unclear PMF or frequent pivots (too expensive for instability)

Timeline to value: 6-12 months (recruiting 3-6 months, ramp 3-6 months)

---

Option 2: VP of Marketing

What it is:
Senior marketing leader focused on execution and operations, not full strategic leadership. Reports to CEO or CMO.

Total annual cost: $200K-$280K

• Base salary: $150K-$200K
• Benefits (30%): $45K-$60K
• Bonus (15-25%): $30K-$50K

Research shows that VP of Marketing salary ranges from $150K-$200K, significantly less than CMO compensation.

Time commitment: 40-50 hours/week

What you get:

• Operational marketing leadership (keeps trains running)
• Day-to-day campaign execution and optimization
• Team management (4-8 direct reports)
• Tactical excellence and hitting monthly/quarterly KPIs
• Hands-on channel management
• Regular reporting and analysis

What you DON'T get:

• Board-level strategic thinking (not the role)
• Long-term vision development (focused on 3-6 months, not 3-5 years)
• C-suite peer credibility (reports to CEO or CMO, not equals)

Best for:

• Revenue: $10M-$50M
• Team: 4-8 people
• Marketing budget: $750K-$5M annually
• Need: Execution and operations, not strategy
• Situation: You (CEO) are setting strategy, need operational leader

Industry analysis notes that CMOs are "orchestrators vs. executors"—the VP of Marketing role is traditionally more hands-on, in charge of keeping the trains running and ensuring marketing KPIs are being hit.

When NOT to hire:

• Need strategic vision (hire CMO or fractional CMO instead)
• Team under 4 people (hire generalist instead)
• Revenue under $10M (too expensive, too senior)

Key difference from CMO:

Factor	CMO	VP Marketing
Focus	Strategy + operations	Operations + tactics
Timeline	3-5 year vision	3-6 month execution
Reporting	To CEO, board seat	To CEO or CMO
Team size	10-15+ people	4-8 people
Decision level	Strategic	Tactical

Timeline to value: 3-6 months

---

Option 3: Marketing Director

What it is:
Mid-level marketing leader managing specific function or small team. Reports to VP or CMO.

Total annual cost: $120K-$180K

• Base salary: $90K-$130K
• Benefits (30%): $27K-$39K
• Bonus (10-15%): $12K-$20K

Time commitment: 40 hours/week

What you get:

• Functional expertise (demand gen, product marketing, content)
• Small team management (2-4 people)
• Campaign planning and execution
• Tactical leadership
• Specialized knowledge in specific area

What you DON'T get:

• Strategic leadership
• Full marketing function oversight
• Executive-level communication
• Budget ownership

Best for:

• Revenue: $5M-$25M
• Team: 2-4 people in specific function
• Need: Functional expertise, not full marketing leadership
• Situation: Building out specific marketing capability

When NOT to hire:

• Need overall marketing leadership (too junior)
• Team under 2 people (hire individual contributor instead)
• Need strategic direction (hire more senior role)

Timeline to value: 2-4 months

---

Option 4: Fractional CMO

What it is:
Part-time, executive-level marketing leader working 10-20 hours/month. Provides strategic leadership for multiple companies simultaneously.

Total annual cost: $144K-$180K/year

• Monthly retainer: $10K-$15K × 12 months
• Typical scope: 15-20 hours/month
• Additional costs: Onboarding, additional hours (10-25% overhead)

Time commitment: 10-20 hours/month (your portion)

What you get:

• Strategic leadership and planning
• Vendor and agency oversight
• Team leadership (not daily management)
• Board-level marketing representation
• Budget allocation and ROI analysis
• Executive expertise at fraction of cost
• Exit flexibility (30-60 days notice)

What you DON'T get:

• Daily availability or operational management
• Hands-on execution (content, ads, design)
• 40-hour/week attention
• Team building and culture development (limited time)

Best for:

• Revenue: $2M-$50M
• Team: 3-10 people (or agency relationships)
• Marketing budget: $200K-$5M annually
• Need: Strategic leadership + execution team exists
• Stage: Series A to Series B

See complete fractional CMO guide

When NOT to hire:

• Revenue under $2M (can't afford CMO + execution)
• No execution team (need agency or team first)
• Need 40+ hours/week leadership (hire full-time)
• Pre-PMF or frequent pivots (too expensive for instability)

Timeline to value: 3-6 months

---

Option 5: Growth Advisor

What it is:
Flexible, hourly or light retainer advisor providing strategic guidance. Not hands-on leadership or execution.

Total annual cost: $24K-$60K/year

• Monthly retainer: $2K-$5K × 12 months
• Typical scope: 4-8 hours/month
• Often month-to-month commitment

Time commitment: 4-8 hours/month

What you get:

• Strategic guidance and recommendations
• Ad hoc advice on marketing experiments
• Sounding board for founder/marketing lead
• Industry insights and best practices
• Flexible, low-commitment support

What you DON'T get:

• Hands-on leadership or execution
• Team management
• Board reporting
• Accountability for results
• Deep involvement in day-to-day

Best for:

• Revenue: $500K-$5M
• Team: 0-3 people
• Need: Guidance, not leadership
• Situation: Founder-led marketing needing expert input
• Budget: Can't afford fractional CMO

When NOT to hire:

• Need execution or daily leadership (too light)
• Want accountability for results (advisory only)
• Need team management (not the role)

Timeline to value: Immediate (flexible, ad hoc)

---

Option 6: Marketing Agency

What it is:
External company providing marketing strategy + execution across channels.

Total annual cost: $96K-$240K/year

• Monthly retainer: $8K-$20K × 12 months
• Scope varies: Full-service, channel-specific, or niche

What you get:

• Strategy + execution in one (no execution gap)
• Team of specialists (design, copy, ads, SEO, etc.)
• Faster to results than hiring in-house
• Scalable (increase or decrease scope easily)
• No hiring/firing/managing employees

What you DON'T get:

• Deep company knowledge (external perspective)
• Board-level strategic leadership
• Team development and culture building
• Full alignment with company (serve multiple clients)
• IP and institutional knowledge (stays with agency)

Best for:

• Revenue: $1M-$10M
• Team: 0-2 people (need both strategy and execution)
• Need: Full marketing function without building team
• Channels: Specific channel expertise (paid ads, SEO, content)

When NOT to hire:

• Need in-house team building (agency is external)
• Want complete strategic control (agencies have their playbook)
• Budget under $8K/month (agencies can't deliver value)

Agency types:

Type	Cost/Month	Best For
Full-service	$15K-$30K	Companies needing complete marketing
Channel-specific	$5K-$15K	Focus on one channel (paid, SEO, content)
Fractional marketing team	$10K-$20K	Team of specialists, no strategist
Growth marketing	$8K-$20K	Experimentation and rapid testing

Timeline to value: 2-4 months

---

Option 7: In-House Marketing Generalist

What it is:
Full-time employee handling multiple marketing functions. Not specialized, not leadership.

Total annual cost: $80K-$140K

• Base salary: $60K-$100K
• Benefits (30%): $18K-$30K
• Tools/education: $5K-$10K

Time commitment: 40 hours/week

What you get:

• 40 hours/week dedicated to your marketing
• Both strategic thinking and execution
• Company knowledge and culture ownership
• Process development
• Flexible across multiple functions

What you DON'T get:

• CMO-level strategic expertise
• Specialized deep knowledge (they're generalists)
• Team leadership (individual contributor)
• Scalability (one person's capacity)

Best for:

• Revenue: $1M-$5M
• Team: 0-1 other marketing people
• Need: Someone doing marketing daily, strategy + execution
• Stage: Early-stage, building first marketing capability

When NOT to hire:

• Need strategic expertise (hire more senior)
• Need execution at scale (hire agency or specialists)
• Revenue under $1M (founder should still lead marketing)

Timeline to value: 1-3 months

---

Option 8: Marketing Consultant

What it is:
Project-based expert brought in for specific initiative or problem.

Total cost: $15K-$50K (project-based)

• Hourly rate: $150-$300/hour
• Or fixed project fee
• Typical engagement: 4-12 weeks

What you get:

• Specialized expertise in specific area
• Project-based deliverable
• External perspective and best practices
• No long-term commitment
• Defined scope and timeline

What you DON'T get:

• Ongoing leadership
• Implementation support (usually)
• Team management
• Long-term strategic guidance

Best for:

• Specific project: Rebrand, website redesign, campaign launch
• Need: Expert input without ongoing relationship
• Timeline: Defined project (4-12 weeks)

When NOT to hire:

• Need ongoing leadership (hire fractional or full-time)
• Want implementation included (hire agency)
• Undefined scope (consultant needs clear project)

Timeline to value: 1-3 months (project duration)

---

Option 9: Strategy Sprint (Pattern Growth's 3 A's Framework)

What it is:
8-week intensive engagement to build complete strategic marketing architecture you own forever.

Total cost: $9,500-$12,500 (one-time)

• Fixed project fee
• 8-week timeline
• Complete deliverables with 100% ownership

What you get:

• Complete marketing strategy framework
• ICP and positioning documentation
• Channel prioritization playbook
• Measurement dashboard and KPIs
• Campaign playbooks for top channels
• 100% ownership (no ongoing dependency)
• Implementation-ready frameworks

What you DON'T get:

• Ongoing advisory or leadership
• Month-to-month optimization
• Team management
• Execution (your team implements)

Best for:

• Revenue: $1M-$25M
• Team: 1-5 people who can execute
• Need: Strategic architecture, not ongoing leadership
• Budget: Can't afford fractional CMO ongoing cost
• Situation: Want to own strategy completely, execute independently

Why this exists:

Most companies don't need 12 months of fractional CMO advisory. They need strategic architecture built once, owned completely, and executed by their team or agencies.

The 3 A's Framework

Analyze: Understand Where You Are

We start by analyzing your current state using diagnostic questions and industry best practices.

Real example from our work: We analyzed a product's marketing spend and discovered they were spending the majority of their budget on a keyword that was connecting them with the entirely wrong audience. This came out in the Analyze phase.

Aspire: Define Where You Want to Go

Based on your past experience, current circumstances, and future goals, we work together to define where you want to go.

Action: Build the Bridge

We create a concrete plan to bridge the gap, then build the strategic frameworks, measurement systems, and playbooks you need. You own everything.

See complete 3 A's Framework details →

When NOT to choose:

• Need ongoing leadership and optimization (choose fractional or full-time)
• Want month-to-month flexibility (choose advisor)
• Need execution included (choose agency)

Timeline to value: 8 weeks

---

Complete Comparison Table

Option	Annual Cost	Time/Week	Strategy	Execution	Team Mgmt	Best Revenue Range
Full-time CMO	$470K-$676K	40-60 hrs	✅✅✅	✅✅	✅✅✅	$50M+
VP Marketing	$200K-$280K	40-50 hrs	✅✅	✅✅✅	✅✅	$10M-$50M
Marketing Director	$120K-$180K	40 hrs	✅	✅✅✅	✅	$5M-$25M
Fractional CMO	$144K-$180K	10-20 hrs/mo	✅✅✅	❌	✅✅	$2M-$50M
Growth Advisor	$24K-$60K	4-8 hrs/mo	✅	❌	❌	$500K-$5M
Marketing Agency	$96K-$240K	Varies	✅✅	✅✅✅	❌	$1M-$10M
In-House Generalist	$80K-$140K	40 hrs	✅	✅✅	❌	$1M-$5M
Consultant (project)	$15K-$50K	Project	✅✅	Varies	❌	Any
Strategy Sprint	$9.5K-$12.5K	8 weeks	✅✅✅	❌	❌	$1M-$25M

---

Decision Framework: Which Option Do You Need?

By Revenue Stage

$0-$1M (Pre-Seed to Seed):

• Best options: Founder-led marketing, Growth Advisor, Strategy Sprint
• Why: Can't support full marketing hire; need flexibility and low cost
• Avoid: CMO, VP Marketing, Fractional CMO (too expensive, premature)

$1M-$5M (Post-Seed to Series A):

• Best options: In-House Generalist, Marketing Agency, Strategy Sprint
• Alternative: Growth Advisor (if budget constrained)
• Why: Need execution capability, not just strategy
• Avoid: Full-time CMO (too expensive), Fractional CMO alone (need execution)

$5M-$25M (Series A to early Series B):

• Best options: Fractional CMO + team, Marketing Director, VP Marketing (upper end)
• Alternative: Strategy Sprint + agency execution
• Why: Ready for strategic leadership, team size 3-8 people
• Avoid: Full-time CMO (still premature unless high complexity)

$25M-$50M (Series B):

• Best options: Fractional CMO (transition to full-time), VP Marketing, Full-time CMO (if complex)
• Why: Approaching full-time CMO threshold, increased complexity
• Transition zone: Many companies transition fractional to full-time here

$50M+ (Series B+, Growth Stage):

• Best option: Full-time CMO
• Why: Marketing complexity requires 40+ hours/week executive attention
• Avoid: Fractional CMO (insufficient time), VP Marketing only (need C-suite strategy)

---

By Team Size

0-2 people:

• Options: Marketing Agency, In-House Generalist, Growth Advisor, Strategy Sprint
• Why: No team to lead; need execution or guidance
• Avoid: Fractional CMO, VP Marketing (no team to manage)

3-7 people:

• Options: Fractional CMO, Marketing Director, VP Marketing
• Why: Team needs leadership and direction
• Best: Fractional CMO (strategic) or VP Marketing (operational)

8-15 people:

• Options: VP Marketing, Full-time CMO, Fractional CMO (transition)
• Why: Team size warrants dedicated leadership
• Best: Full-time if revenue supports it

15+ people:

• Options: Full-time CMO
• Why: Department complexity requires full-time executive
• Avoid: Fractional (insufficient time for this complexity)

---

By Budget

Marketing budget under $200K/year:

• Options: Growth Advisor, Strategy Sprint, In-House Generalist
• Why: Can't afford CMO + execution resources
• Best: Strategy Sprint ($9.5K-$12.5K) + founder execution

Marketing budget $200K-$1M/year:

• Options: Fractional CMO + agencies, In-House team, Marketing Agency
• Why: Can support strategic leadership + execution
• Best: Depends on in-house vs outsourced preference

Marketing budget $1M-$5M/year:

• Options: Fractional CMO + team, VP Marketing + team, Marketing Director + agencies
• Why: Significant budget needs strategic allocation
• Best: Fractional or VP depending on stage

Marketing budget $5M+/year:

• Options: Full-time CMO + team
• Why: Budget complexity requires full-time strategic leadership
• Best: Full-time CMO (only option at this scale)

---

By Primary Need

Need: Strategic architecture (build once, own forever)

• Best option: Strategy Sprint
• Alternative: Marketing Consultant (project-based)
• Cost: $9.5K-$50K one-time

Need: Ongoing strategic leadership

• Best option: Fractional CMO (if $2M-$50M revenue)
• Alternative: Full-time CMO (if $50M+ revenue)
• Cost: $144K-$676K/year

Need: Strategy + execution in one

• Best option: Marketing Agency
• Alternative: VP Marketing + team
• Cost: $96K-$280K+/year

Need: Execution only (strategy defined)

• Best option: Marketing Agency, In-House Generalist
• Alternative: Contractors/freelancers
• Cost: $80K-$240K/year

Need: Specialized expertise for project

• Best option: Marketing Consultant
• Alternative: Specialized agency
• Cost: $15K-$50K project

Need: Flexible guidance

• Best option: Growth Advisor
• Alternative: Fractional CMO (if budget allows)
• Cost: $24K-$180K/year

---

Common Mistakes in Choosing Marketing Leadership

Mistake #1: Hiring Too Senior Too Early

What it looks like:

• $8M revenue company hires full-time CMO at $500K total comp
• Team of 4 people doesn't need C-suite executive
• CMO ends up doing tactical work (waste of expertise)

Cost: $500K/year wasted + CMO turnover within 18 months

Fix: Match seniority to revenue and team size. Use fractional or VP until you reach $50M+.

---

Mistake #2: Strategy Without Execution

What it looks like:

• Hire fractional CMO for $144K/year
• Have $0 budget for execution
• Strategy sits in documents, nothing implemented

Cost: $144K wasted + 12 months of missed opportunity

Fix: Budget for both strategy AND execution. Total marketing investment should be 15-20% of revenue.

---

Mistake #3: Execution Without Strategy

What it looks like:

• Hire marketing agency or generalist
• No strategic direction or framework
• Tactical execution in random directions
• "Best practices" that don't fit your business

Cost: $100K-$200K/year on unfocused execution

Fix: Start with strategy (sprint or fractional CMO), then execute against it.

---

Mistake #4: Wrong Option for Stage

What it looks like:

• $500K revenue startup hires fractional CMO
• Pre-PMF, ICP unclear, no budget for execution
• Fractional CMO can't help because foundation isn't ready

Cost: $60K-$90K wasted

Fix: Be honest about stage. Pre-$2M revenue usually needs advisor or sprint, not fractional CMO.

---

The Bottom Line

9 marketing leadership options:

1. Full-time CMO ($470K-$676K/year) - For $50M+ revenue, 15+ person teams
2. VP Marketing ($200K-$280K/year) - For $10M-$50M revenue, operational leadership
3. Marketing Director ($120K-$180K/year) - For $5M-$25M, functional expertise
4. Fractional CMO ($144K-$180K/year) - For $2M-$50M, strategic leadership
5. Growth Advisor ($24K-$60K/year) - For $500K-$5M, flexible guidance
6. Marketing Agency ($96K-$240K/year) - For $1M-$10M, strategy + execution
7. In-House Generalist ($80K-$140K/year) - For $1M-$5M, execution + some strategy
8. Marketing Consultant ($15K-$50K project) - For specific projects, any stage
9. Strategy Sprint ($9.5K-$12.5K one-time) - For $1M-$25M, owned architecture

Key decision factors:

• Revenue stage determines affordability
• Team size determines leadership need
• Budget determines options
• Primary need (strategy vs execution vs both)
• Timeline (immediate vs 6-12 months)

Most common paths by stage:

$0-$1M: Founder + Growth Advisor or Strategy Sprint
$1M-$5M: In-House Generalist or Marketing Agency
$5M-$25M: Fractional CMO + team/agencies or VP Marketing
$25M-$50M: Fractional CMO (transitioning to full-time) or VP Marketing
$50M+: Full-time CMO

McKinsey research shows that companies with marketing-business alignment see 1.4x-2.3x growth—but the right marketing leadership structure depends on your stage, not generic best practices.

Don't hire the option that sounds most impressive. Hire the option that fits your stage, budget, and actual needs.

---

What to Do Next

Not sure which option fits your stage?

→ Take the marketing leadership diagnostic

Want to see detailed comparison of specific options?

→ Compare fractional CMO vs full-time

→ Compare fractional CMO vs agency

Ready to discuss your specific situation?

→ Schedule 15-min call

Want to learn more about strategy sprints?

→ See how the 3 A's Framework works

---

Pattern Growth delivers CMO-level strategic architecture through 8-week strategy sprints. Built for $1M-$25M companies that need strategic clarity without the ongoing cost of fractional or full-time executives. Complete ownership, implementation-ready frameworks, no dependency.

Get clarity on your marketing leadership needs:
Download the diagnostic or book a call.