Fractional CMO Engagement Models

Fractional CMO engagements at IG come in two pricing models and three sizes. The shape of the engagement matches the bottleneck the company is trying to unblock, not a fixed template.

Subscription operating partner

A senior IG operator embedded inside the growth function on a recurring monthly engagement.

Predictable rhythm. Senior decision-makers on every call. Pivots without contract renegotiation. Fits companies between Series A and post-PMF scale where the function is operating without a permanent senior leader.

Outcomes-based engagement

Defined business outcome, fixed scope, milestone-based compensation. Ship the system that produces the outcome, then hand off the operating manual.

Typical engagements: AI Adoption Sprint, marketing-system rebuilds, revenue-ops audits and rebuilds, growth-tech migrations.

Three engagement sizes

Compact. 4 to 8 weeks, single workstream, one IG operator. A specific intervention with a defined end state.

Standard. Recurring monthly partnership. IG operator embedded inside a function, monthly cadence with quarterly outcomes. Most common engagement shape.

Strategic. Multi-workstream engagement spanning growth, technology, AI, and capital. Two or more IG operators paired with executive sponsorship inside the client.

What is included in every engagement

A senior IG operator as the primary point of contact (not an account manager).

Direct access to the IG partner group when the work needs it.

Weekly working sessions with the client team, not a status report on Friday.

Pivots without contract renegotiation when the scope needs to flex.

Operating manual at handoff so the engagement compounds even after we step out.

Clear outcome definitions agreed upfront, revisited quarterly.