Every in-demand law firm needs a solid marketing strategy. But managing partners rarely have time to deliver a sound plan. A full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) can masterfully align internal teams and execute growth goals — but their hefty price tag makes them unattainable for many.

For a streamlined approach with quick impact, a legal marketing agency is the answer for all your biggest marketing challenges. Let’s dive right in.

What Is a Fractional CMO?

Fractional CMOs are seasoned marketing executives with specialized expertise. A legal marketing fractional CMO works with diverse firms to engage clients for specific practice areas. Law firms typically hire someone with a legal marketing agency background to manage their marketing efforts, as not all practices have the demand for a full-time executive. 

Fractional CMOs work part-time or on contract to fit a small to mid-size firm’s fluctuating needs. A cost-conscious fractional CMO ensures that any size practice attracts quality clients and stays competitive.

What Does a Fractional CMO Do?

Think of a fractional CMO as a marketing consultant who advises and executes strategies. Instead of paying an executive to manage the department, they rearrange your operations for sustainability.

A fractional CMO’s day-to-day looks different depending on the firm, and they offer significant advantages for those looking to amplify their outreach:

• Marketing Campaign Audits: Reviewing past campaign data to identify potential market gaps and quick wins.


• Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Establishing ideal engagement metrics to create a measurable growth roadmap.


• Building Scalable Systems: Researching and implementing digital lead generation and retention tools.


• Monitoring Campaign Metrics: Tracking live campaigns and ensuring KPI fulfillment.

• Guiding Internal Teams: Providing actionable creative feedback to improve the look and feel of marketing assets.


• Hiring and Outsourcing: Expanding the firm’s capabilities by bringing in new talent from their professional network.


• Branding or Rebranding: Workshopping visual elements and messaging to deepen brand relationships.


• Strategizing Across Departments: Taking ownership of marketing tasks, allowing department leads to focus on their priorities.
  

With executive visibility into plans and budgets, fractional CMOs provide professional services to optimize the most effective resources for launching high-return campaigns. These factors are critical for steady success, but not all firms need catch-all support. The great thing about legal marketing fractional CMOs is that they create a tailored approach to meet your firm’s specific needs.

How Much Should a Fractional CMO Charge?

The most impressive benefit of fractional CMOs is the expert leadership without the executive salary. The key is to focus on the value and potential cost savings over net profit.

The average marketing executive salary generally starts at $160,000 annually. While the full-time pay ensures undivided attention, it’s an investment if you’re unsure of what your firm needs. The part-time model allows fractional CMOs to split their time between firms, trading budgeting risks for flexibility.

Your firm gets reliable support without the commitment, and you can scale your fractional services to fit growing marketing demands.

4 Fractional Legal Services

Fractional CMOs cut costs; let’s touch on the value they can provide:

• CMO Consultants: For new firms or ones where marketing has always taken a backseat, CMO consultants define a cohesive vision for consistent outreach.
A CMO consultant is a good choice for firms without a defined strategy. They align disparate teams, creating a clear path to generating leads.


• Marketing Strategy Consultants: The most competitive law firms often specialize in a diverse range of practice areas. If you’re breaking into a new niche, marketing strategy consultants study competitors to create a data-driven action plan.

A legal marketing fractional CMO’s approach proves valuable as a marketing strategy consultant. They’ve likely handled similar campaigns and can recommend productive strategies.


• Fractional Marketing Director: If your managing partners are spread too thin to spearhead campaigns, a fractional marketing CMO can provide more hands-on management.

These specialists relieve creative stress from leadership.


• Digital Strategy Consultants: Every law firm needs a trustworthy digital presence. From websites to social media, digital strategy consultants use advanced tools to turn organic traffic into paying clients.

With expertise in SEO and analytics, consultants specializing in digital strategies for law firms help keep your practice discoverable and relevant.
  



Selecting the right services requires an impartial understanding of your firm’s challenges. Fractional CMOs act as objective observers before immersing into your team. That’s how Digital Authority Partners helped a personal injury law firm increase SEO rankings and get more leads.

Successful Case Studies for Legal Marketing Fractional CMOs

Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo, an esteemed personal injury law firm in Lehigh Valley, Pa., had active digital marketing channels that delivered results that fell short of expectations. They needed a digital strategy overhaul to reclaim their spot as Pennsylvania’s best personal injury practice.

Our fractional CMO recommended a combination of local PPC and SEO for personal injury lawyers, geo-targeted landing pages, and guest posts from trusted thought leaders. This approach answered the firm’s need for timely content, leveraging high-value keywords.

The DAP Legal Marketing Fractional CMO Model

Whether you’re crafting a marketing plan or building a personal injury brand from scratch, fractional CMOs bridge crucial gaps between resources and capabilities. Here’s a proven process to get your firm in front of the right eyes:

• Performing an Audit: Every project needs to be audited for current strategies to identify strengths and weaknesses.


• Creating a 12-Month Marketing Roadmap: Know exactly where your efforts are leading. Fractional CMOs think ahead with detailed roadmaps prioritizing impactful campaigns and actionable KPIs.


• Optimizing Your Online Presence: Reach your ideal clients with stylish digital platforms. Redesign or optimize your website and content for search engine visibility.


• Improving Marketing Automation: Focus on creative tasks instead of data input. Streamline tools for asset management and lead communication.


• Implementing Powerful Search and Media Strategies: Find your audience on their favorite channels. A legal marketing fractional CMO puts your firm front and center with PPC and social media strategies.


• Updating Branding, Content Marketing, and PR: Establish trust throughout stressful legal processes with thoughtful branding and content.


• Hiring Top Talent for Your Marketing Efforts: Build a qualified team with specialized expertise, from outsourcing to upskilling.


• Monitoring KPIs and Optimizing Marketing Spend: Monitor a marketing campaigns progress and make tweaks to maximize ROI.
  


A fractional law firm CMO model is cyclical. Retain your legal marketing expert for longer to sustain growth.

A Legal Marketing Fractional CMO Is Here To Help

Why stress over marketing assets and resources when you could have an experienced professional handle it?
A legal marketing fractional CMO from Digital Authority Partners brings a diverse perspective while aligning objectives and processes. They’re an essential helping hand for small to mid-size firms to launch productive, actualized campaigns.


If lead generation goals feel out of reach, a fractional CMO can uncover the root cause. With automated tools, validated strategies, and hands-on guidance, measurable growth is as possible as your next case win.
Get in touch with our team to find a legal marketing fractional CMO. Let’s build a strategy that works as hard as you do!