Joshua Ramsey, a seasoned agency founder and marketing strategist, discusses his transition into offering fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) services. He highlights the difference between strategy and tactics, the critical importance of setting clear expectations with clients, and why many agencies fail to align on measurable business goals. He also shares insights for agencies considering adding CMO services to their offerings and how to do it ethically and effectively.
1. The Strategic vs. Tactical Gap
Most agencies focus too much on tactical execution (ads, SEO, content) without anchoring efforts to a clear strategic goal.
Ramsey emphasizes: “It’s not just what you say or how you say it — it’s how your audience perceives it.”
2. The Origin of His Fractional CMO Model
After stepping back from day-to-day agency work, he noticed a market gap in the fractional CMO space around 2018–2019.
He built a separate brand for his CMO services (JRCMO.com), focused on aligning business strategy with marketing execution.
3. Why Agencies Lose Clients
90% of the time, agencies cannot clearly articulate the business goals they’re working toward for the client.
Agencies often avoid hard conversations out of fear of losing the deal — leading to mismatched expectations and client churn.
4. Types of Agencies
Ramsey categorizes agencies into two broad types:
- Yes-Man Agencies: Deliver whatever the client asks.
- No-Man (Strategic) Agencies: Lead clients with tough but honest insights.
5. The Power of Owning Mistakes
He shares a story where his team forgot to stop a Google Ads campaign. He refunded the client immediately — and retained the client long-term due to honesty and accountability.
6. Advice for Agencies Offering CMO Services
Don’t pretend to offer full CMO expertise if your team lacks the experience.
Know if you’re a data-driven CMO or a brand/vision CMO — and build offerings accordingly.
Position the CMO function separately from day-to-day agency ops for clarity and authority.
7. Structure Recommendation
Treat a fractional CMO as a singular, strategic leadership role, not a shared team service.
For agency owners: if you are the strategist, you may offer yourself as the CMO and build execution partnerships around that.
Quote-Worthy Takeaways:
“What is your unique selling position — and how can you make that effective for your next growth phase?”
“Be open to owning your mistake on the front end. That’s how trust is built.”
