Glossary of Marketing Terms
Your go-to guide for marketing and Fractional CMO terminology.
Whether you’re just launching your Fractional CMO business or you’re deep in client work, having a shared language is essential. This glossary was created to help you speak with clarity, pitch with confidence, and deliver strategic value without getting lost in marketing jargon.
You’ll find clear definitions, practical explanations, and real-world relevance because we don’t believe in fluff. Use this page to level up your knowledge, educate clients, and build your business with more ease.
A
A/B Testing
A marketing experiment where two versions (A and B) of a campaign or asset are tested against each other to determine which performs better. Used in emails, landing pages, and ads to optimize conversion rates.
Advisory Services
Strategic guidance provided by a Fractional CMO that doesn’t involve hands-on execution. Typically includes audits, planning, and high-level leadership for internal teams or founders.
Affiliate Link
A unique URL used to track referrals and earn commission when someone purchases a product or service through your recommendation. Common for passive income in consulting businesses.
AI Content Generator
A tool that uses artificial intelligence to write or suggest content.
B
Brand Messaging
The strategic framework that communicates your unique value, voice, and positioning. Includes your tagline, mission, brand voice, and elevator pitch.
Buyer Persona
A fictional profile representing a segment of your ideal customer base. Includes demographics, behaviors, motivations, and challenges to help tailor messaging and targeting.
Brand Guidelines
Rules for how your brand looks, sounds, and feels across all touchpoints.
C
CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
The total cost of acquiring a new customer, including ad spend, tools, and team time. A key metric for determining marketing efficiency and ROI.
Client Onboarding
The process of welcoming and setting up a new client relationship, often including discovery, documentation, tech setup, and goal alignment.
Cold Email Outreach
A method of prospecting where emails are sent to potential leads with no prior interaction. A core strategy for Fractional CMOs building their book of business.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
The process of improving the percentage of users who take a desired action like signing up, booking a call, or making a purchase.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
A tool or software that helps you manage leads, client relationships, and follow-up workflows. Common tools include HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoho.
Customer Journey
The full experience a customer has with your brand, from first touch to loyalty.
Competitive Analysis
Researching your competitors to uncover gaps, threats, and opportunities.
CPL / CPA / CPM
Cost per Lead / Acquisition / Mille (1,000 impressions) key pricing models in digital ads.
Content Calendar
A planning tool for what content will be published and when.
CTA (Call to Action)
A prompt that encourages users to take a specific next step.
D
Drip Campaign
An automated sequence of emails or texts that “drip” over time based on user actions or triggers. Used for onboarding, nurturing, or sales.
Done-for-You (DFY) Services
Pre-packaged service offerings where you (or your team) handle the entire execution for the client. Often paired with strategy for higher-ticket engagements.
Discovery Call
An initial meeting to understand a prospect's needs and determine fit before a formal engagement.
E
Exit Interview (Client Offboarding)
A structured conversation or survey at the end of a client engagement to gather feedback, identify improvements, and reinforce your value.
Evergreen Content
Content that stays relevant and valuable over time.
F
Fractional CMO
A part-time Chief Marketing Officer hired on a retainer or project basis to lead marketing strategy, growth planning, and team oversight without the cost of a full-time exec.
Fractional Marketing Team
An outsourced, part-time marketing team (often led by a Fractional CMO) that provides executional support across content, ads, design, and analytics.
First-Party Data
Information collected directly from users (like email or site behavior), not third parties.
G
GTM (Go-To-Market)
A strategic plan for how a product or service will be launched and sold in the market. Includes positioning, channels, timeline, and pricing.
H
Hero Image
The main visual banner on a website or landing page, typically paired with a headline and CTA. It sets the tone and grabs attention.
I
ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
The type of company or individual that is the best fit for your services, based on budget, need, behavior, and industry.
K
KPI Dashboard
A tool that tracks and visualizes Key Performance Indicators across campaigns and channels. Helps Fractional CMOs report clearly on results.
L
Lead Magnet
A free resource (guide, checklist, quiz, etc.) offered in exchange for contact information. Used to build your email list and generate leads.
LTV (Lifetime Value)
The projected total revenue a customer will generate over the entire duration of their relationship with your business.
M
Marketing Attribution
The process of identifying which marketing touchpoints led to a conversion. Helps assign value to different channels in your marketing mix.
Marketing Funnel
A visual model showing how leads move from awareness to conversion. Common stages include top (TOFU), middle (MOFU), and bottom (BOFU).
MarTech Stack
The collection of marketing tools and platforms a business uses to plan, execute, and measure campaigns.
Marketing Automation
Software that automates repetitive marketing tasks, like emails or lead nurturing.
N
North Star Metric
The single most important metric that reflects the value you deliver to customers and predicts long-term growth.
P
Passive Revenue
Income that continues to come in with minimal active work. Examples include digital products, affiliate links, and evergreen courses.
Positioning Statement
A concise statement that explains who you serve, what you offer, and why you’re different. Core to brand clarity and sales messaging.
Project Management Software
Tools like Asana, Notion, and Trello that help you organize client work, timelines, and collaboration across teams.
Product-Market Fit
When your solution solves a real problem for a clearly defined market.
PPC
Paying for traffic via ads usually per click (e.g., Google Ads).
R
Retainer Model
A pricing structure where a client pays a fixed fee each month for ongoing access to your services. Common for Fractional CMOs.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
A measurement of revenue earned for every dollar spent on advertising. A key metric for paid media performance.
Retargeting
Serving ads to people who have already visited your site or engaged with your brand.
S
Scope Creep
When additional work is added to a project without increasing the budget or extending the timeline. A common pitfall to manage with clear SOWs.
Scope of Work (SOW)
A document that outlines exactly what’s included in an engagement deliverables, timelines, responsibilities, and boundaries.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The practice of optimizing content and technical website elements to improve visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results.
Social Proof
Evidence that others trust or value your services testimonials, reviews, client logos, or press mentions.
Strategy vs. Execution
Strategy is the high-level plan; execution is the implementation. Fractional CMOs often lead both but should be clear on the value of each.
SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)
A documented process for completing specific tasks or workflows.
T
Thought Leadership
Content that demonstrates your expertise and unique perspective. Builds authority and trust with your audience.
U
UTM Parameters
Snippets of code added to URLs to track campaign performance in analytics tools. Helps attribute clicks and conversions to specific efforts.
V
Value-Based Pricing
A pricing strategy based on the value or outcome delivered to the client, rather than time or deliverables.
Virtual Assistant (VA)
A remote contractor who provides administrative, content, or executional support. Many Fractional CMOs rely on VAs to streamline their workflow.
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