Fractional Marketing Director
Direction for the team you have
Fractional marketing director work gives a business the priorities, calendar, standards and reports of a marketing leader, part time, while the staff keep the craft they already know.
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What a Fractional Marketing Director Does
Direction without a full hire
A fractional marketing director sets the marketing priorities for a business, owns the calendar that carries them out, holds the standards the work must meet and reports the results to the owner. The seat is part time and it is senior: it decides what the team works on next.
That is different from running every task. A director who writes every post, builds every ad and answers every email is a fourth staff member with a longer title. I hold the direction and check the work against it, and the team does the work.
Fractional Marketing Director Services
The direction I give
These are the parts of the seat that come up most often. The scope names which ones apply and how many days a month each one needs.
Priorities and calendar
A ranked list of the marketing work for each quarter, with an owner and a date for every item on the calendar.
Team direction and standards
Written standards for the work the team produces, so a good draft is judged the same way no matter who wrote it.
Vendor and agency management
One brief for every outside agency or contractor, and one owner on the business side who signs off the result.
Campaign and channel review
A check of each campaign or channel before it goes live, with the reasons for approval or change written down.
Budget and reporting
The budget by channel and by owner, with a monthly report that reads each line against what it was meant to do.
Staff development
Feedback given one to one, and a plan for each person to build the skill the calendar will ask for next.
Outsourced Marketing Department or a Director
A director, not a department
An outsourced marketing department and a fractional director solve different problems. A department takes the work away from the business. A director keeps the work inside the business and makes it better. The table compares the two on the points that matter most to an owner who already has staff.
An outsourced department works best when the owner has one named person to answer to. The director is that person, and the list of tasks owned by each vendor is kept in one shared document. Gaps between vendors are logged and assigned.
| Outsourced department | Fractional director | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets priorities | The vendor's account team | One director who answers to the owner |
| Who your staff take direction from | Whoever the vendor assigns | The director, with the owner's approval |
| What happens to in-house work | Often moved to the vendor | Kept in house and improved |
| Who reports the results | A monthly package from the vendor | The director, read against the plan |
| Cost of a change of direction | A new contract or a new scope | A new priority on the calendar |
What a Fractional Marketing Director Means
The role in plain terms
A fractional marketing director is a senior marketer who works for a company part time under an agreed scope. The word fractional means the seat is a share of a full-time role, not a junior employee on a contract. The word director means the seat has decision rights over the marketing plan.
The title matters less than the decisions. A director without decision rights is a coordinator with a better title. The scope therefore lists the decisions the seat makes, the ones the owner keeps and the ones that go to a vote of the leadership team.
Working With an In-House Marketing Team
Alongside the staff, not over them
The fear most owners have about a director is that the staff will be pushed aside. The seat is built to prevent that. The staff keep the craft, the relationships with customers and the tools they know, and the director sets what the work is for and how it is judged.
An in-house marketer needs a partner who explains the reasoning behind each decision and leaves the team able to repeat it. Weekly notes and a shared decision log do most of that work. Handoffs are scheduled, not improvised.
- Staff own the craft, and the director owns the priorities
- Changes to a staff member's work go to that person first
- Feedback is given one to one, before it reaches the owner
- Staff present their own results at the monthly readout
Marketing Team Direction That Works
Standards the team can read
Team direction fails when it lives in one person's head. A standard works when a new hire can read it on the first day and apply it without asking. Each standard is short, has an example of good work attached and names the person who checks it.
I write the standards with the team, not for it. A standard that the team helped write is one they will follow, and the ones they reject tell me where the direction was wrong.
Direction is written as a quarterly plan with three goals, the budget for each and the measure that proves progress. The plan is short enough to pin next to the team's own task board.
What a Director Writes in the First Month
The first month produces four documents, and none of them is a slide deck. Each one is short, specific and in the hands of the person who uses it. The owner receives all four before the second month starts.
The director writes the monthly memo for the owner: what moved, what did not, what changes next month and what the owner needs to decide. The memo runs one page and is read before the meeting.
The first thirty days on paper
- Step 01
The current state
What the team produces now, who produces it, what it costs in time and what it returns, with each gap named.
- Step 02
The priority list
Three to five priorities for the quarter, each with an owner, a date and the result that will show it worked.
- Step 03
The standards
The short rules for the work the team produces most often, each with an example and a checker.
- Step 04
The calendar
The next ninety days of marketing work on one page, with the approvals each item needs before it goes out.
Marketing Operating Rhythm
The rhythm keeps direction from drifting between reviews. Each meeting has a fixed agenda, and each one writes its decisions into the same log the owner reads.
A weekly rhythm keeps marketing moving: a Monday priority list, a midweek check on paid results and a Friday note to the owner. Each meeting has a fixed length and one decision it must reach.
The weekly and monthly cadence
- Step 01
Weekly team meeting
Thirty minutes on the calendar, the blockers and the approvals due this week, with every item given an owner.
- Step 02
Monthly priority review
The priority list read against the results, with each priority kept, changed or dropped and the reason recorded.
- Step 03
Quarterly plan reset
The plan rebuilt from the results and the budget, shared with the owner before the next quarter begins.
Fractional CMO Versus Fractional Marketing Director
Which seat fits the business
A fractional CMO owns the company's marketing strategy and the budget conversation with the owner. A fractional marketing director runs the marketing function day to day, with a team already in place. The CMO seat sets the destination and the director seat drives the vehicle.
I hold the director seat. For a company that needs strategy at the leadership level first, the fractional CMO page describes that seat, and I will point you there if the question is about strategy rather than direction.
A CMO sets the strategy for the whole company, while a fractional marketing director runs the marketing function day to day. The difference shows up in who makes the calls and who answers for the results.
How a Director Handles a Bad Month
The plan when results drop
A bad month is the moment a marketing team most needs direction and most often gets a rushed change. A director's first move is to read the month against the plan, not against the last best month. Most dips trace to one channel, one offer or one missed approval, and the readout names which one before anyone changes the budget.
The second move is to protect the work that is still working. The director does not cancel a channel because of one soft week. Each change made during a bad month is logged with its reason and a check date, so the next readout can show whether the change helped or only felt urgent. The owner sees the same log the team sees, and the team hears about a change from the director first.
A bad month gets the same treatment as a good one: the numbers are read, the cause is named and one change is tested. Panic spending is avoided by the rule set in the plan.
Marketing Director Portfolio
Builds I can show, and what each was
Website build · Henderson
GIOSTAR: the clinic website, booking and lead tracking
I built and run giostarwellness.com for a regenerative medicine and wellness clinic in Henderson: every service page, online booking, financing and a blog. A website lead is tracked end to end, from the form to a booked consult to an active patient, with no manual steps. I also built its live brand hub, so every page, post and print piece pulls the same colours, type and rules.
See the live sitePortfolio Examples
More of the work
Website build · Las Vegas
WebVegas: a Las Vegas web design brand and its booking funnel
See the live site
Brand mark · Event venue
Desert Inn Oasis: the refined mark and the plan for the new site
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Brand identity · Pharma
Mili Pharma: the butterfly mark and the lockups
Site in build
Social content system
Quotible: a testimonial-led social series
Content system
Want me to look at your site first?
A free audit, and a same-day reply from Justin, personally.
Marketing Director Reviews
What clients say, quoted as written
- ★★★★★
After going back and forth on whether to bring in outside help, we ended up working with Justin for some AI consulting on how to structure our operations. He laid out a clear plan, didn't overcomplicate it, and we've been running smoother since. Good fit for a service business. He knows Las Vegas and he knows this stuff.
Kristen S. · Google
- ★★★★★
Justin joined our team a few months before opening to replace a marketing agency that wasn’t performing. He stepped up fast. Within weeks he launched a fully redesigned website with new brand guidelines, built and delivered our marketing plan and AI strategy, and helped implement our system architecture so we could open on time. Since then, he’s made several critical enhancements to the site that helped us generate revenue in our first month. His engagement was supposed to end at opening, but he became such an integral part of our leadership team that we kept him on to help evolve our marketing and tech strategy as we grow. He’s easy to work with, pushes back when it matters, and moves easily between strategy, delivery, and operations depending on what’s needed. If you’re looking for a deeply experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated marketing, AI, or technology consultant, I highly recommend Justin Harris AI Consulting.
Devin R. · Google
- ★★★★★
Justin has been a true Gem to have as part of our company. His professionalism, immediate attention to branding and extensive details in marketing has made so much improvement on our business. We are forever grateful to have such and amazing marketing asset and cannot thank you enough Justin!
Desi W. · Google
- ★★★★
Justin Harris was very helpful in resolving some issues we had with our Webflow website.
Kristy F. · Google
- ★★★★★
I had the pleasure of working alongside Justin and consistently saw firsthand the level of dedication and professionalism he brings to his work. He was always the first one in the office, setting the tone with his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence. What stood out most was how deeply he cared about every client. He approached each project with thoughtfulness, expertise, and a genuine drive to deliver meaningful results. He combines sharp technical knowledge with a practical, solutions-oriented mindset, which makes him especially effective in the AI space. Any organization looking for thoughtful, reliable, and highly skilled AI consulting support would be in great hands working with him!
Jenevine Y. · Google
- ★★★★★
Hired him to manage our AI systems and it's been pretty smooth. He knew what needed to be done and got it handled without a lot of back and forth. Good experience for our service business.
BC G. · Google
- ★★★★★
I follow Justin on social media and read about his work and his contributions to the AI industry. He really knows how to use the technology in creating a system that allows you to make your business work more efficiently and effectively.
Ana J. · Google
- ★★★★★
Justin was the person I would go to for advice about AI automation for my workload. He knew the subject well and didn't overcomplicate it. For anyone in Las Vegas running a service business and wondering if AI systems are worth looking into, talking to him first is a great move!
Yaneliz M. · Google
- ★★★★★
Working with Justin is always a pleasure. He is professional, trustworthy, and consistently delivers outstanding results. As a longtime Las Vegas local, he has an exceptional knowledge of the territory and truly understands the market. I highly recommend his services to anyone who is serious about growing their business!
k C. · Google
- ★★★★★
From what I've seen, Justin knows the AI automation space better than most people I've come across in Las Vegas. He's the kind of person who actually understands the technical side and can explain it without making you feel lost. Good guy, good reputation.
Afaryn F. · Google
- ★★★★★
I've Known Justin for a while now and he really knows his stuff when it comes to AI consulting. If people in Las Vegas were to ask me for recommendations in this space, he's the best guy for the job, hands down.
Mickey S. · Google
- ★★★★★
After going back and forth on whether to bring in outside help, we reached out to Justin for some AI consulting advice on where our service business could actually use automation. He was straightforward about what made sense and what didn't. Ended up being a useful conversation. Las Vegas has no shortage of people claiming to be experts, and he's one of the few who could back it up.
Vincent M. · Google
- ★★★★★
Known Justin for a few years now and the guy actually knows his stuff when it comes to AI automation. Friends in the Las Vegas service business space keep asking me who to call and I always point them his way.
Chris M. · Google
- ★★★★★
Justin is one of those guys who actually knows what he's talking about and doesn't cut any corners. Will definitely be working with him again.
David S. · Google
- ★★★★★
Justin knows what he's doing highly recommend using his service he will treat you right and give you tremendous value !👍
Gregory J. · Google
- ★★★★★
Known Justin for a many years and the guy actually knows what he's talking about when it comes to AI and automation. Not the type to just throw buzzwords around. Based in Las Vegas and well connected in the space. …
cindy D. · Google
- ★★★★★
Known Justin for a few years now. Guy knows the AI space better than most people I've come across, especially here in Las Vegas where there's no shortage of people claiming to be experts. He actually understands how AI automation works at a practical level, not just the theory. The kind of person who gives you a straight answer with kindness and patience
Katelyn H. · Google
- ★★★★★
Knew Justin before he started building AI systems for businesses, and watching what he's put together is genuinely impressive. He built out an AI automation setup for my website in Las Vegas and it changed how we handle leads completely. The guy actually runs this stuff himself, so he knows what works.
Justin E. · Google
Marketing Reporting for Owners
The numbers a director reports
A director's report answers three questions for the owner: what the marketing did, what it produced and what changes next. The report uses only numbers that can be traced to a source the owner can open, and it names the measures before the period begins.
Owners get a one-page view that answers three questions: what came in, what it cost and what changes next. Detail sits behind it for the team that wants to dig in. Definitions match the accounting view.
- Leads and calls by channel, traced to the source that produced them
- Time from a lead's first contact to the first reply
- Spend by channel against the budget set for the quarter
- Calendar items shipped against the calendar planned
- Staff hours spent on the priority list, against the hours planned
Marketing Report Reading Rules
How each number is read
A number in the report is only read against its source and its target. A rise in calls means little until the owner knows which channel sent them and whether the same calls were booked. Each line in the monthly report carries a note on where it comes from and who checks it, so the owner can open the source without asking the director.
The report also states what it does not show. Some results arrive months after a campaign, and a short-term dip is marked as too early to read rather than reported as a loss. When two sources disagree, the report shows both and names the one the team will trust for the next decision, with the reason written beside it.
Report reading rules set which numbers lead and which support. A metric that cannot be tied to revenue or to a clear leading signal stays off the first page.
Managing Marketing Agencies and Vendors
Vendors work to one brief
Agencies and contractors do their best work when the brief is clear and the person signing off the result is named. Most of the friction I see comes from vendors working to three different briefs written by three different staff members.
The director writes one brief for each vendor, keeps the vendor's work inside the same standards as the team's, and reads each report against the plan. If a vendor cannot meet the standard, the seat says so in the monthly readout and the owner decides what happens next.
Agencies are held to written deliverables with dates and a named reviewer on each one. Invoices are matched to the work log before payment, so the owner pays for what was delivered.
Campaign Review Before Launch
Nothing goes live unreviewed
Every campaign, page and offer gets the same short review before it goes out. The review is quick, written and specific. It checks the offer, the audience, the accuracy of each claim and the tracking that will show whether it worked.
- The offer is stated in one sentence the customer would recognize
- Each claim has a source the owner can point to
- Tracking is tested on a phone before launch
- The person who approves the item is named on the calendar
- The check date for the result is written before the item goes live
When a Fractional Director Is the Wrong Fit
When to hire a full-time director
A fractional director is the wrong fit when the marketing team needs someone in the building every day to make decisions in real time, such as a brand with a daily retail calendar. In that case a full-time director is the better fit, and I will say so before any scope is signed.
It is also the wrong fit when the team has no one to carry out the direction. A director sets the priorities, and somebody must do the work. If the business has no one to do it, the first step is a hire or a contractor, not a seat above an empty team.
Fractional Marketing Director Scope and Cost
What sets the seat's days
I quote a fixed price for a written scope after looking at the team and the calendar. A seat over three people with four channels is a different job from a seat over one person with one channel, so the scope is the quote, not a rate.
- How many people the director directs and how many agencies or vendors it briefs
- How many channels the calendar covers and how many approvals each needs
- How many days a month the seat needs in the business
- Whether the first month's four documents are included or already exist
- How many staff development plans the scope includes
Other Consulting Seats in Las Vegas
Seats beside this one
Fractional Marketing Director Las Vegas NV
Where I meet teams, by ZIP code
Las Vegas
89030 · 89101 · 89102 · 89104 · 89106 · 89107 · 89108 · 89109 · 89110 · 89117 · 89124 · 89128 · 89129 · 89130 · 89131 · 89134 · 89138 · 89143 · 89144 · 89145 · 89146 · 89149 · 89166
Henderson
89002 · 89005 · 89011 · 89012 · 89014 · 89015 · 89044 · 89052 · 89054 · 89074 · 89120 · 89122 · 89123 · 89183
North Las Vegas
89030 · 89031 · 89032 · 89081 · 89084 · 89085 · 89086 · 89101 · 89115 · 89130
Summerlin
89128 · 89134 · 89135 · 89138 · 89144 · 89145 · 89148 · 89161
Spring Valley
89102 · 89103 · 89113 · 89117 · 89118 · 89146 · 89147 · 89148 · 89178
Paradise
89074 · 89102 · 89103 · 89109 · 89118 · 89119 · 89120 · 89121 · 89123 · 89158 · 89169 · 89183
Enterprise
89113 · 89118 · 89119 · 89123 · 89139 · 89141 · 89148 · 89178 · 89179 · 89183
Sunrise Manor
89104 · 89110 · 89115 · 89121 · 89122 · 89142 · 89156
Boulder City
89005 · 89044
Fractional Marketing Director Questions
Questions before the first call
Fractional Marketing Director Process
How the seat starts and ends
What a Director Does in the First 30 Days
Audit first, then one change
The first thirty days start with an audit of the channels, the reporting and the brand file, not with new campaigns. Each finding is ranked by the revenue it touches, so the first changes are the ones that move the most money and carry the least risk.
Only one major change goes live in the first month. That keeps the results readable: when a number moves, the team knows which change caused it. Minor fixes continue alongside, and each one is logged.
Proof, not promises
Case studies I can show you
NurseForward: A Full Agency's Output on One Approval Chain
A full paid-acquisition funnel on one approval chain: landing page, ad strategy, creative, and graphics. NurseForward's top ad hit a 7.56% CTR at $0.31 CPC.
Read the case study14 Years Building Brands for UFC, Caesars, the City of Las Vegas, and Supercuts
A Las Vegas marketing expert with 14 years building brands for UFC, Caesars Entertainment, the City of Las Vegas, and Supercuts. The track record behind the AI system.
Read the case studyValhalla: The AI Client Portal and Operating System That Runs My Agency
Valhalla is my AI client portal and operating system: one ledger where every task, project, and deliverable is recorded and clients can watch the work happen.
Read the case studyFractional and Consulting
The other senior seats
Scope a Marketing Director Seat
Start with the team you have
Send me a short list of the people, vendors and channels your marketing runs on now, and I will reply with the seat I would fill and the scope in writing.