Marketing Partnerships
A fractional CMO for growing Australian businesses: a senior marketing lead for set hours a month, without a full-time executive salary.
Part-time marketing lead
Rock Solid Marketing provides a fractional CMO for Australian businesses that need senior marketing leadership but not a full-time executive, from our office in Mildura. A fractional CMO is a part-time marketing lead: they own the plan, the budget and the results, for a set number of hours each month.
You might have a marketing coordinator doing their best without direction, or three suppliers who don't talk to each other. Your board asks what the marketing spend returns and nobody can answer. That's the gap this role fills.
The role runs on our marketing partnership plans, from $4,500 + GST a month for 28 hours. It starts with a free 30-minute discovery call.
9+
Years serving Sunraysia and the Mallee
10+
Years’ minimum experience for every specialist
10
Marketing specialists on your team
6
Core digital channels, one joined-up strategy
What the role covers
The work below is leadership: setting direction and holding people to it, with our team ready to do the hands-on work where you need it.
Your goals, customers and budget turned into a 12-month plan with clear priorities. It says what you'll stop doing as well as what you'll start, so the budget goes where it earns.
One person accountable for where your marketing money goes. Spend is tracked against enquiries and sales each month, and anything that doesn't pay its way gets cut or changed.
Your marketing coordinator or office manager gets a clear brief, regular check-ins and someone senior to ask. Fractional marketing works best when it makes your own people better at their jobs.
Your web developer, printer, media reps and other agencies get one brief and one set of targets. We review their work and quotes, even when they aren't us.
A monthly report in plain words: what was spent, what it brought in and what changes next. We can present it at your management or board meeting.
When the plan needs a campaign, a website update or a press release, our 10 specialists can do it. That work comes out of your plan hours, so nothing waits for another hire.
Your specialists
Janine GowenlockRegional DirectorMildura VIC
Sean McCoyDirector & FounderMildura VICHow it starts
Listen first, plan second, then lead the plan month by month.
A free 30-minute call about your business, your current marketing and who does it today, inside and outside the business.
We review your numbers, website, channels, team and suppliers, and find where enquiries and sales actually come from.
You approve a 12-month plan and budget with clear priorities, owners and the measures we'll report against.
We run the plan with your team and suppliers, meet with you monthly and report what the spend returned.
How it works
The first month is mostly listening. We read your numbers, talk to your team and suppliers, and find where enquiries really come from. Then you get a plan and a budget to approve.
After that, your fractional marketing director runs the plan: a monthly meeting with you, regular check-ins with your team, supplier reviews and a report. Maybe a one-off strategy session at $175 + GST an hour would do the job instead. If so, we'll tell you before we quote.
Senior direction for a fraction of the hours.
Plan inclusions
The plan's hours cover leadership and hands-on work together. Ad spend, printing and outside suppliers are paid separately.
Pricing
The role runs on our marketing partnership plans: 28, 35 or 45 hours a month, with no lock-in contracts.
Starter
$4,500+ GST a month
For small to medium size business with a need to start with marketing planning and to develop key objectives.
Designed to drive website traffic and understand key learnings for inbound marketing.
Enquire NowStandard
$5,500+ GST a month
Designed for businesses with aggressive growth goals and product and services campaigns with high level content production.
Ideal for medium size businesses looking to increase their marketing ROI.
Enquire NowAdvanced
$7,500+ GST a month
Tailored to businesses pursuing significant growth objectives, with a custom plan focused on the most profitable opportunities.
Includes a one-off 15-second online video or ebook of your goods and services.
Enquire NowOur work
Mildura VICRock Solid Marketing designed the website and runs the marketing partnership for Princes Court, a community-owned aged care provider in Mildura, with social media, storytelling and community campaigns across its three services.
Strengthened Princes Court’s reputation as a community-first organisation
Mildura VICRock Solid Marketing worked as part of the team at Sunraysia Residential Services (SRS), a Mildura aged care, disability and child care provider of almost 50 years, on its brand, website, SEO, email and social media.
One clear, consistent brand across the SRS services and platforms
Loddon Mallee VICRock Solid Marketing supported the launch of GreenConnect’s nature-based dementia respite programs across Mildura, Bendigo, Heathcote and Merbein, for an Australian Government-funded consortium that secured $1.7 million in federal funding.
$1.7M Federal funding secured
Rock Solid Marketing provided marketing strategy and tender writing for Care Villas Australia, which won the 2024 Future of Ageing Award in the Property and Design category for its Smart Care Villa.
Working with Janine and the Rock Solid team was wonderful. No matter the idea I had, Janine and the team brought it to life and always exceeded expectations. It was a joy and pleasure working and I learnt so much along the way too.
Resources
In house marketing vs outsourcing: how costs, skills and control compare, when each one fits, and the steps to outsource your marketing well.
SEO vs PPC explained: how organic rankings and Google Ads differ on cost, speed and results, and when to use one, the other or both.
A quick guide to paid online advertising: display ads vs text ads, and where to advertise, from Google Ads to Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
FAQ
Can’t find what you’re after? Call us on 1800 842 022 or browse every answer on our FAQ page.
All FAQsWith us, the role runs on a marketing partnership plan, from $4,500 + GST a month for 28 hours. Standard gives 35 hours for $5,500 + GST and Advanced 45 hours for $7,500 + GST. Those hours cover leadership and hands-on work. A one-off strategy session is $175 + GST an hour.
A fractional CMO is a senior marketing lead who works part-time for your business, for a set number of hours a month. They own the marketing plan, the budget and the reporting, like a chief marketing officer would. You pay for a fraction of the time instead of a full-time salary.
You probably do if you spend real money on marketing but nobody senior owns it. Signs include suppliers working without a shared plan, a coordinator without direction, or a board asking what marketing returns. If you're a sole trader with a small budget, a strategy session or a smaller service will suit you better.
They set the marketing plan and budget, direct your staff and suppliers, check the work and report results to you or your board. With us, they can also call on our specialists for SEO, Google Ads, design, PR or websites, so the plan doesn't stall waiting for someone to do it.
It's another name for the same part-time role, often used by businesses that don't use C-suite titles. Some say fractional marketing consultant, though a consultant usually advises while a director runs the plan. Whatever the title, the job is to own the plan, the budget and the results.
Usually not. A virtual CMO is a part-time marketing lead who works mostly by video and phone. Many virtual CMO services rarely meet the team in person. Our monthly meeting can be by phone or a visit, and businesses near Mildura can meet at our office by booking.
Yes. A large part of the job is getting your current suppliers working to one plan. We brief them, review their work and quotes, and report on what each one delivers. If a supplier is doing good work, we'll say so and keep them, even when we could do that work ourselves.
Start with a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll talk through your business, your marketing and who does it now, then recommend a plan size or a one-off strategy session. If you go ahead, the first month is an audit, then you approve a plan and budget before anything else changes.
No. Our marketing partnership plans have no lock-in contracts. You can change plan size as your needs change, for example starting on 45 hours while the plan is built, then moving to 28 hours once it's running. The plan, reports and accounts we set up belong to your business.
Let’s start by scheduling a free discovery call so we can get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit for your marketing needs.
