Fractional CMO for B2B Companies
Senior marketing leadership for companies that sell through sales teams, distributors, retailers and long buying cycles.
In B2B, marketing has to earn its place in the pipeline. The buyer is often a committee, the sale runs through reps or channel partners, and a campaign can take months to show up as revenue. I'm Dr. Linda Orr, a PhD marketing scientist and fractional CMO. My B2B work includes Upwork, PepsiCo, McKesson Foster & Thrive, Midmark, Magenta and the Government Finance Officers Association, along with manufacturers, software companies and service firms whose names stay under NDA.
Where B2B marketing work focuses
How do you tie B2B marketing to pipeline and revenue?
Most B2B reporting stops at leads and clicks, while the revenue shows up months later in the CRM. I connect marketing data to the sales system, set up offline conversion tracking so ad platforms learn from qualified opportunities, and, where there is enough history, build a marketing mix model that shows what each channel contributes.
At Upwork, I built the company's first marketing mix model across an $88M annual media portfolio, and it supported a 25% media budget reduction while sales kept growing. For a B2B SaaS company about to set budgets from another firm's model, I ran an independent review, found problems in how it was built, and rebuilt it.
How do you position a product for a buying committee?
B2B purchases usually involve several people who care about different things. I start with research among the people who buy, use and approve the product, then build positioning and messaging for each role.
For Midmark Dental's 3D imaging launch, I led more than 25 in-depth interviews with dentists, periodontists and hygienists and a survey of more than 250 respondents. In Midmark's words, the insights directly shaped the launch positioning and go-to-market strategy. For McKesson's Foster & Thrive launch, I built the brand framework behind more than 270 over-the-counter products, with messaging for pharmacists, pharmacies, clinicians, and patients and caregivers.
How do you support sales teams and channel partners?
In B2B, marketing has to give sales something it can use. That can mean retailer pitch materials, trade show and conference toolkits, prospect lists, email sequences, or messaging a distributor's reps can repeat.
At PepsiCo, I analyzed store-level sales on a new snack launch, found that in-store sampling was not producing a measurable lift, and built sales pitches for retail accounts. For a global employment platform, I built a pre-event and post-event trade show toolkit with sample social posts and emails. At Magenta, a housewares company that sells through wholesale and retail, I lead marketing as fractional CMO as the company builds its direct-to-consumer business.
How do you decide which accounts and segments to go after?
Most B2B companies already hold the data to tell their best accounts from the rest. I use customer records, focus groups and statistical segmentation to find the accounts and segments worth prioritizing, and the offers and pricing that fit each one.
For a medical equipment company with roughly $100M in revenue, I analyzed 20 years of customer data to build a customer segmentation, an ABC account structure, bundle and upsell pathways, and pricing models. For the Government Finance Officers Association, I ran two full-scale member surveys and presented the findings to the board.
What does it cost?
Every engagement is custom quoted after an introductory call. Fractional CMO retainers start at $8,000/month. Most engagements run $12,000 to $20,000 a month.
Research projects, such as buyer interviews, surveys and segmentation, are quoted on scope. Focused audits start at $8,000, a full Marketing Performance Audit starts at $15,000, and an audit combined with a marketing mix model starts at $20,000.
Who does the work?
I do. Orr Consulting is not an agency with a bench of junior analysts. I hold a PhD in marketing, spent about 20 years as a marketing professor, and have more than 25 years of experience leading growth and measurement for companies from $5M to $500M in revenue, including healthcare, premium consumer, and complex B2B brands.
Past B2B clients include Upwork, PepsiCo, McKesson Foster & Thrive, Midmark, Magenta, Indeed, GFOA, Mavrik, medmix, ELOS and Prevu. My MMM work goes beyond what off-the-shelf tools do, because I pull in the outside data that drives real results, such as economic conditions, weather, PR, and linear TV.
Our Impact By The Numbers
$88M in marketing budget modeled for Upwork, 100+ clients from $5M to $500M in revenue, 25+ years leading growth, and 86% client retention.
A FEW OF OUR HAPPY CLIENTS
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of B2B companies do you work with?
Medical and dental equipment makers, consumer health and packaged goods companies that sell to retailers and pharmacies, B2B software and marketplace businesses, professional associations, and corporate training and services firms. Most are between $5M and $500M in revenue.
Can you work alongside our sales team?
Yes. B2B marketing works best when sales and marketing agree on the target accounts, what a qualified lead looks like, and what happens after the handoff. I work with sales leadership on those definitions and build the materials reps use.
What data do you need to measure B2B marketing?
Ideally two or more years of marketing spend by channel, plus leads, opportunities and closed revenue from your CRM. If the CRM and ad platforms are not connected yet, that is usually the first thing to fix.
Do you replace our marketing team or agency?
No. Most clients keep their team and agencies. I set the strategy, measurement and priorities, and the team and agencies carry out the work with clearer direction.
If your B2B marketing is busy and you still can't see what it adds to the pipeline, let's talk.