Fractional CMO · Hamilton
A fractional CMO for Hamilton.
Hamilton and the Waikato run on manufacturing, agri-business, export and the trades that serve them. Fay Ren spent her in-house years running digital marketing for Waikato manufacturers and exporters, so a fractional CMO engagement here starts with someone who already knows how these businesses sell.
Most Hamilton plans are written for manufacturing, agri-business, export, construction and trades, and the professional firms that serve them.
What a fractional CMO does.
- 01Writes the planPositioning, channels, budgets and the numbers to hit, on one page you can act on.
- 02Runs the channelsGoogle Ads, Meta, SEO, email, landing pages and the website. Fay does this work herself.
- 03Owns the numbersOne monthly report, in plain English, that says what worked, what didn't and what changes.
- 04Manages suppliersDesigners, developers, video, print. One person briefs them and checks the work.
- 05Sits at the tableMarketing decisions made with the owner, not handed down to a junior or an agency account manager.
- 06Leaves it workingSystems, dashboards and a team that can run without her if that's the goal.
What it costs in NZ.
A fractional CMO in New Zealand typically costs $4,000 to $10,000 a month, depending on whether they advise or also run the channels. FR Digital publishes every price.
- Full-time CMO$180k–$250ka year, plus on-costs and the hiring risk
- Marketing manager$90k–$130ka year, and still needs a plan and a senior lead
- Agency retainer$5k–$12ka month, executing the brief you give them
- Fractional CMO in NZ$4k–$10ka month is typical; FR Digital plans start at $1,190
- $1,190VisibilityFor local businesses that need to be found: trades, hospitality, professional services.
- $2,490MomentumFor growing businesses ready to run two channels properly.
- from $4,500Growth PartnerFor established businesses that want a marketing lead, not a supplier.
Monthly, excluding GST. Every price and what's in each plan.
Fractional CMO vs the alternatives.
- vs an agencyAn agency executes your brief; the plan is yours to get right. A fractional CMO writes the plan, owns it, and in Fay's case runs the channels too. One person answers for the result.
- vs a marketing managerA manager runs the day-to-day but usually needs direction from above. A fractional CMO is that direction, for the days you need it, without a salary or a desk.
- vs a full-time CMOMost New Zealand businesses under $20M don't have a full-time CMO's worth of decisions to make. A fractional one gives you the senior judgement for the days those decisions happen.
How Fay works.
- 01Start with the Growth Audit: $790, ninety minutes on your numbers, a written report in five days.
- 02If you need a plan, the 90-Day Growth Roadmap: $3,900, two weeks, a week-by-week plan with budgets.
- 03Then pick a monthly plan by what you want to change: be found, get more leads, or have it run for you.
Who Fay Ren is.
- 13Years in digital, since 2012
- In-houseSenior digital roles at Premier Group, TGF Holdings and Porter Group
- HBSHarvard Business School Online, Strategy Execution
- ×4Google certified: Search, Display, Shopping, Analytics
Founder of FR Digital since 2023. Volunteer mentor with Business Mentors New Zealand since 2022.
Also across New Zealand.
Questions.
01Do you work in person in Hamilton?
Yes. On-site days are scheduled around working sessions and reviews; the rest is remote so you're not paying for travel time.
02Do you know manufacturing and export?
Fay's senior in-house roles were at Premier Group, TGF Holdings and Porter Group, Waikato manufacturers and exporters. That's where the FR Digital way of working comes from.
03What does a fractional CMO cost in New Zealand?
Typically $4,000 to $10,000 a month, depending on whether they only advise or also run the channels. FR Digital publishes every price: a $790 Growth Audit, a $3,900 90-Day Growth Roadmap, and monthly plans at $1,190, $2,490 and from $4,500, all excluding GST.
04How many days a month do we get?
It depends on the plan. Visibility and Momentum are fixed-scope plans measured by what gets done, not by hours. Growth Partner is the closest to a part-time head of marketing and is limited to three clients at a time.
05Is there a lock-in?
No. Visibility and Momentum roll monthly with no lock-in. Growth Partner is by application and agreed case by case.
06Does Fay do the work or just advise?
Both. Fay spent years running digital marketing in-house for New Zealand manufacturers and exporters before founding FR Digital, so the plan and the execution come from the same pair of hands.
07What kind of business is this for?
Owner-led businesses, usually $2M to $20M in revenue, with one decision-maker and a number that's stuck. Trades, hospitality, professional services, manufacturing, export and e-commerce are the most common.
08Where does FR Digital work?
Across New Zealand. Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown businesses are all supported, remote-first with scheduled on-site days.
Tell Fay what you want to change.
Fay Ren, Fractional CMO and founder of FR Digital, New Zealand.
+64 21 204 2444