FAQs
Why not simply hire a full-time Head of Marketing?
1
Sometimes a full-time hire is the right call. In many situations it is too early or too slow: the position is vacant today and a search takes months, you are not yet sure which profile you need, or the budget for a senior executive is not yet justified.
With an interim solution you get senior marketing leadership from the first week and use the time to find the right person. At almapharm, I set up the foundation and built a clear roadmap while the company searched for the permanent hire. The transition was smooth, and both the General Manager and the private equity investor appreciated it. At IONITY, I onboarded the permanent Head of Marketing with a clear action plan, so momentum was never lost.
A fractional role works differently. It fits when you already have a team but its junior talent lacks clear guidance and experience. I guide the team, set priorities and remove inefficiencies, so your people grow and your budget is spent where it counts, without the cost of a full-time executive.
"Over five months we worked intensively with Carolin Sandfort as interim marketing lead. The focus was in particular on developing a brand strategy for different target groups. I would like to sincerely thank Carolin for her professional and personal competence. She got up to speed in a very short time, challenged us again and again, and led us in exactly the right direction"
Inge Weber, CEO, almapharm (translated from German)
What is the difference between interim, fractional, a freelancer and an agency?
2
With an agency you often don't know who does the work, and you don't know what priority your project has among their other clients. With me you have one clear counterpart on eye level. I am the one doing the job, and I take responsibility if things don't work.
Interim: I take over a vacant marketing leadership role, for example while you search for a permanent hire or during a transition. I am accountable for strategy, team and results.
Fractional: I support you on a recurring basis with senior leadership. I set the direction, coach your team and make sure the right things get done, without a full-time commitment.
A freelancer executes a defined task, such as a campaign or a channel. Direction and responsibility stay with you.
I combine brand and performance marketing and work hands-on. I lead, and I implement.
When is the right moment to bring in interim or fractional marketing leadership?
3
The most common situations are these:
A leadership position is vacant, or someone is leaving or on leave, and marketing cannot wait for a search to finish.
A private equity firm acquires a business, and there is no marketing structure yet but a clear need for fast results. I hit the ground running, build on the due diligence that has already been carried out, and make sure the key value drivers are implemented on time.
You are entering a new market, such as a US company launching in Europe, and you need local insight and a go-to-market plan without building a full team first.
You have proven product-market fit, but marketing lacks structure, and investors or stakeholders expect tangible results from the marketing spend.
Brand and performance marketing run separately, and nobody connects them.
Your team is capable but junior and needs guidance and clear priorities.
If one of these sounds familiar, it is probably the right moment.
What does it cost to work with you?
4
Every engagement is scoped to your situation, so there is no standard package. As a reference, my day rate is 1,500€. The total depends on the role you need me to fill, the scope of the work and how much hands-on implementation is involved.
You pay for senior leadership exactly when you need it, without recruiting fees, a long search, or the long-term commitment of a full-time executive salary. To put it into perspective, use this calculator.
In the first conversation we define the goals and scope, and you receive a clear proposal with defined deliverables.
9
Why not simply hire a full-time Head of Marketing?
5
Sometimes a full-time hire is the right call. In many situations it is too early or too slow: the position is vacant today and a search takes months, you are not yet sure which profile you need, or the budget for a senior executive is not yet justified.
With an interim solution you get senior marketing leadership from the first week and use the time to find the right person. At almapharm, I set up the foundation and built a clear roadmap while the company searched for the permanent hire. The transition was smooth, and both the General Manager and the private equity investor appreciated it. At IONITY, I onboarded the permanent Head of Marketing with a clear action plan, so momentum was never lost.
A fractional role works differently. It fits when you already have a team but its junior talent lacks clear guidance and experience. I guide the team, set priorities and remove inefficiencies, so your people grow and your budget is spent where it counts, without the cost of a full-time executive.
"Over five months we worked intensively with Carolin Sandfort as interim marketing lead. The focus was in particular on developing a brand strategy for different target groups. I would like to sincerely thank Carolin for her professional and personal competence. She got up to speed in a very short time, challenged us again and again, and led us in exactly the right direction"
Inge Weber, CEO, almapharm (translated from German)
What is the difference between interim, fractional, a freelancer and an agency?
6
With an agency you often don't know who does the work, and you don't know what priority your project has among their other clients. With me you have one clear counterpart on eye level. I am the one doing the job, and I take responsibility if things don't work.
Interim: I take over a vacant marketing leadership role, for example while you search for a permanent hire or during a transition. I am accountable for strategy, team and results.
Fractional: I support you on a recurring basis with senior leadership. I set the direction, coach your team and make sure the right things get done, without a full-time commitment.
A freelancer executes a defined task, such as a campaign or a channel. Direction and responsibility stay with you.
I combine brand and performance marketing and work hands-on. I lead, and I implement.
When is the right moment to bring in interim or fractional marketing leadership?
7
The most common situations are these:
A leadership position is vacant, or someone is leaving or on leave, and marketing cannot wait for a search to finish.
A private equity firm acquires a business, and there is no marketing structure yet but a clear need for fast results. I hit the ground running, build on the due diligence that has already been carried out, and make sure the key value drivers are implemented on time.
You are entering a new market, such as a US company launching in Europe, and you need local insight and a go-to-market plan without building a full team first.
You have proven product-market fit, but marketing lacks structure, and investors or stakeholders expect tangible results from the marketing spend.
Brand and performance marketing run separately, and nobody connects them.
Your team is capable but junior and needs guidance and clear priorities.
If one of these sounds familiar, it is probably the right moment.
What does it cost to work with you?
8
What does it cost to work with you?
Every engagement is scoped to your situation, so there is no standard package. As a reference, my day rate is 1,500€. The total depends on the role you need me to fill, the scope of the work and how much hands-on implementation is involved.
You pay for senior leadership exactly when you need it, without recruiting fees, a long search, or the long-term commitment of a full-time executive salary. To put it into perspective, use this calculator.
In the first conversation we define the goals and scope, and you receive a clear proposal with defined deliverables.
Every engagement is scoped to your situation, so there is no standard package. As a reference, my day rate is 1,500€. The total depends on the role you need me to fill, the scope of the work and how much hands-on implementation is involved.
You pay for senior leadership exactly when you need it, without recruiting fees, a long search, or the long-term commitment of a full-time executive salary. To put it into perspective, use this calculator.
In the first conversation we define the goals and scope, and you receive a clear proposal with defined deliverables.