CMO Advisory
Senior strategic sparring for companies with an established marketing function that want access to external experience without building an internal team.
For B2B companies with an in-house Head of Marketing, CMO, or marketing team that delivers operationally well, but occasionally needs an outside view on strategic direction. A senior partner who helps you prioritize correctly each quarter, challenge assumptions, and keep marketing anchored in business strategy.
As strategic advisor, I deliver the framework, the priorities, and the measurement structure. Execution stays with your own resources. You get access to Authority Engine as a shared language and a fixed rhythm that ties strategy to action.
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CMO Advisory is senior strategic marketing advisory without a leadership role. The service suits B2B companies with internal marketing resources who need external strategic guidance on positioning, prioritization, and direction. Monthly sparring sessions and unlimited email advisory from NOK 30,000 per month.
When does CMO Advisory add the most value?
Not every company needs a Fractional CMO. But certain situations make CMO Advisory the obvious right choice:
- —When you have an in-house marketing leader who delivers well operationally, but lacks senior strategic sparring.
- —When marketing seems to be working, but you're unsure if you're prioritizing the most important things over time.
- —When your CMO needs an external corrective on decisions no one internally can challenge.
- —When you're considering major marketing investments (new markets, agency selection, tech stack) and want an outside perspective before deciding.
- —When Fractional CMO feels like too much, but "no sparring" feels like too little.
What's included in the monthly retainer
Authority Engine Assessment at onboarding
The first month is spent understanding your company deeply enough that strategic sparring becomes real, not generic. Interviews with leadership and key people, review of existing strategy and campaigns, and establishing a shared language and framework for how we work together going forward.
Monthly sparring meeting with leadership (90 min)
One deeper meeting each month where we work on the questions that require strategic judgment. Preparation from me, agenda set in advance, clear decisions or recommendations out.
Monthly check-in with primary contact (30 min)
Shorter status meeting that maintains rhythm between the larger meetings. Adjustment of priorities, follow-up on actions we've discussed, quick clarifications.
Quarterly Rocks planning (half-day)
Each quarter we set the three to five most important strategic priorities. Half-day workshop on-location or digital, where we go in depth on what should actually drive growth the next 90 days. Full-day workshops can be arranged on demand for an additional fee.
Biannual reassessment
Every six months we step back and assess Authority Engine dimensions anew. Has the position shifted? Is the proof keeping pace? Where is visibility moving, and what does that mean for priorities the next half year?
Unlimited sparring via email and message
Between meetings, I'm available for short questions, quick assessments, and strategic dilemmas that come up. It's part of the value in retainer advisory.
AI visibility (GEO) as a perspective in prioritization
GEO is included as a strategic perspective in the sparring, not as dedicated execution. If AI visibility becomes an important priority, it can be expanded through a separate AI Visibility service.
Authority Engine as framework
In traditional B2B marketing, the goal was to get found on the right search terms. Today, the goal is to get recommended — by Google, by AI models, by colleagues, and by media.
Authority Engine is the framework we work by. It consists of four dimensions: Position, Proof, Visibility, and Conversion. As strategic advisor, I help you keep all four in balance over time, so marketing delivers on growth targets and doesn't degenerate into activity without direction.
Authority Engine gives us a shared language and a recognizable structure, so you always know what we're working on and why.
Read more about Authority Engine →Prerequisites for the engagement to work
CMO Advisory is a sparring role, not a leadership role. For the engagement to deliver, you must have:
Internal marketing capacity
An in-house marketing leader, CMO, or marketing team must exist that can execute the strategy we discuss. I provide advice and frameworks; someone else puts it into action.
Commitment to the quarterly rhythm
Half-day workshops and monthly sparring meetings require that you show up prepared. That's where the strategic value is created.
Willingness to be challenged
The sparring role is about asking the questions no one internally asks. If you only want confirmation, you'll be disappointed.
If you don't have internal marketing capacity, I'd recommend Fractional CMO instead. If you first need to clarify strategic direction on AI visibility, GEO Analysis can be a good starting point.
Investment
NOK 30,000 per month.
6-month commitment, then ongoing with 1 month notice.
Full-day workshops quarterly (instead of half-day) arranged on demand and priced separately.
Travel and accommodation for on-location work invoiced separately.
This fits
Companies with an established marketing function or in-house CMO that want access to external strategic expertise.
B2B companies with complex sales processes.
Leaders who know they need an external corrective, but not a new boss.
This doesn't fit
Companies without internal marketing capacity (recommend Fractional CMO).
Companies that want operational production, not strategic sparring.
Leaders looking for confirmation, not challenge.
Connection to other services
Fractional CMO
CMO Advisory is often the natural entry or exit point to a Fractional CMO engagement. As entry when you're considering whether you're ready for full leadership role. As exit when I scale down and hand execution to an in-house CMO, but maintain a strategic corrective role.
AI Visibility
If AI visibility becomes a concrete priority, GEO Analysis can be added as a one-time delivery, or GEO execution integrated as a separate service.
Executive Thought Leadership
If sparring reveals that the leader should be more visible as a thought leader in the category, Executive Thought Leadership can be a natural add-on.
Originally in Norwegian
"Erlend er en svært dyktig sparringspartner med sterk strategisk forståelse, som samtidig evner å omsette tanker til handling. Han har hjulpet oss å se sammenhengen mellom faglig posisjonering, innholdsstrategi og forretningsmål på en måte som har skapt varig verdi."
Not sure if this is right for you?
A short conversation is often all it takes to find out. We take our time — no sales pitch, just an honest discussion.
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