Sales and marketing are often viewed as separate functions—but in a growing business, they must work together to drive predictable revenue. When alignment is missing, opportunities are lost, costs rise, and teams pull in different directions. That’s where the role of a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) comes in—and for many small and mid-sized businesses, a fractional CRO offers the perfect blend of leadership and flexibility.

At Behney Management Strategies, we help businesses bridge the gap between sales, marketing, and growth strategy. If your company has hit a revenue plateau or lacks cohesion between departments, a fractional CRO might be the solution you didn’t know you needed.

Let’s break down what a CRO does, how the fractional model works, and what kind of impact it can have on your organization.

The Role of a CRO

A Chief Revenue Officer is responsible for overseeing all activities that generate revenue—including sales, marketing, and customer success. The goal isn’t just to grow top-line revenue, but to create repeatable, scalable, and profitable growth.

Key responsibilities typically include:

• Aligning sales and marketing strategy
• Building lead generation and conversion systems
• Setting KPIs and revenue targets
• Optimizing pricing and packaging models
• Improving client retention and upsell opportunities
• Analyzing the full customer journey for gaps and opportunities
• Coaching leadership on revenue-related decisions

The CRO doesn’t just manage people—they manage the system that drives revenue.

What Is a Fractional CRO?

A fractional CRO is a senior-level executive who works with your business part-time or on a project basis. You gain the insights and leadership of an experienced revenue executive without the cost of hiring full-time.

This model is especially valuable for:

• Companies in growth mode that need strategy but not full-time overhead
• Businesses that have strong service delivery but lack a defined sales process
• Organizations with a marketing budget but no clear lead-to-sale path
• Owners who are still serving as their own sales manager and need help delegating

How a Fractional CRO Adds Value

Rather than focusing on just one part of the funnel, a fractional CRO brings a big-picture view of how all revenue channels work together. That means identifying where leads are getting lost, clarifying value propositions, and developing a strategy that turns awareness into action.

Common areas of improvement include:

• Developing a sales playbook with clear messaging and follow-up sequences
• Evaluating marketing spend for ROI and lead quality
• Creating a CRM structure that supports the full buyer journey
• Instituting weekly pipeline reviews and sales accountability rhythms
• Launching referral, partner, or account expansion initiatives

These are the kinds of changes that help businesses not just sell—but scale.

Signs Your Business Might Need a Fractional CRO

• Sales have plateaued, despite marketing efforts
• You rely heavily on the founder/owner to close deals
• There’s no consistent sales process across team members
• You aren’t tracking conversion rates or forecasting accurately
• Your marketing team is busy, but you’re not seeing results
• You’re not sure how to price, package, or position new services

Final Thoughts

Revenue doesn’t grow on its own—and it doesn’t grow efficiently when sales and marketing are operating in silos. A fractional CRO helps create clarity, accountability, and systems that scale.

If your business is ready to grow but you’re unsure how to build the structure to support that growth, we can help. Let’s talk about how a fractional CRO can unlock the next stage of your business.

WRITTEN BY

David Behney, Founder & CEO

David Behney is the Founder and CEO of Behney Management Strategies, where he helps small businesses achieve their big goals through expert C-suite consulting. With a background in fractional CFO services, David now provides strategic guidance across finance, operations, marketing, and technology to businesses with $1M–$30M in revenue. Passionate about driving growth and sustainability, he partners with business leaders to build strong foundations and navigate challenges. Connect with David to take your business to the next level.