Zachary Ellison, fractional CMO. My team and I run marketing for law firms, home services, healthcare practices and DTC brands.
I've worked in marketing for more than 15 years and managed more than $500M in spend. I set the strategy and make the big calls. My team runs the work with your staff and your vendors, and reports on it every week.
Where I come from, and why we work in four industries.
Before this work, I spent years alongside the Amazon GTM team, with brands like Amazon and Netflix, and with AI startups and tech companies. I took one AI startup to 312,000 monthly users.
Today the fractional CMO work covers four industries: law firms, home service companies, healthcare practices and DTC brands. Each one has a clear unit of revenue: a signed case, a booked job, a new patient who stays, a customer who orders twice.
A fractional CMO is with you part of the week, so I can't spend month one learning what hygiene recall is or why a DWI call at 2 a.m. matters. In these four industries I already know, so the first month goes to the fixes.
On Upwork I'm the #1 lifetime-ranked fractional CMO, #3 in the world, and Expert-Vetted. Every job and review there is public.
The one rule I work by.
My rule is simple. If your business grows, you keep working with me. If it doesn't, you shouldn't have to.
That's why every engagement is month to month with no setup fees. It's also why I read your budget the way an owner reads capital: where each dollar went last month, and what it brought back.
How we work with your team.
We work inside your marketing operation with you, like members of your team.
Owners usually call me when marketing has outgrown the agency. The agency is good at its channel, and nobody owns the total. That's the seat I take.
Your staff, agencies and freelancers keep doing the work. I decide which work is worth paying for, put it in order, and hold each of them to clear goals. You get regular reports, on the cadence we set together: revenue by source, what shipped, what's stuck and the decision that needs you.
The seven areas we inspect in every business.
Marketing breaks in seven places. When one is weak it drags the other six down, so we score all seven before we move a dollar of budget.
- Dimension 01Strategy
Who you serve, what you offer, where every dollar should go.
Strategy: the full guide - Dimension 02Data
One set of numbers everyone trusts, tied to revenue.
Data: the full guide - Dimension 03Friction
Every place a lead, call or cart is lost between the ad and the sale.
Friction: the full guide - Dimension 04Process
How work moves from idea to launch, with an owner and a date.
Process: the full guide - Dimension 05People
The right team, agencies and vendors, each held to clear goals.
People: the full guide - Dimension 06Technology
A connected stack, every tool earning its cost.
Technology: the full guide - Dimension 07Communication
Reporting that tells you what to do next.
Communication: the full guide
Inspect, ideate, implement, iterate. Every week.
The system I built to run all seven. Your numbers, your team and your vendors in one place, reviewed every week, with a Marketing Impact Roadmap built for your industry.
- 01
Weeks 1 and 2
Inspect
We score all seven dimensions of your marketing. Then we trace every lead, call and order back to revenue.
Now you can see what's working and what's leaking, source by source.
What you getA dashboard of spend, leads, results and cost per result by source.
Marketing Impact OSPersonal injury firmInspectMarketing attributionLast 90 days vs the 90 beforeAd spend$89,560+12%Signed cases53+8%Cost per signed case$1,690+4%Est. fees$546,500+9%Source Spend Leads Signed Est. fees Cost per case Google Ads $45,000 300 18 $180,000 $2,500 Local Services Ads $14,160 120 12 $114,000 $1,180 SEO $12,000 140 10 $105,000 $1,200 Referrals $0 40 9 $121,500 $0 Meta $18,400 210 4 $26,000 $4,600 Total $89,560 810 53 $546,500 $1,690 Marketing Impact OSHVAC and plumbing companyInspectMarketing attributionLast 90 days vs the 90 beforeBooked jobs852+6%Cost per booked job$97+2%Close rate38%+2 ptsRevenue$771,500+7%Source Spend Leads Booked Revenue Cost per job Google Ads $36,000 720 288 $259,200 $125 Local Services Ads $15,000 400 200 $176,000 $75 SEO $9,000 360 150 $141,000 $60 Meta $12,000 300 60 $42,000 $200 Angi $10,500 350 70 $52,500 $150 Referrals $0 120 84 $100,800 $0 Total $82,500 2,250 852 $771,500 $97 Marketing Impact OSDental practiceInspectMarketing attributionLast 90 days vs the 90 beforeNew patients437+7%Cost per new patient$128+1%Show rate72%−2 ptsRevenue$528,400+7%Source Spend Booked Showed Revenue Cost per patient Google Ads $27,000 180 135 $162,000 $200 SEO $9,000 150 120 $156,000 $75 Meta $13,500 150 75 $67,500 $180 Zocdoc $6,600 60 44 $48,400 $150 Referrals $0 70 63 $94,500 $0 Total $56,100 610 437 $528,400 $128 No ad pixels on patient pages
Marketing Impact OSShopify brandInspectMarketing attributionLast 90 days vs the 90 beforeCAC (cost per new customer)$68+4%MER (revenue ÷ spend)2.2x−0.2Returning-customer revenue$398,000+5%New customers5,400+4%Source Spend Orders New Revenue CAC Meta $180,000 3,000 2,400 $225,000 $75 Google Shopping $90,000 2,000 1,500 $150,000 $60 TikTok $60,000 650 600 $42,250 $100 Email and SMS $12,000 4,200 300 $336,000 $40 Affiliates $24,000 800 600 $64,000 $40 Total $366,000 10,650 5,400 $817,250 $68 - 02
Weeks 3 and 4
Ideate
We price each fix in the result you care about: signed cases, booked jobs, new patients or new customers. Then we rank them.
Every move gets a number, an owner and a date before any money moves.
What you getA ranked plan, with the expected gain of each move per month.
Marketing Impact OSPersonal injury firmIdeateThe plan, ranked by impactGains per month- 1Answer after-hours calls liveCalls after 6 pm go to voicemail today.+4 signed cases+$41,000 in fees
- 2Move $3,000 a month from Meta to LSALSA costs $1,180 per signed case. Meta costs $4,600.+2 signed cases+$21,000 in fees
- 3Cut Google Ads terms that never signGoogle Ads costs $2,500 per signed case.Save $2,500Same signed cases
- 4Ask every past client for a referralReferrals turn 9 of 40 leads into signed cases.+1 signed case+$10,000 in fees
If the plan holds+7 signed cases a month
Marketing Impact OSHVAC and plumbing companyIdeateThe plan, ranked by impactGains per month- 1Call back every missed call in 5 minutesOnly 38% of leads book today.+40 booked jobs+$36,000 revenue
- 2Follow up on every unsold estimateUnsold estimates get no second call today.+20 booked jobs+$18,000 revenue
- 3Move $2,000 a month from Meta to LSALSA costs $75 per booked job. Meta costs $200.+17 booked jobs+$15,000 revenue
- 4Ask for a review after every jobMore reviews lift your rank in Local Services Ads.+8 booked jobs+$7,000 revenue
If the plan holds+85 booked jobs a month
Marketing Impact OSDental practiceIdeateThe plan, ranked by impactGains per month- 1Confirm every booking by text and callMeta bookings have a 50% show rate.+20 new patients+$24,000 revenue
- 2Move $1,500 a month from Google Ads to SEOSEO costs $75 per new patient. Google Ads costs $200.+12 new patients+$15,000 revenue
- 3Answer every call before the third ringMissed calls book somewhere else.+8 new patients+$10,000 revenue
- 4Ask for a review at checkoutMore reviews lift your rank on Maps.+4 new patients+$5,000 revenue
If the plan holds+44 new patients a month
Marketing Impact OSShopify brandIdeateThe plan, ranked by impactGains per month- 1Send a second-order flow by email and SMSMost first-time buyers never order again.+$26,000Returning revenue
- 2Add bundles at checkoutOrders average $77 today.+$18,000+$5 per order
- 3Move $12,000 a month from TikTok to ShoppingTikTok costs $100 per new customer. Shopping costs $60.+80 new customersLower CAC
- 4Track sales server sideMeta, Google and the store each count sales differently.One numberFor every budget call
If the plan holds+80 new customers, +$44,000 a month
- 1
- 03
From week 5, biggest fix first
Implement
We launch with your team, your vendors or ours: campaigns, pages, intake, automations and reporting.
The biggest fix goes first. You can see who owns each task, when it's due and whether it's done.
What you getA work list with an owner, a due week and a status on every task.
Marketing Impact OSPersonal injury firmImplementThe work2 of 4 done- Live answering after 6 pm and on weekendsIntake lead · Week 1Intake leadWeek 1Done
- Move $3,000 a month from Meta to LSAAgency · Week 1AgencyWeek 1Done
- Cut Google Ads terms that never signAgency · Week 3AgencyWeek 3In progress
- Referral ask at every closed matterCase managers · Week 6Case managersWeek 6Next
Monday check-in Every open task gets a status. A late one gets a new date and a reason.
Marketing Impact OSHVAC and plumbing companyImplementThe work2 of 4 done- Missed-call text back and 5 minute callbackOffice manager · Week 1Office managerWeek 1Done
- Estimate follow-up on day 2 and day 7Sales manager · Week 2Sales managerWeek 2Done
- Move $2,000 a month from Meta to LSAAgency · Week 3AgencyWeek 3In progress
- Review request text after every jobCSR lead · Week 5CSR leadWeek 5Next
Monday check-in Every open task gets a status. A late one gets a new date and a reason.
Marketing Impact OSDental practiceImplementThe work2 of 4 done- Two-way confirm texts 48 and 2 hours outFront desk lead · Week 1Front desk leadWeek 1Done
- Move $1,500 a month from Google Ads to SEOAgency · Week 2AgencyWeek 2Done
- Overflow calls to a second lineOffice manager · Week 3Office managerWeek 3In progress
- Review request at checkoutFront desk · Week 5Front deskWeek 5Next
Monday check-in Every open task gets a status. A late one gets a new date and a reason.
Marketing Impact OSShopify brandImplementThe work2 of 4 done- Second-order flow, email and SMSRetention lead · Week 2Retention leadWeek 2Done
- Move $12,000 a month from TikTok to ShoppingAgency · Week 1AgencyWeek 1Done
- Bundles at checkoutWeb team · Week 3Web teamWeek 3In progress
- Server-side tracking on Meta and GoogleWeb team · Week 5Web teamWeek 5Next
Monday check-in Every open task gets a status. A late one gets a new date and a reason.
- 04
Every week, with a review every 90 days
Iterate
Every week we read the numbers, keep what works and cut what doesn't.
Every 90 days we review the results with you and make the next call. Then the loop runs again, until you hit your goal.
What you getA 90-day review against your starting numbers that ends in the next decision.
Marketing Impact OSPersonal injury firmIterate90 days laterBefore → after- Cost per signed case$1,690$1,243−26%
- Signed cases5366+25%
- Ad spend$89,560$82,060−8%
Cost per signed case by monthZachary's reviewSigned cases went from 53 to 66 on $7,500 less spend. Cost per signed case fell from $1,690 to $1,243. Next: put $2,000 a month into SEO pages for your top two case types. SEO costs $1,200 per signed case.
Marketing Impact OSHVAC and plumbing companyIterate90 days laterBefore → after- Cost per booked job$97$80−17%
- Booked jobs8521,032+21%
- Close rate38%45%+7 pts
Cost per booked job by monthZachary's reviewBooked jobs went from 852 to 1,032 on the same $82,500. Cost per booked job fell from $97 to $80. Next: staff the phones until 8 pm, then move the other $2,000 a month off Meta and into LSA.
Marketing Impact OSDental practiceIterate90 days laterBefore → after- Cost per new patient$128$106−18%
- New patients437530+21%
- Show rate72%81%+9 pts
Cost per new patient by monthZachary's reviewNew patients went from 437 to 530 on the same $56,100. Show rate went from 72% to 81% once every booking got a confirm text. Next: start recall so these new patients book their next visit before they leave.
Marketing Impact OSShopify brandIterate90 days laterBefore → after- CAC$68$59−13%
- MER2.2x2.6x+0.4
- Returning-customer revenue$398,000$476,000+20%
CAC by monthZachary's reviewCAC fell from $68 to $59 on the same $366,000. Returning-customer revenue went from $398,000 to $476,000 after the second-order flow went live. Next: move the last $8,000 a month off TikTok and into Shopping.
Client results, in numbers.
Four industries, four results we can put a number on.
A home service business, from one location to eleven.
Now franchising nationwide. The goal: more booked jobs.
A law firm, from one location to seven.
Still growing. The goal for every firm: more signed cases.
Locations for a healthcare practice we helped grow.
The goal in healthcare: new patients who stay.
DTC brands taken from 4 to 6 figures to 7 to 9 figures.
Coffee, cosmetics, jewelry and apparel, each with lower COGS and a higher AOV.
Startups, SaaS, search and enterprise work.
monthly users for an AI startup Zachary took to market
monthly active users for a SaaS startup in 3 months
organic traffic growth for a multi-location service business
Zachary worked alongside the Amazon GTM team. Brands include Amazon and Netflix.
Clients and brands we have worked with.
The four industries we serve today, plus the enterprise teams, AI startups, tech companies and consumer brands I worked with before.
- DWI Team
- Nave Team
- Nisar Law
- Meesha Moulton Law
- Lemon Law Firm
- CarpetNow
- Soleil Floors
- Renken Dentistry
- Schaefer Dental Group
- Galleria Oral Surgery
- Art of Dental Marketing
- HealMind
- Manikure
- Dr. Antipov
- Avere Beauty
- Crockett Coffee
- Amazon
- Netflix
- Vamos Rent-A-Car
- Extranomical Tours
- Book Extraordinary
- Michael Jackson Live
- University of Minnesota
- Baker University
- Beghou Consulting
- Real Estate Japan
- NinjaTech AI
- Modev
- Spinnaker
- O8
- Woodstock Zambon
- Selfie Booth
- Inhira
- Roznix
- A Cabin Company
What clients say.
From client reviews on Upwork. Every review there is public.
“Zachary works in systems and continuous optimization. The way he took over our marketing operation has been a huge boost on revenue, but has also saved us time from chasing and managing team and vendors. He feels like a team member, less of a consultant.”
“He brings fresh ideas and excellent strategy to the table at every conversation and has played a key role in taking our business to the next level.”
“Zach has done a fantastic job leading my company's digital marketing efforts. He is very easy to work with, organized, communicative, and has excellent recommendations for revenue-generating strategies.”
#1 lifetime-ranked fractional CMO, #3 in the world.
Expert-Vetted, with every job and review public. See the Upwork profile ↗
Who I work with
- Owners of law firms, home service companies, healthcare practices, and DTC brands with their own online store.
- Marketing that has outgrown the agency, with nobody senior owning the result.
- You already spend on marketing and want to know what each dollar brings back.
- You want people in the work with your team, not a deck once a quarter.
Who I am not for
- Businesses outside those four industries. The Marketing Impact Academy teaches the same system.
- Marketplace-only sellers without a store of their own.
- Anyone who wants someone to post on social media, not someone to own revenue.
- Anyone looking for a guarantee. We promise the work and honest reporting on what it did, not an outcome.
I lead it. The team runs it with you.
I set the strategy and make the big calls on every engagement. I don't do every task myself, and you wouldn't want me to. The team does the day-to-day work with your staff and your vendors: running campaigns, building pages, keeping the reporting current and following up until things ship.
As we take on more clients, the team grows with them. You always know who owns what, and you can reach me directly on the decisions that carry the most money.
The Fractional Marketing TeamWhat the first months look like.
- 01
Free · a few minutes
The assessment
Score your marketing from 1 to 5 on seven dimensions and see which one is furthest behind.
- 02
Free · one call
The call
We walk through your scores together. If I'm not the right fit, I'll say so and point you to who is.
- 03
About four weeks
The Roadmap
Every fix ranked by what it's worth, with an owner, a budget and a date. Or take the 90-day Roadmap + Installation.
Ongoing
The work
I lead it and the team runs it with your people, or we add the people you need. Month to month, no setup fees.
Frequently asked questions.
Who is Zachary Ellison?
Zachary Ellison is a fractional CMO and the founder of Fractional CMOZ. He has 15+ years in marketing, has managed more than $500M in marketing spend, and is the #1 lifetime-ranked fractional CMO on Upwork (#3 in the world) and Expert-Vetted. He works with law firms, home service companies, healthcare practices and DTC brands.
Why does Zachary work with only four industries?
Each of the four has clear math: a signed case, a booked job, a new patient, a repeat order. Knowing that math on day one means the first month goes to fixing marketing, not learning the business. Owners outside those four can run the same system through the Marketing Impact Academy.
What results has Zachary delivered?
He helped a law firm grow from 1 location to 7, and it is still growing. He helped a home service business grow from 1 location to 11; it now franchises nationwide. He helped a healthcare practice grow to 16 locations and took four DTC brands from 4 to 6 figures to 7 to 9 figures while lowering COGS and raising AOV.
Who does the work?
Zachary leads every CMO engagement and makes the big calls. The Fractional CMOZ team runs the day-to-day work with your staff and vendors, and a fractional marketing manager or a full team joins when you need more people.
How do pricing and engagements work?
Every engagement starts with a 15-minute call. Ongoing work is month to month with no setup fees. Prices aren't published because scope differs by business, so you get a quote after the call, once you both know what the work is.
Where to next.
Start with your free Marketing Impact score.
It takes a few minutes. You get a score from 1 to 5 on each of the seven dimensions of your marketing and see where to start. If you’d rather talk first, book a 15-minute call.