The “middle class” of local businesses faces growing threats to its survival. An inflation-wracked economy, tight budgets, and larger, more established companies are squeezing this middle class out of profitability.
Plus, the buyer’s journey is more fragmented than ever, forcing small businesses to be omnipresent in the digital world, reaching their customers through omnichannel marketing efforts. Budgets and bandwidth often don’t permit the mid-size players to do so at an effective sale.
Amid all this fragmentation, the practice of fractional marketing offers a powerful way to grow market share and maintain resilience without hiring full-time team members or dramatically altering a marketing and advertising budget.
The Fractional Marketing Framework
Fractional marketing is a model where highly-experienced, independent marketing experts work directly with companies on specialized aspects of their marketing. As opposed to the traditional freelancer model, fractional marketers go beyond simply creating the deliverables. They serve as an extension of a company’s marketing team, integrate into its workflow, and shape strategy.
Unlike full-time hires, fractional marketers don’t require salaries, healthcare benefits, or additional costs like equipment and ongoing education. Many are former Chief Marketing Officers, creative directors, and industry veterans who have spent time at bigger agencies or in-house at nationally-recognized brands but prefer to work for themselves and develop closer client relationships.
This model gives mid-size companies much-needed flexibility. Decision-makers can pick from premier talent and scale services up or down, paying only for what they need. A monthly retainer with an advertising agency, on the other hand, would pass down overhead costs to its clients, diluting the value of the services it renders.
Fractional Marketing Case Study
Fractional marketing also allows a company to implement its strategies at the speed of business rather than waiting for the wheels of bureaucracy to move forward. For example, Steel City Shredding, a Pittsburgh-based document and e-waste shredding company, entered 2025 with the goal of refreshing its brand. Founded in 1928 as Iron City Industrial Cleaning Corporation, the company first cleaned the gloves steelworkers used to mill and forge steel, before later transitioning to its present-day iteration.
Steel City Shredding partnered with The Commercial Store to select the right fractional marketers to bring the modern expression of the brand to life. By the summer of 2025, the company possessed a new logo, enhanced website, updated marketing collateral, and a consistent look and tone across its channels. Fractional marketers, all local to Pittsburgh, executed the campaign from start to finish.The company saw a significant lift in search visibility, leads, and conversions.
“By working with The Commercial Store for our rebrand, I’m able to focus on running the business while having full confidence that our marketing efforts are achieving maximum effectiveness,” said Jacob Sonnenklar, General Manager of Steel City Shredding.
Fractional Marketing is “Third Way”
Getting to market faster with sound strategy is a must in this economy, and Pittsburgh is full of mid-sized companies ready to scale. However, they need a “third way” that doesn’t involve the uncertainty of finding the right freelancer or the expenses associated with an advertising agency.
Freelancer quality can vary and many may not have the strategic acumen commensurate with a company’s needs. An ad agency may have the proven skillsets and extensive resources but their rates could be unrealistic from an affordability standpoint. Fractional marketing is the “third way” that delivers high-caliber craftsmanship without the exorbitant pricing.
For all the barriers that mid-sized companies face, they do have the advantage of AI and other digital technologies that lower the barrier to entry, keep them nimble, and give them access to fractional marketers. Work from home capabilities can connect companies with top tier talent in a few clicks, ensuring projects stay moving and the communication process is streamlined.
Book Your Consultation with The Commercial Store
Fractional marketing gives Pittsburgh’s “middle class” companies the strategic insight, tactical proficiency, and scalable services that helps them stay relevant in the face of megabrands and fast-emerging startups. Business owners and leaders owe it to themselves to explore this “third way” and forge the fractional marketing relationships that can produce qualified leads, increase exposure, and close more sales.
Ready to dive right in? Schedule your free consultation with Terry Brennan, owner-operator of The Commercial Store.