Set up the agreement: a simple contract and onboarding checklist for fractional marketing leadership

Why a simple agreement helps you start well

Good work starts with clear words. When you bring in a fractional marketing leader, a simple agreement protects time, sets expectations and keeps attention on buyer facing work. You do not need legal heavy language to be safe. You need a short scope, named touchpoints, clear decision rights and a tidy plan for handover. This checklist keeps the first month calm without slowing you down.

The outcome your contract should protect

The agreement exists to make decisions easier and progress visible. It should describe what will change on the pages buyers see, how the week will run and how you will judge progress. It is also where you write down boundaries so part time leadership works without stress. If those two jobs are done, the rest of the work becomes lighter.

Core sections to include

Keep the contract readable in minutes. Each section can be a short paragraph. Here is the minimum set that covers most small team needs.

• Scope and outcomes. A plain list of the outcomes for month one, such as a language refresh, two key page edits, a weekly rhythm and a small scorecard.
  
  
• Cadence in the calendar. Planning, a shipping window and a review, with default lengths and who attends each moment.
  
  
• Decision rights. What the leader can decide alone, what needs joint sign off and what sits with founders.
  
  
• Availability and response windows. Working hours, reply times for approvals and how to raise urgent issues.
  
  
• Confidentiality and data. A short clause covering access, handling and storage. Add any sector specifics you require.
  
  
• Intellectual property. Who owns copy, templates and assets created during the engagement and when ownership transfers.
  
  
• Partners and subcontractors. Whether the leader may bring specialist help and how you approve that in advance.
  
  
• Fees and invoicing. The model you chose, what is included and how additional work is approved.
  
  
• Exit and handover. Notice period, the handover pack content and where documents will live inside your tools.
  
  

Scope and outcomes that keep work honest

Scope is the heart of the agreement. Make it concrete. Write in words your team uses and that buyers would understand. Avoid labels like “strategy” or “brand work” unless they map to pages, posts and decisions. Keep month one small and real so you can judge fit quickly.

• Language refresh. One sentence promise, priority audience, two or three proof lines and preferred phrases with words to avoid.
  
  
• Two key pages improved. Above the fold copy tightened, proof near actions, fewer choices and clear follow up. List the exact pages by URL.
  
  
• Weekly rhythm installed. Planning, shipping window and review on named days. Short agendas that end with decisions.
  
  
• Scorecard set up. Four fields that guide choices. Attention, engagement with context, path actions and early commercial signals.
  
  

If you want one optional add on, pick a tiny resource page or message alignment for one channel. Anything more risks diluting attention in the first month.

Cadence that fits in real calendars

Write cadence into the contract so nobody needs to guess how the week will run. This prevents back and forth about meetings and helps everyone plan around focused work time.

• Planning. Twenty to thirty minutes on a fixed day. Attendees are the founder or owner, the leader and any maker who needs a decision to move this week.
  
  
• Shipping window. A short period midweek when the leader is available for quick choices. Not a standing call, just a window for unblock.
  
  
• Review. Twenty to thirty minutes at week end. What changed, what we saw and what to try next. Decisions recorded in the plan.
  
  

Decision rights in plain words

Decisions go faster when ownership is clear. Write a short list that fits on half a page. Keep it practical so people can use it without checking a manual.

• Leader can decide alone. Key lines on pages within the brief, placement of proof near actions and sequence of edits within the agreed scope.
  
  
• Joint decisions. Changes that affect pricing, offer framing or new channels. Also any decision that changes legal copy or regulated claims.
  
  
• Founder decides. Trade offs that affect budget, headcount or direction. The founder sets priorities and can pause work if needed.
  
  

Availability and response windows

Part time leadership works when boundaries are visible. Agree working hours, holiday notice and how to raise urgent issues. Write response windows for approvals so momentum is not lost to daily check ins.

• Availability. Named days or hours, with a way to book time. Time zone is noted. Changes are communicated in advance.
  
  
• Response windows. Copy approvals within one business day during the launch period, then within two. Urgent changes defined and triaged.
  
  
• Channels. Primary channel for day to day, a backup for urgent messages and a shared folder for documents.
  
  

Confidentiality and data

Keep language short and specific. State that information will be kept confidential, used only for the work and stored in agreed tools. If your sector needs extra steps, list them. If third parties will access data, write how they will be approved.

Intellectual property and licences

Assets created under the engagement should end up owned by your business. If the leader uses pre existing templates or frameworks, you can license them for use during and after the engagement. The contract should state when ownership transfers and that final copy, pages and templates will live in your tools.

Using subcontractors or specialist partners

Most fractional leaders bring trusted partners for focused tasks. The contract should say whether this is allowed and how approval will work. Keep it simple. For example, you approve named partners in writing before they start and they sign a confidentiality clause consistent with yours.

Fees, invoicing and what is included

Write fees in one place with the model you chose. List what is included so scope stays honest. Name when invoices will be sent and payment terms. If travel or in person time is expected, add it with sensible limits. If you plan a trial month, state how it converts to ongoing support.

Exit and handover that protect momentum

Healthy exits are written at the start. Agree notice periods in weeks, not months. Name the handover pack and where it lives. The goal is that work keeps moving even if people change. A clear handover avoids resets and protects the value you built.

• Handover pack. One page plan, key pages pack, brief templates, scorecard and a short decision log from the last quarter.
  
  
• Where it lives. Your shared drive and your site or CMS. Links are maintained and access stays with you.
  
  
• Overlap. Optional overlap for one or two weeks to coach an incoming owner. Scope and hours are written down.
  
  

Onboarding steps for the first ten days

Contracts and onboarding work together. A crisp onboarding plan removes friction and shows the team what will change first. These steps fit on a calendar and take hours, not days.

• Access and tools. Confirm access to site editor, analytics, email tool and shared drive. No tool changes unless they replace something and make the week simpler.
  
  
• Context pack. Promise, priority audience, current goals, the two pages that carry the path and a list of partners with scopes.
  
  
• Planning slot. Book twenty five minutes each week. Protect the time. Add links to plan, briefs and scorecard at the top of the invite.
  
  
• First page edit. A small change above the fold and a proof line near the button. Keep before and after screenshots.
  
  
• Follow up templates. Three short emails that echo page language. Sales can use them the same day.
  
  
• Review slot. Twenty minutes to decide what to keep, what to stop and what to try next. Decisions are recorded.
  
  

How to brief your team on the agreement

Share the parts that affect the week. People do not need to read every clause. They do need to know the scope, the cadence, the decision rights and response windows. Use the same language you use with buyers. Avoid jargon and titles that mean different things to different people.

Common contract mistakes and easy fixes

Small teams often stumble on the same points. You can dodge these with two or three lines in the agreement.

• Vague scope. Fix by listing pages, posts and decisions by name and keeping month one small.
  
  
• Undefined decisions. Fix by writing who decides what and by protecting joint decisions for offer, pricing and channels.
  
  
• Open ended availability. Fix by naming windows for replies and urgent issues. Boundaries protect pace and focus.
  
  
• Missing handover terms. Fix by stating what the pack includes, where it lives and the notice period.
  
  
• Tool churn baked in. Fix by adding a line that tools change only if they replace something and make the week simpler.
  
  

How to keep reviews and approvals smooth

Approvals stall when meetings are vague or when drafts are shown too late. Set a short review agenda in the agreement. Preview key lines early in the week. Delegate sign off once patterns are clear. Use comments first and live calls for the one or two decisions that need them. This is how you keep work moving without constant check ins.

Risk and how the agreement reduces it

Risk is about surprises. The agreement removes them by describing how work moves, who decides and where knowledge lives. It also protects confidentiality and ownership, which makes it easier to share the work needed to improve pages, messages and follow up. When people feel safe, they make better choices faster.

Template clauses you can adapt

Use these short, human clauses as a starting point. Edit details to match your context and legal needs, and have a professional review if required. Keep sentences short so non lawyers can read and trust the words.

• Scope. “In month one we will refresh language, improve two key pages, set a weekly rhythm and create a short scorecard. Details are in the one page plan linked in this agreement.”
  
  
• Cadence. “We will meet for twenty five minutes at the start of each week to plan and twenty minutes at week end to review. The leader is available for quick decisions in a midweek window.”
  
  
• Decisions. “The leader may decide key lines and page edits within the brief. We will decide offer, pricing and new channels together. The founder owns budget and priorities.”
  
  
• Availability. “Standard hours are [times and time zone]. Approvals are replied to within one business day during the first month. Urgent items are raised by [channel] with [definition of urgent].”
  
  
• IP and confidentiality. “Copy, templates and assets created under this agreement belong to [company] on payment. The leader will keep information confidential and use tools agreed with [company].”
  
  
• Exit and handover. “Either party may end this agreement with [number] weeks’ notice. The leader will provide a handover pack with the plan, page links, templates, scorecard and decision log in [company] tools.”
  
  

Working with agencies under the same agreement

If partners do work under your contract, give them a short scope and the same brief and review rules. This keeps expectations aligned and reduces rework. Include a note on how scopes will be updated and where notes will live. The leader acts as the single voice for priorities so agency time buys outcomes rather than drafts.

How to handle changes mid month

Changes happen. The agreement can handle them without growing heavy. Write a simple rule. New ideas are added to a “later” list in the plan. If a change is urgent and buyer facing, write a one line scope change in the plan and confirm by email. Keep the month small enough that changes do not cause half finished work.

What success looks like after thirty days

By day thirty you should hear buyers echo your language, see clearer actions on tiny pages and feel shorter reviews. Partners will deliver with fewer revisions. The plan will fit on one page. The scorecard will read like a short story. If these signals appear, the agreement is doing its job. If they do not, review scope and cadence and adjust in writing.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a long contract. No. For small teams, a readable agreement and a living one page plan are safer than a binder nobody reads.

Can we start with a trial. Yes. Keep the trial buyer facing and include exit and handover terms so knowledge stays inside your business.

What if the leader prefers their own template. That is fine if it covers scope, cadence, decisions, availability, IP, confidentiality and handover. Ask for plain language.

How do we keep it fair. Review the agreement after the first month. If scope has grown, either trim it or adjust fees. If cadence is too heavy, shorten meetings. Write changes down.

Putting the checklist to work

Open a document and paste the core sections. Fill in scope and cadence in your own words. Add decision rights and response windows. Confirm IP, confidentiality, fees and handover. Share the draft with the leader and your team. Book the planning slot, the shipping window and the review. Then make the first small edit on a key page. With a simple agreement in place, momentum comes quickly and knowledge stays with you.