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About Ross Purves

Digital marketing expert and fractional marketing leader

I’m a senior marketing consultant and fractional marketing leader with more than 10 years’ experience helping organisations improve their marketing, digital performance and customer growth.

I combine strategic leadership with hands-on digital expertise, working with SMEs, charities and other organisations that need experienced marketing support without the cost or commitment of a full-time senior hire.

From defining marketing strategy and customer acquisition opportunities to improving websites, campaigns and conversion journeys, I can help you understand what needs to change and then get involved in making it happen.

My top-level stats

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Lower cost per lead

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I focus on the objective, not the channel

I don’t start with a predetermined list of marketing activities.

I start by understanding what the organisation is trying to achieve.

That might mean:

Generating more leads

Understanding the audience, acquisition channels and conversion journey to create a more effective path from first interaction to enquiry.

Increasing conversion

Finding where customers are dropping out and improving the website, messaging, user experience or customer journey.

Improving acquisition efficiency

Using data and testing to make paid and organic channels work harder and reduce wasted activity.

Creating a clearer marketing strategy

Bringing different channels and teams together around a common set of objectives, priorities and measures.

Improving marketing operations

Identifying technical, organisational or process barriers that are making marketing slower or less effective.

The answer isn’t always another marketing channel. Sometimes it is a better strategy, a better website, clearer messaging or simply someone taking ownership of the whole picture.

Senior Enough to lead / Hands-On Enough to Deliver

Good marketing needs both direction and execution.

I’ve worked at senior level, advising leadership teams, managing budgets and agencies, setting digital priorities and leading teams. I’ve also spent years working directly across PPC, SEO, websites, analytics, email marketing and conversion optimisation.

That means I don’t disappear into strategy decks and leave someone else to work out how to deliver them.

I can step back and look at the bigger commercial picture, identify where the opportunities are and set the direction. Then I can get into the detail when that’s what the business needs.

Whether you need a fractional marketing leader, support with a specific project or an experienced partner to help move your marketing forward, I adapt to what your business actually needs.

Experience across sectors and challenges

My career has taken me across commercial businesses, healthcare, charities and high-profile public campaigns.

Before becoming a full-time consultant, I spent six years at Terrence Higgins Trust, progressing from Digital Communications Officer to Digital Manager and Acting Head of Digital.

I led digital platforms, performance marketing and customer engagement across national public health and fundraising campaigns, working alongside the NHS and UK Government in a highly regulated environment.

During that time, I managed six-figure campaign budgets, led a team of three and managed digital activity reaching audiences of more than 120,000 subscribers.

I also developed the digital strategy for Their Story, Your Choice, an interactive film series addressing HIV stigma within Black African communities. The campaign won the Innovation Award at the British Medical Association Patient Information Awards.

Since moving into full-time consultancy, I’ve worked with SMEs, healthcare organisations, charities and other organisations on digital transformation, customer acquisition, website redevelopment, SEO, PPC, conversion optimisation and marketing strategy.

Analytical by nature / Creative by choice

I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of data, problem-solving and creativity.

Marketing gives me the opportunity to combine all three. I can use data to understand what is happening, analyse customer behaviour and identify opportunities, while still working with ideas, messaging and creative campaigns.

That combination has shaped how I work throughout my career.

I’m interested in understanding why something is happening, not simply whether a number has gone up or down. I’ll look at the data, understand the audience, identify the problem and then work out what needs to change.

If conversion is the objective, I’ll focus on conversion.

If acquisition is the problem, I’ll look at the entire acquisition journey.

If a technical issue is getting in the way, I’ll get into the website or platform and work out how to fix it.

I work best with organisations that have ambitious goals but don’t necessarily need, or aren’t yet ready for, a large internal marketing function.

That includes:

Growing businesses
Businesses that need a clearer marketing strategy, stronger acquisition or more effective conversion.

SMEs
Organisations that need experienced marketing support without committing to a full-time senior hire.

Charities and purpose-led organisations
Teams that need to make limited budgets work harder while reaching and engaging the right audiences.

Organisations going through change
Businesses that are rebuilding their digital presence, changing direction or need experienced leadership during a period of transformation.

The common factor isn’t the sector. It’s the need for experienced marketing thinking, practical delivery and measurable progress.

Who I work with

How I work

I believe good consultancy should make things clearer, not more complicated. I’ll give you an honest view of what’s working, what’s not and where I think your biggest opportunities are. I’ll explain the reasoning behind my recommendations and focus on the activity most likely to support your objectives. Depending on what you need, I can work alongside your existing team, take ownership of a particular project or provide ongoing fractional marketing leadership. The goal is always the same: to make your marketing more focused, more effective and easier to manage.

FAQs

Still have a question?

Find answers to more general questions about working with me, pricing, projects and ongoing support.

What does a fractional CMO do?

A fractional CMO provides senior marketing leadership without the commitment or cost of hiring a full-time Chief Marketing Officer. I can help set marketing direction, establish priorities, align channels with organisational objectives, manage agencies or internal teams, and stay involved in execution where needed.

How is working with you different from hiring a marketing agency?

I work closely with your organisation rather than operating as a separate agency delivering individual marketing activities. I look at the wider picture, identify where the biggest opportunities or problems are, and take responsibility for connecting strategy with execution. I can also work alongside existing teams and agencies where that’s the best approach.

Do you only work with businesses in London?

No. I’m based in London and work with organisations across the UK and internationally. Much of my work can be delivered remotely, allowing me to work with clients regardless of location.

What types of organisations do you work with?

I work with a wide range of organisations, from growing businesses and founder-led companies to established organisations with existing marketing teams. I’ve also worked extensively with healthcare organisations, charities and purpose-led organisations.

The type of organisation is less important than the challenge. I tend to work with organisations that want to improve their marketing, need greater strategic direction, are going through growth or change or need additional senior expertise to help move things forward.

Do you only provide strategic advice?

No. One of the advantages of working with me is that I combine strategic marketing leadership with hands-on digital expertise. I can help define the strategy and priorities, but I’m also comfortable working directly across websites, paid media, SEO, analytics, conversion optimisation and other digital activity.

Can you work alongside our existing marketing team?

Yes. This is often where a fractional arrangement can work particularly well. I can provide senior direction and support to an existing marketing team, help establish priorities and processes, or get involved directly where additional expertise or capacity is needed.

What if we've already tried working with an agency?

That’s not a problem. If you’ve found agencies too expensive, too fragmented or simply too removed from your organisation, I can provide a more embedded alternative. I can also work alongside an existing agency where they have the specialist expertise you need and I can provide the strategic oversight.

What if I know something isn't working, but I'm not sure what the problem is?

You don’t need to have the answer before getting in touch. Part of my role is understanding what’s happening across your marketing, identifying where the roadblocks are and working out what needs to change. Sometimes the solution is a new strategy or campaign. Sometimes it’s fixing an existing website, improving a customer journey or simply bringing different parts of the marketing function together.