T54 Consulting proposal and engagement letter
Consulting proposal and engagement letter
A proposal to bring fractional CMO leadership to Amaranth Wealth Advisors: the situation, three ways to engage, scope, fees and terms. Prepared by Halden Fractional for Priyanka Deshmukh, Managing Partner. This proposal is valid through Oct 15, 2026; fees are fictional sample figures for this template.
Sample template: the firm, people, clients and figures are fictional and shown for illustration only.
The situation
Amaranth Wealth Advisors has grown to $340M in assets under management primarily through referrals, with no dedicated marketing function and no website updated since 2021. Two competitor RIAs in the same region have recently hired full-time CMOs. Priyanka has asked for a marketing leader who can start quickly, work within a modest fixed budget and prove value before Amaranth commits to a full-time hire.
Why fractional, not full-time
A full-time CMO at Amaranth's stage typically costs $180,000 to $220,000 a year in salary and benefits before any program spend. A fractional engagement gives senior-level leadership at a fraction of that fixed cost, with the option to convert to a full-time search once the function's value is proven.
Three ways to engage
$4,800 per month, 3-month minimum
- Marketing audit and 90-day plan in month one.
- One weekly working day: strategy, vendor oversight, monthly reporting.
- No hands-on execution; Amaranth staff or contractors execute against the plan.
- Best for: testing the fractional model before committing more budget.
$8,600 per month, 6-month minimum
- Everything in Starter, plus hands-on ownership of website rebuild and content program.
- Direct management of up to 2 outside contractors (design, paid media).
- Monthly reporting plus a quarterly board-ready summary.
- Best for: firms ready to execute a full 90-day plan with the CMO driving delivery, not just strategy.
$12,500 per month, 6-month minimum
- Everything in Growth, plus a dedicated paid acquisition program and CRM build-out.
- Weekly leadership check-in with Priyanka in addition to monthly reporting.
- Priority scheduling for urgent requests within 24 hours.
- Best for: firms targeting an aggressive growth number this year and needing a marketing leader embedded closer to full-time.
Our recommendation
Based on Amaranth's current state, no marketing function and a modest starting budget, we recommend Growth (2 days per week). Starter likely under-resources the website rebuild Amaranth needs most urgently, and Scale's paid acquisition program is premature before the foundation exists.
Scope of work, Growth package
| Deliverable | Included | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing audit and 90-day plan | Yes | Weeks 1 to 2 |
| Website homepage and About rebuild | Yes | Weeks 2 to 8 |
| Content program (2 posts and 1 case study monthly) | Yes | Ongoing from week 4 |
| CRM setup and lead routing | Yes, basic setup | Weeks 3 to 6 |
| Paid acquisition program | Not included, available as add-on | N/A |
| Compliance review of marketing materials | Client's compliance counsel, not Halden | Ongoing |
Timeline once signed
Kickoff is scheduled within 5 business days of a signed agreement. The audit and 90-day plan take the first two weeks; execution begins in week three once Priyanka approves the plan.
Terms
What is not included
Paid media spend, compliance review by a securities attorney and any full custom software development are outside this scope and would be quoted separately if needed.
What we need from Amaranth to start
Acceptance
| Party | Name and title | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amaranth Wealth Advisors | Priyanka Deshmukh, Managing Partner | Pending | Pending |
| Halden Fractional | Grant Okafor, Managing Partner | Pending | Pending |
We built the Growth package for firms exactly at Amaranth's stage: enough foundation missing that a plan alone will not move the needle, but not yet ready for a full acquisition budget. Two days a week gets the foundation built and proven before we talk about scaling spend.
How to use this template
Duplicate this page for each new proposal. Replace every fee, scope line and date from the agreed pricing sheet and discovery call; if a fee has not yet been confirmed internally, write Needs review rather than quoting a placeholder number.
| Variable | Meaning | Required |
|---|---|---|
{{prospect.name}} | Prospective client the proposal is for | Required |
{{proposal.valid_through}} | Date the proposal expires | Required |
{{package.options}} | The engagement tiers offered, with fee, term and inclusions | Required |
{{scope.deliverables}} | Deliverables included in the recommended package, with timing | Required |
{{terms.payment_cancellation}} | Payment terms and cancellation notice period | Required |
{{acceptance.signers}} | Names and titles of the signing parties on each side | Optional |
Never present a fee as final if it has not been confirmed against current pricing; mark it Needs review instead of estimating.