The war for senior talent in professional service firms is shifting, and it’s creating some interesting challenges for business leaders.

Many firms are under pressure to deliver ambitious growth plans, keep marketing and business development sharp, and stay ahead of industry change, all without committing to the cost of another full-time leadership hire. It’s a balancing act that’s becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

Over the last few years, the fractional model has provided a solution that many firms have embraced: bringing in an experienced leader for a few days a month to guide strategy and oversee delivery. But recently, a variation has started to gain attention, one that could change how professional service firms think about senior expertise.

It’s called the fractional twin model, and it’s a simple concept with big potential. Instead of hiring one fractional professional, you bring in two, each with complementary skills, working together as a single strategic unit.

Why professional service firms are looking at this model now

Firms today operate in an environment that demands breadth as well as depth, and that’s putting traditional approaches under strain. In law firms, accountancy practices, and consultancies, the growth agenda often spans multiple disciplines: brand building, digital marketing, sector campaigns, client relationship management, business development strategy, and sometimes operational change as well.

The challenge is that it’s rare to find all of those capabilities in one person, especially on a part-time basis. Even the most experienced professionals tend to have areas of particular strength and areas where their expertise is less developed. That’s where the fractional twin model comes into its own.

Think about it this way: imagine pairing a fractional marketing director who knows how to position your firm in a competitive market with a fractional business development lead who understands how to turn visibility into profitable client work. Together, they can see the whole pipeline from awareness through to conversion and make sure activity is joined up across all practice areas.

This comprehensive view is something that’s often missing when firms work with individual fractional professionals, no matter how talented they are. The twin model addresses this gap by combining different skill sets in a way that creates something more powerful than either individual could deliver alone.

The value of two perspectives working together

One of the biggest advantages of the fractional twin approach is the ability to look at the same challenges from different angles, and this perspective diversity often leads to better solutions.

Let’s say your firm is planning to target the renewable energy sector. Your marketing twin might focus on building thought leadership content, commissioning a sector-specific microsite, and running campaigns to reach decision makers. Meanwhile, your business development twin might concentrate on identifying strategic networking opportunities, coaching partners on sector conversations, and converting inbound leads into qualified prospects.

Individually, each would add value to your firm. But together, they can ensure the messaging, targeting, and follow-up are seamless. There are no missed opportunities, no duplication of effort, and the overall impact is significantly stronger because everything works together rather than operating in separate silos.

This coordination extends beyond just campaign planning. The marketing twin can provide insights about which content is resonating with your target audience, whilst the business development twin can feedback which messages are working best in face-to-face meetings. This constant exchange of intelligence helps both sides of the operation become more effective over time.

The twin model also creates natural quality control. When two senior professionals are working on the same objectives, they can challenge each other’s thinking, spot potential issues early, and ensure that strategies are robust before they’re implemented. This peer review process often results in better outcomes than a single person working alone.

Flexibility without compromise

Professional service firms often cite two main reasons for looking at fractional roles: cost efficiency and flexibility. The fractional twin model amplifies both of these benefits in ways that many firms find compelling.

From a cost perspective, instead of paying for two full-time salaries, benefits, and office space, you’re investing in two senior heads for a fraction of the expense. This can be particularly attractive for firms that need senior expertise but can’t justify the full-time cost, or for those that want to test new approaches without making long-term commitments.

The flexibility benefits are equally compelling. Because your fractional twins aren’t tied to one firm full-time, they can bring fresh ideas and competitive insight from working across other organisations. They’ve seen what works in different markets, with different clients, and in different competitive situations. This breadth of experience can be invaluable when you’re trying to solve complex challenges or break into new areas.

There’s also practical flexibility in terms of availability and continuity. If one twin is unavailable, whether for client work elsewhere or personal commitments, the other can maintain continuity, meaning your strategic momentum doesn’t stall. This is a significant advantage over relying on a single fractional professional who might leave you without senior marketing or business development guidance for weeks at a time.

The model also allows you to scale up or down more easily as your needs change. If you’re going through a particularly busy period, you might increase both twins’ time commitment. If things are quieter, you can reduce their involvement without the complications that come with full-time employment changes.

Making it work in practice

The fractional twin model isn’t about doubling the number of people in meetings or creating additional layers of complexity. It’s about doubling the value your leadership brings whilst maintaining clarity and efficiency in how you operate.

To make this work effectively, you need to be clear about several key areas:

Define who leads which areas of responsibility

Whilst the twins work together strategically, they need clear ownership of different operational areas to avoid confusion and duplication. The marketing twin might lead on content strategy, brand positioning, and digital campaigns, whilst the business development twin focuses on relationship building, conversion processes, and partnership development.

These divisions should be based on each person’s strengths and experience, but there should also be overlap areas where they collaborate closely. Pipeline development, for example, requires both marketing insight and business development expertise to be truly effective.

Agree on shared objectives and measures of success

Both twins should be working towards the same overall goals, even if their specific activities are different. This means establishing clear, shared key performance indicators that both can influence and both are accountable for delivering.

These shared objectives create a natural incentive for collaboration and ensure that both twins are pulling in the same direction rather than optimising for their individual areas at the expense of overall performance.

Ensure regular communication between the twins

For the model to work effectively, your fractional twins need to communicate regularly with each other, not just with your internal team. This might involve weekly check-ins, shared project management systems, or regular strategy sessions where they align their approaches.

This communication ensures they can present a united front to your internal teams and that their individual activities support each other rather than working at cross purposes.

Integrate them into business development planning from the outset

The twins should be involved in your strategic planning processes, not just the implementation of decisions that have already been made. Their combined expertise can inform better strategic decisions and help you avoid approaches that might seem sensible in isolation but don’t work well together in practice.

This integration also helps ensure that your marketing and business development strategies are built to support each other from the ground up, rather than trying to coordinate separate plans after they’ve been developed.

The selection and pairing process

Getting the fractional twin model right depends heavily on finding the right pairing: two people with complementary expertise, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to delivering results for your firm.

Look for complementary skills and experience

The ideal pairing brings together different but related expertise areas. You might pair someone with strong digital marketing and content strategy skills with someone who excels at relationship building and conversion optimisation. Or you might combine brand and positioning expertise with sector-specific business development experience.

The key is ensuring that together, they cover all the bases your firm needs without significant gaps or overlaps that could lead to inefficiency.

Assess their ability to work collaboratively

Not all senior professionals are natural collaborators, especially those who are used to being the sole expert in their area. Look for people who have experience working in partnerships, who can share credit for successes, and who are comfortable with the shared accountability that the twin model requires.

You might even consider asking potential twins to work together on a small project as part of the selection process, so you can see how they interact and whether their working styles complement each other.

Ensure they share your firm’s values and approach

Both twins will be representing your firm in different contexts, so they need to understand and embody your culture and values. They should also be comfortable with your firm’s risk tolerance, decision-making processes, and client service standards.

This cultural fit is particularly important in professional services, where relationships and reputation are so critical to success.

Is the fractional twin model right for your firm?

The fractional twin model isn’t the right solution for every firm, but it can be particularly effective in certain situations.

If your growth ambitions stretch across multiple areas, for example, sector expansion combined with a brand refresh, or a push into new markets alongside a client relationship management system overhaul, a single fractional leader may be spread too thin to be truly effective.

The model is also well-suited to firms that are going through periods of significant change or growth, where the challenges are complex and multifaceted. In these situations, having two senior perspectives can help you navigate the complexity more effectively than relying on a single person, no matter how experienced they are.

It can be particularly valuable for firms that have struggled to find the right individual fractional professional. Sometimes the perfect candidate doesn’t exist, but the perfect pairing does.

The model also works well for firms that want to test new approaches or enter new markets where they need both marketing and business development expertise but aren’t sure about the long-term commitment required.

The future of fractional leadership

The fractional twin model reflects a broader truth about professional service marketing and business development today: complexity is growing, specialisation matters, and no single leader can realistically do it all at the highest level.

As client expectations continue to rise, as markets become more competitive, and as the tools and techniques available for marketing and business development continue to evolve, firms need access to increasingly sophisticated expertise. The traditional choice between hiring full-time senior people or working with individual consultants may no longer provide the best solutions.

For firms willing to think differently about how they bring in senior expertise, the fractional twin model could be a smart, scalable way to meet these demands. It provides the depth of expertise, breadth of coverage, and flexibility that modern professional service firms need to stay competitive.

The question is whether your firm is ready to embrace this new approach, or whether you’ll stick with traditional models that may no longer be adequate for the challenges ahead. What approach will give your firm the best chance of achieving its growth ambitions?

Need help?
If you would like help with your marketing, bringing on a marketing consultant with a fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference. I work with B2B businesses and professional service firms in London, Kent, the UK, and Europe, specialising as a legal marketing consultant. Please get in touch or book a free 30-minute consultation.

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