Decision Guide
Both are advisory products. They do different work. A Strategic Revenue Audit produces a written diagnostic with a prioritised set of interventions. A fractional CRO runs the function from the inside. Used in the wrong order, the engagement gets messy.
When to use this guide
Use this guide when you have decided to bring in external commercial leadership and you are choosing between a one-off audit and an ongoing fractional engagement.
Any figures, fee bands, salary ranges or percentages quoted on this page are indicative narrative guidance from Evara's operator-led practice in 2026, not a formal benchmark or audited statistic.
A senior revenue operator running your commercial function on a part-time basis, with decision rights and accountability for the number.
Best for
Watch out for
A two to four-week structured diagnostic of the revenue function, ending in a written report with prioritised interventions.
Best for
Watch out for
Side by side
| Dimension | Fractional CRO engagement | Strategic Revenue Audit |
|---|---|---|
| Output | Operating cadence, hiring decisions, board pack, forecast | Written diagnostic and prioritised intervention plan |
| Engagement length | 3 to 12 months, often longer | 2 to 4 weeks for the audit itself |
| Cost (indicative) | £8k-£20k per month | Fixed-fee, typically £15k-£35k depending on scope |
| Decision rights | In the room, real authority over the revenue function | Advisory; recommendations to the leadership team and board |
| Best fit when | You know the diagnosis and need execution leadership | You need an independent diagnostic before deciding what to do |
| Risk of buying first | Buying without a diagnostic can lock you into the wrong intervention | Buying without a follow-on plan leaves a deck on the shelf |
Our take
In our practice the typical engagement starts with a Strategic Revenue Audit because most founder-led businesses do not have a precise view of where the revenue engine is breaking down. The audit produces the prioritised plan. The fractional CRO then runs the plan. Skipping the audit only makes sense when you are already certain about the diagnosis and you need execution leadership immediately.
FAQs
Yes, and it is the most common pattern in our advisory practice. The operator who runs the audit also runs the fractional engagement that follows it. The handover is seamless and the founders do not have to brief a new person.
Usually within four to six weeks of the audit being delivered. Long enough for the leadership team to internalise the recommendations and decide which to action. Short enough that the audit findings are still live.
That is a real outcome. Roughly a third of audits we run conclude that the gap is a Sales Director hire, not a fractional CRO engagement. We will run the recruitment for the Sales Director if that is the recommendation.
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Email Rachel Lunn to scope a short call with Rich Evans on whether an audit, a fractional engagement, or a recruitment brief is the right next step.
Email Rachel LunnSales recruitment, GTM recruitment and revenue advisory for SMEs UK-wide. We reply within one working day.
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