Fractional CMO for B2B Manufacturing & Engineering in Japan

Get senior marketing leadership without hiring a full-time CMO. Specialized in B2B marketing strategy and execution, grounded in data analytics and impactful implementation of AI tools.

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Clarity Starts
With The Foundation

In B2B manufacturing and engineering companies, marketing decisions tend to break down in the same places. Budget becomes hard to justify, tools become hard to evaluate, and visibility into performance becomes scattered.

These problems usually appear together, and they point to the same underlying issue.

Budget Without Accountability

In technical, sales-driven organizations, marketing budgets tend to grow incrementally. A website update here, an event there, a handful of paid ads, etc.

Over time, spend increases without a clear link to pipeline or revenue, making it difficult to judge impact.

Tools
Without Alignment

New tools are often introduced by vendors, agencies, or headquarters, including marketing automation, GEO/AEO, and CRM add-ons.

Licenses are paid continuously but adoption remains low, and reporting still falls back to Excel.

Temporary Lack of Resources

You need temporary leadership during business launch or to fill in the gap during maternity / paternity leave. A fractional CMO delivers “plug and play” without long onboarding and keeps strategy, campaigns and reporting on track, without changing your org chart or hiring permanently.

How it works

What is Fractional CMO?

A fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) provides senior marketing leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive.

The role exists to bring structure and accountability where marketing has grown fragmented across budget, tools, and channels. Rather than adding more activity, a fractional CMO defines priorities, sets clear ownership, and connects decisions to measurable outcomes.

In Japan, this model is still relatively new and is sometimes referred to as a part-time CMO or external CMO. The structure gives companies access to experienced leadership without changing their headcount.

1. Strategy and Prioritization (Do-With-You)

2. Budget and Performance Alignment (Do-For-You)

3. Tool and Process Coordination (Do-With-You)

4. Measurement and Reporting Standards (Do-For-You)

5. Coaching and Guidance (Do-With-You)

How We Are Different

Marketing That Creates Value, Reduces Waste, and Is Easier to Manage Over Time

HiCoData works as a hands-on, senior sparring partner for B2B manufacturing and engineering teams, with a focus on fast alignment, low friction, and clear decision-making within existing technical and organizational constraints.

Financial chart icon representing marketing budget accountability for B2B manufacturing

Industry Fluency

Our experience across automotive, telecom, industrial systems, and materials, allows us to engage directly with technical teams without extensive onboarding.

Technology integration icon showing marketing tools alignment for engineering companies

Seamless Integration

Clean integration into existing SOPs, quality, and compliance frameworks, while operating within established engineering and management processes.

Clear, Actionable Reporting

Receive concise reporting based on sound analytics and visualization standards so decisions can be made quickly across teams.

Our Clients

Success Stories

Hear from clients about their experience working with Hico Data.

Tyson Batino
CEO
Scaling Your Company

"After the 2-week Reporting Efficiency Sprint, our data was finally easy to read and act on. The analysis was structured, the findings were specific, and we were able to optimize our campaigns based on what came out of it. He also found specific issues on our tracking setup, and thanks to him we can rest at ease now that we know our conversion events are properly being tracked.
If you need someone who brings real analytical depth to your marketing reporting, this is the right person."

Yoko Ishikawa
Campaign Management Section Head
TDK Corp.

“Heiko combines strategic B2B manufacturing thinking with a sharp understanding of digital mechanics. He brought structure to our marketing planning, connected activities to clear KPIs, and helped us make better decisions with data, not opinions.”

Thom Peace
Founder & CEO
株式会社 Peace Works

“Heiko is both hands-on and a great coach. He supported us in setting up the website, CRM, and analytics foundation, and his marketing basics + Looker Studio training was practical, clear, and immediately useful. I’d recommend working with him without hesitation.”

Our Services

What We Help You With

Digital Marketing Level Up

2-Day Workshop

A focused two-day workshop to map your current marketing activities, tools, and KPIs. We assess your marketing maturity, identify gaps, and highlight clear priorities for improvement.

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Fractional CMO Support

5-Month Support

Ongoing senior marketing leadership over a 5-month period. We define or refine positioning, clarify priorities, and support execution so sales and marketing work from the same framework.

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Marketing Analytics Coaching

3-Month Coaching

A three-month coaching engagement to redesign your reporting, sharpen KPIs, and embed data-driven decision-making across your organization. Upgrade how marketing data is captured, reported, and used.

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FLOW

How We Work Together

We keep the engagement simple and transparent. Most collaborations follow these 4 steps:

Fractional CMO discovery call process for B2B marketing strategy assessment

Step 1.

Discovery call (30-45 Minutes)

We discuss your business, current marketing and sales setup, and what you want to change. If there is a fit, we agree on the most appropriate starting point.

Step 2.

Assessment Workshop

We assess the maturity of your business most effectively with a set of predefined questions. You can either answer the questions on your own or through a guided workshop. As a result of the assessment you will receive a scorecard and improvement plan.

Marketing execution and performance review process with fractional CMO leadership

Step 3.

Execution Plan

Based on scope, we define a short, focused plan. This includes priorities, expected outcomes, meeting rhythm, and clear ownership.

Marketing dashboard showing performance metrics for B2B manufacturing companies in Japan

Step 4.

Execution and Review

We work alongside your team, review progress regularly, and adjust based on data and feedback. At the end of the period, you decide whether to continue, expand, or pause.

Bring Clarity back to your marketing and make decisions with confidence.

Book a call with us to identify the gaps in your setup and map the fastest path to measurable improvement.

Book a Strategy Call

Heiko Dalichau

CEO & Business Advisor

About HiCo Data

Why Work with Us?

I’m Heiko, a fractional CMO and data-driven marketer based in Tokyo, and I lead HiCoData.

HiCoData is a boutique consulting practice supporting B2B manufacturing and engineering companies in Japan. I have over 20 years of experience working with B2B manufacturing, electronics, and engineering companies across Europe and Japan.

My background spans product design, product marketing, corporate strategy, and digital marketing, which allows me to work across technical, commercial, and executive contexts.

This combination helps me bridge the gap between engineering, sales, and management, and turn marketing into a structured system that supports long-term growth.