How we tested outbound to fractional CTOs in UK

Client

ArdentCode is a software engineering company with 20 years of experience in helping leaders technology in removing barriers to growth and improving operational efficiency.

Unlike typical outsourcing vendors, their value proposition focuses on reliably scaling teams while maintaining know-how within the client organization.

Cooperation models:

• Autonomous teams delivering end-to-end value
• Delivering talent that is fully embedded within the client's structure
• Partnership based on strengthening in-house teams, not creating dependence on an external supplier

Key distinction:ArdentCodepositions itself as a partner in the development of internal technical competences, not as a typical vendor offering ready-made solutions or body leasing.

Challenge

ArdentCode wanted to test a new market segment: Fractional and InterimCTOsin Great Britain, which is a growing group in Europe, but less commonly contacted by traditional IT companies.

Who are Fractional CTOs?

These experienced technical leaders, often with careers in large corporations, offer their services part-time to startups and scale-ups. They are responsible for decisions regarding IT vendor selection, system architecture, and team building, but they operate in unique conditions:

• They manage several projects simultaneously
• They focus on quick wins and sustainable systems
• They are harder to reach through traditional outreach channels
• More responsive to valuable, contextual communication
• Be cautious about solutions that create external dependencies

Questions asked:

Will fractional CTOs, even though they are independent consultants, respond to communication about team scaling and engineering enablement?

Which pain points resonate the most: lack of stable teams, project delays, or difficulty balancing/upskilling with delivery?

Will non-offer communication (a partner conversation instead of a classic pitch) generate higher-quality responses?

Our hypotheses

Hypothesis 1

Fractional CTOs will be responsive to messages that focus on team enablement and knowledge retention, as these are their key operational challenges in the companies they work with.

Hypothesis 2

Pain points related to balancing team development and delivery pressures will resonate more strongly than messages about technical competence.

Hypothesis 3

A peer-to-peer tone instead of vendor-buyer will generate fewer, but higher-quality responses that lead to actual business conversations.

Solution

Campaign strategy

We designed a context-driven campaign for a period of 60 days (August 25 - October 23, 2025), deliberately avoiding product-led messaging in favor of personalization based on the prospect's professional situation.

Strategic assumptions:

• Call quality > number of touchpoints
• Building relationships > pushing conversions
• Professional context > price and functionalities

ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) definition

Targeting criteria:

• Geography: Great Britain
• Role: Fractional CTO / Interim CTO (LinkedIn verification)
• Company Type: Scale-ups and mid-market (based on activity and employment)
• Signals: Recent Role Changes as a Personalization Hook

Segment size: 465 prospects are meeting all criteria.

Why this segment? FractionalCTOs are underrepresentedin typical B2B outbound, but they have real "power" in the decision-making process, i.e., the selection of technology partners. Economic uncertainty in the UK is driving demand for flexible leadership models, and as a result, the segment is growing faster than the offerings serving it.

Messaging: Communication Style to CTOs

We've moved away from the standard "problem - our service - CTA" format. Instead:

• Context: We begin by congratulating you on your new role and referring to organizational changes
• We ask, not offer: Open questions about challenges instead of presenting solutions
• Peer-to-peer pitch: A conversation between professionals, not a vendor pitch
• Zero buzzwords: Specific operational language instead of generalities about "transformation" or "innovation"
  Key news topics:

• Scaling the team while transition period
• Balance between team management and project delivery
• Reducing supplier dependency

Cold email sequence (3 touch points)

Touch 1 - First Message (FM): Timing: 1 Day

Structure:

• Personalized hook (e.g. congratulations on your new Interim CTO role)
• Context of the situation (organizational changes, performance pressure)
• A short presentationArdentCodeas a partner, not a vendor
• Open question: “What has been the biggest challenge so far in scaling the team and maintaining technical knowledge within the company?”

Touch 2 - Follow-up (FU): Timing: 3 - 4 Days

Structure:

• Referring to a specific pain point (resistance to new technical processes)
• Strengthening the "alignment during change" aspect
• A subtle reminder of value without repeating the pitch
• Flexible CTA (short conversation vs. sending materials)

Touch 3 - Break-up (BU): Timing: 7- 8 Days

Structure:

• An empathetic ending without pressure
• Recognizing that the prospect may already have a solution
• Leaving doors open (networking)
• Maintaining a healthy relationship

Business conclusion

1. Context-based communication trumps competency presentation

Prospects responded much better to news relating to their specific situation (new role, organizational change) than to a general presentation of technical capabilitiesArdentCode.

2. Affiliate positioning as a differentiator

Presenting ourselves as a "partner in team development" made us stand outArdentCodein the crowded IT vendor market. Several customers explicitly mentioned that they appreciated the lack of a typical sales proposition.

3. Fractional CTOs to niedoobsługiwany segment

We confirmed our hypothesis: this segment is indeed less frequently contacted and more open to meaningful communication. A 2.4% response rate for outbound outreach to top management is a solid first-time contact.

And what does it look like from an ROI perspective?

One hot lead in the enterprise segment can cover the cost of an entire campaign in B2B services, where the average deal value is high.