A: We help clients properly position and target their products and services to the appropriate markets. This is accomplished through the use of the following strategic tools: market research, competitive analysis, store audits, strategic plan development, test market programs…

Q: Why should I use a marketing consulting company instead of an advertising agency or public relations firm?

A: A marketing consulting company helps its clients to carefully create the necessary strategies to successfully market their goods and services to the trade and/or the end user. A component of the proper strategic plan is a tactical blueprint that best supports the agreed marketing strategies. One of these tactical tools may be some level of advertising or public relations. However, if the need for advertising or PR is just a small part of the overall tactical plan, why hire an advertising or PR agency when you can work with a marketing firm that has no built-in biases towards one tactical approach over another.

Q: Should I look for a marketing company that primarily specializes in my particular industry?

A: Not necessarily. Although it is desirable to work with a firm that knows something about your industry, it can be just as important to associate yourself with a marketing consulting company that has a broad and varied background in many industries. The diverse background of a marketing group could prove to be extremely helpful in developing breakthrough programs that are truly unique in your field.

Q: What is branding and how can it help my company?

A: Branding is the foundation of all successful marketing. A brand identifies a set of differentiating features which a consumer associates with a company and/or its products. In short, a good brand represents a promise that a company will consistently offer the best quality, service and value in its field. When you build a recognizable brand you build a successful future.

Q: From an operational standpoint, how do you work with your clients?

A: We are very flexible in the ways we work with our clients. In some cases, we work side by side with our clients as a highly collegial project team. In other instances, we do the bulk of the work ourselves and simply furnish progress reports to the client on a regular basis. For small companies and start up organizations we are often the senior marketing department that they don’t have. In all cases, we provide only well seasoned marketing specialists for our clients’ projects.

Q: What does it cost to work with a marketing consulting firm like yours?

A: We are compensated by our clients on a special “Net/Net Marketing Fee” basis. Other than a fair and reasonable monthly management retainer that is predicated on our estimates of the time that we must devote to your project, we will derive no other income such as discounts, commissions bonuses… All necessary approved purchases will be billed to you on a net basis and when earned commissions are available, we will pass these discounts on to you. In essence, you will be paying us much like you would for an employee except you will not be providing any benefits beyond our agreed management fee.

Q: Are things like advertising, public relations, sales promotion, packaging, web design, collateral and display material… considered marketing?

A: All of these specialties are simply tactical tools that can be used to support the proper marketing strategy. All too often people focus on the tactical items and pay little or no attention to the development of a well conceived, overall strategy. Putting tactics ahead of the right strategy often causes a campaign to fail.

Q: Do you provide special services for smaller clients?

A: Yes. We recognize that many small to medium-sized organizations do not have the internal skill set necessary to design a broad-based marketing effort. Many of these firms acknowledge the practicality and cost savings associated with outsourcing their marketing effort.

Q: Typically, what are some of the marketing assignments that you are often asked to undertake?

A: We are often involved in new product and service launches, the repositioning of existing products, the exploration of additional sales channels, and the development of alternative approaches to the funding of a company’s marketing efforts.

Q: If my marketing program identifies the need for such specialties as: advertising, PR, packaging, web design, collateral materials, displays… can you provide these services?

A: Yes. Through the years, we have established close working relationships with top quality firms that provide these services and we will select only those suppliers who are best suited to fulfill your specific needs. The cost for this key supplier selection and project supervision process is included in our management fee. All supplier invoices would be billed to you on a net basis.

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