Outsourcing FAQ
Q. What is outsourced marketing management?
An outsourced marketing management company such as Marketri acts as a single point of contact for all your marketing management needs, bringing in an organized cross-disciplinary team on an as-needed basis.
Q. How is Marketri less expensive than hiring a full-time employee?
Depending on where you are in the country, hiring a marketing manager could cost anywhere from $65,000-$95,000 annually. That is just salary, and does not include benefits, training, operating expenses and more, which can balloon expenses to over $100,000 per year.
If you need ads produced, your Web site redesigned or an email campaign launched, that $8,000 per month marketing manager will probably not have the skills to create all of those items. That’s where we’re different. Not only would our costs be less than what you are paying a marketing director, we handle all the strategy, management and execution of your marketing initiatives for that price. MUCH more cost effective, right?
Q. What size businesses do you typically work with?
Our marketing process allows us to learn what we need to learn about an industry to quickly be effective. Currently, we specialize in the B2B sector, serving professional services companies such as accounting firms, engineering firms, law firms and other consulting firms, as well as businesses in the construction trade.
Q. Can you help with sales as well as marketing?
Yes. In many ways, marketing and sales go hand and hand. Marketing to targeted clients will bring more qualified prospects to your sales team. Secondly, we create sales materials that help move prospects through the buying process quicker and more effectively.
Q. How often do we meet?
With most of our clients we communicate weekly by email or phone. Some prefer daily communication. We also have regular status meetings either by phone or in person. We feel each situation is different and we establish the frequency of communication required at the beginning of each month.
Q. Will you work in my office?
We would be glad to schedule office hours if that is your preference.
Q. Who manages the marketing initiatives?
More often than not, we remove that burden from our clients so they can focus on the main thrust of their business.
Q. Do you do marketing plans?
Yes, marketing plans are one of our specialties and are the starting point for any successful overall marketing effort.
Q. Do you provide individual marketing services?
Typically our clients desire a packaged solution to achieve a particular result or goal. We very rarely work with a business that just needs one marketing service, but we do have single-service providers that we can refer you to.
Q. How much do your services cost?
Not trying to dodge a good question, but it truly depends on how much marketing you need and how aggressive you want to be in accomplishing it. If you were looking to hire a full-time marketing director versus a marketing assistant, our pricing structure is built the same way. Prices are based level of professional expertise needed. When you contact us for an introductory meeting, we will work with you.
Q. Do I still manage my marketing budget and expenses?
If this is something you are currently doing and want to do, we would encourage you to continue. Many of our clients rely on our ability to manage their budget and expenses for them. We know what they have to spend to grow their business and we work within that budget to optimize their marketing for them.
Q. I don’t have a current marketing budget. Can you help me determine one?
Absolutely. Our marketing experts have developed budgets for many types of businesses. Every marketing plan we create includes marketing budget so that clients understand what to expect in terms of expenses and expected ROI.
Q. What type of contracts do you require?
With new clients, we typically start off on a fixed fee per project to ensure that there’s a mutual fit. Afterwards, we usually enter into annual contracts with our clients so that we can offer them the most reasonable rates and the best possible client service.
Q. Are we buying hours from you like a typical consultant?
The easy answer to this question is no. You are buying results. When we meet with you for the first time, we go over this in detail to show you how we make sure we are taking care of your marketing needs.
Q. How often do we pay you?
We invoice clients at the beginning of each month to cover the next 30 days, at which time we establish a plan of what we need to accomplish for you, so you understand specifically what you are getting for your money.
Q. What is the difference between Marketri and an advertising agency?
Typically, an advertising agency charges much higher rates in relation to what we charge, because we don’t separate out the cost for strategy and creative from the cost of the execution. Ad agencies are focused on mass media, collateral and other marketing materials and don’t typically guide clients on how to achieve a return on their investment. For some advertising agencies, the creative aspect is the “end game.” For us, it’s just the beginning!
Q. Will you work with existing marketing employees?
Absolutely. Often times though, our marketing resources will be more cost effective than staff you have internally. Each situation is different and when clients prefer to use a current in-house resource to execute certain tasks, we accommodate.
Q. Do you do marketing through social media tools?
Social media on a standalone basis typically doesn’t drive the kind of results that Marketri clients are looking to achieve. We typically utilize social media as part of an overall integrated marketing strategy and plan; using social media to drive traffic or to complement other aspects of a results-driven marketing program can be effective.
Q. Where are you located?
We are located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. For most of our clients, our location is irrelevant as we facilitate all of their marketing through conference calls, email and video conferencing over the Internet.
Q. What areas of the country do you work in?
We work currently with clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
Q. Do you have references?
Yes. We can provide a list of references at your request.