One of our mantras at Marstudio is: “We take on clients, not projects.” For a marketing agency – or any business, in fact – that’s pretty rare. But this approach is proven to work, and it’s an approach almost any company can use, whether you’re a small mom-and-pop shop or a large corporation.
Here are the top reasons we use the “client, not project” approach – and why you should consider doing the same:
We are an off-site marketing department, not outsourced help.
We see ourselves as an extension of our clients; it’s an employee-employer relationship. As a result, we go through a deep, seven-step process to understand your brand inside and out before we start executing on anything. Outsourced help does not do that – not by far!
For the same reasons you don’t hire a graphic designer in-house because you need one postcard done this week, you don’t hire us to be your off-site marketing team for one discrete project. You hire us so we can handle each and every marketing project that comes down the pike and ensure that your branding, messaging, and overall strategy stays consistent.
Because we are off-site – not outsourced – you know that we are creating custom solutions that stand the test of time. Cookie cutters are for cookies, not marketing strategies.
The “client” approach is much more efficient.
From an efficiency standpoint, if I told you I was going to do eight to sixteen hours of research to get to know your brand, customer demographics, value proposition, narrative, competition, offerings, etc., in order to design a business card, you’d look at me like I’m nuts.
However, that deep research we do upfront has a snowball effect. You don’t have to explain yourself every time a new project comes up. We already know your overall organization from a brand perspective, and all of that research we did can be applied to any medium or channel, from your website to social media marketing, email, etc.
Deliverables are better, hands-down.
Because we put so much thought into the process ahead of time and know exactly what information we need to ensure you are successful, you enjoy better deliverables. They’re on point, they’re tied into your brand and other marketing efforts, they hit all the messages you want to get out there. In short, they fit your needs.
That also means you get a better ROI. A website or tri-fold brochure doesn’t have to be rethought or redesigned because we did not take multiple considerations into account.
Contrast our approach with project bids, which have become the norm in the marketing industry. Project bids are like not studying before you take a huge exam. You need to study, you need to do the research first. If you don’t and get lucky, then the expectation becomes that you can consistently deliver at that high level.
We give ourselves a probationary period.
Because we believe so strongly in our approach, we tell our new clients that our first four months together is our probationary period. And the first month with us is free. It’s during that first month when we do all the research – we put that burden on us. That’s putting our money where our mouth is, and it’s been very successful for us.
Want to learn more about our approach and what it can do for you? Give us a call.
Share this Post