Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire Leading Results?
At Leading Results we try very hard NOT to work on an hourly basis. We believe that an hourly rate is not a price – it is simply a cost. We want to learn as much about your business as we need to in order to give you a price that is a fixed scope of work. Many of our client’s retain us for two or three related phases – Foundation, Initiation and On-Going coaching.
The Foundation is the work we do with you to establish your remarkable difference (which is the core of your marketing message) and your ideal client profile. In this phase, we also build out a proposed marketing calendar. This phase is generally priced anywhere from $4500 to $9500 depending on the complexity of your business and your current marketing levels.
Initiation is work we do when we act as your marketing director in starting the execution of your marketing programs. This is generally priced as a block of hours to be used on a quarterly basis. (this is the same approach we use when we step in as a part-time VP of marketing) For clients that have in-house marketing staff, this phase is generally eliminated.
On-going coaching keeps the plan moving forward and takes place during bi-monthly calls or meetings. Ongoing coaching usually lasts from 6 to 12 months at a rate ranging from $500 to $950 per month, again depending on the complexity of the plan we are coaching you on.
What if I am just starting out and can’t afford Leading Results for one-on-one coaching?
We understand that not every business can afford or make the commitment to one-on-one coaching. We offer group coaching for marketing planning and tactics; referral marketing training and for Social Media Online Classes+Coaching. Groups may either be virtual, using web technology and conference calls or if enough attendees are local, we will do them “in person”.
Can you help me better understand coaching and what you actually do?
When coaching, we apply our experience and expertise to guide our clients in the right direction in the creation of their marketing strategy and the tactics to drive results. We also step in and do some of the actual work when needed as well. We call your customers for survey information. We’ll shop your competitors for you. We’ll do some writing and some editing work. We’ll help you select vendors and we’ll participate in the interview process of potential staff members.
I’m already working with an agency for … (graphics, telemarketing, printing, etc), do I have to change those vendor relationships if I work with you?
Absolutely not. If you have vendor relationships around your marketing tactics that are working well, then by all means, keep them. We are happy to work with your current vendors and in some cases can even make those relationships more productive.
Do you build websites?
We don’t build websites but we do have definite ideas about how to make your website work better for you. We will work with your current website team to adapt your website overtime or if you want a new vendor for your website, we have ones we can introduce you to.
Can I hire you to just do lead generation programs for us?
Generally, we do not do project work. We are not a tactical lead generation agency. We adhere to the Duct Tape mantra of strategy before tactics and we have found in the past, that when engaged just to do tactical work, the strategy is mis-aligned and the results are not what the client wanted. So while never is too strong of a statement, we rarely do just tactical work, and will only do so when we believe there is a clear over-arching strategy in place.
How long does it take to see results?
As the financial firms always say, results may vary – but seriously, it usually takes six to ten weeks to build a solid foundation from which to execute from, and then another four to eight to start to see any measurable results (read the blog post included below on Marketing is a Dam, not a Faucet).
So realistically, you can expect a full calendar quarter to pass before you start seeing results that your sales team can act on. As we tell many clients, “working with us in the start up phase is like seeing a duck on a placid pond – it doesn’t look like much is going on but underneath, we are paddling furiously.”
What is this Duct Tape Marketing thing and why do you mention it so often?
Duct Tape Marketing was developed by John Jantsch over his twenty years of working with small business clients. It applies a systematic approach to all the steps needed to build a solid foundation for marketing. It then leverages that foundation through time proven tactics that small businesses can afford and it includes using the internet and social media in the right places, at the right time.
Duct Tape Marketing also provides a support system for Leading Results in the form of an international coach network – all of whom have different experiences and areas of expertise. And for the coaches, there is an established mentoring and training program that keeps our skills and expertise up to date.
So by hiring Leading Results, you get all of our practical and pragmatic experience and you get the resources of an international business with a very broad range of experience.
