Frequently Asked Questions
Topics (click on links to see more)
- Saving money
- How to start
- Roller coaster sales
- Costs - prices - fees
- Difference between Print Shops & Free Marketeers
- Independent - unbiased services
- Competitive print costs
- Keeping logo consistent
- Benefits
- Marketing plans - a waste of money?
- What's a CPM?
1. "How can you help our business save money?"
- Rather than you hiring a full time marketing specialist, we can help you create and control your marketing activities when and as you need them.
- It is a 'pay as you go' system, you don't pay for staff you don't need.
2. "What steps are involved in getting started?"
- After a brief phone call, we offer genuine businesses the first meeting (1hr max.) absolutely free.
- At that meeting we listen to your needs and situation and advise how we may help.
- We provide you with a summary of the meeting via email.
- Even if we can't help immediately, you will probably take away some tips that are yours to keep and use, no charge!
3. "Our sales chart is like a roller coaster how can you help us?"
- That 'roller coaster' effect is quiet common in small to medium businesses.
- Hiring a freelance professional to cover you in the 'busy' times is a very smart and cost effective decision.
- We can also help generate sales activity to fill those 'quiet' times, to balance the sales graph.
4. "How much does it cost?"
- The costs vary depending on your needs .
- For example you may need:
- a web site renovation or
- a new sales brochure created or
- some marketing surveys conducted with existing customers
*We make this promise: you will know the cost before we start the task.
We price tasks 4 different ways:
- Per hour (casual, at call).
- Fixed price project (deposits apply).
- Per day (scheduled work days dedicated to your project).
- Some customers have asked us to provide a fixed rate (monthly) service to help manage their marketing spend. We are happy to tailor a package to suit you.
5. "Our business already uses a print shop (one of those franchises) - what can you offer that's different?"
- We will work with any printer, designer, web site host etc. your business already uses. What we do is work closely with you to generate the marketing material to input into the brochures, catalogues, web sites etc.
- Once the marketing message is tailored to suit your audience we then go to your normal supplier and work with them to complete the task.
- If there is an advantage to your business to use suppliers we have a relationship with we will present alternatives.
- We are qualified marketing specialists - we aim to see things from your customer's view based on 'the marketing concept'. Does your printer?
6. "Do we have to use your printer or web host or are you independent?"
Yes we don't print or host anything in house. That means we are independent and have the ability to provide competitive prices over a range of services.
7. "For years I have been going from printer to printer to get a competitive price on my catalogues. Each time I change l have to explain my business and product over and over. Can you help?"
Yes. As we project manage the sales tool creation closely with you at your premises, the printer can change from time to time if required with minimal disruption.
8. "We have a lot of trouble keeping our logo and letterhead consistent throughout the business. What do you suggest?"
This is very common.
- As your virtual marketing manager, Free Marketeers keeps your marketing collateral on file.
- Whenever you need a logo resized or file format changed just give us a call or email.
- We also recommend that we prepare a style guide for your organisation to use.
- This helps keep your brand uniform.
9. "Can you summarise the benefits for me?"
The key to our service is we work hard to deeply understand your business and its target markets. This means...
- We can recommend the most cost effective marketing activities to achieve your goals
- You save time because...
- You will be dealing with the same manager every time (e.g. web, print, advertising).
- You won't have to explain your overall business needs over & over again.
10. "Do we have to have a Marketing Plan? We have been ripped off before with these thick reports that didn't help us at all."
Not every business works the same way. We do not create anything your business won't use.
- Some businesses require urgent marketing/promotional activity. There may not be the time (or budget) to formalise a plan.
- Some businesses already have a basic plan - even if it has not been officially formulated. So long as they can communicate the plan to us we will record that and build on it.
- Others allow us to create a plan for them that evolves over a couple of projects. By that stage we have a solid understanding of the business and can add a great deal of value.
- Finally the key advantages of having a structured and practical plan cannot be ignored:
- A plan saves you money as you have the opportunity to consider different scenarios and options before they occur.
- Provides accountability & direction - each element in the business has the opportunity to know what to expect (and what is expected of them).
- Assists with budget & resource allocation.
If we create a marketing plan for your business, it will be a format most useful to you (and at a cost to suit your business). e.g. excel spreadsheet or a flow chart or traditional style.
11. "What is a CPM?"
A CPM is a Certified Practicing Marketer:
- The qualification of Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) is awarded to professional marketers recognised by their peers for extensive experience and formal qualifications.
- It also means that they have made a commitment to ongoing professional development.
- It is the peak professional benchmark for marketers. Unlike tertiary qualifications, CPM is recognition of both formal education and successful application of their marketing knowledge and skills.
- Defines excellence in the marketing profession, balancing practical experience and conceptual thinking.
- The program is an initiative Australian Marketing Institute of Australia.