5 QUESTIONS
Marketing Strategy
Set priorities, connect the channels and measure what matters.
Where should we start if our marketing feels scattered?+
Start with your business goal, your ideal buyer and the path from first impression to sale. We review what is already working, where enquiries are being lost and what your team can realistically support. The output should be a prioritized plan with clear responsibilities and measures of success—not simply a longer list of channels.
What belongs in a useful marketing strategy?+
A practical strategy defines your audience, positioning, offer, channel priorities, budget assumptions and measurement plan. It also identifies the content and sales follow-up required to turn attention into business. We connect those decisions to a working roadmap so creative production, website updates and campaigns support the same objective.
How do we decide which channels deserve investment?+
Evaluate channels against buyer intent, audience fit, sales cycle, creative requirements and the quality of past results. A channel that produces inexpensive enquiries may still perform poorly if few become customers. Begin with a focused mix, establish a baseline and use lead quality and sales feedback to decide where to expand.
How should we judge whether marketing is working?+
Agree on the business outcome first: qualified opportunities, booked consultations, orders or customer retention. Then track the steps that lead there. Reports should explain what changed, what may have caused it and what happens next. Attribution is useful, but it should be reviewed alongside CRM records and the sales team’s experience.
Can we start with one project instead of a full marketing program?+
Yes. A defined website, campaign or strategy project can be a useful starting point. Discovery should establish its scope, dependencies, deliverables and handoff. If several channels need ongoing coordination, discuss a broader engagement. The recommendation should reflect your priorities and team capacity, with scope and fees agreed before work begins.
5 QUESTIONS
Web Development
Build a website that makes the next step clear.
Do we need a new website or improvements to the one we have?+
A review of usability, content, performance and the underlying platform helps answer that. If the structure is sound, targeted changes may solve the problem. A rebuild becomes more useful when navigation, editing limitations or technical debt prevent meaningful improvement. Decide based on business needs and maintenance costs, not appearance alone.
What does a website project include?+
The scope may cover discovery, page structure, copy, design, development, integrations, testing and launch support. Confirm which pages and functions are included, who supplies content and how revisions will work. Content migration, ecommerce, booking tools and custom integrations should be identified early because they can materially affect the schedule.
How long will a website project take?+
Timing depends on the number of page templates, content readiness, integrations and approval cycles. A focused marketing site has different requirements from a custom application or large ecommerce migration. Establish milestones after discovery and identify the decisions, access and materials needed from your team to keep each phase moving.
How do you approach mobile usability and accessibility?+
Design the experience around readable content, clear navigation, usable forms and controls that work with touch and keyboard input. Check layouts across screen sizes and review labels, focus states, contrast and error messages. Accessibility needs to be considered throughout the project; an automated scan alone does not establish complete accessibility.
What happens after launch?+
Agree on hosting, updates, backups, monitoring, support and content ownership before launch. Your team should understand how to make routine edits and who handles technical issues. A post-launch review can identify broken paths, unexpected user behavior and opportunities to improve conversion. Ongoing support and third-party costs belong in the agreed scope.
5 QUESTIONS
SEO
Help the right people discover the right pages.
What is the difference between local SEO and broader SEO?+
Local SEO focuses on discovery in a particular service area, including location information and relevant local pages. Broader SEO may target product, industry or informational searches across a larger market. Both depend on useful content and a technically accessible site. The right mix follows where your customers are and what they search for.
What happens during an SEO audit?+
An audit reviews whether search engines can access important pages, how content matches search intent and whether the site has technical or structural obstacles. It can also examine internal links, duplicate pages, performance and local information. Findings should be ranked by business impact and effort so the audit becomes an actionable plan.
How long does SEO take, and can rankings be guaranteed?+
SEO generally requires sustained work, and results vary by competition, starting point and the changes made. No responsible plan can promise a specific organic ranking. Establish a baseline and review progress over time using relevant search visibility, qualified organic traffic and conversions. Early technical improvements and longer-term content work should be evaluated separately.
Do we need separate pages for every city or service?+
Create a page when it serves a distinct customer need and can offer meaningful information. Repeating nearly identical copy with a different city name does little for visitors. Service and location pages should explain the work, area served, relevant experience and next step. Quality, usefulness and a logical structure matter more than page count.
How should we prepare content for AI-assisted search?+
Begin with clear service descriptions, consistent business information and helpful answers supported by real experience. Make important content accessible and easy to understand. Visibility in AI-generated answers is not guaranteed, and citation patterns can change. Treat this as an extension of strong content and discoverability work rather than a replacement for your website or SEO.
5 QUESTIONS
Brand Creation & Development
Make your business recognizable, credible and consistent.
Is branding more than a logo?+
Yes. A brand includes your positioning, message, visual identity and the experience customers associate with the business. The logo is one expression of that foundation. Effective brand work connects what you stand for with what your customers need, then gives your team a consistent way to communicate it across channels.
How do we know whether to refresh or fully rebrand?+
Consider what recognition is worth preserving and what is limiting growth. A refresh can improve typography, color, messaging and consistency while retaining familiar elements. A broader rebrand may be appropriate when the audience, offering or positioning has changed substantially. Research and stakeholder alignment should guide the decision before design begins.
What should a brand guide contain?+
A useful guide explains logo versions, colors, typography, imagery, tone of voice and examples of correct application. Depending on scope, it may also include messaging, social templates and presentation layouts. The goal is practical consistency: someone creating the next asset should know how to keep it recognizable without guessing.
Can you help with naming and messaging?+
Naming and messaging can be included in brand strategy. Begin with the audience, category, business goals and the distinctions you can substantiate. Shortlisted names need appropriate availability and legal review before adoption. Messaging should then explain who you serve, why the offer matters and what makes the business a credible choice.
How does a new brand roll out across existing materials?+
Inventory the touchpoints first: website, social profiles, email, sales documents, signage and internal templates. Prioritize high-visibility items and define how older materials will be retired. A staged rollout can help manage cost and workload, but everyone involved needs access to the same approved assets and usage guidance.
5 QUESTIONS
Content & Social Media Marketing
Create a consistent story with a clear business purpose.
How do you decide what content to create?+
Start with the questions buyers ask, the objections sales teams hear and the proof customers need. Translate those into themes for articles, social posts, email and video. A content calendar should balance education, brand personality and relevant offers. Each piece needs a purpose and a sensible next step for the audience.
Which social platforms should our business use?+
Choose platforms based on where your audience spends time, what formats suit your story and what your team can maintain. Being active everywhere is not automatically useful. Consider the buying process, available creative and opportunities for meaningful interaction. Review the quality of engagement and enquiries instead of treating follower count as the only goal.
How do approvals and subject-matter input work?+
Agree on a point person, an approval schedule and what requires specialist review. Your team supplies the experience, product knowledge and factual checks that make content credible. Drafts, revisions and publication dates should be visible in a shared workflow. Delayed approvals and changing offers need a clear process so content stays accurate.
How are organic social and paid campaigns different?+
Organic content supports ongoing visibility and relationships with people who encounter or follow the brand. Paid campaigns purchase distribution to selected audiences and need dedicated creative, targeting and measurement. They can work together, but posting a piece of content does not guarantee reach. Media spend, management and creative production should be distinguished in the scope.
Can one shoot or article support multiple channels?+
Yes, when reuse is planned from the start. A customer story can become an article, a short video, social excerpts and an email. Each version should suit its channel and keep the original meaning intact. Plan framing, permissions and formats early so repurposing produces useful content rather than repetitive copies.
5 QUESTIONS
Videography & Photography
Show the people, products and work behind your business.
What should we prepare before a photo or video shoot?+
Define the audience, message and intended uses, then build a shot list. Confirm locations, participants, access, products and any releases needed. Discuss wardrobe, styling and timing where relevant. Knowing whether the material will be used on a website, in advertising or on social media helps determine framing and production requirements.
What types of video are useful for a business?+
The right format depends on the job it needs to do. Brand introductions can explain the business; demonstrations clarify a product; project stories show how work comes together. Short social edits can support distribution. Select the format based on audience questions and the next action you want viewers to take.
Should we use stock imagery or original photography?+
Stock can support broad themes, while original photography can show your actual people, spaces, products and finished work. A thoughtful mix may be appropriate. Avoid presenting generic images as evidence of a real project or team. Consider image rights, consistency and the importance of authenticity when choosing what to produce.
What deliverables and usage rights should be agreed?+
Specify the number of finished photos or edits, aspect ratios, captions, revision rounds and delivery formats. Also clarify licensed music, talent permissions, raw files and where the assets may be used. These details affect production and pricing, so they should be settled in the scope rather than assumed after the shoot.
How do we get more value from a production day?+
Plan multiple outputs around a coherent story: hero footage, interviews, supporting details and short-form cuts. Capture both horizontal and vertical compositions where needed. A well-organized shot list reduces missed opportunities. Focus on assets your team can actually use over time instead of creating volume without a distribution plan.
5 QUESTIONS
Shopify & Ecommerce
Connect discovery, product selection and purchase.
What should an ecommerce project solve first?+
Map the buyer’s path from finding a product to receiving an order. Look for unclear product information, difficult navigation, checkout friction and operational gaps. Prioritize the problems with the greatest impact on customers and staff. A visual redesign is most valuable when it also improves how the store works.
Can an existing store be migrated to Shopify?+
A migration may be possible, but discovery must assess products, variants, customers, order history, redirects and integrations. Not every data type or feature transfers in the same way. Plan a test migration, reconciliation and launch window before switching systems. Platform selection should follow your catalog and operational requirements.
Can the store connect with inventory or business systems?+
Connections depend on the systems involved, their supported interfaces and the data that must move between them. Define which system owns stock, pricing and order status, and how exceptions are handled. A reliable integration needs testing for delays, duplicates and failed updates—not just a successful first connection.
How do we improve product pages and checkout conversion?+
Start with accurate product details, clear imagery, pricing and delivery information, and an understandable purchase path. Review customer questions and analytics to identify friction. Test changes against meaningful outcomes such as completed orders and support volume. Conversion also depends on the offer and traffic quality, so design alone is not the whole answer.
Which costs should we budget beyond the website build?+
Account for the platform, payment processing, apps, integrations, maintenance and content production that your store requires. Costs vary by provider and plan, so confirm current quotes during scoping. Separate one-time implementation from recurring operating costs and optional enhancements to understand the full commitment.
5 QUESTIONS
HubSpot
Give marketing and sales a shared view of the customer.
What should be defined before setting up HubSpot?+
Agree on lifecycle stages, pipeline definitions, ownership and the information required at each step. Decide what makes a lead qualified and when a handoff occurs. Those business rules should shape properties, views and automation. A clear process is more useful than a CRM filled with fields nobody trusts or maintains.
Can existing contacts and deals be migrated?+
Start with an inventory of source data, field mappings, duplicates and associations. Confirm what should be retained and how it will be validated after import. A sample migration can reveal issues before the full move. Historical activities, attachments and custom relationships may require separate treatment depending on the available tools.
What kinds of workflows can be automated?+
Potential workflows include task creation, lead assignment, follow-up reminders and selected customer communications. Availability depends on the current subscription and configuration. Define the trigger, conditions, owner and exit rules before building. Test exceptions carefully and avoid automating a process that the team has not yet agreed how to handle.
How should dashboards be designed for different teams?+
Build around decisions each audience needs to make. A salesperson may need open opportunities and next actions; management may need conversion, revenue and pipeline health. Every metric should have a clear definition, time period and owner. Reconcile a sample of records before relying on a dashboard for performance decisions.
How do we keep the CRM useful after launch?+
Assign ownership for data quality, document required fields and make routine reviews part of the operating process. Train people on the tasks they actually perform. Monitor duplicates, missing associations and stale opportunities. Review automations as the business changes so outdated rules do not quietly create extra work.
5 QUESTIONS
AI Development & Integration
Apply AI to a specific problem with clear boundaries.
Where is a sensible starting point for business AI?+
Choose a repetitive, well-defined task with accessible information and a measurable outcome. Examples include preparing drafts, finding internal information or organizing incoming requests. Identify how a person will review the output and what happens when the tool is uncertain. A focused pilot is easier to evaluate than an open-ended transformation project.
What is the difference between AI development and integration?+
Development creates a tailored tool or experience around your requirements. Integration connects AI capabilities to existing systems and workflows. A project may need both. The important question is what information goes in, what action comes out and how the result fits the way your team already works.
Can AI use our internal documents or CRM information?+
Potentially, with appropriate access controls and a clear data plan. First identify the information required, who may access it and which providers will process it. Review retention, permissions and update processes before connecting systems. The tool should receive only the information needed for its purpose, with sensitive use cases assessed separately.
How do you handle incorrect or unreliable AI output?+
Define evaluation examples and test the tool against real tasks before wider use. Use human review for consequential actions, make limitations clear and provide a path for escalation. Check whether answers can be grounded in approved information. Monitoring and feedback are needed after launch because good demonstrations do not guarantee reliable performance in every situation.
How do we measure the value of an AI pilot?+
Record the current time, cost and error rate for the task, then compare the pilot against that baseline. Include review effort, operating costs and exceptions in the calculation. Decide in advance what success looks like and what would stop the project. Expand only when the results justify the next investment.