Frequently Asked Questions

 Why use an outside marketing firm?

A: For small companies that do not have a dedicated marketing department, Windward Marketing Group can essentially become your marketing department. We offer a wide range of marketing competencies that would be difficult to assemble within a small company. Another benefit is the cost savings you can realize by not having to pay the ongoing salaries, benefits and overhead during periods when no major campaigns are taking place.

 Why use an outside consulting firm?

A: In our experience, we have observed these to be the most compelling reasons that our clients have cited for turning to us:

• Unusual business problems present themselves
  We have the benefit of having worked in many different industries and companies and can often provide a new perspective and approach to an issue. Essentially, your brand new problem may have been an old problem elsewhere.
• The expertise is not available in-house
  Often, the internal expertise does not exist to tackle the problem quickly and effectively. We can do in weeks what might take months for professionals without intimate knowledge of a subject area. In addition, we can provide ongoing consultation as needed.
• The workload simply cannot be accommodated internally
  In this era of cutbacks and thin staffs, there are periods where there is just no one available to tackle an important or time-sensitive project.
• An objective assessment is required
  Whether it's to validate an assumption you have or to set the record straight on internal myths, an objective, broad-based opinion supported by facts, data and evidence is often what is required to break the hesitancy. This allows clients to either confidently move forward with an initiative or comfortably cease to pursue it.
• People need to hear it from someone else
  When it comes to things such as sales training or instituting cultural change, having your message reinforced by an independent, outside source often makes more impact. Examples from other companies and industries are introduced, and an outsider's perspective of the company's products, services and methods are woven in.
• Straight talk is required
  Senior executives, particularly company owners, presidents and CEOs, are unfortunately too often furnished with "watered down" or "filtered" information by their own people. These opinions may be compromised by political agendas, job security concerns or a tendency to report what they believe you want to hear rather than what is truly going on. An independent consultant looks at your situation against the entire industry backdrop and makes an honest assessment and recommendations without the constraints inherent among your employees.

 How do you charge for your services?

A: That depends on what you need us to do for you. While we are open to many forms of creative compensation arrangements, our pricing is generally structured in the following ways:

• Flat project fee
  In situations where the project has a finite beginning, middle and end, and where the deliverables are clear and tangible, a written proposal will be provided for a fixed dollar amount and deadline.
• Retainer
  In situations where you want to be able to call us regularly for a variety of small, unrelated tasks, a retainer arrangement is recommended. Based on estimates, the client contracts for a set number of days per month and then has access to our services as needed. Past clients on a retainer arrangement have asked us to perform such services as attending industry conferences and reporting back, making presentations at internal meetings, making introductions to other companies, speaking before employee groups, evaluating vendors, and asking for our opinion on a host of everyday issues.
• Contingency Based on Results
  In situations where Windward Marketing Group's impact can be clearly measured in financial terms, and where we are interested in taking a risk position, we may be solely compensated by receiving a percentage of the incremental impact we have produced.
• Combination of the Above
  Our fee structure can often be adjusted to accommodate your desires by quoting elements of flat fee, retainer and contingency.

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