Building and Marketing on a Budget

*I have no affiliation with Watsky. He simply perfectly shared an idea of dreaming big and building with nothing… I like that.

I am not a big firm. I have allies, but overall what my clients and I build, we build on our own. Truthfully I believe there is power there. It is what sets me apart from the big firms. Watsky wrote a song I think perfectly states that philosophy: Cardboard Castles.

Because if we don’t build it who will?
I do things on a shoestring that you couldn’t do for a cool mil…

I’m not Don Draper. I do not overindulge. I do not have a large office and a ton of overhead. What I can build you for $2,500 will dwarf what a large firm can do for $10,000. It’s not just about cost, it’s about time, it’s about effort, it’s about my goal. I want to help you build something of true value in your brand. But I can do it with a smaller amount of your budget, so you can quickly return on your investment. I’m not just in this for me. I want this for both of us. It’s what sets me apart.

Truth is overpricing is very counterproductive. Why spend $10,000 when you can do the same if not better for $2,500? You see it all the time. You can tell the difference between a firm that wants to price to the breaking point and a firm that wants to show you real value. Both within your brand and their own.

Telling Your Story

Great marketing tells a story. Overall I am a Web Developer, but I am also a great marketer and a great story teller. I obviously think about SEO, at this point that should be a given with your designer. But I also think a lot about inbound marketing. How are you going to get the traffic to your site? What is it that is going to set us apart? How are you going to track and analyze what is working? Where is your best ROI?

Depending on your industry, there can be very easy proven ways. For certain niches, you need to think a little out of the box. Everyone has a story to tell, and we love hearing the great ones. Overcoming adversity. Doing what is right. The things that make your community and your world better.

There’s nothing I can’t solve with duct tape and construction paper…

I’ve always been a creative out of the box type of thinker. I see opportunities where others see obstacles. It has really come to light with some of my clients and my own personal brand. I am seeing correlations and associations where I used to see chaos. What is your marketing plan really? How much are you spending in different areas. What is really paying off for you? It’s odd to me the amount of business owners that do not have an answer for those questions. What is your goal really? Are you just here to survive? Or is there more?

Your Price is Your Signature

It’s the truth and everyone knows it. It really does show everyone what you are about. Have you undervalued your self? Have you potentially went in the opposite direction and overvalued what you really have to offer? With website design, print work and marketing have you gotten what you have paid for?

How much of your overhead do your marketing costs add up to? There is a line that has to be walked. There is of course a cost of acquisition. That absolutely needs to be factored in. But I believe our country is awakening to the fact that it shouldn’t cost more than it’s worth. What you charge is an obvious factor in a person’s decision about whether or not to buy your product or buy into your brand. Price it too high and you will loose clientele. Over value yourself and your story will be that you are trying to hard…

Jeremy Gradisher – 231 Web Development

I am a web designer and developer that is located in Muskegon, MI. jeremygradisher@gmail.com – I bill at $50. We decide a strategy and quote for an estimated amount of time. I am an expert WordPress Developer, front-end website designer, and one of the leading SEO’s around. (SEO = Search Engine Optimization). I am a creative thinking dev that can do things on a shoestring that most dev’s can not do with a cool mil. I would be honored to speak with you about telling your story and truly effecting your bottom line.

I have no overhead. With me you are not paying so I can boast about my new office on Facebook. You are not paying for me to ride around in the newest Cadillac. I can build us something spectacular on a budget and truly add value to your brand.

Because if we don’t build it who will? I do things on a shoestring that you couldn’t do for a cool mil – I run with no laces, and when I fall I start – To build my Taj Mahal with things I found at Dollarmart… -Watsky