Sotiris – Hi Vicky, thank you for joining me today for this interview, I would just like to ask you a few questions about your business if thats okay
Vicky – Yes indeed where shall we start
Sotiris – Well first thing I would like to ask you Vicki as I think it is very interesting and important for any business is.
Q And A Continued below.
- Who is your ideal client or customer?
At Vicky Wu Marketing Guru, we work primarily with business owners from small and medium sized companies and entrepreneurs who have a goal of growing and increasing their business. Most of these business owners either don’t have time to do their own marketing, even if they know what they should be doing, or the business owner isn’t sure what marketing would be most effective and budget-friendly.
I see a combination of business owners who have an idea of what direction they want their marketing to take and just want the marketing team that can implement, and business owners who need me to assist in developing a marketing strategy for the business. Most of these clients work with me on an ongoing basis to perform monthly business marketing.
Another group of clients select a la carte marketing services. These entrepreneurs need someone to design an ad, or help design and print a brochure, or printing and mailing postcards, or even a short video ad. Other businesses need a simple website designed and set up, or assistance with a lead generation funnel. These clients choose the marketing services they need, only when they need them. Businesses are able to have the benefit of an in-house marketing department without the expense of full-time staff.
2. If there is one thing that keeps your clients/customers coming back to you what would it be?
Our knowledge and expertise in marketing is what keeps clients coming back to Vicky Wu Marketing Guru. I have 30 years of experience marketing businesses of all sizes and from all industries. My degree is actually in Business Administration, plus I have started and ran my own businesses, so not only do I understand the marketing concepts and tactics that a business can use, I also understand how different marketing pieces can impact the bottom line, especially when they are integrated into a package that complements other choices. Some of the time I actually end up giving general business advice along with my marketing advice. That’s okay by me, because helping make the client a success is our goal.
Another reason clients keep returning is that they develop a sense of trust. They know that I do not recommend strategies that I’m not confident work. When they want to do a type of marketing for their business that I have seen cost more for other businesses, or it’s a marketing strategy that I know will not work in the way they’ve been told it will, I tell my client up front, even if that means a lost sale for us. For example, a lot of clients come to us and say, “I want to boost Facebook posts” because someone told them they should. We explain that any time you spend money on advertising, you need to have a strategy – one designed to impact the business’ bottom line. After walking them through possible advertising strategies that could benefit their bottom line, usually they switch their thinking and develop a new social media advertising strategy, but sometimes they simply realize that boosting posts on Facebook is not a strategy they want to do after all. Our business could have made money charging them to boost posts as part of a larger marketing plan, but the fact that we could have made money on our end doesn’t work for us if the marketing plan isn’t what’s best or right for the client’s business to succeed.
3. What is your company mission statement or do you have one?
The mission statement for Vicky Wu Marketing Guru is “The marketing you need, only when you need it”
That sentence really sums up our entire business and philosophy. We won’t offer a business marketing they don’t need (although if they want A, and we recommend B, after explaining the pros and cons for both, if they determine they still want A then that is what we will deliver).
We also don’t require a business to sign a long-term contract, or purchase marketing services when they don’t need them. Perhaps the business needs help with one specific project to supplement some marketing that is being done internally, then that is what we will do. Perhaps the business plan is to have marketing done for two years, but something happens – a family emergency, or a spouse is transferred forcing the business to close. We realize when working with a lot of entrepreneurs that we have to be as flexible as they need to be.
Beyond that, we are working to achieve the first group from our list of visionary goals:
- Assist 1,000 small businesses and entrepreneurs with their marketing (which we are well on the way to doing)
- Provide freelance work opportunities to friends, family, and marketing geniuses who are hungry for success
- Develop a comprehensive and affordable marketing training program for entrepreneurs that walks through best practices and real-world examples of a small business marketing plan that works
4. If there is one thing your clients or customers will remember your business for what might that be?
Expertise. We also strive to always deliver more than we promise. A perfect example of this will be for our clients who use our monthly social media marketing service, we recently added two new services to their monthly package at no additional charge to their business. Just one of the ways we work to help their business succeed.
Plus, even if a client is only using a la carte services from time to time, they know they can still ask our advice about things such as new marketing initiatives they are considering, business software they are considering – that type of advice you would usually receive from an in-house marketing department – and this advice is often at no additional cost to the client.
5. When did you first start your business and why?
The primary reason I resigned my last position and moved into freelance and contract work was because of overwork. I had been working 80 hours a week for several years, and came to a point that, while I loved the people I was working with, I needed to take charge of a better work/life balance. Probably not the first time you’ve heard a story like that!
I gave notice at my last job in April 2016, and helped hire and train my replacement, with my final day in late October 2016 (although I am still performing some marketing services for them on a contract basis).
I had owned a marketing service agency many years ago, so opening a new marketing agency was an easy choice because I already had experience; this time I have even more experience and an even deeper understanding about the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses. I started the pre-work and background planning in May 2016, and officially accepted my first client November 1, 2016. We have been strategically growing and taking on select clients and projects ever since.
Thanks for answering my questions Vicki. 🙂
Check out free marketing training http://vickywu.us/do-it-yourself/free-how-to-trainings/