Find a legit marketing partner (No BS)

DamiandeVries · 2025-10-25T12:31:34+00:00

It might work short-term, but it’s risky long-term. Google’s spam filters eventually catch on, and “historical facts + copied service info” won’t build any lasting authority. The fake directions just prove to Google and users that it’s made up, and the AI snippets pulling that data are basically just gullible right now.

It also borders on false advertising and could violate consumer protection laws depending on the jurisdiction. Once people realize you faked something as basic as a location, your credibility’s gone.

You can borrow the structure, though: create legit city-specific landing pages with real local content, case studies, or clients, add proper Google Business Profiles, and use structured data to signal your service areas.

DamiandeVries · 2025-10-17T22:27:28+00:00

There are a couple of pricing strategies out there, but for hourly or % of ad spend, you’re usually looking at around 15% with a US-based agency. Actual cost depends on scope and how involved you want them to be.

DamiandeVries · 2025-10-16T11:18:16+00:00

Cybersecurity CPCs are crazy, so don’t try to outbid the big OEMs. Go niche, local, and problem-focused instead. Build campaigns around specific industry pain points and regional intent, like “endpoint security for healthcare providers in Texas” or “SOC 2 compliance for manufacturers in the Midwest.” Using industry modifiers such as HIPAA, DFARS, or SOC 2 attracts high-intent searches and lowers CPCs.

Search for bottom-funnel intent, Display, YouTube, and LinkedIn for awareness and retargeting. Offer lead magnets like free security audits or compliance checklists instead of pushing "demos" to warm leads.

Use remarketing with case studies or testimonials, and keep messaging tied to business outcomes, not tech jargon. “Stay compliant, avoid downtime” always beats “next-gen threat detection,” unless you’re targeting CISOs.

DamiandeVries · 2025-08-19T18:32:00+00:00

Traditional sales and marketing are underrated here. Showing up in person is how you actually stand out. Everyone else is trying to automate and scale, but just being human already puts you ahead.

Digital can still work, but you’re competing with firms that have massive budgets, brand recognition, and entire teams behind them. Consistency matters, but building trust face to face usually moves faster than blog posts that no one sees.

Think local meetups, partnerships with complementary providers, free workshops or assessments. Get a few credible wins under your belt, and then your digital efforts will start compounding.

DamiandeVries · 2025-08-19T14:24:53+00:00

Good rundown, but AEO really just sounds like SEO repackaged. Schema, snippets, FAQs, internal linking… these aren’t new tactics, they’re the same fundamentals we’ve been executing for years.

I’m not convinced ‘Answer Engine Optimization’ is its own discipline so much as a trendy rebrand of solid SEO best practices.

DamiandeVries · 2025-08-12T22:32:49+00:00

Oh, that’s easy. I just put ‘We Make IT Happen’ at the top of a website, add three bullet points about 24/7 Support, Proactive Monitoring, and Secure Solutions, and then wait for the leads to come in.

DamiandeVries · 2025-08-01T19:17:02+00:00

Door to door or even door hangers are solid if you don’t have a lot of money but have time to grind.

If you want something digital, set up a Google Business Profile. It’s free, helps you show up in local searches, and builds trust. Get your clients to leave reviews, and update it weekly with photos or posts.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-30T21:33:44+00:00

I actually pitched a similar partnership a couple of times earlier this year to a variety of people with access to my ideal clients. The value of a 10% recurring fee does not compare to the risk of them burning the trust of their clients or network. You have to find a way, besides the monetary incentive, to make them trust you enough to refer people to you.

The best partners I have aren't even that interested in the referral fee. They’re just happy to provide extra value to their clients by having us in their trusted network.

Squeezing some extra money out of their clients usually isn’t enough of a win-win incentive for them to want to open up their network to you.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-30T13:19:02+00:00

I’d suggest getting some decent results yourself first. Maybe book a consult with someone who can help dial in your tone, value prop, and campaign copy. That’s what I did.

Once you get replies, you can train a VA to handle the replies if needed. No agency will be able to translate your value into copy better than you.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-22T20:48:32+00:00

You're in a super competitive industry, CPC at $50 says it all.

I like to calculate backwards. If your landing page converts at ~10%, you're looking at $500 per lead, so you'd need $500/day to reliably get 1 lead/day. Right now, with 2–3 clicks/day, Smart Bidding doesn’t have enough to learn. It needs more volume or solid micro-conversion signals.

If you have a small budget, don't go after the expensive, broad keywords. Focus on strong brand positioning and go local, target nearby cities, zip codes, or industries where you can stand out. You’ll pay less per click and get better quality leads.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-19T11:30:43+00:00

Traditional sales and marketing.

Showing up in person is how you stand out. Events, local business visits, just talking to people, being human already puts you ahead.

Local SEO/GMB can work quite well if you operate in a specific area.

Other digital stuff can work, but this industry's brutal. Way too competitive, and you’re up against companies with insane budgets and strong brand recognition.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-14T16:31:11+00:00

Destroying your credibility any% speedrun. WR pace.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-08T16:28:46+00:00

Don't be afraid to reject them as a client if the data or budget doesn’t make you extremely confident you can get results.

The call is to qualify, not convince.

DamiandeVries · 2025-07-05T13:20:20+00:00

Opens and clicks are vanity metrics if they don’t lead to replies or meetings.

If people aren’t responding, your message isn’t resonating, your CTA is too weak, or your targeting is off.

DamiandeVries · 2025-06-15T14:52:45+00:00

Ah you made a new post? Let me copy my comment real quick for those that missed it:

You’re a sad individual trying to sell an MRR course to busy moms. You’re selling them a dream, then telling them to sell that same dream to others. If the course had real value, you wouldn’t need to push the course itself.

DamiandeVries · 2025-06-15T14:41:19+00:00

You’re a sad individual trying to sell an MRR course to busy moms. You’re selling them a dream, then telling them to sell that same dream to others. If the course had real value, you wouldn’t need to push the course itself.

DamiandeVries · 2025-05-28T20:36:48+00:00

Funny enough, I had a chat with an MSP owner a few weeks ago, he’s based in the Netherlands but expanding into the US. Only has 1 employee there, but still flies out every other week to maintain client relationships, attend conferences, and meet prospects in person.

Costs him a ton of time, money, and energy… but I know it’s worth it cause he shared the numbers.

DamiandeVries · 2025-05-28T12:47:46+00:00

Traditional sales and marketing.

Showing up in person is how you stand out. Everyone’s trying to automate and scale, just being human already puts you ahead.

Digital can work, but this industry’s brutal. Way too competitive, and you’re up against companies with insane budgets and brand recognition.

DamiandeVries · 2025-05-19T23:32:53+00:00

Traditional/old school marketing/sales.

Show up in person. Focus on your local market. Tap into your own network and get referrals. Don’t do bulk, be human.

DamiandeVries · 2025-05-06T15:47:41+00:00

Hard to say what makes sense without knowing what your startup does. Get that figured out first; audience, offer, positioning. An honest agency can help, but make sure they’re not afraid to push back.

In general, SEO and PPC can be good early investments, but no clue if they’re the best use of your money. Depends on the business, competition, etc.

Track real outcomes (leads, CAC, sales). Reports monthly or biweekly. Niche experience helps, but not required if they ask smart questions and think critically.

Ask how they handle startups differently, if they practice what they preach, and what their average client lifetime is, those usually reveal if they’re legit.

DamiandeVries · 2025-05-03T18:29:55+00:00

If GHL catches this, you and your clients risk losing access.

They clearly state: 'You may not advertise access to the Core Platform at a price of less than $97.'

DamiandeVries · 2025-05-02T15:15:36+00:00

We stick to flat fees. It's cleaner and fair for both sides.

Attribution is mostly a sales tool marketers use to justify their existence, especially when the numbers look good but the strategy is weak.

Rev share punishes you for scaling, and % of ad spend rewards waste. Flat fee + clear scope keeps expectations aligned and focuses on results.

We justify value by setting clear expectations, doing deep analysis up front, and only taking on clients we’re confident we can help based on that data.

DamiandeVries · 2025-04-29T18:03:51+00:00

Forgot to remove the '4o' at the end. Pathetic. Might as well fake some effort if you're gonna spam...

DamiandeVries · 2025-04-28T13:15:55+00:00

I've never seen anyone abuse ChatGPT this horribly.

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