FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
We are happy to offer 3 different billing options so you can decide which works best for you: 1) Standard Hourly Fee 2) Project Rate (for specific tasks and/or for entire project) 3) Retainer (agreed minimum hours per week for set duration) Select the option that is right for you. An hourly fee is easy to regulate. A project rate allows you to plan and accommodate work within a specific budget. A retainer is a popular option that secures more favorable hourly rates (eg. 20% discount versus standard hourly fee) in return for ongoing work. We pride ourselves on competitive rates and we achieve this by maintaining a low overhead, tapping into approved experts on an as needed basis. All projects are led by Co-Founders Richard Dewhirst and/or David Hutchin.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
There are 3 simple stages: 1/ CONSULTATION We schedule a free, no obligation, 30min call to ensure we understand the basics, including your business goals, positioning (if known), budget, timeframe, and of course your specific needs. At any time we are happy to provide examples and references from our past projects. 2/ EVALUATION Our team will huddle and develop a proposal tailored to your specific business needs. This could cover a working session, full marketing plan, or specific elements of a marketing plan (eg. branding, pricing, research, digital marketing). You can read more about each on our website (see pages for Customized Marketing Plan and Personalized Working Session). The proposed scope of work, costs, and timing can be refined as necessary and then once agreed we will set to work on exceeding your expectations. 3/ EXECUTION We will work tirelessly to meet the timetable set out in the proposal and work will be delivered in the agreed format. Meetings and updates can be in person, over skype/phone, or via email - whichever is the preferred method. Of course, life isn't always plain sailing and we have learned to be very flexible! We are happy to discuss how to accommodate changes in the deliverables at any point in the process.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Richard Dewhirst (Co-Founder of Custom Marketing) has a Masters in Marketing degree from the University of Manchester and a Bachelors in Business Studies from the University of Hertfordshire. Working with respected global companies such as 20th Century Fox, Mattel and Pizza Hut gave Richard a strong grasp for the fundamentals of marketing, including product management, new product development, distribution, advertising, promotion, PR, pricing, and consumer research. This background combined with his natural abilities and education has enabled Richard to consistently deliver substantial growth in sales and profits for some of the most famous brands in the world, such as Pizza Hut, Star Wars, Scrabble, Uno, The Simpsons, and Glee. More recently he co-founded his own business, Custom Marketing, specializing in delivering on-demand marketing expertise for small to medium sized businesses and pioneering LA-based early stage startups. David Hutchin (Co-Founder of Custom Marketing) is an extremely experienced marketing executive. He's run marketing campaigns in the US and across the world, living over 10 years in both Europe and Latin America. His decades of experience building marketing plans and campaigns for companies such as Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox, allows him to work quickly with clients to get them real results. David has a BA in International Relations from UCSB, an MBA from Boston University and is fluent in Spanish. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, 2 kids, and his pug Luna.