FAQ's about RI Marketing Services

Why was TribalVision founded?

To fill a gap in the marketplace. Small-to-midsize business owners, non-profits and start-ups find it impossible to afford all the bells and whistles of an ad agency, or to pay the salary of a VP of Marketing. And working with lower end marketing companies yields very little return. They are typically project driven, doling out services a la carte with a narrow focus and no concern for strategy or driving results. TribalVision is strategic, integrated and affordable – just the right fit for organizations who are looking to outsource their entire marketing function or some sub-section of it.

Can you describe TribalVision in a few sentences?

We are an outsourced marketing resource tasked with optimizing your marketing budget so that each dollar spent works as hard and goes as far as possible. We’re not in the business of selling websites or the next “big idea”. Instead, we take a comprehensive, integrated approach that begins with a period of serious thought and continues with the tactical execution necessary to drive results. TribalVision gets “inside” your particular challenges, your budget and your goals – and creates cost-effective, metrics-driven marketing solutions.

What separates TribalVision from other firms?

With TribalVision, you get the best of both worlds: intelligent marketing strategy and effective implementation and execution, delivered holistically. High-priced ad agencies focus on advertising – just a small slice of the total marketing picture. They structure their compensation to increase with every campaign and project they create for you. TribalVision develops and implements marketing strategies and campaigns from which all your other marketing efforts grow. Our interests are aligned with yours in a partnership, with a compensation structure that doesn’t reward us for selling you. As your watchdog and dedicated marketing resource, we make sure each dollar you spend is done so intelligently and efficiently.

How does TribalVision get compensated?

You pay an affordable hourly fee – just like an internal hire – and that’s all. Costs for design partners we select and manage on your behalf are not marked up in any way, but merely passed through to you, in total transparency. This operational simplicity takes away our incentive to overspend your money in order to pad our invoices. There’s no commission, no upselling and no conflict of interest. While this sounds like common sense, it’s not how the marketing industry typically works.

Can I afford TribalVision?

Yes, you can. When you outsource your marketing to TribalVision, you eliminate the cost of in-house salaries, retirement benefits, paid vacations and 401Ks. Instead, you pay only for what you need, for as long as you need it. The TribalVision philosophy is not to spend-and-see. We focus, tighten and pinpoint spending, so in some cases, we may recommend turning off marketing campaigns that aren’t delivering a sufficient return. Our compensation structure includes no markups or commissions for any of the solutions we recommend. For the cost of a mid-level employee, you gain the invaluable expertise of a 3-person marketing team with the breadth of knowledge and expertise an internal hire cannot match.

Can you actually help me generate leads and grow my business?

Absolutely. With us, it’s not about handing you a high-level strategy – or doing some fancy creative – and saying “here you go, good luck.” We work step-by-step with you in the trenches to develop and execute marketing campaigns. TribalVision isn’t just another marketing advisor or consultant. You could say we’re like a coach and on-field player all rolled into one. We not only help design the overall marketing game plan, but we’re on the field with you, directing and carrying out this play-by-play strategy to ensure victory is achieved.

Can’t I just hire an internal person to do this?

Sure you could, but it would be next to impossible to find someone with the depth and breadth of expertise you get with a three-person TribalVision team that’s supported by our internal team of 60+ full-time marketing experts. It’s a matter of having a single person who’s a general jack of all trades, versus the synergy of a cutting-edge team with sub-specialty marketing expertise spanning the full spectrum of marketing tactics. We also are far more efficient versus an internal hire given we’re already well versed and experienced with the channels and tactics we implement for our clients every day. We like to say that for any marketing initiative that needs to be implemented and deployed, we’re most likely in the 6th inning of a 9-inning game.

Can you really offer completely objective advice?

We have no specific products or services we need to sell and we don’t employ any designers on staff that we need to feed. No matter what we recommend, you pay TribalVision the same flat-fee retainer. Since our compensation is fixed and transparent, it’s not tied into getting you to spend more money. For instance, we won’t make a penny more by recommending a $50K website versus a $10K website, and we won’t make a commission by recommending an expensive buy. TribalVision is actually incentivized to prove our value by doing more with less: treating every client dollar as if it were our own. The more money that falls to your bottom line, the greater the likelihood that we will be working together for a long period of time.

How can you make all of this affordable?

It’s simple. Marketing strategy and execution for business development is what we do, day in and out. The only real learning curve is to dive into what your business is all about. We’ve developed streamlined and effective ways to do this quickly. TribalVision also draws on a wealth of knowledge and experiences – gained from tackling similar challenges for our diverse base of clients – that can easily be transferred and applied to the projects we undertake for you.

What if I need services beyond what you do in-house?

To address these needs, we’ve built a network of the best specialty, creative and production talent available: regionally, nationally and even internationally. These bona fide pros have low overhead and streamlined rate structures – which we pass on directly to you without any markups or added fees.

Using a method commonly referred to as the Hollywood Model, we use this network of creative partners to select the best possible talent for each project. This is similar to the way a director assembles a crew of actors and technical pros for a particular film. Once the movie is completed, the crew disperses. For the next project, the director can choose to call back specific members, or assemble an entirely new crew.

Do I need to sign a long-term contract?

Absolutely not. You pay only for the services you need, for the period you need them. What’s more, you can gear our involvement level to coincide with your evolving needs. If you’re like most companies, you may have a more intense need for our services during the early stages of the relationship. Once TribalVision has done most of the groundwork and has set a strategic direction, it’s often feasible to scale us back to a maintenance level – while retaining the consistent and relentless focus we bring to the picture.

How would we begin working together?

After having an initial phone conversation, we’ll arrange for our Managing Partner to come to your place of business. We use this introductory face-to-face meeting to learn more about your needs, challenges, goals and pain points. After the meeting, we’ll develop a custom marketing proposal for you, outlining what we believe your greatest needs, opportunities and challenges to be. This is all prior to you entering any sort of hiring agreement.

How would you describe the TribalVision culture?

If you love the idea of two-hour lunches at expensive restaurants and meetings on the golf course, you should google some larger marketing firms. TribalVision would rather put together a webinar for you, with practical ways to market smarter. We are, after all, marketing geeks who eat, sleep and breathe our mission. We’re thought leaders, not salesmen. Listeners, not talkers. Savers, not spenders. Focused, fun, approachable and passionate.