At What Point Do You Fire A Marketing Rep?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Damn that kinda sucks, how much were you paying them to 'market' your sites out of interest?

At first $2,000 a month, then after I didn't see results I re-negotiated to $1,500 a month... then after still little results I re-negotiated again to $1,000 a month. Mind you the whole time they never even came close to breaking even with their fee, not even at $1,000 a month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Well i have to say that would be grounds for a collecton agency or lawsuit right there. If you are owed money, you should get it either from Falcon or fro your ex marketing firm $0.02

Sue Falcon? Why? I thought they had a good reputation in our industry? I'm assuming it was the marketing company not being honest with me at this point, or being overwhelmed, and no fault of Falcons. Hopefully someone from Falcon will read this and get in contact with me.

I know better then to sue a marketing company for lack of results. There are many variables that play into the success of marketing. Yes they led me on, yes they don't follow through, yes they brought on advertisers that didn't pay in advance, or at all. I haven't lost enough to want to sue overseas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Again that sucks, even if a working relation ends both sides should still be in contact with one another, especially from a marketing firms point of view. Just because business wasnt there up to the point your relationship with them ended, that doesnt mean it wont come in after it ends.

Exactly. I was cool with everything. Business relationships end sometimes. No reason to have sour grapes. You're most likely going to work with those people again, or run into them in business somewhere so no reason burning bridges BUT when things end on a good note, and they STILL don't follow through and leave you in the dark with no contact list, advertisers still not paid, and a "their word" that those things will be taken care of, then it's almost like THEY are burning birdges and just don't care regardless. I dunno. Kind of like a big fuck you. What do you think?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

It does sound like they were your 'buddies' as long as you kept paying them though.. Unfortunately there are many people in the industry like that and people only find out after they have spent a lot of money, may i ask if you got references from their previous clients before signing on with them?

Yeah actually I did get references. I was asked right after we signed if I would be a reference for them as well. A show was coming up at the time and we had just signed. I said "No, not until I have experience with you first. I hope you understand." I thought that was kind of odd at the time, but now I can see why they wanted a reference without really working with me first.

At the time you had posted something here on GWW Lee about them, or maybe to me personally, I can't remember. Saying something bad about them.. but at the time there were posts on the boards from two different designers you didn't pay ( and you admitted to not paying ), and all the conflicts with you regarding the Phoenix forum and those other businesses, so I really couldn't guage how to take your comments, but I did keep them in mind.

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Originally Posted by Lee

Oh and who was the company out of interest id like to know so we can stay clear of them as im sure others on GWW would like to know who they are too.

See above. You know who they are Lee :high: I'm not going to publicly smear a marketing company that's worked for me. It's entirely possible they are good people that got overwhelmed and didn't know what they were capable of handling. I'm really up in the air about my feelings regarding them at this point.

I've shared my experiences so others know the warning signs and how to choose the right company, or when to get out before things get worse. I don't want any marketing person who works for me in the future to think I'm going to smear them. I wont do it. Just like I don't smear sites I work with, or other companies I do business with. The only time I'd mention specific companies, or names, is if I was blantently ripped off, or lied to, which in 6 years of doing this business, hasn't happened.

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Originally Posted by Lee

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience Squirt, on the bright side though, you just learnt a valuable lesson and im sure its something you wont let happen again :thumbsup:

Yeah it was a bad experience, but I knew what I was doing. I knew not to give a referene without having first hand success with the company. I knew that when results weren't coming to lower the price for their services, and keep lowering the price. I knew that as things kept being put off I had to keep things in check. etc. etc.

It's unfortunate that after we've stopped doing business together, they keep all these loose ends open. Whenever you finish something, finish it, don't leave things open and undone with people you stop working with, it's just bad business.