Table of Contents
Why "Service Menu" Pricing Doesn't Work
Most marketing agencies show you a menu:
- Website: $X,XXX
- SEO Package: $X,XXX/month
- Social Media: $X,XXX/month
The problem?
You're picking services without knowing if they'll actually solve your problem.
It's like going to a doctor who hands you a menu of surgeries before doing any diagnosis.
Our approach is different:
We start by understanding:
- What you're trying to accomplish
- What's holding you back right now
- What opportunities are you missing
- What issues may you be missing
- What success actually looks like for YOUR business
Then we design a solution that makes sense - and we price it based on the value it creates.
How We Build Your Custom Solution
Meeting One: Discovery & Diagnosis
Duration: 30-45 minutes | Cost: Free | Format: Video call or in-person
What We Discuss:
Your Goals
- What does success look like?
- More customers? More revenue? Specific growth targets?
- What would make this worth your time and investment?
Current Challenges
- What's not working right now?
- Where are you losing potential customers?
- What's your biggest frustration with your current marketing?
What You've Tried
- What's worked in the past?
- What's failed? Why do you think it failed?
- What are you currently spending on marketing?
Your Market & Competition
- Who are your main competitors?
- What are they doing that's working?
- What makes your business different?
Your Budget Reality
- What can you realistically invest?
- Are you looking for patient growth or aggressive expansion?
- What ROI would make this a no-brainer?
Wrap Up:
We'll summarize what we heard to make sure we understand:
"So if we understand, your goal is to [X], the main thing holding you back is [Y], and you've tried [Z], which didn't work because [reason]. Does that sound accurate?"
If there's a fit, we schedule Meeting 2.
If there's not a fit, we'll tell you honestly and point you in the right direction.
No pressure. No obligation. Just clarity.
Meeting Two: Solution Presentation
Duration: 45-60 minutes | Scheduled: 5-7 Days Later | Format: Video call or in-person
What We Present:
Your Situation (As We Understand It)
- We recap your goals and challenges
- Confirm we're solving the right problem
Our Recommended Strategy
- What we'll do and why
- Why this approach solves YOUR problem
- What success looks like at 3, 6, and 12 months
Timeline & Milestones
- When you'll start seeing results
- What gets delivered when
- How we measure progress
Investment Required
- Set up investment Monthly investment
- Total investment over 12 months
- Presented as % of value created (see next section)
Expected ROI
- Conservative projection of new revenue
- How we calculated it
- What happens if we're wrong (our accountability)
Next Steps (If You're Ready)
- Sign proposal
- Schedule kickoff
- We get to work
No hard sell. No pressure. Clear proposal. You decide if it makes sense.
Value-Based Pricing: Industry Standard Marketing Investment
We don't charge by the hour or for arbitrary service packages.
We price based on the value we're creating for your business.
Here's the standard framework:
When businesses invest in growth, they typically allocate10-30% of expected new revenue to marketing and customer acquisition.
This isn't unique to us - it's how marketing budgets work everywhere:
- E-commerce companies: 15-30% of revenue on marketing
- SaaS companies: 20-40% on customer acquisition
- Local service businesses: 10-25% on lead generation
- Restaurants: 3-6% on marketing (lower margin business)
Why This Matters
If we help you generate $10,000/month in new profit, investing $2,000/month (20%) means you keep $8,000/month in profit you're not making today. That's the lens through which we build solutions.
Real Examples: The Value Math
Example 1: Local Plumber, Electrician, Contractor
Your Goal:
- Get 5 more customers per month
Value Assessment:
- 5 customers × $500 profit per job = $2,500/month in new profit
- That's $30,000/year you're not making today
Industry Standard Investment:
- 20% of new revenue
- 20% of $2,500/month = $500/month
What This Means For Smart Investment:
- You invest: $500/month
- You generate: $2,500/month in new profit
- You keep: $2,000/month ($24,000/year)
- ROI: 5:1
Example 2: Local Restaurant
Your Goal:
- Fill 20 more tables per week
Value Assessment:
- 20 tables × $75 profit per table × 4 weeks = $6,000/month in new profit
- That's $72,000/year you're not making today
Industry Standard Investment:
- 15% of new revenue (restaurants have tighter margins)
- 15% of $6,000/month = $900/month
What This Means For Smart Investment:
- You invest: $900/month
- You generate: $6,000/month in new profit
- You keep: $5,100/month ($61,200/year)
- ROI: 6.5:1
Example 3: Multi-Location HVAC
Your Goal:
- 30 more leads per month across 3 locations
Value Assessment:
- 30 leads × 33% close rate = 10 more jobs/month
- 10 jobs × $3,000 profit per job = $30,000/month in new profit
Industry Standard Investment:
- 25% of $30,000/month =$7,500/month
What This Means For Smart Investment:
- You invest: $7,500/month
- You generate: $30,000/month in new profit
- You keep: $22,500/month ($270,000/year)
- ROI: 4:1
The Alternative: Hiring In-House
Hiring a Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Coordinator Salary:
- $45,000-$60,000/year
Plus Benefits:
- Plus Benefits: +30-40% ($13,500-$24,000/year)
Total Cost:
- $60,000 - $84,000/year = $5,000-$7,000/month
For One Person Who:
- May or may not know local SEO
- Probably doesn't know web development
- Might not understand conversion optimization
- Needs oversight and management
- Takes vacation, sick days, etc.
With Commerce Forge:
- $500-$2,500/month gets you an entire TEAM
- Web developers, SEO specialists, content strategists, designers
- 15-20 years of experience
- No management overhead
- No benefits, PTO, or training costs
You're not paying for people. You're paying for results.
Building Your Complete Digital Presence
Whether your investment is $500/month or $5,000/month, we're building toward the same destination: a comprehensive digital presence that generates consistent, predictable leads.
The difference is PACE - how fast we get you there.
The Complete Package (What You're Building Toward)
Digital Foundation
- 25-30 page optimized website
- Mobile-responsive, fast-loading
- Conversion-focused design
- All technical SEO handled
Content & Authority
- 12-24+ blog posts
- Service pages for every offering
- Location pages if multi-location
- Case studies and testimonials
Local Search Dominance
- Google Profile optimized
- 50-100+ local citations
- Review generation system
- Local search pack rankings
Ongoing Online Visibility
- Social media presence
- Email marketing foundation
- Analytics and tracking
- Monthly reporting dashboards
What Influences Your Timeline:
Your Budget
1. Lower monthly investment = Slower buildout (18-24 months), steady progress
2. Higher monthly investment = Faster buildout (1-6 months), aggressive growth
Your Starting Point
1. Starting from scratch or need rebuild = More setup work needed
2. Have existing site well constructed website = Less setup, optimize what exists
3. Have some marketing in place = Build on foundation
Your Timeline
1. Need results in 60 days = Higher setup, faster pace
2. Patient 2-year build = Lower setup, steady monthly
3. Somewhere in between = We'll find the right balance
Your Competition
1. Low competition market = Faster, easier results
2. Highly competitive = More investment to break through
How Investment Works
Most solutions have two components:
Setup Investment (One-Time)
What it covers:
- Initial website build (scope varies)
- Google Business Profile optimization
- Technical SEO foundation
- Setup in various marketing systems
- Analytics & tracking setup
- Initial content strategy
- Team onboarding and kickoff
Range: $500 - $30,000
Depends on:
- Starting point (scratch vs. existing)
- Scope (1 page vs. 30 pages)
- Complexity (simple vs. e-commerce/custom features)
- Timeline (patient vs. urgent)
Payment Options:
- Pay upfront and save 10%
- Finance over 6-12 months (no interest)
- Milestone-based payments
Monthly Investment (Ongoing)
What it covers:
- New pages and content development
- Local SEO and citation building
- Review generation and management
- Social media content creation
- Performance optimization
- Monthly reporting and strategy calls
Range: $375 - $2,500/month
Depends on:
- Pace of buildout (slow vs. fast)
- Services needed (SEO only vs. full marketing)
- Market competition (easy vs. challenging)
- Your goals (maintain vs. dominate)
Payment:
- Monthly invoicing with work summary details
- Payments due Net 15
Typical Investment over 12 Months:
Conservative Growth Approach
Setup: $2,500*
Monthly:
$500 × 12 = $6,000
Total Year 1 Total:
$8,500
Est. New Annual Profit: $30,000-$60,000
Balanced Growth Approach
Setup: $8,000*
Monthly:
$1,000 × 12 = $12,000
Total Year 1 Total:
$20,000
Est. New Annual Profit: $60,000-$120,000
Aggressive Growth Approach
Setup: $20,000*
Monthly:
$2,000 × 12 = $24,000
Total Year 1 Total:
$44,000
Est. New Annual Profit:$150,000-$300,000
* Remember that setup has multiple payment options including milestones in the case of web development as well as monthly installments.
After you've achieved your year 1 goals:
Monthly investment typically adjusts to maintenance mode:
TYpical Maintenance Mode Activities
Keeping content fresh with new content development.
Managing reviews and adding citations.
Keeping ahead of search algorithm changes.
Protecting your market position.
Continuing to manage hosting, updates, security & performance
Working with you to expand, grow, set new goals
Strategic Partnership, Not Vendor Relationship
1. We're Aligned With Your Success
Traditional Agency Model
- Bill by the hour
- More hours = more money for them
- Incentivized to drag things out
- You're paying for time, not results
Our Model
- Fixed monthly investment
- Faster results = happier clients = longer relationships
- We win when you win
- You're paying for outcomes, not hours
2. Right Sized Solutions
Traditional Agency Model
- "Everyone needs a 30-page website and full marketing"
- Over-sell services you don't need yet
- Big upfront costs
Our Model
- Start where it makes sense for YOUR budget
- Build progressively as results come in
- Scale up when you're ready
- No wasted spend
3. Transparent & Accountable
Traditional Agency Model
- Vague promises about "increasing visibility"
- Hard to measure actual ROI
- No clear accountability
Our Model
- Clear goals defined upfront
- Track what matters (leads, calls, revenue)
- Monthly reporting on actual results
- If we're not delivering, we adjust strategy
4. Local & Accessible
Traditional Agency Model
- Account rep in another state
- Email communication only
- Generic strategies
- Unclear plan & process
Our Model
- We're your neighbors (Windham, NH)
- Know your market and competition
- Face-to-face meetings when you want them
- Strategies built for Southern NH businesses
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know if this will work for MY business?
Q: What if I can't afford the recommended investment?
Q: Can I start small and increase later?
Q: Do you require long-term contracts?
Q: How long before I see results?
Q: What happens if you don't deliver results?
Q: Why should I choose you over [competitor/DIY/cheaper option]?
Ready to Discuss Your Growth Goals?
Let's start with a free discovery call. No sales pitch. No obligation. Just 30-45 minutes of understanding: what you're trying to accomplish, what's holding you back, whether we're the right fit
If we find a good match, we will set up a second meeting. In this meeting, we will show a custom solution. We will also provide transparent pricing and expected return on investment (ROI). If there's not a fit, we'll tell you honestly and point you in the right direction.
What To Expect
- Within 24 hours: Meeting confirmed + brief questionnaire sent (helps us prepare.
- Before Meeting 1: We review your online presence and competition
- During Meeting 1: We listen, ask questions, and understand your situation
- After Meeting 1: If there's a fit, schedule Meeting 2 for 3-5 days later
- Meeting 2: Custom solution presentation with pricing and ROI
- If you move forward: Kickoff within 1-2 weeks