The Brief Basics – Matthew Gherardi; Surge Marketing (Perth)

Summary

Matthew Gradi, the founder of Surge Marketing, shares insights on his consultancy's approach to helping small and medium-sized businesses. He discusses the importance of personalized, agile marketing strategies versus traditional agencies. Matthew emphasizes the significance of well-structured marketing briefs, highlighting their role in setting clear objectives, targeting the right audience, and ensuring alignment with business goals. He also provides valuable advice for students and new marketing graduates, stressing the importance of mentorship and asking for help to refine marketing strategies and briefs.

Takeaways

• 😀 Matthew Gradi is the founder of Surge Marketing, a consultancy focusing on strategic marketing in E-commerce for small to medium businesses, specializing in both B2C and B2B sectors.
• 😀 Surge Marketing has received national recognition, including the 2023 Marketing Excellence Award for Small Budget Marketing from the Australian Marketing Institute.
• 😀 The primary difference between a marketing consultant and an agency is the hands-on, personalized approach of the consultant, who works closely with the business and adapts quickly to changes.
• 😀 One challenge of being a marketing consultant is the lack of a retainer model, meaning income is project-based, leading to potential cash flow issues during slower seasons.
• 😀 Marketing briefs serve as a foundation for any program and are crucial for setting clear objectives, understanding the target audience, and defining deliverables.
• 😀 A well-structured marketing brief should include the business background, target market, objectives, strategies, timeline, deliverables, budget, and evaluation criteria.
• 😀 Surge Marketing follows a five-step model for working with marketing briefs: Discovery, Roadmapping, Development, Execution, and Evaluation.
• 😀 Proper evaluation and regular refinement of marketing strategies are essential, especially for small to medium businesses, due to the rapidly changing market environment.
• 😀 The most important elements of a marketing brief are a clear understanding of the target audience and the business objectives, ensuring alignment with overall business goals.
• 😀 For students learning about marketing briefs, Matthew emphasizes the importance of asking for help, seeking mentorship, and understanding the industry language and metrics.
• 😀 New marketing graduates should seek multiple mentors to gain insights from experienced professionals, as mentoring offers valuable guidance in navigating their careers.

Q & A

What is Surge Marketing and what does it do?

Surge Marketing is a strategic marketing consultancy based in Perth. It specializes in helping small to medium-sized businesses, both in B2B and D2C spaces. The consultancy provides tailored marketing solutions with a focus on one-to-one consulting, helping businesses grow and reach their marketing goals.

How does Surge Marketing differentiate itself from traditional marketing agencies?

Surge Marketing differentiates itself through its hands-on, agile approach. Unlike traditional agencies, Surge works closely with clients in a one-to-one consulting model, allowing them to adapt strategies quickly and tailor their services specifically to the client’s needs, without being constrained by agency structures.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of being a marketing consultant according to Matthew?

Benefits include gaining insights into various macro factors affecting businesses and the flexibility to work closely with clients. Drawbacks involve a lack of a retainer model, meaning consultants bill hourly, which can impact cash flow, especially during seasonal changes. The absence of high overhead costs is a benefit but also requires managing workload carefully.

Why is a proper marketing brief important?

A proper marketing brief provides the foundation for any marketing program. It acts as a guide, ensuring that all parties involved are aligned on objectives, target audience, strategy, and deliverables. A well-crafted brief also facilitates evaluation and refinement, making it essential for long-term program success.

How should a marketing brief be structured?

A marketing brief should include the business background, an overview of the market and audience, clear objectives, strategies, a detailed schedule, deliverables, budget, and metrics for evaluation. These elements ensure that the brief is comprehensive and actionable.

Can you explain the five-step model used at Surge Marketing when working with marketing briefs?

The five-step model at Surge Marketing includes: 1) Discovery phase, which assesses the business’s current situation, strengths, and weaknesses; 2) Roadmapping, which involves research and audience identification; 3) Developing goals, objectives, and strategies aligned with the business direction; 4) Executing the plan with a detailed schedule and budget; and 5) Evaluating the success of the program with regular check-ins to fine-tune strategies.

What is the most important aspect of a marketing brief?

The most important aspects are the target audience and the objectives. A deep understanding of the audience's persona and clear, measurable objectives are crucial. They ensure that the marketing efforts are relevant, focused, and aligned with the overall business strategy.

What advice does Matthew give to students learning about marketing briefs?

Matthew advises students to not be afraid to ask for help. He stresses that getting the brief right is crucial for the success of any program. Seeking guidance, whether from mentors or colleagues, is important to avoid mistakes that could misalign the business’s goals with marketing efforts.

What does Matthew wish he knew earlier about marketing briefs when starting out in the industry?

Matthew wishes he had a better understanding of the industry's language and the metrics used in marketing briefs. He believes that a clearer picture of these aspects would have helped him navigate the process more effectively, especially when working under pressure.

What is Matthew’s best advice for new marketing graduates?

Matthew’s best advice for new graduates is to find a mentor, or multiple mentors, who can guide them through their journey. He believes that learning from experienced professionals and gaining insights from those who have been in the industry is invaluable for career growth.