Home / Alternative to a Marketing Agency for Independent Shops
For independent shops
An alternative to a small business marketing agency, for shops that just want it done.
Agencies can be great, and they can also be expensive, slow and full of jargon. If you run an independent shop and want the essentials handled for a flat monthly price, this is built for you.
See how it works in about a minute and a half. Sound on.
What you get
- A flat monthly price: System $279, System+ $697 with $200/mo in ad spend, System++ $947 with $400/mo.
- Texting included in every plan.
- Past-customer follow-up, quote follow-up, review asks, your Google profile, your website and calls answered.
- A short online setup and real support from a person.
- A plain monthly report.
What's different
- No long contract. Billed monthly.
- You own your site, your list and your data.
- We don't promise leads, calls, jobs or rankings.
Who it isn't for
- Companies that need a large brand campaign, a dedicated strategist or many locations may want a full agency.
Also included
People sent to your site
A page for each service and the towns you work, plus your Google profile kept current.
Calls answered
Day or night, with the details emailed to you.
Reviews
Asked for after every job. Replies drafted for your OK.
Monthly report
A short email with a private link.
Three plans
- System · $279/mo. Website, Google profile, reviews, calls answered, every lead followed up and past customers brought back.
- System+ · $697/mo. Everything in System, plus ads run for you. $200/mo in ad spend included.
- System++ · $947/mo. $400/mo in ad spend included.
Billed monthly, or prepay yearly at signup. No setup fees. We're a newer platform, so the first 500 shops lock in founding pricing for life. Live within 1 to 3 days of paying. Postcards are an add-on. Compare plans
What a small business marketing agency does, and what most shops need
A marketing agency for small business usually sells a mix of strategy, design, ads, social posts, SEO and reporting, often with an account manager and regular calls. That can be the right fit for a growing brand. For an independent shop, though, the customers mostly come from a short list of places, and the work is the same every week:
- Being found. A complete Google Business Profile and a website with a page for each service and the towns you serve.
- Being trusted. Fresh reviews from real customers, with replies.
- Being reachable. Every call answered, even when you are with a customer, and every web form answered the same day.
- Following up. Every quote checked on until the customer decides, and past customers reminded when it is time again.
- Extra reach when you want it. Meta ads or targeted postcards in the towns you serve.
That list is what we run for you on one flat plan, without the retainer, the meetings or the jargon.
Is hiring a marketing agency worth it for a small business?
It depends on what you need done. A few honest signs either way:
An agency may fit better if
- You need a brand campaign, a new name or a full rebrand.
- You run many locations and need a dedicated strategist.
- You want a large content program, video production or national campaigns.
A done for you service fits better if
- You mostly want more calls from people nearby and more past customers coming back.
- You do not have time for monthly strategy calls or long reports.
- You want one flat price with no long contract.
- Your biggest leak is missed calls and quotes nobody followed up on.
What a marketing agency costs, and what to ask
Agency pricing is hard to compare because the total is spread across several lines. When you get a quote, add up all of them:
- Monthly retainer or management fee. The main charge for the agency's time.
- Setup or onboarding fees. Sometimes a one time charge before work starts.
- Website build. Often quoted separately from the monthly work.
- Ad spend. Usually billed on top of management, straight from the ad platform.
- Contract length. Many agencies ask for 6 or 12 months.
Ask for the full monthly number in writing, including ads, and ask who answers the calls the marketing brings in. With us, the number is the price on the page: System $279/mo, System+ $697/mo with $200/mo in ad spend included, System++ $947/mo with $400/mo in ad spend included. No setup fees. Cancel anytime.
Agency, freelancer, doing it yourself, or BuiltForShops
| Option | Price and contract | What is included | What is still on your plate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full service agency | Monthly retainer, often a setup fee, ad spend on top, often a 6 or 12 month contract | Strategy, campaigns, design and reports | Answering calls and following up on the leads |
| Freelancer | Varies by person and project | Usually one skill, like a website, ads or social posts | Managing the pieces and filling the gaps |
| Do it yourself | Your time | Whatever you have time for after work | All of it |
| BuiltForShops | $279/mo flat, billed monthly, no setup fees | Website, Google profile, reviews, calls answered, quote and past customer follow-up, texting and a monthly report | Calling people back and doing the work |
How to choose the best marketing agency for a small business
Whoever you pick, including us, these questions sort the good from the risky:
- Do I own my website, my domain and my customer list? You should, and you should be able to take them with you.
- What is the total monthly cost, including ads? Get it in writing.
- How long is the contract, and what happens if I cancel?
- Who answers the phone when the marketing works? Leads that go to voicemail are wasted spend.
- What will I see each month? A short, plain report beats a long one nobody reads.
- Are they promising rankings, leads or jobs? Nobody can promise those honestly. We don't.
Want the details on search? See our affordable SEO alternative, Google Business Profile management and Facebook ads for small business.
Marketing agency questions, straight answers
Is it worth it to hire a marketing agency?
It can be, if you need what agencies are good at: brand campaigns, a dedicated strategist, many locations or a big content program. For most small shops, the work that brings in customers is simpler: a good website, a complete Google profile, reviews, calls answered and every quote followed up. If that is what you need, a flat monthly service usually costs less and gets done without meetings.
What is the average cost of a marketing agency?
There is no single average, because agencies price very differently. Most charge a monthly retainer, some add setup or website build fees, and ad spend is usually billed on top. Many ask for a 6 or 12 month contract. Ask any agency for the total monthly cost in writing, including setup, ads and contract length. Our plans are flat: $279/mo, $697/mo with $200/mo ad spend, or $947/mo with $400/mo ad spend, with no setup fees.
Which marketing is best for small businesses?
The marketing that works best for most small businesses is the kind that catches people already looking and brings past customers back: a complete Google Business Profile, steady reviews, a clear website with a page for each service, fast answers on every call and form, and reminders to past customers. Ads and postcards add reach once those basics are in place.
What's the cheapest way to advertise?
The cheapest ways cost time more than money: keeping your Google Business Profile complete and active, asking every happy customer for a review, and reminding past customers when it is time again. Your own customers and your Google profile carry no per lead cost. The catch is that they take steady work every week, which is the part we do for you.
Is there an affordable marketing agency for small business?
Some agencies have smaller packages, so compare what is included, not just the price. If you mostly want the essentials handled, a done for you service like ours is built for that: System is $279/mo with your website, Google profile, call answering, follow-up, review asks and a monthly report, month to month.
Do I have to sign a contract?
No. Every plan is billed monthly, or you can prepay yearly at signup. No setup fees, and you can cancel anytime. You own your site, your customer list and your data.
Is this a replacement for my agency?
It can be, if what you need is the essentials. Some shops keep an agency for brand work and use this for follow-up.
Are postcards included?
No. Premium targeted postcards and the $99/mo ordering add-on, which sends phone and online orders straight into your Clover or Square, are the only add-ons, billed separately.
Is texting extra?
No. Texting is included in every plan. Carrier registration takes a week minimum, so texting turns on as soon as the carriers approve it, about 1 to 2 weeks after signup. Premium targeted postcards and the $99/mo ordering add-on, which sends phone and online orders straight into your Clover or Square, are the only add-ons, billed separately. We text only customers who opted in.
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