Most small business owners I talk to don't need another agency pitching them a $5k/mo retainer. They need someone who'll actually tell them what's working and what's a waste of money.
That's why I started Black Diamond Marketing Solutions. After 15+ years in digital and ecommerce marketing, I built an agency around one idea: tailor the strategy to the business, not the other way around. We handle SEO, paid ads, email, web design, social, and content , but the real focus is honest, data-backed decisions over cookie-cutter packages.
I also write about what's actually happening in marketing right now. Recent posts cover agentic AI for small businesses, why big-brand rebrands keep flopping, and a breakdown of the Astronomer/Coldplay PR crisis.
Currently working with businesses from solo founders to multi-location teams. Offering a free SEO audit if anyone here wants a second pair of eyes on their site.
Would love feedback from this community. What's the #1 marketing headache for your business right now?
The anti-retainer positioning is interesting because many small businesses are tired of agencies selling activities instead of outcomes.
The challenge is making “data-driven” tangible — what specific decisions or insights do clients get that they wouldn't get from another marketing provider?