Why Contact Velocity Associates?  

" Nothing is impossible for the person who doesn't have to do it."
       "No one can sing his own praises--and stay on key."

                         --Velocity Associates credos

FAQ & Rates

Q.  We’ve got some pretty darn-talented guys who grew up with the development of the product.  How can an outsider like Velocity Associates possibly know more about it than we do?

A.  We can’t.  But product knowledge is only the second part of a sale.  What we do well is the first part--getting prospects interested at all. Many marketing problems are a case of not seeing the woods (prospects) for the trees (products). We are expert lumberjacks.

Realize, too, that you have to get the product built at a price at which you can make a profit; you have to have people who will sell the product in the quantities that will allow economical production rates; and you have to run the business . None of these additional issues require intimate knowledge of the product's genesis--but they all factor just as heavily into the success or failure of the business.

Q. You talk a lot about "positioning" a company on the web and in its sales literature.

A. Unfortunately, one of the biggest marketing problems we come across (again and again) is when the web content is home-grown. It invariably sends a message that is self-centered,  conflicted and stresses issues dear to management--but at the expense of issues important to prospects. Few in-house websites answer the question  "What is my Unique Selling Proposition"?  And "Why should anyone buy this?" At the same time, nearly all of them headline secondary issues. The result is a sales pitch that is always sub-optimal--sometimes cripplingly so.  But, if you correctly reposition, the same sales promotion dollars will result in a measurably better sales response.

Q.  But what's the difference between "positioning" a company's products, and a skilled copywriter describing them?

A. A copywriter is a painter.   He takes the construction you give him--no matter how rickety--and paints it in attractive colors. A person who positions is an architect--and a carpenter. He surveys your business and what you want to do, and then designs and builds a solid value proposition. Its structure is proven marketing logic, its walls are clever, effective ideas. Then, when we have a sound structure in place, we too get out the paint brush and write copy.

Q. We’re not illiterate.  Why can’t we do that ourselves?

A. Believe it or not, no one can sing his own praises and stay on key--not even Velocity Associates (and we’re really good at it). As creative as we are, even we had to get outside help--a lot of outside help---to create the structure and then the content for this, our own website. (Think how easy it is to critique some one else's résumé--and how difficult to write your own.)  Note, too, that many company owners are exceptionally proud of the website they created themselves. Any criticism is often distinctly unwelcome. In that case it is often best to A) analyze the faults of competitors' websites (to recognize common errors) and then to B) plan a "revised" company website with a fresh sheet of paper. "Fixing" exisiting websites is a mine field of turf, pride and ego that is usually impossible to surmount.

Q. Which companies will get the most out of a Velocity Associates engagement?

A.  The most likely companies are small-to-medium-sized technology companies, start-ups, and  B2B technology/industrial companies introducing a new product.  But any-size company, division or product line is a prospect, the sales of of which have gone flat with no up-turn in sight.  Can you show why a new plan must increase sales? If not, you need help. Even profitable engineering-oriented companies whose marketing has always been an after-thought can expect significant improvement in sales. (If engineers and financial experts were any good at writing copy, the advertising world would hire them in droves.)

Q.  OK, how do we get started?

A.  First we should discuss your business, to uncover the issues that are holding you back--and what you're doing (or not doing) about them. Secondly, we determine if you really are willing to change to get better results. (Too many companies want improvement, yes, but only as long as nothing is actually changed!)  Our first meeting is free (in-person in the greater Boston area, by telephone elsewhere). In that meeting we will explore your business issues and scope out what we feel must be done to correct course. Then it's up to you to follow our advice on your own--or engage us to flesh-out and help implement the changes by your side.  (You'll get a lot out of this meeting--enough to let you make your own course-correction, should you have the personnel with the right skills.) 

Contact us to request any of the following:

• General Business Support and Advice
• Product/Corporate repositioning strategy
• Marketing & Sales planning and execution
• Business plans for start-ups
• Federal Government guidance
• Strategies, tactics for acquiring venture capital funding
• Web site content analysis and repositioning
• Flat panel display--assessment and marketing to Asian manufacturers 
• High-level introductions to major Asian technology firms

Consulting Rates:

• Initial consultation, 45-min on the telephone (up to 2 hours in person in the Greater Boston area):  No charge. (This is where we can explore problems, what you want and what we can do for you.)
• Shortform website critique: $500-$1500 (for do-it-yourselfers, but see "Q. We're not illiterate." above.)
• Web content repositioning and copywriting. $1000-$10,000.
• Daily rate short term assignments (to 3 days): $1500/day plus travel & expenses.
• Website, new from the ground-up: Starts at $2500, typically $5000.
• Search Engine Optimization: Six months starting at $2500. 12 months starting at $3500.
• General Marketing Support Program :  $2500/mos., rendered as four hours per week.

Tom Holzel 
Velocity Associates 
3 Durham Street
Boston, MA 02115
USA
tmh@velocityassociates.net

617-293-1958
617-266-1662 (Alt)
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Boston THolzel@velocityassociates.net 
Boston ABernier@velocityassociates.net
Washington, DC JLang@velocityassociates.net
London WZwick@velocityassociates.net
Tokyo  TYoshida@velocityassociates.net