About

My story. . .

When I was a kid I stuttered.  As a result I thought long and hard about everything I said.  It made me acutely aware of how you put words together.

In college I walked out of a class the first day knowing I had “come home.”  The class and later my major: Reasoning, Logic & Persuasion.  That’s what I do for clients — persuade — whether it’s online or offline.  I persuade.

Later I discovered a passion for another process: how companies grow.  I was amazed that my observations over coffee with customers were often more impactful than all the expensive computer gear I was selling them.  Humm, I thought, that’s weird.

Leaving IBM, an MBA, years in the trenches of small business marketing and more than 30 years as a small business marketing consultant. . .and here we are, you and I.

What we do for clients:

The simple answer is we do what the client needs done; from a couple hours of advice or a brainstorming session or a website assessment to creating and implementing a marketing campaign.  You and I can craft a relationship that both gets at the problem and doesn’t strain the budget.

I am a unique combination of direct marketer (my marketing asks people to take action — buy, call, email) and technician.  That is, I understand and work with the latest technologies, and I KNOW HOW TO SELL STUFF!

What makes us different:

We specialize in working with small business owners.  This means we think more broadly–more ideas, smaller tests.

When you hire us you get me.  My job isn’t to manage a consulting firm, it’s to grow your sales.

I’ll talk to your customers to inform our ideas.  How someone can ask you to accept their ideas about improving your marketing without doing this suggests they’re more interested in your money than your success.

Message trumps everything.  An updated brochure, website or mailer without an updated message that reflects what your customers are concerned about (today, not 18 months when you launched your new site!) are a waste of money.  It’s the message, stupid.  It really is!

We’re also big on implementation. Consistency and the capacity to assess and refine marketing efforts is tough in a small business.  We understand this and it’s one of the things we bring to every client relationship.

My story, told in a more traditional way. . .sort of. . .

Second generation Arizona native   /   Jock   /   BA, Reasoning, Logic & Persuasion, Drake University   /   IBM   /   Realized I don’t like big companies   /   MBA, Arizona State University   /   VP Sales & Marketing for two small companies   /   Tried to buy one, the board laughed at a 27-year-old with his checkbook in hand   /   Declared myself a marketing consultant, prayed someone would hire me / More than three decades of working with small companies / And now here we are, you and I.

The two things clients have said about me I am proudest of:

“Hiring Hamilton helped us finally project the feeling of what it is like to do business with us.”  That was Vance Boucher.  Watch the video.  It typically isn’t one major thing that makes you different or unique.  It’s a feeling or a sense people get from many things that gives them the comfort and confidence to go with you.  I hope we accomplish this for every client. It’s certainly the goal.

“Just hire Hamilton and do what he says. When things stop working, fire him. We hired him in 2000 and are still using him.”  That was Chris Jones and I’m fine with the fire-him-when-things-stop-working arrangement because I focus on results.  I charge money for what I do, but I do what I do for the challenge and satisfaction of creating results.   I’m not always right, but for the same dollars, there’s nobody better.  The great David Ogilvy once said AD MEN fall into two categories, killers and poets.  Killers see an ad as a means to an end.  Poets see an ad as an end.   He also said you need to be some of both to be successful.  I agree.

Am I a good fit for what you’re facing?  There’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?  Email me and we can very likely talk tomorrow.  Or call right now if now is regular business hours Mountain time: 480-948-0029