Cut Throat Marketing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Bolder Engraving, an engraving services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

We needed help with web design and social media marketing. We wanted our site to be more visually appealing and easy to navigate.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially brought Cut Throat Marketing to redesign our website. They also built a gallery contact form for our site from scratch. Currently, their team manages our social media marketing efforts across Facebook, Instagram, and Google. They create video posts and contact and interact with customers for us. They manage our SEO as well.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 people from their side. We also have one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

Someone we know recommended Cut Throat Marketing to us. We decided to work with them based on their previous work and positive feedback from other businesses that have used their services.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $6,000–$10,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and our engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We can’t say enough good things about Cut Throat Marketing. They’re very creative with their work and go above and beyond to meet our needs. Overall, we’re very pleased with our collaboration.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They always meet our deadlines and are quick to respond to any requests or questions we have. For communication, we use phone calls, sms, and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their customer service is great, and they really care about their clients and want to see them succeed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing that Cut Throat Marketing needs to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with What Cut Throat Marketing; what they offer is far above what other providers offer at a great value.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Karen's Kitchen & Catering. I have three employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

We needed help with marketing and web development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cut Throat Marketing has designed and developed our website from scratch. They do social media marketing on Facebook, create content, and send our customers’ requests for quotes to our e-mail. Sometimes they come to our events and take pictures. Currently, they keep the website up and provide hosting services.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people, including a marketing assistant and a photographer. Additionally, we can reach out to Cynthia (Owner & Operator) and Tayla (COO).

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

I was looking for someone to build my website. I was part of a group that used their services, and they recommended Cynthia. Then, I questioned some of their customers and got great feedback. I witnessed how other people’s businesses grew after using Cut Throat Marketing, so I gave them a chance.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their work is amazing, and it has made our business grow. Thanks to the marketing efforts and website, we have more customers, which means more money.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

We can ask them to do other tasks, and they’re nice enough to do them. We meet in person every month to review the service and what they can do to enhance it to ensure we’re happy.

We communicate via emails, texts, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve given us everything they’ve promised and more. When we call them, they answer our questions and try to help us the best way they can. They’re there for us when we need them, which takes a load off us. They’re just amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything right now. We’re pleased with their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If anyone is looking for a great marketing team or website designer, Cut Throat Marketing is the right one. Just tell them what you want and expect from them and communicate.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Earth Safe Finishes, a paint manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

We needed a website that would allow us to showcase our products and differentiate ourselves from other paint companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cut Throat Marketing built our website from scratch using WordPress. Initially, they took a look at our old website at the time, and we discussed what our requirements were for the new website. From there, they proceeded with the work, leading both the development and design of the website. They helped me set up various features, including a wholesale portal to manage customer orders.

Moreover, Cut Throat Marketing took shots of our product in every color and incorporated them into different photographs that were published on the website. They also provided hosting and maintenance services. At one point, they helped us resolve a couple of hacking incidents on our site.

What is the team composition?

We work with several people from their team, including Cynthia (Owner) and Tayla (Office Manager).

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

They were recommended to us by another company based within our area.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $5,000 for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from October–November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

After we launched our new website, we started receiving positive feedback from our customers — they said it looked terrific, fantastic, and very user-friendly.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job in meeting deadlines, communicating regularly with us, and staying on budget. We used email, Slack, and Zoom as our communication tools.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were very impressed with their customer service and ability to follow through.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

I can’t think of anything. They were a great company to work with, and they really cared about our business. Overall, we were extremely happy with their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to clearly explain what you need from them. Once you do that, they’ll absolutely give you what you’re asking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of Lazy Waves.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

I needed a company that could provide us with web design and digital marketing support.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I initially hired Cut Throat Marketing to design a website that reflected the vision of my business. They’ve redesigned the site twice now, and they’ve since started hosting it and handling my SEO efforts. Aside from that, they’re responsible for creating my ads and helping out with my online bookings. They also manage my Facebook and Instagram accounts and marketing efforts.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with several marketing managers, an office manager, and a social media manager from Cut Throat Marketing.

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

I found Cut Throat Marketing through online research.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I don’t have specific numbers, but I know that my business has grown many times over since I started working with Cut Throat Marketing.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Cut Throat Marketing has performed well in terms of project management. They communicate effectively, so I always know what’s going on. They’re also extraordinarily easy to get along with. They’re incredibly receptive to my ideas and feedback and highly accommodating of requests and changes.

We typically communicate through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with how Cut Throat Marketing is always eager to try and help me with my problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I'm superbly happy with them and their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a commercial janitorial service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

I had issues with my website services provider, so I was looking for a partner who could take over my digital efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Cut Throat Marketing took over my website to help me improve its Google positioning. Since then, they’ve provided me with a lot of marketing services, such as SEO and PPC campaign management. They’ve also helped me with my commercials and provided me with web design services.

Additionally, Cut Throat Marketing creates the content for our Google Ads campaigns, and we collaboratively create content for Facebook. I create most of the content for my website, but they tweak it as needed.

As part of their services, Cut Throat Marketing also offers photography and videography for an extra charge. Sometimes, they take photos of our team while cleaning for our clients to generate content.

What is the team composition?

Tayla (Office Manager) is my main point of contact from Cut Throat Marketing, and she helps us with marketing. Additionally, Cynthia (CEO) is directly in charge of my website and SEO.

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

I met Cut Throat Marketing through a business partner who also uses them. At the time, I was struggling because I had gone through four different web designers, and I wasn’t getting results. Given that Cut Throat Marketing came highly recommended, I gave them a shot.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $5,000–$10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around February 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Business success doesn’t happen overnight, but I’ve stuck with Cut Throat Marketing, and I’m now seeing great results. They’re doing a great job, and I’m getting calls non-stop.

On estimate, we’re receiving double or triple the calls and emails than we were receiving before engaging with them. Additionally, our Google and Facebook traffic has increased tenfold, and the comments and shares of our content have also increased significantly.  I was so pleased to see those numbers that, last week, I texted them and told them to keep doing what they were doing.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Cut Throat Marketing performs very well. I really like that they constantly follow up on me, and Cynthia is very responsive. A lot of times, I call her early in the morning or late in the evening, and she answers and provides me with what I need.

Regarding the budget, I’ve paid the same fee for over a year. When something costs extra, it is because I request an additional project or service; Cut Throat Marketing never reaches out to announce increases in their fee.

As for communication, we’re in constant contact with Cut Throat Marketing for different reasons. Tayla schedules the posting calendar 45 days ahead and shares it with us for us to approve. Usually, we communicate via phone calls and email, and we have Zoom meetings a couple of times per year to regroup. For instance, if they hire someone new, we have a meet-and-greet meeting to get to know the new person and get them familiar with our business. Overall, our communication is wonderful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cut Throat Marketing is very down-to-earth and personable. Cynthia relates to the small business owner and understands small businesses very well. I always feel that she cares, and she takes the time to understand my business. Their whole team strives to make my business the best it can be.

Furthermore, Cut Throat Marketing goes above and beyond to provide us with more than what we pay for. They do a lot of small tasks without extra charges, even if those tasks are outside of their scope. For example, Cynthia took the time to come to my office last week to help me fix an issue with my phone and computer that I was having trouble figuring out myself.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very happy with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend working with Cut Throat Marketing. Ask them a lot of questions because they’re very upfront and transparent. If you don’t know something, it might be your fault to stay like that because they’ll always answer. Additionally, working together requires a learning process, so get to know each other, let them figure out what works best for your business, and always make sure that you’re on the same page.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

My biggest challenge was my digital marketing presence because I didn’t know how to have an effective one. Despite that, I knew that in order to grow within my industry, I needed to have a strong online presence. As a result, I hired Cut Throat Marketing to help me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a very outdated website that crashed a lot and it didn’t communicate well with our chamber management software. As a result, Cut Throat Marketing started by building a completely new website that interacted well with the software. 

Subsequently, the team handled our social media marketing efforts. Six years ago it was just a mess because we didn’t have a cohesive plan. We also didn’t understand engagement and insights and all of the things that we needed to pay attention to in order to create good social media posts. Cut Throat Marketing focused on educating us about social media, and as our partnership progressed, they provided a social media coordinator who could handle everything. They helped us build a solid Google My Business page, too. 

They continue to support our social media marketing efforts, specifically on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. We also work on a content calendar on a monthly and annual planning basis. In the near future, we’re also discussing how to successfully set up a TikTok account. Furthermore, they manage our SEO services, strategically plan all of our digital content, and set up all of our IT needs.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with Cynthia (Founder & CEO), Geoffrey (COO), and Tayla (Office Manager). Cynthia helps us with business and strategic planning, and Geoffrey is in charge of the technical issues. Then, Tayla is in charge of invoices and billing.

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

I met Cynthia when she was working for someone else, and her reputation was really good. She also became a partner in my chamber, and she did a small business loan to start Cut Throat Marketing. As a result, I wanted to be one of the first people to work with her when she started her company. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $10,000–$20,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in March 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

My biggest metric is the number of partners that I have who are investing in my chamber. Since I’ve worked with Cut Throat Marketing, we’ve been growing exponentially — from 11 partners a year to 70 partners in 2019 and 88 partners in 2020. The visibility that they’ve given us has helped people to see what we’re doing and convinces them to join our chamber.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Cut Throat Marketing has a team of excellent communicators who are incredibly accessible. On top of that, they’re organized, and they’re good at working with people. They keep us on schedule, too. We typically communicate through text messages, but we also communicate using email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cynthia has a lot of interesting ideas, and she’s very confident. Additionally, her ability to think out of the box sets her apart from a lot of the people that offer what she does in our town. She’s also very involved in civic organizations and philanthropic groups, so she’s using her skills to give back to the community.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints about them, other than Cynthia probably needs to say no to people. Sometimes, I think she has a lot on her plate, which means that we’re not getting 100% of her time. However, I  can’t think of anything that I’d change about her company.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open-minded and be willing to take some risks and chances because when you do — the rewards are huge.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a retail store called Splurge in South Carolina.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

We have a brand new concept, and we need Cut Throat Marketing to get the word out about us, be it on Google, social media, or anything else.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cut Throat Marketing provides digital marketing services for me, including SEO. I pay them monthly to do everything they need. We’ve collaborated closely around keyword research, but they’ve taken off with it after having a fundamental understanding of my product and how to use it. This makes it easier for them to search keywords without my assistance. I’ve also paid for word-burst analysis to ensure we’re targeting all the right keywords as they change and develop. 

For social media campaigns, we mainly use Facebook and Google Ads. We’ve asked our clients what apps they’re on, and we’ve found out that we need to emphasize those two platforms. Meanwhile, our younger client base is on Snapchat, and we also use TikTok to provide little snippets of information that we link to our website. Cut Throat Marketing ultimately takes charge of all of these efforts. 

What is the team composition?

I mainly work with Cynthia (CEO) and Geoffrey (COO), but I’ve also collaborated with Tayla (Office Manager) and Britton (Web Developer). They have plenty of other teammates that I haven’t dealt with personally. 

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

Cynthia and I sponsored an event in our neighborhood, and I realized that we were uniquely different but similar at the same time. After that, we had a conversation about my needs. I liked that she was very honest, informative, and friendly. She had everything that I could ask for in a marketing partner. As a result, I instantaneously knew that she was the perfect fit for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $10,000–$20,000 over the course of the years. We’ve started slow, but we’re currently working on investing more and ramping up. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Cynthia and her team have taken us from a tiny 1,200-square-foot store to a 6,000-square-foot one in just two and a half years. We’re still working together, and I won’t give them up for a million years. Overall, the Cut Throat Marketing team is hands down the biggest reason — and probably the only reason — I’m as big as I am right now. I’ve also recommended them to everybody, and they’ve all seen success with Cut Throat Marketing.

Moreover, I’ve received positive responses from my Facebook campaign, which I didn’t have when I was doing things on my own. On top of that, I now have an online store, which has started taking off. These things show that when Cynthia and her team make a change, we see an uptick in our growth and sales. 

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of project management, they perform phenomenally. We typically communicate over the phone and through in-person meetings. If I have any issues, feedback, or ideas, they instantly respond to me. They’re also honest; if I have a bad idea, they tell me it’s a bad idea. If I suggest something that we can play with, they tell me that we can chew on it, brainstorm ideas, and talk it through. Overall, their responsiveness alone gives me faith in their ability to help me. 

In fact, I trust them so implicitly that they’re also involved in my plan to set up another small business; they’re going to help me grow that venture, too. In other words, I won’t utilize them in multiple businesses if I don’t trust their ability to do what they need to do. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their wealth of knowledge is impressive. It doesn’t matter what subject I talk about. If they’re not familiar with it, they’ll become subject matter experts within hours or a week. This way, they work better with their client base. They simply overcome any challenge that anyone puts in front of them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We previously had hiccups and growing pains, but that was how we became better. For instance, when we were growing my online store, we quickly learned that I had too many products. Instead of sticking with that, we went with a better idea. That situation helped us figure out what we truly needed, so it was another value-add in their services. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have known what our problems were.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Cut Throat Marketing is absolutely amazing, so get ready to make a lot of money. Be prepared to be successful. Once you dive in with Cynthia and her team, you’re on your way up.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive assistant at a flower petal and ash jewelry store. We also make wedding bouquets and funeral flowers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

Initially, we needed help with marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired them for marketing. The team helped us build our new Shopify website. They help us with everything we needed with the site, as far as little tweaks. They also help us placing ads for Facebook. Additionally, they work on our blog. About a week ago, we started talking about improving our SEO.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–4 people from their team.

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

They were voted the best marketing company in Columbia, South Carolina. Our owner decided to reach out to them after seeing how highly ranked they were.

How much have you invested with them?

We average $900 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2020, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve been in business for 26 years and we hadn’t gone up in sales for the past two years before Cut Throat came on. In fact, we were down $100,000 last year. This year, we were only down by $8,000. Their help makes a big difference.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

We meet with them once a month to talk to them about where things are and what we’re doing next. They do a spreadsheet that shares all of their activity. We prefer to communicate face to face. They also send an analysis once a month through their office manager.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like Cynthia (Founder & CEO) because she’s direct and honest. If she thinks something isn’t a good idea, she’s straight forward about it in a nice way.

When the team talks to us about what they’re doing, it’s in language we can understand. In the past, other vendors have talked in terms that were above our heads and we had no idea what was going on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done anything we’ve asked them to do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We keep them accountable with check-ins. A lot of other marketing companies just send reports, which makes us wonder if they’re even doing anything. It pays to have them show what they’ve been doing in regular meetings.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of Carolina Comfort Inc. We work in the heating and air conditioning industry and have been doing so for almost 30 years now.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

We were trying to find someone that’d help us with our online presence in terms of SEO and SEM. We wanted to improve our general Google and browser searching performance. Additionally, they’d handle our website hosting and updates.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cut Throat Marketing rebuilt our website from the bottom up. They’re now doing SEO, SEM, and PPC. Their team has also written blog content and things of that nature.

What is the team composition?

When we started, we worked with three people, now we work with 6–7 individuals. My main points of contact are Cynthia (CEO) and Geoffrey (COO).

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

I found them while searching for marketing companies. We later found out that they’re located 15 minutes away from us. We wanted someone local so we could have face-to-face contact.

When we found them, we were intrigued by their name and looked around their website. I liked what they had to say and what their approach was to the marketing world. I reached out to them and everything took off from there.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested close to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in February 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

After they rebuilt our website and took full control of our blog, we now receive 6,000–7,000 unique views in a month. For context, in the past, we’d get 500–600 unique views during our busiest months of June and July. We’ve seen exponential growth over the length of our engagement with them. Our cost per lead is currently somewhere between $60-$70; it used to be between $150–$200.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve always met deadlines. Usually, if they’re waiting on something it’s probably because of me. Their team is always on top of their work and do a good job on everything. If there are any issues, they come back with a revised version very quickly.

Cut Throat Marketing created a customer dashboard that allows me to see what they’re working on and anticipated completion dates. We communicate through emails, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m very impressed with the way they conduct themselves and the type of speech they use. It doesn’t feel as if I’m talking to someone who has a cookie-cutter model. It feels that I’m talking to some who genuinely understands our area. Cut Throat Marketing has a good understanding of the method of approach that works for our city. They’re very real and candid, and that’s how I like to speak.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re still a young company. Their team should continue to grow. As they grow, they should expand on what they do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to them. They know what they’re talking about and are great at what they do. Be open to their suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of Kay Plumbing Services. We’re a residential and commercial plumbing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cut Throat Marketing?

We were working on growing our business and growing a larger presence in the local community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cut Throat Marketing has utilized a couple of different dashboards and has done a lot of work in Google with SEO. They manage our social media presence and have gotten us on Birdeye and Monday.

Their team also gets us involved in various things with our local community. These efforts help increase our presence. They also manage all of our Google reviews and take care of our website so our customers can give us direct contact.

What is the team composition?

We work with everyone on their staff including Cynthia (CEO), Geoffrey (SEO Strategist & Project Manager), the office manager, social media managers, and so on.

How did you come to work with Cut Throat Marketing?

She was familiar with a previous office manager within our company who introduced her to our owner. They ultimately determined that they were prepared to work together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $97,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve seen growth and an increase in our business. We were at just under half a million dollars when we started working with Cut Throat Marketing. Last year we did $1.7 million and this year, we’re on par to do $1.5 million; like everybody, we’ve suffered some with COVID-19.

They’re fantastic people to work with. They make my job super easy. Their team communicates what they need and how we can best provide it. If I have questions or issues, all I have to do is simply email, text, or call. They’re very professional and efficient. Their team does exactly what I ask them to do in exactly how I ask them.

How did Cut Throat Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is excellent. We get a weekly summary of all of our reviews and a monthly summary of web traffic and interfacing. We have no complaints about their services.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their overall efficiency and willingness to get down in the trenches and help us figure out what we need to do to best serve our company and customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m perfectly happy with everything they do for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be willing to be transparent. They can’t help you if you aren’t being open and honest with them.