A Strategic Marketing System Built for Business Owners
We help small businesses put a clear, strategy-first marketing system in place so growth is predictable and manageable.
Using the Strategy First™ model, we define the strategy, install the system, and support your team so marketing is easier to run and easier to trust.
A focused conversation to assess your marketing and see if we're a fit.
Marketing is broken, press play and find out how to fix it!
Marketing is overwhelming.
Most business respond by doing more.
Buyers research, compare, and decide long before they talk to you. So teams add tools, publish more content, and try to stay visible.
Effort isn’t the issue. A system is. With the right system in place, marketing stops feeling scattered and starts feeling manageable.
Strategy First™ helps you use AI intentionally, focus your team, simplify decisions, and create a steady, repeatable approach to growth.
The Marketing Strategy Pyramid: This is where you start to create steady, sustainable growth.
“I had no idea how to make marketing work for my business. Duct Tape Marketing gave me clarity and control for the first time.”
Why Our Strategic Marketing System Delivers Results
Our results come from one simple shift: marketing alignment
Here’s what makes our approach different:
“Our web traffic improved significantly after implementing Duct Tape Marketing's Strategy First™ model. Every step, from planning to execution, was straightforward and effective.”
How the Strategic Marketing System Runs in Your Business
We Build Your Strategic Marketing Plan
It starts with Strategy First™.
We dive into the strategic research. Positioning, Ideal customers, message, competition, business strategy, priorities, calendars, and build a 12-month strategic marketing plan your team can follow without second-guessing.
Install Your Strategic Marketing System
Then we build the system.
We install the processes, tools, workflows, and structure that turn strategy into daily action, including AI-supported systems that help you simplify and scale.
Execution Without the Overwhelm
We support as your team runs it.
Our fCMOs can support you each month or we can execute it for you. Either way, your marketing becomes more consistent, more predictable, and far easier to manage. Leading to faster revenue growth.
“Our visibility skyrocketed almost immediately. We finally had a clear roadmap, and our business is booming.”
Who We Serve
Small Business Owners Looking to Grow or Scale their Business
You want a reliable marketing approach that you understand, not another pile of disconnected tasks and fancy marketing jargon.
We help you build a strategic marketing system by starting with Strategy First™. The system supports your business, focuses your team, and drives real growth. It is custom built for your business and you own it.
Professional Marketers: Consultants, Coaches, fCMOs and Independent Agencies
If you want to deliver strategy instead of tactics, you can license the Strategy First™ System through the Strategy First™ Marketing Certification and use it with your clients.
It’s everything you need to build a scalable, strategy-led marketing practice.
Choose your resource!
Business Owner
or
Marketer?
Order UNCHAINED Today
Stop Renting Your Marketing. Start Owning Your Growth.
Move from reactive marketing to a calm, confident plan. Discover the strategy-first approach built to empower small business owners.
Transform your marketing from scattered and stressful to clear, simple, and completely within your control.
- Escape the chaos: Build a simple, strategy-first marketing system you truly own.
- Take back control: Use the Anti-Agency Model and smart AI tools to make better decisions faster.
- Lead with purpose: Follow action-focused frameworks to grow a real business, not another exhausting job.
Business Owners
Agencies & Marketing Consultants:
Get the Fractional CMO+ Model ebook for just $4.99
Get the ultimate ebook to build a successful marketing business & learn our proven system.
Get instant access to the Fractional CMO eBook, jam-packed with:
- 50 pages of concentrated, no-fluff content featuring a proven system to generate over 6+ figures in annual recurring revenue
- Over 28 years of proven strategies to scale your agency and earn back your entrepreneurial freedom
- Actionable strategies to grow your practice.
Agencies & Marketing Consultants
1000s of Businesses and 400+ Professional Marketers Have Thrived Using Duct Tape Marketing's Strategy First™ approach
Comments from our business clients and certified advisor network.
“I got clarity and structure for my agency’s offers and was then able
to increase consulting leads by 30%.””
Alfonso Lavergne
Digital Chief
“This is probably the best program that you can find out there...”
Kristina Hathaway
Hathaway Marketing
“Our web traffic has improved significantly since we started using [Duct Tape Marketing] services.... Everything from initial consultation, ongoing consultation, and account management has been easy and straightforward.”
Cory and Janette Eckert
Alpine Ductless
“After joining...we've experienced triple-digit growth each year we've been in business.”
Ian Cantle
Outsourced Marketing
“The return on investment has been significant and immediate. Within just a month of joining, we’ve seen a rapid increase in sales.”
Tina Smith
Creative LLC
“I truly had NO idea what went into building a brand, a website, and marketing a business. From SEO to targeted ads, social media presence to blog posts, [Duct Tape Marketing] has helped me make a dent in a saturated market.”
Elizabeth Turner
Fox Point Dental
“Duct Tape Marketing...has helped me to grow my business by over 40% in the last 12 months.”
Michael Quinn
Michael Quinn Agency
“Our visibility skyrocketed almost immediately when we engaged Duct Tape Marketing to help with our online presence. We now have a clear picture and roadmap for the future and our business is booming.”
Jake Schloegel
President & CEO Schloegel Design Remodel
“If you're looking for a complete marketing system to serve your clients better and create a sustainable business that will also provide for you and your family, I strongly encourage you to reach out to John or Sara to learn more about how Duct Tape Marketing can help you succeed.”
Chris Davidson
ReadySetMIWI
“Everybody talks about ROI, and I've enjoyed a great experience with Duct Tape Marketing. Even before I participated in the Agency Certification Intensive, I had already landed my first customer. This, in essence, more than paid for my investment!”
David LaCombe
Imperatives Delivered
“I was looking for a marketing system template that could be applied to similar types of businesses over and over. Duct Tape Marketing...provided that needed system.”
Apoorv Dwivedi
Fixyr
“Without a doubt, it's been the greatest return on investment I've made in my business or personal life.”
Antonio Guerrero
Systematic Business Marketing
“Immediately after using Duct Tape Marketing’s tools, we were able to over-deliver on a client project. We pulled out a few of the presentations, assessments, and strategy first documents, and it helped us exceed client expectations. It’s not just a service; it’s a partner in delivering value to our clients.”
Robin Morgan
BGG Creative & BGG West
“I was able to define my value to the marketplace and shift from project work to monthly retainers. Now I have 20+ clients with a steady flow of new clients each year.”
Tom Shipley
Cole-Dalton Marketing Services
“The ROI has been extraordinary. We paid a fee to license the Duct Tape Marketing system, but we've already made two $60,000 deals in just two weeks. It's a much bigger value than the price we paid.”
Robert Talac
MD, PhD
“I finished training a week ago and am already talking to two prospective clients who are coming onboard””
Jacob Admundson
Marketing Magic
“There's absolutely no doubt that we're going to be able to really escalate both the revenue that we have and the revenue that we can help our clients create.””
Wendy Harrington
Beacon Creative Lab
“I've paid for expensive trainings in the past and regretted it instantly, this was not one of them. I could see how it would impact my business, I have all the tools I need and I have a well I can keep going back to.””
Lisa Perk
Perked Up Media
“I got clarity and structure for my agency’s offers and was then able
to increase consulting leads by 30%.””
Alfonso Lavergne
Digital Chief
“This is probably the best program that you can find out there...”
Kristina Hathaway
Hathaway Marketing
“Our web traffic has improved significantly since we started using [Duct Tape Marketing] services.... Everything from initial consultation, ongoing consultation, and account management has been easy and straightforward.”
Cory and Janette Eckert
Alpine Ductless
“After joining...we've experienced triple-digit growth each year we've been in business.”
Ian Cantle
Outsourced Marketing
“The return on investment has been significant and immediate. Within just a month of joining, we’ve seen a rapid increase in sales.”
Tina Smith
Creative LLC
“When I got access to all of the different tools that were part of the Strategy First engagement, that really solidified what I had been looking for.”
Ali Schwanke
Simple Strat
“I truly had NO idea what went into building a brand, a website, and marketing a business. From SEO to targeted ads, social media presence to blog posts, [Duct Tape Marketing] has helped me make a dent in a saturated market.”
Elizabeth Turner
Fox Point Dental
“Duct Tape Marketing...has helped me to grow my business by over 40% in the last 12 months.”
Michael Quinn
Michael Quinn Agency
“Our visibility skyrocketed almost immediately when we engaged Duct Tape Marketing to help with our online presence. We now have a clear picture and roadmap for the future and our business is booming.”
Jake Schloegel
President & CEO Schloegel Design Remodel
“If you're looking for a complete marketing system to serve your clients better and create a sustainable business that will also provide for you and your family, I strongly encourage you to reach out to John or Sara to learn more about how Duct Tape Marketing can help you succeed.”
Chris Davidson
ReadySetMIWI
"I was in the weeds with day to day implementation and not spending my time the way that I should. What I really was looking for was a partner who could give me a process. I finally landed on Duct Tape Marketing. I knew it was what I was looking for."
Dan Evans
Hydrate Marketing
“The Duct Tape Marketing methodology allowed us to let us define strategy instead of letting the client define it”
Megan Kacvinsky
Point to Point
“Without a doubt, it's been the greatest return on investment I've made in my business or personal life.”
Antonio Guerrero
Systematic Business Marketing
“Immediately after using Duct Tape Marketing’s tools, we were able to over-deliver on a client project. We pulled out a few of the presentations, assessments, and strategy first documents, and it helped us exceed client expectations. It’s not just a service; it’s a partner in delivering value to our clients.”
Robin Morgan
BGG Creative & BGG West
“I was able to define my value to the marketplace and shift from project work to monthly retainers. Now I have 20+ clients with a steady flow of new clients each year.”
Tom Shipley
Cole-Dalton Marketing Services
“The ROI has been extraordinary. We paid a fee to license the Duct Tape Marketing system, but we've already made two $60,000 deals in just two weeks. It's a much bigger value than the price we paid.”
Robert Talac
MD, PhD
Even before I participated in the Agency Certification Intensive, I had already landed my first customer. This, in essence, more than paid for my investment!”
David LaCombe
Imperatives Delivered
About Duct Tape Marketing
Duct Tape Marketing was founded over 30 years ago with a simple mission:
Help small businesses grow through strategic marketing.
True small businesses who've seen success with Strategy First™
Grow your business with a proven strategic marketing system.
Schedule your free Strategy First™ call with a Duct Tape Marketing expert.
Business Owners start here...
Frequently Asked Questions
A marketing strategy refers to a company's overall plan or approach to reach its target audience and achieve its marketing objectives. It involves identifying the target market, analyzing the competition, and determining the most effective marketing mix (i.e., the combination of products, pricing, promotion, and distribution) to reach and engage potential customers.
On the other hand, marketing tactics are the specific actions or efforts a company takes to implement its marketing strategy. These include advertising, social media campaigns, email marketing, events, and public relations efforts. Marketing tactics are typically more specific and focused on executing a particular aspect of the overall marketing strategy.
In summary, marketing strategy is the big-picture plan that guides marketing efforts. In contrast, marketing tactics are the specific actions to implement that plan.
The Duct Tape Marketing System is a repeatable framework and process that allows marketers to create wins more easily for clients by focusing on “Strategy Before Tactics” to create a winning plan and then quickly moving to retainer engagements with a set blueprint to guide the engagement.
The System has been successfully installed in 1000s of businesses worldwide and featured in many prestigious media outlets, including; The New York Times, CNN, The Huffington Post, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc. Magazine, and many more.
You can apply The Duct Tape Marketing System to help grow your business in 3 ways:
- Hire our marketing consultant to design a marketing strategy for you using the Duct Tape Marketing System.
- License the Duct Tape Marketing System to use in your agency.
Having a complete Marketing strategy is vital for any small business. A clear strategy enables you to plan how you will reach your target market, which can lead to increased revenue and profit. A proper marketing strategy will increase your scope of potential customers so that you are not just throwing money at different advertising tactics and hoping that something sticks. A marketing strategy for your small business allows you to be surgical and succinct in your approach leading to minimal waste and maximum profit.
Here are some tips on how to find a marketing consultant for your business:
1. Determine your needs and goals: Before beginning your search for a marketing consultant, take some time to figure out what you're looking for and what your goals are for your business. In what areas of your business do you need help? A clear vision of your goals will make the search process more focused and efficient.
2. Research online to see which consulting companies are the most reputable in your industry. Then contact them to see if they offer marketing consulting services.
3. You can also hire marketing consultants who work independently from larger companies and offer their services to businesses for a fraction of the price. Make sure to schedule an introductory meeting to learn more about their background and experience before hiring them.
4. When interviewing potential marketing consultants, ask them about their previous experience and expected results, and make sure they understand your business needs and goals.
The Duct Tape Marketing System has helped thousands of businesses and agencies grow worldwide for more than 30 years. It is a proven and reputable system, built on a solid foundation that focuses on strategy first and customer-centricity. The system does not offer fly-by-night strategies or tactic-hacking schemes but instead focuses on helping you get better results for your clients because if your clients are growing, you're growing, you're getting referrals and the growth cycle continues. Learn how to license the system for your agency.
The average retainer for agencies who have licensed the Duct Tape Marketing System is about $5,000/month. With that math just 2 clients could generate about $120,000/year and 4 clients could generate $240,000/ year. This is just an estimate, ultimately you have the final say on what you charge for your services.
First, you must attend a 2-day Strategy First™ Marketing Certification. During this training you will earn a certification to license the successful Strategy First™ System. We will train you and give you all of the tools you need to scale your business with ease. You will also join the Duct Tape Marketing Network. The Network provides continued support, training, and consists of over 150 marketing agencies and consultants.
The system is a repeatable framework and process that allows marketers to create wins more easily for clients by focusing on “Strategy Before Tactics” to create a winning plan and then quickly moving to retainer engagements with a set blueprint to guide the engagement. You can learn more here.
Duct Tape Marketing is founded on the simple belief that marketing is the most important small business system.