Start with Your Vision & Strategy, Get a Fresh Perspective
Big Things Start With Small Conversations
Does your marketing feel unclear, disconnected or stuck? Sometimes you just need an outside perspective.
- Book a 30-minute marketing strategy session with The Deciding Factor.
- Meet directly with senior strategists Karen Meyers Holzer (CEO) and Karen Vance (COO).
- Talk through business goals and current marketing efforts and identify opportunities.
The Deciding Factor is a full-service, integrated marketing agency with more than 20 years of experience. We help organizations clarify their message and strengthen decision-making by combining:
Marketing strategy and consulting
Website design and user experience
Content marketing, message development, SEO and AI optimization
Digital advertising and campaign execution
Marketing technology, automation and analytics
How do I know if my marketing strategy is actually working?
A successful marketing strategy should generate measurable business outcomes, not just website traffic or social media engagement. If you don’t have the infrastructure and integrations in place, your marketing can be impossible to measure.
If you’re unsure whether your marketing efforts are producing qualified leads, supporting sales or strengthening your brand, it’s time to evaluate your messaging, channels, technology and performance data together rather than individually.
Why does my marketing feel disconnected across different channels?
Many organizations build their marketing over time by adding new tactics, platforms and campaigns without an overall strategy. The result is often inconsistent messaging, duplicated efforts and customer experiences that don’t feel connected. A strategic marketing review can identify where those gaps exist and help create a more unified approach.
What should I ask during a marketing strategy consultation?
Some helpful questions include:
- Are we reaching the right audience?
- Is our messaging clear enough to differentiate us?
- Which marketing channels deserve more investment?
- Where are we wasting time or budget?
- How can AI improve our marketing without sacrificing authenticity?
- Are we measuring the right KPIs?
- How can manufacturers improve their marketing?
Manufacturing companies often need to explain technical products, long sales cycles and complex buying processes. Effective manufacturing marketing combines clear messaging, educational content, search optimization, strong websites and targeted digital campaigns that support engineers, purchasing teams, executives and other decision-makers throughout the buying journey.
Does AI replace a marketing strategy?
No. AI can make marketing more efficient, but it isn’t effective in determining your company’s unique positioning, understanding the nuances of your niche market and customers or aligning with your business goals. The most successful organizations use AI to support human expertise, streamline repetitive work and uncover insights but not expecting AI to replace strategic thinking.
How do I know if my company is behind on using AI in marketing?
If your team isn’t evaluating how AI affects search visibility, aren’t utilizing it in refining or evaluating your content creation, aren’t incorporating it into your customer research and aren’t implementing marketing automation workflows, there’s a good chance you’re missing opportunities. The question isn’t whether to use AI but how to use it in ways where it creates value without compromising quality or your brand voice.
Why is clear messaging so important for B2B companies?
Complex products and services require even clearer communication. When prospects immediately understand what you do, who you help and why you’re different, they’re more likely to engage with your business. Clear messaging also improves website performance, sales conversations, advertising and AI-generated search results.
What happens during a marketing strategy session?
A strategy session typically focuses on understanding your business goals, evaluating your current marketing efforts, identifying gaps and discussing opportunities for improvement. Rather than delivering a generic sales presentation, the goal is to leave with practical insights and actionable next steps.
How do I know if I need a marketing agency or just better processes?
Sometimes the issue isn’t a lack of marketing activity but a lack of alignment. If your website, content, advertising, CRM, analytics and sales efforts operate independently instead of supporting one another, improving your processes may create more value than simply adding new marketing tactics.
The Deciding Factor can work on your behalf for a project to define the strategy and set you up for success. Or, our team can serve as an extension of you marketing department, defining the strategy and delivering the execution.
How can I make my marketing more effective without increasing my budget?
Improving results doesn’t always require spending more. Organizations often see better performance by refining their messaging, improving conversion paths, focusing on the highest-performing channels, eliminating redundant work and using marketing technology more effectively.
What marketing technologies should manufacturers be using?
The right technology depends on your goals, but many manufacturing companies benefit from combining CRM platforms, marketing automation, analytics, SEO tools, AI-assisted workflows and reporting dashboards. The key is choosing systems that work together rather than creating disconnected data and processes.
How often should a company review its marketing strategy?
Most organizations should evaluate their overall marketing strategy at least once a year, with performance reviews conducted quarterly or monthly. Markets, customer behavior and technology evolve quickly, making regular strategic reviews essential for staying competitive.
What Our Clients Say
“We wanted to refresh our online presence to reach new potential customers, but we only had salespeople relying on spreadsheets and didn’t know much about marketing. We reached out to The Deciding Factor to develop a multi-channel marketing strategy, hoping to generate at least five new leads per month. In just a year our website has grown from less than 100 visitors a week to over 1,000 and we recently closed our largest single month for sales ever! We’re grateful for TDF’s hard work and friendship.”
— Trey DeHart, Owner, VP of Sales, Pro-Form Custom Packaging
“Pleasure to work with The Deciding Factor. Very knowledgeable and responsive. They were able to leverage lessons learned from other clients and use them to get our marketing team up and running quickly and help us quickly get processes in place. Highly recommend.”
— William Ryan Hunt, Director of Marketing, Keona Health
See Our Certifications and Partnerships
