Interview with Robert Murray, CEO & Co-Founder of Intrigue

Conduct a 'self-analysis' of your most profitable accounts to identify your ideal customer and market niche, allowing you to focus your marketing efforts where they yield the best returns.

Utilize free tools like GT Metrics to assess your website's performance (speed, security, code quality) and ensure a strong technical foundation, as slow sites deter visitors and search engines.

Employ competitive analysis tools such as Semrush or Moz to understand your 'authority score' relative to competitors; a low score indicates a need to build trust and presence online before expecting significant marketing results.

Shift your marketing message from being 'company-focused' to 'customer-focused,' addressing common problems and goals of your ideal clients rather than just listing your services and attributes.

Personalize your marketing efforts, especially for commercial clients. Simple, direct outreach like inviting potential clients to lunch can build rapport and lead to significant business opportunities.

Recognize that marketing is a long-term game; aim for a 3-5 year outlook to build a robust, predictable marketing engine rather than expecting immediate, short-term success, especially if starting from scratch.

Ensure your website's imagery and vocabulary accurately reflect and appeal to your 'A clients' (ideal customers), as outdated or misaligned content can undermine word-of-mouth referrals.