When looking for a web marketing provider, there is no shortage of choices.

This is partially due to the fact that, perhaps more than any other industry, there is little to no barrier to entry. Every metropolitan area seems to have hundreds of independent/freelance web designers, the talents and skills of which vary widely. Do they have actual experience and/or training, or did they just customize an off-the-shelf WordPress theme one day and declare themselves a designer for hire?

On the other extreme of the spectrum, there are medium-sized companies that offer web design and marketing services. Some of these firms have dozens of employees with high turnover. Some offer web services in addition to or as a portion of many other services, some completely unrelated to the web.

Where does Ascend fit into this picture? We’re somewhere in the middle, but in our minds, we’re in a spectrum all our own. Allow me to explain.

We’re not a freelancer working from home.

We mean no offense to independents and freelancers. I started off the exact same way. But there are definite differences between hiring a freelancer and hiring a company.

The most often stated benefit of hiring a freelancer is price. Most freelancers are less expensive than hiring an actual company. Why is this? Well, for starters they have no overhead as most work out of their home and have meetings at the nearest Starbucks. Another reason is that for many, it is a side job or somewhere between a hobby and a part-time job. As a result, many are happy with just about any amount they can make on a project, and thusly charge low prices.

The downsides of hiring a freelancer are often unrealized by those who hire them until it is too late. We hear some of these horror stories almost daily from new Clients. What happens when you need an urgent update performed, and your provider is on vacation or gets sick? What happens when they get bored with web design and move on, or they get a full-time job doing something else (this happens incredibly often–we gained multiple Clients in August alone that experienced this exact nightmare)? What happens when your business “outgrows” the limited capabilities of a one-man show?

In most cases, the eventual and probable downsides far outweigh the initial cost savings. As the old adage goes: “If you think it is expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”

We’re not a company with dozens of employees, most of which you’ll never even meet.

Again, no offense to those larger companies. But that just isn’t who we are or who we want to be. We are, by design, a small team of professionals that work together on every project. You can ask any one of us about any project, and we’ll be able to give you a complete overview and current status. We feel this allows us to not only complete projects that are ultimately better, but also complete them in less time.

Those larger firms have large payrolls, so they can’t be as selective when taking on new projects. They can’t have a defined niche. They’re forced to have a “jack of all trades, master of none” mindset. The same designer that creates your law firm’s website may have done work for a nightclub and flea market the day before. Is that really what you need?

Additionally, most of these companies perform many different services. Some are “creative” or branding agencies that perform myriad services, of which the web is just a portion–sometimes an afterthought. Others began as web providers, but have gradually added different services. In both scenarios, you’re dealing with companies that are constantly adding new services in search of new revenue streams, instead of focusing on being the best web provider they can be.

Again, that isn’t who we are. Over the years, we’ve carved out our own niche, excelling at working with service-based businesses. We focus only on web marketing. Nothing more, nothing less.

Who are we, then?

We’re proven web marketing professionals helping established service-based businesses become more successful.

We are proud of what this statement represents, and it guides us each day.

If price is your single greatest concern, regardless of the sacrifices that must be made, then you should hire a freelancer. We’re not for you. That’s not to say we’re expensive, but obviously we incur costs and overhead by maintaining a modern office and hiring the best employees. The best is never the cheapest.

If you want a large firm with dozens of employees, in which you’ll never really get to know or meet with the people actually working on your project, then we’re not for you. There are no cracks for you to slip through at Ascend. You’ll be on a name-to-name basis with all of us.

If you’re a service-based business that wants a long-term partner with a team that you can get to know and work with for years to come, then we’d be honored to work with you.

Call now for a complimentary consultation, and experience the Ascend difference for yourself: (205) 203-9101.

 

Until next time, Keep Ascending.

-Zach