Marketing and Strategy

Consulting

Engagement for Asset Vue

Let’s talk about me (ever so briefly because this is really about you).

I specialize in helping small or growth-stage businesses like Asset View execute strategic, creative marketing plans that generate real results—without creating systems that are too complex or expensive to maintain.

I have 25+ years’ experience working for companies that sell complex services/products to clarify their messaging, build memorable brands, and improve the customer experience.

For most clients, I design the strategy and roll up my sleeves and do the work, too. I am an experienced organizational leader, designer, and content creator which means we can move fast on ideas. If a task falls outside my expertise, we’ll find the right person to help out.

Last, I work for myself and take pride in my craft. Delivering great work for clients is a deeply personal, mission-critical brand promise.

Recent Design & Marketing Clients:
Garrett & Moore, Durham Cycles, Morehouse School of Medicine, Ignite Coaching. Lauren Kessler (Award-winning Author Branding & Website)

Past Work/Clients, Refer to LinkedIn for Details:
VP-Marketing, Care Wisconsin, VP-Marketing, Kiio, Director Marketing, Sitka Salmon, Chief Marketing Officer, healthfinch, Director of Marketing, PC/Nametag, Department of Homeland Security (via UW-Madison), FluGen, NeoClone, Wellbe, and more.

  • Successful marketing programs are innovative, aspirational, and are also rooted in reality—they account for organizational capacity, team buy-in, and the customer experience. I see marketing as an integrated business function, not something “bolted” on top of sales targets. Marketing and brand programs are the promises to customers that must be supported throughout the business.

  • When I work with a client, I approach projects as if I’m staff or a stakeholder. I’m not launching plans to build my business; I’m here to help you build yours!

    My process and communication style on projects are iterative and informal. We’ll forgo bureaucratic processes to be efficient with both time and budget. When better information comes to light or a better idea pops up, we’ll adapt and act quickly.

    I try to steer clear of jargon and buzzwords. Let’s speak plainly and get work done.

  • I encourage clients to push creative limits. I’ve found that creativity is one of the most powerful and distinctive differentiators, especially for organizations competing in crowded sectors or with limited budgets. I am a good fit for clients who have the desire to stand out and make big, bold brand moves.

Click on the orange to connect on LinkedIn to read some recommendations. Or jump here for some highlights.

Now let’s talk about you (then, us).

In our initial meeting, we discussed some of Asset Vue’s current challenges and needs. At a high level and in no particular order, you need to:

  • Generate more high-quality leads to build sales pipeline

  • Be more discoverable (e.g. search results)

  • Optimize website and online content to make products and business sectors easily understood

  • Stand out in a crowded sector, assert value proposition, and differentiators

  • Communicate the Asset Vue brand promise and “personality” more effectively

  • Appeal to a variety of buyer profiles, including operators/owners/directors of: data center, manufacturing/warehousing, and small businesses

I understand that over the years you have worked with independent marketing consultants and firms on marketing programs with only limited success. I also understand that you are a small but nimble staff so solutions must be workable for staff (with some consulting assistance).

What can we do together? Where should we start?

The good news is that I believe there are solutions to your challenges and I’m confident I can help. To do so, in keeping with my consulting philosophy/approach, I suggest we begin with an initial, small-scope engagement that allows me to better understand your business and tailor solutions to you.

No cookie-cutter recommendations here.

Initial Engagement: Phase 1
$150/hour, with the evaluation phase expected to take 15–20 hours

During this phase, I will:

  • Review your website, brand, and current materials

  • Perform competitive research and analysis (SEO, competitor brand identities, etc.)

  • Understand your client journey and key sales messages

  • Have informal conversations with various stakeholders (usually owner/operator, sales, customer support or IT, 1-2 clients)

  • Determine what’s working, what’s not, and where your best opportunities lie

This evaluation forms the foundation for a tailored marketing program/expert recommendations so we can better focus your marketing efforts, in both time and money.

If you want to move forward with my work after phase 1, we can discuss a project fee, a part-time retainer, or a handoff to internal staff or another agency. You will have a document of my findings/high-level analysis at the end of the initial engagement.

  • Tyler Marklein, Vice President of Operations at Leapros

    Karen is an excellent strategic marketer and creative brand builder. I worked with her in the healthcare technology industry, where she was a pioneer in creating a unique, whimsical brand identity before it was the "cool" thing to do. I personally witnessed her collaborative and thoughtful approach turn a vague idea into something that truly captured the attention of our market.

    In addition to building the brand, she was able to create and execute lead generation campaigns through unique events. Our company had consistently high private event attendance by c-suite executives at premier healthcare technology events, where getting attention was always difficult. These events allowed our employees to develop stronger relationships with existing and future customers.

    I would bring Karen on to any new project I was working on without any hesitation. She would be an asset to any company looking to differentiate their brand.

  • Lisa Wadlin Holt, Former Global Head of Tax at Netflix and Owner, Ignite Executive Coaching

    I want to give a huge shoutout and thank you to Karen Hitchcock (at Citrus Marketing). Not only is Karen a dear friend, she specializes in marketing strategies and brand design for early stage companies. Her experience meant she got what I needed to do more than I did! And she balanced my goals with a budget and speed. Who knew picking a logo could be so much fun?! Ignite Coaching

  • Dave LoSchiavo, Owner of Durham Cycles

    Karen recently built a website for us, and I couldn't be happier with the experience.

    During our first meeting, I explained to Karen that I wanted to make sure our new site maintained our character as a local business. All our larger competitors had very comprehensive, but sterile, websites. I wanted to make sure that our website made clear that we could provide all the same services as larger stores, but that we could also provide the personalized service and relationship to our community that chain stores never could.

    I had planned to have Karen create the basic design and build in all the functionality I needed, but presumed I'd refine the images and text myself. (I have a background in copywriting and photography, so I assumed I'd be finicky to work with and it would be easier for me to do a certain amount of "polishing" on my own. ) After receiving the first "draft" of the site, however, I quickly realized that I probably should keep my hands off and not mess up a good thing.

    Karen did a great job integrating photos from and copy from my old-site - which I expected - but she also took photos and wrote "filler copy" for all the new pages. While I knew she intended the photos and copies to be "placeholders," she had become so familiar with the ethos of the store and the products and service we sell, that most of her "placeholder" material made the final cut. There were, of course, a few elements that we went back-and-forth on, but the communication was very easy. Because Karen understood our overall goals, she was even able to thoughtfully push back when some of my design ideas weren't providing the customer experience I had hoped for.

    Again, I could not be happier with my experience. Not only was the product better than I could have hoped for, I got to take a back seat and work on the daily operations of my business, which is what I'm best at, while Citrus marketing did what it's best at. Durham Cycles