I'm an entrepreneur and independent marketing consultant based on the west coast, helping businesses build better systems for lead generation, customer acquisition and retention.
I left my corporate sales career in 2017 with the goal of replacing my six-figure commissions income with business income as a self-employed digital marketing consultant. I achieved my goal in 2020 and have since surpassed my corporate career income.
My current service delivery for clients is a retainer based partnership where I plan and execute marketing strategy with advertising and lead funnels.
Everything I know about sales and marketing I taught myself through study, practice and experimentation. I had no prior industry knowledge or contacts when first getting started. All of my clients were won through cold outreach, referrals and networking.
The flexibility and autonomy of entrepreneurship has been rewarding. I've learned and developed essential skills that one cannot learn any other way. And I've proven to myself that I can do it, which was my primary motivator.
But being an army-of-one is isolating. I'm on an island with no human connection to the marketing industry or agency world. And without a greater exposure to new people, challenges and opportunities, I feel my professional growth is stagnating.
I'm want to transition into a full-time sales consulting role, connecting marketing agencies with qualified prospects that meet their ideal client profile. I feel I'm uniquely qualified to do this given my background and location in Portland.
I want to be people-facing all day, prospecting and creating new business opportunities. I want to focus totally on business development. And I want to work with people that are different than me to learn and grow.
- Healthcare & Medical
- Spa, Beauty & Wellness
- E-commerce & Shopping
- Local Professional Services
- Staffing & Recruiting
Selling myself as a digital marketing consultant (2017 - Present)
• Selling digital marketing services under my own LLC, mainly to business owners and doctors in the health and beauty space (local professional services) with an average company size of $1M+ annual revenue.
• Selling remotely and virtually to prospects in major U.S. markets with clients in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Salt Lake, Atlanta and others.
• Selling a consultative solutions-based approach to marketing with a focus on delivering measurable business results for clients.
• Sold over $1M in digital marketing services with an average 80% profit/income margin on services sold.Selling professional services in a corporate office (2013 - 2017)
• Business development manager for a specialized branch of Adecco, a Fortune Global 500 company; an executive recruiting firm doing high-level staffing of finance and accounting positions in downtown Chicago
• Created $10M+ in new business opportunities for the firm in a dedicated sales role (I was not a recruiter); recognized as a top sales producer for three consecutive years
• Set appointments by phone and met face-to-face with managers up to C-Level at companies sized from $5M up to and exceeding $100M+ in annual revenue; working directly with a team of 50+ recruiters, consultants and managers in a large corporate office
• Notable accounts that I brought into the firm: Lurie Children's Hospital, ThyssenKrupp, CME Group, Baker & Mckenzie LLP, Rush University, Lettuce Entertain You, Illinois Tool Works, Tootsie Roll Industries, Chicago Steel & Wire Co, Trustwave, Triplite, University Of ChicagoSelling door-to-door to local businesses (2009-2013)
• I started my sales career selling ad space in regional prints distributed throughout Montana for a family-owned media company
• Created a new sales market (Billings, MT) worth $500K in annual revenue through door-to-door prospecting to local businesses.
• Sold local print ads to restaurants, hospitals, carpet cleaners, dentists, non-profit orgs, garage door installers, roofers, hotels, gift shops, movie theater and others.
• Helped clients craft compelling value offers and copywriting to improve the effectiveness of their advertising.A track record of success creating new business opportunities through the following modes and channels:
Door-to-door prospecting
Phone prospecting
Cold email prospecting
Direct mail prospecting and sales letters
Setting virtual and in-person appointments by phone
Meeting in-person with owners and managers up to C-Level
Live virtual presentations and video-based selling
Developing marketing assets for sales prospecting
Selling in a consultative capacity as a solutions provider
Closing and taking credit card info over the phone
Google Ads / Facebook Ads
I've managed over $1M in ad spend for clients and am responsible for the full process of digital advertising including research, technical config, copywriting, media editing, advanced targeting, A/B testing, conversion tracking, performance optimization, metrics analysis and reporting.
Websites, Landing Pages & Lead Funnels
I create custom landing pages and websites for client's advertising that are conversion-focused. This includes WordPress design, value proposition formation, copywriting, media editing, technology integration, lead tracking and funnel development. I also help clients with pricing & positioning services, crafting offers, internal sales process and competitive research to ensure the effectiveness of campaigns is maximized.
Marketing skills I've learned, implemented, battle-tested and proven results with:
Direct response marketing & copywriting
Search engine marketing
Facebook and Instagram Ads
WordPress development & web performance optimization
SEO for local search and maps visibility
Brand data and reputation management
Conversion tracking systems configuration
Managing and copywriting for offline ads (magazine, newspaper, billboards etc)
Managing projects and freelance contractors
Marketing technology implementation, integration and automation
Ecommerce setup and optimization (Shopify, Google, Facebook, Squarespace)
Creating and developing marketing media assets
1986
Born In Chicago
1998
Grew up in Bozeman, Montana
My family moved out west when I was 12 years old
2001
High School Out East
I attended an all boys private boarding school in Connecticut where I played competitive lacrosse and crew, graduating in 2005
2000's
First Business
During the summers throughout high school and college, I employed three people doing odd jobs for ranch owners around Bozeman, Montana
2000's
University of Colorado at Boulder
Graduated from CU in 2009 with a degree in English Literature
2000's
Travel
I've traveled to 36 countries on 4 continents including Africa, South America and throughout Europe
2009 - 2013
B2B Sales Executive
After college, I returned to Montana to work to sell ad space in regional prints for a family-owned media company.
2009 - 2013
Profitable Niche Websites
While selling in the field during the day, I spent my after hours learning SEO. I was building and ranking niche websites and earning income through affiliate marketing deals that generated a few thousand dollars per month at peak.
2013
Return to Chicago
Opportunities to grow my career were limited in Montana, so I packed up and set off to Chicago with no plan and few contacts. I got myself established working and living in the city in less than three months.
2013 - 2017
Business Development Manager
I was hired in a dedicated sales role for a professional services firm in downtown Chicago, setting appointments and meeting in-person with managers through C-suite at companies around the city of varying size and industry.
2017
Married & Moved to Portland, Oregon
I met my wife while she was completing her OBGYN residency at The University of Chicago, graduating in 2017. She found a great opportunity to live and work as an MD in Oregon/Washington. We got married and moved that same year.
2017 - 2019
The narrow road
With bold determination, I committed myself to success as a self-employed marketing consultant, teaching myself the skills and figuring it out day-to-day. During this time I did nothing but work, eat and sleep as the learning curve was steep.
2019 - Present
Digital Marketing Consultant
I achieved my goal of replacing my prior corporate sales income with business income in about three years. I established myself as an expert marketer in the medical spa and beauty space, and have helped dozens of clients accelerate their business growth.
2022
Welcome my son into the world
2024
Welcome my daughter into the world
406-581-7042
will@bigtimemarketing.com