Unsurpassed Marketing Vision™

Welcome To KB Business Marketing

KB Business Marketing, founded in 1996, specializes in marketing and management consulting for small- to mid-size businesses.

We are known for “A Business Approach to Marketing™”.  We identify goals upfront, and make sure that there is strategy and sound business reasoning behind our actions.   Our president, Kevin W. Brown, M.B.A. is a businessman with marketing expertise, not a graphic designer or communications or journalism major trying to understand the complexities of marketing and business management.

What are the typical needs that drive clients to KB Business Marketing?

Normally it starts with the need for a marketing firm that can provide sound business strategy.  Clients want someone that truly understands their needs and can give good advice based on experience and education.  Beyond that premise, clients typically come to us needing either to increase revenues, get a project done (like a website overhaul), or for our “Part-Time Director of Marketing™” service.

We often hear initial statements such as:

  • “How can we market while maintaining cost-effectiveness?”
  • “We need help in marketing strategy”
  • “We need to increase our revenues and profitability.”
  • “We are not happy with our existing PR/advertising firm”
  • “Our website (or other marketing materials) is outdated”
  • “We’ve tried _________ but it didn’t work (fill in the blank: advertising, PR, internet, direct mail, sales programs, etc.)”

Some key reasons why clients choose us:

1.  Marketing Experience:  Our marketing professionals have not only a formal education in marketing but also a background of over 30 years of in-house (including Director of Marketing at Deloitte) and consulting experience.

2.  Full Range of High-Quality Services:  We offer virtually every marketing service that your firm might need.  Our reputation is based upon delivering high-quality services with expertise, courtesy and professionalism.  Our services include Outsourcing of Marketing Projects, Digital Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing Materials, Strategic Business Advisory Services and our unique “Part-Time Director of Marketing™” service.  We offer virtually every marketing service that your firm might need.

3.  Strategic Insight:  KB Business Marketing offers an unmatched ability to blend strategy with the selection of marketing tools.  Our expertise is invaluable in helping you to chart a course, track progress, and make adjustments along the way.

4.  Productive Approach: We have always operated on the basis of “A Business Approach to Marketing™.”   We identify goals upfront and make sure that there is a strategy and business reasoning behind marketing actions.

5.  Initiative: KB Business Marketing makes your life easier by taking care of all the details.   Our desire is to be actively involved in managing and implementing our clients’ marketing programs.   For those clients who desire ongoing support, they hire us for our unique “Part-Time Director of Marketing™” service (which as far as we know, was the first firm in the U.S.A. to offer such a service).

KB Business Marketing, founded in 1996, specializes in marketing and management consulting for small- to mid-size businesses.  We work with clients in most industries.  Typically these companies are privately-held businesses run by entrepreneurs.  These have included:

♦ Software development
♦ Computer consultants
♦ Custom homebuilders
♦ Contractors
♦ Grading companies
♦ Real estate appraisers
♦ Vinyl fencing and patio covers
♦ Environmental waste disposal
♦ Construction consultants
♦ Caterers
♦ Restaurants
♦ Group purchasing
♦ Not-for-Profits
♦ Conference centers
♦ Educational materials
♦ Churches

Our clients typically are California businesses but we also serve selected clients across the nation — work that has been gained due to our reputation and expertise.   These companies typically have revenues from $1-100 million.

Why KB BusinessMarketing & Consulting was Founded in 1996

In an interview with Kevin W. Brown, M.B.A., he explained why he formed his firm …

Specialists needed!
When I was Director of Marketing at Deloitte & Touche in Orange County, California (working with many local businesses), I saw a huge need for a full-service marketing firm that truly understood the needs of small to mid-size businesses.

In my position, I had the opportunity to interview the “best” public relations and advertising firms in the area. Unfortunately, I found that these firms didn’t understand the full scope of marketing and lacked an understanding of how businesses run.

In 1996, five years after starting Kevin Brown Marketing & Consulting, I started KB Business Marketing at the urging of our accounting and law firm clients, who needed to refer their business clients to a high-quality, full-service marketing firm.

Marketing professionals needed!
Furthermore, no matter whom we interviewed, when we asked them a general question, such as “What is the best way to build our image in the marketplace?,” invariably their answer always came back to the product that they sold. They were just trying to pitch their product, not serve our needs! In other words, the advertising agencies’ answer was always “advertising!” and the PR firms’ answer was always “public relations!” None of them understood the full scope of marketing, so none could give advice that actually fit our situation — their advice was merely selling their own service. As a marketing professional, I knew that there were other answers, because marketing is the broadest business discipline and there are numerous techniques available, not just the limited services they were trying to pitch.

Strategists needed!
I come from a background of business management, banking, finance and accounting.  I understand businesses and how to develop effective strategies to help them.  In contrast, a key problem with many PR and advertising agencies is that they are staffed by “journalism” and “communications” majors, not business or marketing majors.  So they didn’t really understand how a business runs and how to help it.  No wonder they can’t develop good strategies!   All you get is an “order taker” — since they didn’t understand your business, they rarely came up with good ideas. This makes it frustrating for business owners — instead our clients hire KB Business Marketing to provide productive strategic guidance!

Full-service needed!
Throughout all of my in-house experience (from banking to M&A to public accounting), I saw that there was a major need for a “full-service” firm that could offer the entire range of marketing services that a small- to mid-size business might need. Finally, I thought that since there were part-time CFOs who saved companies the full-time cost of a highly qualified employee, why not have a part-time marketing director?

I did some research and couldn’t find another firm in the nation that was doing what my business would do. This was a risk but I felt sure that it would work!  So, in 1991, I ventured out with Kevin Brown Marketing & Consulting, and then developed KB Business Marketing in 1996.   From the beginning, I developed many new, innovative concepts and techniques that are proprietary to my firm. From the day that I opened my doors, I started with serving Deloitte & Touche and other premier businesses.  Business owners began to flock to KB Business Marketing once the word got out that an effective, full-service marketing firm was now available to serve them!  There was (and is) an obvious need for my firm’s services!

From the outset of my firm, I developed the unique term “Part-Time Director of Marketing™” for our service — as far as I know, mine was the first firm in the U.S.A. to offer this service.

Now, over 20 years later, we’ve served hundreds of satisfied clients. We’ve been richly blessed and look forward to continuing serving our wonderful clients. We thank you for your business!”

Find out why so many firms try to copy KB Business Marketing — but fail!

You may know what it is like: You meet with someone from a “marketing” firm who tries to push their product on you, instead of listening to your needs — and then you find out that the firm really isn’t full-service but actually just sells a limited range of marketing services.  How frustrating!

I can totally relate — when I was Director of Marketing at Deloitte in Orange County, California, I had the opportunity to interview the “best” public relations and advertising firms in the area.  No matter whom we interviewed, when we asked them a general question, such as “What is the best way to build our image in the marketplace?” invariably their answer always came back to the product/service that they sold. They were just trying to pitch their product, not serve our needs! In other words, the advertising agencies’ answer was always “advertising!” and the PR firms’ answer was always “public relations!”

So, I saw a huge need for a full-service marketing firm that truly understood the needs of business owners. My firm was formed in 1996 to do so and we continue as a full-service marketing firm to this day.

What a full-service marketing firm can do for you
Since marketing is the broadest business discipline, there are numerous techniques available. Each has its own attributes and drawbacks.   So, which is best for your situation?  So, which is best for your needs?  You need to work with a firm that can guide you in selecting what is best and expertly provide the highest quality across a broad range of services.

Even if your need may be limited to a project, such as website development, you will be far better off working with a professional that understands marketing strategy (so that your website incorporates effective branding, targeted marketing, etc.).

At KB Business Marketing, we offer virtually every marketing service that your firm might need.

How to select a full-service marketing firm:
First of all, a truly full-service firm will have the credentials to offer those services.  Are they truly marketing consultants or are they no more than a public relations firm or advertising agency or website development company?  Most qualified marketing professionals have degrees in marketing, not communications, and many have graduate degrees such as an M.B.A.. They should also have experience in all areas of marketing, which enables them to select and integrate those marketing components that will work best for your needs.

Watch out for the PR and advertising agencies that call themselves “full service” and may even list a range of marketing services.  Around 99% of the time they are staffed by “journalism” and “communications” majors, not business or marketing majors.  So they didn’t really understand how a business runs and how to help it, much less a professional services practice.

Second, the firm needs to have a track record of providing full-service capabilities.  Check out the firm’s reputation. Ask them what they have done for similar firms, including strategies and results. Then check with these clients and ask for their impressions.

Third, the firm needs to understand strategic planning and to be able to provide valuable guidance.  Ask whether they create strategies, implement them, or both.  Singular marketing activities are most effective when they are part of an overall strategic plan. Yet a great plan is less useful unless a knowledgeable person actively implements it. The most valuable consultants are able to properly analyze your business and market, develop an appropriate plan with objectives and strategies,

Fourth, the firm’s services should not only be a full-range but also of the highest quality.  Ask for examples of all the services that you may need.  The firm’s reputation and length of time in business will be a great testimony to its ability to provide a full range of services.  For example, my firm’s “Part-Time Director of Marketing™” service, which was the first in the U.S.A. to offer this service, is built upon the foundation of being able to fully provide a complete range of marketing expertise.

Why does our competition try to copy KB Business Marketing?

Simply because they know that we are the best at what we do.

In 1996, KB Business Marketing was founded with the primary purpose of serving small- to mid-size businesses.  From the outset, we developed numerous unique approaches that were gained from in-house experience.  Since that time, innumerable “marketing” firms across California and the nation have tried to copy us — but no one can duplicate our firm, try as hard as they might.

Of course, we realize that copying is the greatest form of flattery.  Does it bother us?  Sure, in that others try to take credit for concepts that we developed years before they were even in business.  However, regardless of their best copying efforts, no one can copy our expertise, knowledge, experience and ability to deliver superior services!

Not to worry — most of our competitors come-and-go within a few years.  Unfortunately, they often leave a bad impression of the marketing profession in their wake, as many of their previous clients grew dissatisfied and disillusioned with their inferior performance.  Instead, we encourage you to seek assistance from the firm that focuses on a “A Business Approach to Marketing™” — KB Business Marketing.

How our competitors fail — miserably!
Search the internet and you’ll easily find dozens of firms who have copied our website and brochure content (which we developed years before they were even in business)!  But these imitators’ websites are usually just words, not actual performance. Dig deeper — you’ll find that they CAN”T compete directly with us! You’ll likely see that these companies:

· Are not true marketing consultants — many lack a formal education in marketing and even more do not have the broad depth of experience required to be a true marketing consultant.
· Are often merely public relations firms (but they use the term “marketing” to suit their purposes).
· Are sometimes only advertising agencies (but try to pass themselves off as “marketing consultants”).
· Often can’t even define the term marketing — ask them!
· Are sometimes headed by individuals who never took a class in marketing (some don’t even have degrees in anything close to the field!).
· All too often they don’t understand the full scope of marketing — they actually only have expertise in one or two areas of marketing.
· Typically lack business management expertise.  They come up with “pretty” marketing campaigns that don’t work in bringing in business.  Ask if they have a degree in business management.

Don’t fall prey to the imitators!
KB Business Marketing was founded in 1996 and offers credentials unsurpassed by few if any competitors across the country.  Contact the best in the business and see how we can help!

KB Business Marketing is pleased to serve clients of all sizes with a wide variety of needs.  Our 15-plus years of being in business are a testimony to our clients’ satisfaction.

Our focus is on delivering the highest quality of service with courtesy and professionalism.  Not only do clients appreciate it, they are a constant source of referrals to new clients for KB Business Marketing!

Here are just a few of our clients’ testimonials:

• “The Business Plan that you prepared has really helped our company.  We now have an effective tool to plan, manage and control our business.”

• “The Operations Review that you performed was incredible.  You identified so many ways that we can cut costs, be more efficient and focus on our customers.  Our departments will also now be able to work with each other better.  As CEO, I expect our profitability to increase dramatically.  Thanks!  It was worth every penny!”

• “Kevin Brown is a brilliant marketing pro who is able to manage multiple projects without ever losing sight of the big picture. I highly recommend his services to anyone looking to grow their business and differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace.”

• “The bank financing that you arranged saved our company.”

• “We really like the website that you wrote and designed for us.  The logo is great, too.  It is all perfect for our company.”

• “Your financial analysis ability speaks volumes.  After reviewing our financials, you spotted our cash flow crunch 6 months before it happened.   You then arranged financing and saved our company.”

• “Three years ago, you started working with us when our business was barely providing for our families.  You turned us around and now helped to sell our company for $6 million.  We can’t thank you enough.”

• “We continue to use KB Business Marketing for strategic guidance.  Everything that you have told us has come true.  You really understand business management and have made an incredible difference for us.”

• “Thank you very much for making the trade show materials happen. Everything looks great!  We could not have done this without you. You can even use that as a testimonial.”

• “Your turnaround consulting saved our company.  Without it, we would not be in business.”

• “The marketing materials that KB Business Marketing developed are great!  You really understood the essence of our company and captured it in the text and graphics.  And we really appreciated how you hanlded all of the printing production.”

• “Without your firm we would never have got this project done.  Thanks!”