Two things. First, we are not opposed to marketing projects that have clear metrics and timelines, which we believe can drive success independently. These would include website redesigns, rebrands, product launches or full-scale marketing campaigns like an annual research report.

Second, the challenge is that when it comes to communications strategy, it’s very hard to deliver results in a short timeframe. Instead, it’s the long haul and compounding effects of campaigns in which our clients see the biggest impact. 

Kibo's story makes this concrete. We were their only consistent external marketing partner through three executive leadership changes, five marketing directors, a company rebrand, and three acquisitions — eight years of continuity that produced more than 70% share of voice and coverage in the Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch. 

NGC was a client for 15 years, and Mark Burstein at NGC was so convinced of the value of sustained partnership that he brought us along when he later joined Inspectorio. That kind of long-term relationship is what actually produces business results.

Absolutely fair! During one team discussion, an AS put it well. She said, “AI works when you know what questions to ask and what prompts to write. AI is like a junior intern, and it’s got to have a great manager.”

Two things for you to consider here. If you genuinely have the time to invest in marketing on your own and you’re an expert in your space, using AI as an “assistant” may be the right fit for you.

However, if you are stretched thin managing too many projects, or you’re looking for expertise in a category you’re less familiar with (such as earned media), then it makes sense to invest in help.

Our team has more than 20 years of experience in the modern commerce space. We know your market and buyers, and we have relationships that help open doors. We can quickly provide advice on a particular announcement strategy, and will tell you when your messaging is drifting.

We use AI as a tool that makes us better at our work and faster at our jobs. And we’re always happy to share how we’re experimenting with it.

The good news is that the answer here is rather simple. If you don’t have time to manage marketing campaigns and strategic initiatives are being deprioritized in ways that are hurting your bottom line, then it’s time to get help.

Then, the question becomes, what’s the best way to get help? At Aster Agency, we offer a fractional or outsourced marketing partnership. We’ll help you run ongoing initiatives or simply advise on projects you’ll be able to execute internally. 

GK Software came to us with no U.S. marketing team at all — we became that team. AdAdapted came to us as their first-ever external PR firm. Anyline came to us as their first U.S. comms partner. 

In each case, the companies knew they had a story worth telling and needed the expertise and relationships to tell it in the right places. If you're not sure if the timing is right, we're happy to have a candid conversation.

You're a strong fit for Aster Agency if you have a clear business objective that you need marketing to support and you're willing to engage as an ongoing partner. Companies that get the most from this model treat it as a genuine collaboration, not an outsourced function.

You might not be ready yet if your business fundamentals are still being figured out, or if you don't yet have clarity on where marketing fits in your growth strategy.

We’ll be honest, the reason you can consider us a reliable partner is because we evaluate potential clients as much as they evaluate us. Great marketing partnerships are about a match. If we don’t think that we can deliver against your goals or that we can work collaboratively with you, we won’t engage in a partnership.

That means that once you engage, we consider you here for the long haul. Our executive team, Catherine or Kirsty, is involved in every engagement. You’ll have a scheduled cadence of ongoing calls (semi-monthly is a standard practice) and a clear scope of what we’ll deliver each month. 

When it comes to working with Aster Agency, our clients consistently describe us as a team that functions as an extension of their own organization. GK Software's Head of Global Growth Marketing described us as a genuine part of their marketing team — not a vendor managed from Berlin, but a team fluent enough in their products, positioning, and priorities that when something needs to move quickly, it does.

Right away! We’re always excited to bring on a new client, and we can’t wait to dig in. Plus, our 20-plus years in the modern commerce ecosystem means we aren’t starting from zero. We know your competitive landscape and the media/analyst ecosystem.

Here’s a great anecdote on the comms side.

In the first six months after kicking off our client Inspectorio, we distributed four press releases, including three customer announcements and a State of Supply Chain Report, generating 37 pieces of coverage. We differentiated Inspectorio from key competitors, improving to No. 2 or No. 3 in all areas of SOV, including quality, sustainability and traceability.

Great question! Here’s what our onboarding looks like.

In the first week, we align on goals, establish our working rhythm, and review any existing marketing materials, strategy documents, and brand assets. By week two, we're doing a deep-dive into your business: your customers, your competitive positioning, and the marketing priorities that matter most right now. By week four, we have a strategic marketing plan in draft form and we're already executing against the highest-priority items.

As for business outcomes, that’s going to depend on the specific goal. For example, you’ll see a more consistent brand presence right away and you may find leads generated from an early campaign in the first month or two. Other goals, such as developing overall industry leadership, take more time. 

What we commit to from day one is a clear framework for how marketing connects to your business goals, and a quarterly KPI reporting cadence that keeps you informed on progress, not just activity.