Community Highlights: Meet Martin Kier of Brand Buddy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Martin Kier.

Hi Martin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sure! I started experimenting with businesses, entrepreneurship, and digital marketing when I was 13. My very first business was with jewelry. I would go to events/craft fairs, set up my booth, and sell to those who were interested. It was a great way to break out of my comfort zone early on and begin learning the basics of business firsthand. After a little while, people started asking me for my website and social media, which is what got me interested and testing with digital marketing.

After that, I launched about 18 other business experiments from age 13 to age 22. Only 3 of the 18 were successful – talk about failing forward! One of those successes was a landscaping business that experienced explosive growth in two years. We went from three total employees in our first year to nine the next year. This business was hard work and I definitely pushed my body to the limit, often suffering from heat exhaustion or dehydration. I ended up having to shut it down because it was too much to handle during my first two years of college.

While I was in college, I started out studying pre-med and thought I was going to be a doctor. That changed about halfway through when I realized I could never let go of my entrepreneurial self. So I thought about it for a while, did some self-analysis, and settled on digital marketing for my focus.

After that, I launched Brand Buddy and it really started to take off in June of 2019 when I started joining a local networking group. I got a MASSIVE boost from BNI (business networking international). Up until the end of 2020, I was working in my home and putting in 14-16 hour days to get everything up and running. Luckily that changed and we got offered an office space. Today we now work with 40+ brands at any given time, from small startups to 70+ year-old manufacturing businesses. We also have a team of 5 in-house employees that are a true pleasure to work with. Couldn’t ask for better!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Looking back, I’d say it has been smooth for me, given that I was building this business entirely from scratch along with many of the other experiments. There were tough times for sure, but everyone has difficulties and many will be worse than yours. I’d say the trick is that when times are “tough”, step back, reassess, and continue pushing through with a mindset of gratitude instead of getting frustrated or stuck in a negative rut.

Overall though, I think I owe my success because of how I was raised and what I experienced at a young age. Certainly thankful for my mindset and those who have supported me along the way. When it comes down to it, struggles and failures are trying to teach you something – you just need to listen and learn.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I own a business named Brand Buddy LLC. It’s a digital marketing firm based out of Arvada, Colorado. Basically, we help businesses of all sizes chase their dreams and achieve their goals online. Our primary services are SEO (search engine optimization to get ranked on Google), website design, social media (posting and ads), email marketing, and Google ads.

We are known for our effective and proven strategies, being realistic, and high-quality communication. Our average retention rate sits around 90%, meaning that customers stick with us for a very long time – for a good reason. We currently help 40+ businesses with a variety of services with an average ROAS (return on ad spend) between 3-10X if the service or product is valued by the target market. We are most proud of a Golf accessories business that we helped take from a few thousand dollars per month to multi-million.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Four things: 1. Never be afraid to try something new. 2. Always continue to push what you know and currently think is true or correct. 3. Be grateful. 4. Trust your gut.

Pricing:

• Current SEO pricing – Around $500 per month.
• Current Social Media ads and Posting – Around $500 per month excluding ad budget.
• Current Email marketing – $100 – $200 per month
• Current Website Design – Starting at $2000 for one time projects
• Current Google ads – Starting at $300 per month.

Contact Info:

• Email: martin@brandbuddyllc.com
• Website: https://www.brandbuddyllc.com/
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/brandbuddyllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brand-Buddy-472959683210774