Foundation first. Then visibility, demand and growth.
A Groundwork engagement runs in a deliberate order: understand the business, fix what's broken underneath, then turn on demand and measure it honestly. Here's exactly how it goes.
Five stages, in this order.
Order of operations is the whole point. Spending more on advertising before the foundation can carry it is the most common and most expensive mistake local businesses make.
The audit
Everything starts with the free Groundwork Audit. We review your website and tracking, your local visibility and listings, your reputation, your paid media and how leads are actually measured. We look at your market and your competitors, not a generic checklist.
- Foundation, visibility, reputation, demand and measurement reviewed
- Your market and direct competitors benchmarked
- Findings and a prioritized order of operations delivered in writing
Scope and proposal
The audit findings become a plan. We recommend the specific work that will move your business, sequenced by impact, and quote a specific number tied to that specific work. Nothing is bundled in that the audit didn't justify.
- Channels chosen based on what the audit found
- Clear deliverables, owners and reporting cadence
- A specific quote before you commit to anything
Foundation work
Before spend goes up, the things that determine whether spend works get fixed. That usually means conversion issues on the website, tracking and analytics that report honestly, and local listings and profiles that are accurate and complete.
- Website and conversion path corrections
- Analytics, conversion tracking and lead attribution
- Google Business Profile, listings and review systems
Launch
With the foundation carrying weight, campaigns go live. Paid search, paid social, local SEO and content are launched against defined conversion events, with expectations set per channel before anything spends a dollar.
- Campaigns built around real conversion events
- Per-channel timelines set before launch
- Specialists executing inside one strategy
Reporting and iteration
Every month you get plain-language reporting on qualified lead volume, cost per qualified lead, visibility and pipeline — plus what we changed and what we're changing next. What works gets more; what doesn't gets cut.
- Monthly reporting tied to business outcomes
- Documented decisions and next actions
- Honest reporting when something isn't working
Process questions
How long does the audit take?
Typically a couple of weeks depending on how many channels are in scope and how quickly account access comes through. You get a written report and a walkthrough.
Do I have to hire you after the audit?
No. The audit is a standalone deliverable. The goal is that you understand your market and your marketing better than you did before we met, whether or not we work together.
How does pricing work?
Every business is different, so every engagement is priced individually. Websites are quoted as fixed-scope projects. Ongoing programs are a flat monthly management fee based on the scope of work and the channels involved. Paid media budgets are separate and paid directly to the platform. You get a specific number after the audit, before you commit to anything. Audits are free.
Can you audit accounts another agency is managing?
Yes. We regularly review campaigns and profiles managed elsewhere and report what we find without spin.
When do results show up?
Foundation and tracking fixes show up in weeks. Paid media generally needs 30–60 days of data before optimization is honest. Local SEO and AI visibility compound over months. We set expectations per channel before anything launches.
Ready to see what's really holding your marketing back?
Start with the foundation.