Build the plan. Tell the story. Get it done.
Turn your marketing into a measurable source of revenue
I'm Linda Sperling, MA, PMP, a former journalist with 15+ years leading marketing and corporate communications at Fortune 500, global and founder-led companies. I set clear goals for your marketing, do the work or lead the people who do, and report every month on the leads and revenue it brings in. You get senior marketing without a full-time hire.
Is your marketing an expense or an investment?
For most growing companies, marketing is a line item with no clear return. Money goes to ads, agencies, mailers and software without goals or tracking. The owner spends evenings on posts and vendor calls. And when sales slow down, no one can say which marketing brings in customers and which is wasted.
Meanwhile, when buyers ask Google or ChatGPT who to call, the businesses that get named are the ones whose marketing is planned, current and measured.
That's where I come in.
I run your marketing like any other part of your business: with targets, a budget and someone accountable for results. We start by finding out what's working today and set goals tied to revenue. Then I run the plan myself every month, or lead the team you already have.
Start with a Marketing Audit→Three ways to work together
Most clients start by finding out what's working, then hand me the work or the leadership. Start with the service that fits today and step up as you grow.
Diagnose
Marketing Audit & Growth Plan
Find out which marketing brings in customers, what's wasting money and what to do next, including how you show up in Google and AI search.
From $1,950
Learn more→Run
Small Business Marketing Manager
Marketing off your plate, done right every month. I handle your website, local search, email, social media, Google Business Profile, ads, direct mail and print, and report what it produced.
From $1,750/month
Learn more→Lead
Fractional Marketing Director
A senior leader for the team you already have. I own the plan, budget, staff and agencies, and report results to leadership, so marketing builds revenue and the value of your business.
From $3,000/month
Learn more→How does working with a marketing consultant work?
Every engagement follows the same four steps, managed like a project with a written scope, a schedule and a monthly report. You always know what's happening, what it's producing and what it costs.
1
Diagnose
I review your website, search and AI visibility, email, social media, reviews, ads and competitors.
2
Set goals
We agree on lead and revenue goals, a budget and the KPIs we'll track.
3
Do the work
I write, build, publish and manage it myself, or direct your staff and agencies.
4
Report the return
Each month you see what ran, the leads it produced and the cost per lead.
Why hire a senior marketer instead of an agency?
With an agency, you often meet the senior team at the pitch and then work with junior staff. With me, the person who builds your plan is the same person who carries it out and reports the results.
Results, not activity
Every engagement has goals tied to revenue, and every month you get a report on what your marketing brought in.
Senior from start to finish
You work with me directly, from strategy to the last edit. Nothing is handed to a junior account team.
AI-assisted, human-directed
I use AI daily for research and first drafts, so your fee buys more finished work. I direct every project and review every word.
Run like a project
My PMP training means written plans, dates, owners and a budget, with no surprises.
A story buyers understand
As a former journalist, I turn what you do into clear, credible messages your customers act on.
Found where buyers search
Every page and post is built for Google, Google Maps and AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
Results from my career
The same approach I bring to your business: clear goals, a plan, and results you can measure.
Lead generation
100+
qualified leads per webinar, more than double the goal, leading to six new client sales
Social media
2x
website traffic from social media for a $1 billion investment advisor
Website
25%
more time on site after a corporate website redesign
Email marketing
50%+
email open rates on B2B campaigns
Global rebrand
19 countries
three acquired companies and 22 locations united under one brand
Fortune 500 campaign
600 locations
in a national sustainability campaign for a building-materials distributor
Who do you work with?
Established local businesses with real revenue and real marketing, but no one with the time to run it.
$1M to $30M in annual revenue
Fairfax and Loudoun counties
Washington, D.C. metro area
Clients nationwide
Trades and home services
Roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and remodeling companies that already market but don't have time to manage it.
Construction and real estate
Builders, developers, design-build firms, building-products companies and brokerages.
Professional services
Accounting, insurance, engineering and financial advisory firms.
Companies planning a transition
Businesses preparing for an investor, a sale or an owner's retirement that need marketing to show measurable growth.
Meet Linda Sperling
I started as a journalist, then spent 15+ years leading marketing and communications at companies including a Fortune 500 building-materials distributor with 600 locations, a global concierge company in 19 countries and a founder-led real estate brokerage. I'm a certified Project Management Professional and a Google Generative AI Leader. I live in Clifton, in Fairfax County, where I served six years as a county transportation commissioner.
More about me→Frequently asked questions
What does a marketing consultant do for a small business?
A marketing consultant finds out which marketing brings in customers, builds a plan with goals and a budget, and helps carry it out. I also do the work myself, from your website and search to email, ads and print, or lead the people who do, and report the results every month.
How much does it cost to hire a marketing consultant?
My services start at $1,950 for a marketing audit and 90-day strategy, $1,750 a month for a small business marketing manager, and $3,000 a month for a fractional marketing director. Prices are published on each service page.
How do I know if my marketing is working?
Track every lead to its source, then compare what each channel costs with the customers it brings in. I set up this tracking in the first 30 days, so each month you see leads, booked jobs and cost per lead by channel.
What size businesses do you work with?
Most clients have $1 million to $30 million in annual revenue. Smaller companies usually have no marketing staff; larger ones have a coordinator, an agency or freelancers who need direction.
Do you only work with Northern Virginia businesses?
No. I'm based in Fairfax County and meet local clients in person, and I work remotely with businesses across the United States.
Do you use AI?
Yes. I use AI every day for research and first drafts, which gives you more finished work for your fee. I direct every project, and I review, fact-check and finish every plan, page and post myself.
Let's make your marketing measurable
Book a free 30-minute consultation. You'll leave with at least one idea you can use right away, whether or not we work together.
Book a free consultation→