SERVICES
Stop spending money on bad marketing.
We work with organizations that are already investing in marketing but aren't getting the results they expect.
Most companies that come to us share the same problem. No true north to measure against or clear picture of what highly effective marketing should look like for this company, at this stage. Every engagement is led personally by Shawn Graham from start to finish.
That work often happens at the leadership level through our Fractional CMO services.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
The best strategy starts with listening.
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One-on-one conversations with leadership, staff, and key partners to surface where views on the brand, the message, and the priorities diverge.
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Small group sessions that show how your audiences understand your work, what stays with them, and where confusion creeps in.
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Structured conversations across teams to surface insight, line up perspectives, and name the communication gaps.
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Putting potential messages in front of real audiences to see what holds, what confuses, and what people actually remember.
Before we recommend anything, we listen. Conversations with your leadership, your team, your customers, and the people you're trying to reach show us how your brand actually gets experienced, and where the message is falling short. What we hear shapes everything after it, from positioning and brand voice to channels and priorities.
BRAND & STORY STRATEGY
Every brand is sitting on a story it isn't telling yet.
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Marketing teams are using AI to produce content faster than ever. Without a system behind it, the output drifts toward sameness. It could be anyone's brand.
This engagement builds that system. We document your brand voice in a format your team can actually use. The language that defines how you sound, the distinctions that keep your messaging consistent across programs and people, and a structured prompt framework built specifically for your brand. Whether someone is drafting a campaign email, writing a business unit page, or responding to an RFQ, the output sounds like you.
This service works as a standalone engagement or as a natural follow-on to a Brand Storytelling Audit, once the true north is already defined.
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This is where most engagements start. We find your true north, the story only you can tell, and the moments and messages that connect with the people you most want to reach. You get story themes, narrative structure, and content starters your team can use across channels.
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Bring your message to life visually through cohesive design, tone, and concept direction that reflect your brand’s personality.
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We help you build a story-driven report that captures what you accomplished and connects with the people who fund or champion it. Includes theme, messaging strategy, copy, and design, created by us or alongside your team.
Words alone aren't enough. What matters is the thinking behind them, built from imagination, experience, and a real understanding of who you're reaching and why it matters.
“I engaged with Deep Varnish on a range of projects including brochure development, photography and videography, SEO, collateral design, annual giving optimization, social media and email strategy, and a full website and brand redesign. Shawn was an exceptional partner throughout.”
- Lori Gatmaitan, Former VP STEM Learning, SAE Foundation
MARKETING STRATEGY & EXECUTION
The results aren’t matching the effort.
We build marketing plans that align your goals, channels, and tools, then execute them with the flexibility and precision to grow with your organization.
Plan → Execute → Measure → Refine
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An honest look at what's working, what's not, and what's missing, with a roadmap to fix it.
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Turn scattered tactics into a cohesive plan. We align your channels, content, and goals so your marketing works together with purpose.
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Launch with purpose. We’ll help you define your audience, craft your offer, and map the journey from first impression to loyal supporter.
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Bring your brand to life across channels, teams, and touchpoints. We turn plans into action and give your team the tools to keep moving, long after the launch.
“We’ve worked with Deep Varnish for a number of years. From digital ad campaigns to website optimization and email marketing, Shawn and his team always brings big picture thinking and creative direction to every marketing campaign helping to drive significant increases in year-over-year sales. I would highly recommend Deep Varnish as a marketing partner.”
- Tim DeBacco, Director of Marketing, Spin-Clean International
DIGITAL & SOCIAL
Turn your story into measurable momentum.
Once your story and strategy are clear, it’s time to amplify. We help you build and manage the digital systems that bring your message to the right people and keep them coming back.
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Before a developer gets involved, the strategic questions rarely get the attention they need. What should visitors do here, how should the navigation work, what does the messaging need to accomplish. We work through all of it first. Architecture, calls to action, messaging, visual storytelling, and SEO foundations. The build starts with the right foundation instead of trying to fix it after."
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Improve your visibility where it counts. We combine SEO, plus AEO and GEO strategies that reflect how people search now.. The goal is to help your brand show up clearly and consistently across maps, organic results, and answer boxes.
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Get in front of the right audience at the right time. We build and manage paid search campaigns that support your goals and amplify your message without wasting budget.
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Build relationships through smart segmentation, nurturing, and automation that turn interest into engagement.
“Our web presence vastly improved with our new website and SEO. We dove right into a new marketing strategy and instantly had positive results in quote requests and sales.”
- Darin Smith, General Mgr, Printscape Imaging & Graphics
FRACTIONAL CMO SUPPORT
Senior marketing leadership without the full-time hire.
For organizations that need senior-level guidance but not a full-time hire, our Fractional CMO Support provides ongoing strategic leadership.
We become your marketing partner, setting direction, mentoring your team, and ensuring every effort aligns with your goals and drives measurable results.
Whether we meet monthly or stay embedded over several quarters, you’ll get the focus, accountability, and impact your marketing has been missing.
Marketing leadership from strategy through execution and reporting
An ongoing partnership grounded in deep understanding of your organization and audience
Management of social media, email campaigns, website optimization, and launch plans
Sustainable marketing systems and infrastructure that support day-to-day needs
Clear monthly reporting that shows senior leadership what’s working
Best for: Teams with 2 to 5 dedicated marketing staff who are ready to outsource to a trusted partner.
Curious about working together?
If you’d like to get in touch about strategic and/or creative opportunities, or just to say ‘Hi’, please contact us.