Alexandre Charlet, Marketing Consultant, Charlet Company
Alexandre Charlet, Marketing Consultant, Charlet Company
What's your industry?
Digital marketing
How did you end up sitting where you are today?
I am a marketing consultant based on the French Riviera and Monaco. I started in the middle of the pandemic when businesses were closed and for which it was critical to act. This is how and why I started selling my services in order for my clients to still sell and gain visibility.
What kind of work does your daily role involve?
I developed advanced digital marketing services for my clients. Indeed, all my services are value added, such as for our websites, for which we integrate a full marketing strategy (with call to actions, etc.) and animations (comparable to those of big Californian corporations).
So, I spend time with my clients discovering a lot of industries and understanding how they work. Once we have established what is the best option, I develop their project (and give them updates regularly - to make sure we’re on the right way).
What gets you excited about your industry?
It constantly develops. We gain new skills.
But, the aspect of digital marketing and globally of marketing that most excites me is the way in which we may increase sales while maintaining or even increasing prices.
What's the best advice anyone ever gave you on your journey in business?
It may sounds simple : never give up.
If you love what you do and believe in yourself, you will achieve all the things you want.
What's been the hardest part about the path you've taken and how would you advise someone facing a similar situation to overcome it?
The hardest part is the beginning. You don’t have any clear path on what you should and how. I learned a lot from books, webinars and conferences and of course, most importantly, my own experience.
It was difficult to get clients at the beginning when no one knows you. Hopefully thanks to professional network, I have been able to start this way.
During though times like this, you don’t have to give up and give all you can. You must prepare yourself a routine that will help you find your path.
In the current climate especially, many CEOs are looking for ways to cut costs, with marketing budgets usually one of the budgets to be cut. Is that wise?
It depends on what you want to cut your costs. Then, when you start establishing a budget cost, you may have a clear objective. On what should we spend more money today. On which point it is less important.
Sometimes, negotiating contract is a good option.
For example, I have been able to cut my software budget by almost half by negotiating with my providers.
For people thinking of starting businesses in 2023, would you say it's still possible to build a big business with little or no marketing budget?
It might be possible, yes! If you believe in your project and are creative in your communication, it is possible. If your project or service solve a big problem and has value, you will get clients automatically.
Can you share one or two of your favorite free marketing strategies that a business owner in your industry can use.
Use social media. Sometimes trends can be at your advantage and it’s free! You can also create your own trend. They will help you stand out and can be a huge opportunity (creation of value content, etc).
