Marketing for brands that bring people together
Past + current clients
Hi, I’m Matt.
Startle Marketing is a one-person consultancy that was born out of a love for helping brands find their audience.
My journey began almost ten years ago, and since then, I've dipped my toes into every corner of the marketing world. You name it—crafting catchy newsletters, sprucing up websites, launching buzz-worthy paid ads, or coordinating unforgettable events—I've helped brands navigate it all.
Clients hire me because I can look at every part of their marketing and make it work better together.
Are you looking to bring more people through your door this year? If so, you're in the right place. Let's chat about how we can make that happen together.
What I’m good at.
With 9+ years of experience, I’ve worked on most aspects of marketing. These projects are where I’m at my best.
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This is where we define the ‘who, what, and why’ of your marketing. It sets us up to get every part of the marketing machine working as well as we can for your brand.
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It's important to get someone through the door once, but email and SMS will help keep them coming back time and time again.
A well-set-up (and GDPR compliant) CRM system is key to keeping track of your customers. -
Paid ads are still the fastest way to reach your audience. Having managed over $1m of ad spend directly, I can launch nimble campaigns that drive results and teach you something new about the brand.
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Cutting through the noise online can be tough, especially for destination brands.
Rather than chase after vanity metrics like followers and likes, we would look at who you’re trying to reach and why - then find partners to amplify your brand.
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Having managed websites which attracted millions of visits, I’m comfortable using platforms like Wordpress and Squarespace to share your latest promotions and content.
Where I get help.
If we work together I’ll always be honest; here are the things I typically tap up my network of freelancers to help with.
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I’m great with email and ad copy, but long-form blog posts aren’t my speciality. The good news is I know some fab copywriters who can help.
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While I’m happy setting up 90% of tracking for paid ads, at some point, those complicated checkouts with customer tech needs the techy skills of a developer.
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One of the best ways to bring people through your door is showing off your space, and it always pays to do this properly. I tend to find a local videographer / photographer for those movie reel finishes.
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The odd bit of HTML and troubleshooting CSS is fine, but I’m not going to pretend to be a developer who can custom-code your next app. I have however project managed that kind of work before, so I know how to help push a project like that forward.
Example projects
Driving 130k members for MGM Studios
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I led the acquisition marketing for MGM’s Stargate Command, an experimental subscription service for the popular sci-fi show.
Using a blend of paid ads, influencers, live events, and incredible press engagement, we quickly grew the platform from 0 to 130,000 members.
Bringing 10,000 people to Vauxhall’s events
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Each year Vauxhall hosts a series of summer events that brings thousands of people to this quickly-changing corner of London.
My involvement was to set up the website, directly manage Facebook ads, and carefully use an email waitlist to drive thousands of RSVPs.
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One of my favourite roles so far, I spent just under two years helping to launch Toast Ale’s sustainably brewed beer in the USA.
This covered every part of marketing and relied on building incredible partnerships. And yes, I got to prove I know how to organise a piss up in a brewery…
Raising Toast Ale’s profile in the USA
Ways of working
Retainer
While an ongoing contract, we’ll work in sprints and sign up to a few weeks' worth of work at a time - so you know exactly what you’ll get at the end.
Project-based
When you have a specific project that needs to be completed, this burst of work is aimed at bringing in the outside skills to get the job done.