This page answers the questions owners ask most often before hiring us. Missing one? Put it to us by call, text or email and a senior strategist will answer it plainly. The short version: month-to-month plans, accounts in your name, a written cost ceiling and plain reporting.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Markham.Marketing cost?
Our entry plan, Growth, costs $1,999 monthly with no term, dropping to $1,499 monthly on an annual commitment; 13% HST is extra. Elite and Enterprise plans cost more and include more channels and website benefits. Ad spend is separate.
Am I locked into a contract?
No. Every plan runs month to month, and 30 days' notice ends it. Annual billing is a voluntary discount, not a requirement.
How soon will I see results?
Paid search can produce calls within a week or two of launch. Local search and website improvements usually show clear movement in three to six months. Business-park outreach often takes several months before the first contract.
We tried an agency before and got nothing. Why would this be different?
Usually the problem was no clear target, no cost ceiling and reports full of clicks instead of calls. We agree the communities, the channels and the maximum cost per lead in writing first, and report calls and booked jobs. If it isn't working, we say so early.
Who owns my website, Google profile and ad accounts?
You do. Everything is set up in your business's name, with us added as managers. If you leave, you keep it all and we hand over access.
What will I get in a monthly report?
Calls, texts and emails by source, cost per lead against the agreed ceiling, review growth, and booked jobs if you track where customers came from. It's written in plain language, with what we're changing next month.
Will you promise first-page rankings or a set number of leads?
No. Nobody controls Google's results, and anyone promising rankings is guessing. We commit to doing the work properly and reporting honestly.
Are you a contractor or a lead-selling service?
Neither. We don't install, repair or service anything, and we don't sell leads. Every enquiry from your marketing comes to you alone.
Do you work with businesses outside the trades?
Yes, local businesses with a storefront or office in Markham are a good fit for our main-street and website services. We stick to marketing and don't give professional advice in your field.
Can you market to customers in languages other than English?
Yes, where your customers need it. We use qualified translators for any translated page or ad, rather than relying on automatic translation alone.
Do I need to be on social media?
Not always. For most Markham trades, a strong Google profile, reviews and a good website come first. Social media helps some businesses, especially storefronts and visual trades, and we'll say whether it's worth your time.
What do you need from me to get started?
A rough job or sales history by postal code, your average ticket and close rate, access to your current accounts, and an hour for an interview. Photos of real work help a lot.
Do you have an office in Markham?
No. We're part of a group headquartered in Vancouver, BC, and we meet Markham clients by video call or in person, and by phone, text and email. We don't claim a local address we don't have.
Questions about money
Price is usually the first question, and it should be. Our plans start at $1,999 a month, or $1,499 on annual billing, plus HST, and the pricing page sets out all three plans with a worked example. The bigger question is total cost: the plan fee plus ad spend. We work that out with you from your average job value and close rate, so you know before you start what a lead may cost and how many you can afford to take.
Watch out for marketing proposals that quote a monthly fee but stay vague about ad budgets, setup charges or who owns the accounts. Ask for all three in writing, wherever you buy.
Questions about risk
Owners who've been burned before tend to ask about contracts, ownership and what happens if things don't work. Here's where we stand:
- No lock-in. Month-to-month, 30 days' notice.
- You own the assets. Website, domain, profile, ad and analytics accounts sit in your business name.
- No promises we can't keep. We promise the work and honest reporting, not rankings.
- Early honesty. If a channel misses the agreed ceiling after a fair test, we change it or recommend stopping.
Read more about how we work and what we refuse to do.
Questions about timing
How long it takes depends on the channel. Paid search is fastest, local search and website improvements take a few months to build, and commercial outreach is the slowest but often the steadiest once it lands. Most Markham clients run one quick channel and one slower one together, which our services page explains.
Seasons matter too. Many trades are busiest in the first cold weeks of autumn or the first hot weeks of summer, so we try to have work in place a month or two ahead of those peaks.
Questions about fit
We're a good fit if you're a trade or local business in Markham with a real customer base, a phone that gets answered and room for more work. We're a poor fit if you need leads tomorrow for a business with no reviews, website or capacity, or if you want someone to promise results.
We are a marketing and business consulting service only. We are not a contractor, and we don't give legal, engineering, permit or compliance advice. If your question touches on regulators or approvals, we'll point you to the right body.
Questions about switching from another provider
Answer first: switching is usually simpler than owners fear, as long as you control your own accounts. Before you leave a current provider, make a list of every login: domain registrar, hosting, website admin, Google Business Profile, Google Ads, analytics and any call-tracking numbers. Ask for owner-level access to each, in writing, before you give notice.
If a previous agency set things up in its own name, we can help you request the transfer and, where needed, rebuild what can't be recovered. Profiles and ad accounts usually can be moved to your ownership; call-tracking numbers sometimes can't, which is one reason we prefer to publish your own number wherever possible. Plan the switch for a quieter month rather than the start of your busy season.
Still have questions?
Most owners only need one short conversation to know whether we are a fit. Bring your rough numbers and your biggest frustration, and we will tell you what we would do first.
The contact page explains what to put in your first message and what happens next. You can also see where we work on the areas page.
Sources
- Trades.Agency: Pricing (2026-10-22)