Marketing Outpost

Marketing Outpost is a marketing firm in Asheville, North Carolina, serving businesses in Asheville, Hendersonville, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Greenville SC and Charleston SC. It builds custom websites, marketing strategy and ongoing campaigns, and works in person at clients' offices, shops and job sites rather than remotely.

The firm is led by founder and strategic director Mari Peterson, with Jenn Gordon as content specialist. Its website says it has operated for 21+ years in Western North Carolina and serves 50+ local businesses across 8+ industries. Work follows three phases: Discover (2 to 4 weeks), Build (2 to 3 weeks) and Grow, which covers ongoing optimisation and reporting. During onboarding the team observes how staff work, meets the people who answer the phone and tries the client's products or services; for an inn they stay overnight, and for a maker they watch production. Meetings happen monthly in person, and every campaign is monitored, with underperforming efforts stopped and replaced.

• Custom websites: mobile-ready, search-ready design, landing pages for new markets and hosting
• Marketing strategy: business discovery, customer and competitor research, marketing plans, brand positioning and messaging
• AI-assisted execution: website copy, local SEO, email newsletters, print and digital design and campaign management
• Advertising and search: paid campaigns and search visibility for local businesses

Named website clients include Reynolds Mountain Villas, ASI Ready Mix, The Reynolds Mansion, Carolina Blinds, Peterson Insurance Group, Quantic Wellness Collective, Echoes of the Forest and Verdant Organics. The firm also lists Buchanan Construction, the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association and the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association among its clients.

Two case studies are published. For the American Chestnut Foundation, Marketing Outpost produced a 52-minute documentary that the site says won film festival awards, reached 7,000+ viewers across 150+ screenings in 16 states and brought 30K new followers. For Echoes of the Forest, a public-art nonprofit, it built the marketing operation from zero in under 12 months, with reported results of 98K social views, a 58.8% email open rate, national TV coverage and 20+ partnerships (self-reported).

Mari Peterson's listed credentials include a BBA from Montreat College, a SCORE mentor role and a board seat with the American Red Cross WNC Chapter. The firm keeps its client list intentionally small.