b38 digital · Barrie, Ontario
Honest web design, SEO and marketing in Barrie, only when you need it.
Budgets are tight right now. Your marketing shouldn't be another thing keeping you up at night. I give you real work, plain-language updates and full ownership of everything, without a locked-in retainer running in the background.
b38 digital is a web design, SEO and marketing practice in Barrie, Ontario, run by Cheryl "B" Buckland, serving local businesses across Simcoe County, Orillia and Muskoka.
- No retainer required
- Pause anytime
- You own everything
- Updates you can check
Website, search and social all run through me. You approve one plan, read one report in plain words, and always know who to call.
Who this is for
Marketing help without a locked-in retainer, for owners who've been burned before.
You're who I built this for. Maybe you paid every month for reports you couldn't read. Maybe you never hired anyone because signing up for a year felt like a trap.
Here, you pay for work that needs doing, you see exactly what was done, and you can stop whenever you want. If something is working, I'll tell you to leave it alone.
How b38 works
A small business marketing consultant who runs the whole job. You hold the keys.
Think of me as a general contractor for marketing. A good contractor knows the whole house, coordinates the work and hands you the keys at the end. That's how b38 works: strategy, websites, search, photography, print and events, handled by one person who tells you straight what's worth doing and what isn't.
You own everything.
Your website, accounts and files are yours from day one. I'm added as a user, never the owner.
Every account in your nameYou always know what's happening.
Every change is logged: what I did, why it matters and how you can check it yourself.
The Work RecordWe spend where it matters.
If something is working, I'll say so. If a change is worth making, you'll know why before we spend on it.
The Check-in VerdictSupport flexes with you.
Busy season, quiet month or one big project. Use the help that makes sense now and pause when you don't need it.
Pay for active months onlyThe Work Record
Plain-language marketing reports you can check yourself.
Most marketing updates hand you a number and walk away. Every change I make goes into a shared Work Record you can open any time, written so you never need a translator.
"Impressions increased 17% this month."
What most updates say. A number, with no decision attached.
- What I did
- Changed the title on your roof repair page from "Services | Your Business" to "Roof Repair in Orillia | Your Business".
- Why it matters to you
- The page shows up for Orillia searches, but people weren't clicking it. A clearer title should bring more of those searchers to your phone before we write anything new.
- How you can check it
- Search "roof repair Orillia" in a week or two and look for the new title. I'll report the clicks in next month's update.
Illustrative example. Real entries are written for your business.
The paperwork, done properly
Everything in writing, in plain language.
Every project comes with the same set of documents, so you always know what's happening, what it costs and where your things live. No mystery, no fine print.
Website sneak peek
Free · before you decideThe biggest things holding your site back, plus quick wins you can fix yourself.
Proposal + value summary
After the scope callWhat's included, what's extra, every hour and every price, laid out side by side.
Welcome pack
When you say yesWho I am, how I work, and the promises I keep on every project.
Project guide
At kick-offEvery step, when it happens, and why it's done that way. Plus your checklist and payment dates.
Work record
Throughout, shared with youA live log of every change: the page, the wording before and after, and the reason.
Handover pack
At the finishEvery account in your name, how-to notes for the everyday stuff, and how to remove my access.
Pricing
How much small business marketing costs. Pick what you need.
No packages to outgrow and no long-term contracts to escape. Every option has a clear price before anything starts.
Affordable ways to startFor tight budgets and first steps
Website sneak peek
I read your site the way Google does and send you the biggest problems in plain language, plus a few quick wins you can fix yourself. No strings.
90-minute marketing working session
90 minutes on a screen share. You leave with your own plain-language to-do list, written so you can do most of it yourself.
Website check-in review
A fresh look at your site and search data with a straight verdict: keep going, fix a few things or leave it alone. Credited toward an audit booked within 30 days.
Website and SEO auditWhere every bigger plan starts
Foundation audit: your full roadmap
Every page mapped, what to fix now, next, later or never, and a walkthrough. A roadmap you keep whether or not you hire me again.
Monthly marketing supportAfter a check-in or audit, so we work from facts
Essentials
About 6 hours. The steady basics, done properly.
Growth
About 10 hours. Room for real improvements each month.
Focus
About 15 hours. For a busy season or a big push.
Website redesigns and projects, quoted up frontWebsites, photography, print, ads, events
Projects of any size
Scoped after a call and quoted within 3 business days. Outside costs bundled in, every file handed over.
All prices plus HST. Extra hours are $85, always quoted before I start. Change or pause monthly support by the 20th for the next month. If I don't think next month needs the hours, I'll tell you to pause. Ad spend goes straight to your own accounts.
Why b38
Affordable marketing doesn't mean cheap. It means nothing wasted.
Most agencies make money when you stay locked in. I'd rather be worth coming back to. You only pay for work that needs doing, and you'll always know whether I think something is worth the money.
What I do
Web design, SEO, photography and print, under one roof.
From your first impression online to the postcard on a doorstep, I coordinate the work so you deal with one person and one quote.
Website design and redesigns
Refreshes, new builds and landing pages that are easy to update yourself.
Local SEO and Google Business Profile
Show up when people nearby search for what you do, on Google and in AI answers.
Business photography and video
Work photos, team photos and before-and-afters that show the quality of what you do.
Print marketing
Postcards, door hangers and leave-behinds designed to get kept.
Content and copywriting
Posts, emails, ads and website words your customers actually read.
Google, Meta and Local Services Ads
Ads that run on your budget, in your own account, with results you can see.
Event marketing
Home shows, community booths, customer nights and staff events.
How it works
How it works, from free consultation to keys in hand.
A free 20-minute consultation
A short form, then 20 minutes. Tell me what's going on. No pitch, no commitment.
A clear plan and price
Within 3 business days: what I'd do, what it costs and what I'd skip.
The work, on the record
Every change logged. You're kept in the loop without being buried in it.
You decide what's next
Keep going, check in later or take the plan and run with it.
About
Hi, I'm Cheryl. Everyone calls me B.
I've spent seven years in marketing across technology, healthcare, automotive and home services, a lot of it inside trades and service businesses. That's where I learned exactly where marketing money gets wasted and where it actually moves the needle.
I keep a small client list on purpose. You talk to me, not a rep or a ticket system, and the person planning your work is the person doing it. I believe in putting good work into the world, and right now that means being honest about where your money should go.
Cheryl "B" Buckland / Founder, b38 digital, Barrie ON
Two spots at a time
The Neighbour Rate: marketing help for new and community businesses
Two spots at a time for small owner-run businesses, new businesses and community organizations. A reduced rate, or a creative arrangement that can include trades, in exchange for an honest testimonial and a story I can share.
FAQ
Marketing questions local owners actually ask.
How much does a marketing consultant cost in Barrie?
With b38 digital, a 90-minute working session is $150, a check-in review is $175, and a full foundation audit is $950 for a small site or $1,500 for a standard one. Monthly support runs $495, $850 or $1,250 depending on how many hours you need. All prices are plus HST, and you see the price before anything starts.
Do I have to sign a marketing retainer?
No. Every job starts with a written agreement that lists exactly what you're getting, but there's no long-term contract. Monthly support can be paused or changed by the 20th for the following month, and when you don't need help, you pay nothing. If I don't think a month needs the hours, I'll tell you to pause.
What's included in a website and SEO audit?
Every page mapped, a plain-language list of what to fix now, next, later or never, and a walkthrough so you understand it. The roadmap is yours to keep, whether or not you ever hire me again.
Can you help if I have no marketing budget?
Yes. Book a working session. In 90 minutes we look at what you have together and you leave with your own to-do list, written so you can do most of it yourself.
Who owns my website and social media accounts?
You do. Every login, file and account stays in your name. I'm added as a user, never as the owner, so nothing changes if we stop working together.
Will you tell me if I don't need something?
Yes. If something is working, my recommendation is to leave it alone. I'd rather you trust my advice than buy more than you need.
Do you do marketing for contractors and trades businesses?
Yes. Plumbers, roofers, electricians, landscapers and other trades are where my experience runs deepest. The same honest approach works for any owner-run local business.
How much does a website cost?
It depends on whether you need a refresh or a new build. Every website project gets one all-in written quote within 3 business days, with outside costs bundled in and no surprise monthly fees.
How much does SEO cost?
Most SEO work happens inside monthly support, from $495 a month, after a $950 or $1,500 audit shows what's worth fixing. If your site is already in good shape, I'll tell you, and a $175 check-in may be all you need.
Do you offer web design and marketing in Orillia and Muskoka?
Yes. I'm based in Barrie and work with businesses across Simcoe County, Orillia and Muskoka. Most of the work happens online, and I come to you for photography, events and anything that needs boots on the ground.
How long does SEO take to work?
It depends on the work. A website launches on a date; search changes usually take four to eight weeks to show. I'll tell you what to expect up front, and I won't promise rankings.
What if it's not working?
Tell me. If you don't feel the value, I'll help you move everything to whoever comes next. It isn't a refund, just no hard feelings and no hostage accounts.
Do your prices include HST?
No, prices are plus HST. If your business isn't HST-registered, that 13% is a real cost to you, so I'll always show it on your quote.
Next step
Let's talk about what your business actually needs.
A free scope call, an honest recommendation and a clear price. If the smartest move is to wait, I'll tell you that too.
cheryl.buckland@b38digital.com
Barrie, Ontario. Replies within 2 business days, usually sooner.