Marketing Consultant • Merritt, BC

Marketing Clarity.
Business Growth.
Real Results.

I help trades and small business owners build stronger brands and smarter marketing strategies. Practical guidance from someone who has built businesses since 2003.

Book My Free 15-Minute Call Join the Newsletter
Mike Fairfield, marketing consultant based in Merritt BC
20+ Years in
Business
Est. 2003 Merritt Marketing
Group
BC Nicola Valley
Based
Direct You work with Mike,
not a team
Who This Is For

You work hard. Your marketing should too.

If you run a trades or local business and your marketing is either nonexistent or not working, you are in the right place. No agency overhead. No runaround. Clear strategy from someone who has built and grown real businesses since 2003.

Trades and local business owners

HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, contractors. You do great work. You deserve marketing that keeps the phone ringing without the big-agency price tag.

Business owners navigating AI

You know it matters. You do not know where to start. I cut through the hype and show you what is actually worth your time and budget right now.

Entrepreneurs who want results

You have tried the agency route. You got reports and invoices. You want a strategy you understand and can act on without a middleman.

Mike Fairfield
About Mike

A practitioner, not a theorist.

I founded Merritt Marketing Group in 2003. Since then I have helped hundreds of small businesses build their brands, fix their marketing, and grow with real budgets. I do not hand you off to a junior account manager. You work with me directly.

I live in Merritt, BC with my wife Odelle. We enjoy family, motorcycles and serving at our local church. We run Gospel Garage, a Christian motorcycle ministry built on our love of the open road and our faith. I serve the Nicola Valley Food Bank. My community is not separate from my work. It is the reason for it.

When I tell you something works, it is because I have watched it work with real businesses and real constraints. That is the only authority I claim.

Read the full story
Coming Soon

Your First AI Employee

For trades and small business owners who are done working past dinner.

Put a reliable AI assistant to work on the admin that is eating your evenings. Without replacing anyone. Without faking your voice. Without handing over control.

    Save 5 hours in your first month or every dollar comes back to you.  |  Your email stays with me. No spam, ever.

    How I Can Help

    Practical work that moves the needle.

    Every engagement is direct, no account managers, no handoffs. You get clear strategy and honest guidance built around your actual situation.

    AI and Automation Strategy

    I show you which tools are worth adopting, how to implement them without disrupting your operation, and how to get real hours back in your week.

    Marketing Strategy

    A clear, focused plan built around your goals, your actual audience, and a budget that makes sense for a real business with real constraints.

    Brand Development

    Build a brand that reflects who you actually are. One that attracts the right clients and holds up long after the trend has moved on.

    Business Mentorship

    Direct access to someone who has been building businesses since 2003. Honest guidance on the decisions that actually matter.

    See All Services
    What People Say

    Twenty years of clients. Real words.

    These are not curated success stories. They are what happens when you do the work with integrity, decade after decade.

    "MMG has gone above and beyond each time they have done work for us. We would never think of using anyone else again. They understand our needs and deliver on time."

    ACN Canada
    Ottawa, ON

    "Mike is professional, well organized, and very client focused. Truly a pleasure to work with."

    Jim Pattison Radio Group
    Vancouver, BC

    "Mike's strongest suit is his willingness to think outside the box. His suggestions are not limited to what has been done before. Creative and willing to take risks with a view for seeing success."

    Marshall Springs Resort
    Vancouver, BC

    "Every experience or opportunity we have had to deal with MMG has always been a 100% positive thing for us. We look forward to any chance we have to use them again."

    Momentum
    Ottawa, ON

    "Kind. Honest. Smart. He personally gets to know his clients and creates a product that reflects their dreams and passions."

    South Central Interior Distance Education School
    BC

    "10 out of 10. Excellent work. Turned my old website from ho hum to WOW. Thank you."

    Glass Hive Studio
    BC
    From the Blog

    Thinking out loud on marketing and AI.

    No trend-chasing. Honest takes on what is happening and what it means for your business.

    AI and Automation
    Why I'm Not Losing Sleep Over AI Taking Your Job

    An essay went viral. A hundred million people panicked. Here is the honest case for why the fear is real but the conclusion is wrong.

    Read More
    Entrepreneurship
    The Hidden Tyranny of Numbers

    We have confused what we can count with what actually counts. Two writers noticed the same trap. Here is what they found and what it costs you.

    Read More
    Small Business Marketing
    Google Ads in 2026: The Rules Have Changed

    AI has reshaped how Google Ads works. What used to convert reliably is no longer enough. Here is what actually works now.

    Read More
    Entrepreneurship
    Show Up or Step Aside

    Consistency is not a personality trait. It is a decision made repeatedly under pressure. Most people quit before it compounds.

    Read More
    View All Posts

    Built in the Nicola Valley.
    Proven Everywhere Else.

    Twenty years of business, a handful of industries, and one consistent approach: show up, do the work, tell the truth.

    Mike Fairfield
    The Story

    From newspapers to Harleys to AI.

    Where It Started

    I was born in Saskatoon and grew up in Ontario. Learned the value of hard work early, delivering newspapers and helping in the family hardware business. By 18 I had dropped out of high school and was managing commercial properties across Canada. Not because I had a plan. Because I could not sit still.

    Building Businesses

    Before MMG I co-founded Pizza Bambino, RoadKing, and Stash 'n Stella's. Some worked. Some did not. All of them taught me something that no marketing textbook ever could: what it actually feels like to have a payroll to meet and a phone that needs to ring.

    In 2003 I founded Merritt Marketing Group. Over two decades we have helped hundreds of small businesses, non-profits, trades companies, and community organizations build their presence online and grow. We are not an agency that disappears after the invoice. Clients deal with me directly. That is the whole model.

    Faith, Family, and the Open Road

    In 2020 my wife Odelle and I founded Gospel Garage, a Christian motorcycle ministry we built around our love of motorcycles and our passion for sharing the Gospel. It is one of the most meaningful things I have ever been part of. Faith is not separate from my work or my relationships. It is the foundation of both.

    I serve at our local Food Bank. I mentor young entrepreneurs. I spend time with my grandchildren. Merritt, BC is not just where I work. It is home.

    Why AI and Automation Now

    After twenty years watching technology change marketing, I have learned to tell the difference between a trend and a shift. AI is a shift. The trades businesses and small business owners I have served my entire career are being left behind by it, not because they are not smart enough, but because nobody is showing them the practical, no-hype version. That is the gap I am filling.

    What I Stand For

    Values are not a page on the website. They are how you show up.

    Faith

    Anchored in Christian principles. My faith informs my business ethics, my relationships, and my sense of purpose. It shows up naturally. It is never performed.

    Integrity

    I do what I say. Uncompromising honesty. No hidden agendas, no upsells you did not ask for, no reports that say nothing.

    Service

    A hand-up, not a handout. Whether it is a client, a mentorship conversation, or a Food Bank shift, the motivation is the same.

    Excellence

    I over-deliver by habit. Details matter. I am not interested in work that is just good enough.

    Family

    Devoted to Odelle, my children, and my grandchildren. The things that last are built at home first.

    Community

    Merritt and the Nicola Valley are home. Local business, local accountability, and local relationships are not a marketing strategy. They are the point.

    Let's Have a Real Conversation.

    No pitch deck. No pressure. Just an honest look at where you are and where you want to go.

    Book My Free 15-Minute Call

    Practical Help for Real Businesses.

    Every engagement is direct. No account managers. No handoffs. You get clear strategy and honest guidance built around your actual situation and budget.

    What I Offer

    Six ways I can move the needle for your business.

    AI and Automation Strategy

    The question is not whether to use AI. It is which tools are worth your time, what they can realistically do for a business your size, and how to implement them without disrupting what already works.

    • AI tool audit and recommendation
    • Workflow automation for admin and follow-up
    • Implementation support and training
    • Ongoing strategy as tools evolve

    Marketing Strategy

    A clear, focused plan built around your goals, your actual audience, and a budget that makes sense. Not a template. Not a report. A working strategy you can actually execute.

    • Audience and positioning clarity
    • Channel strategy and budget allocation
    • Content and campaign planning
    • Measurement framework

    Brand Development

    Your brand is not your logo. It is how people feel about your business before they ever call you. I help you build something that is true to who you are and built to last.

    • Brand positioning and messaging
    • Visual identity direction
    • Voice and tone development
    • Brand guidelines for consistency

    Website Strategy

    Your website should work as hard as you do. I help you build a site that converts visitors into clients and represents your business with the professionalism it deserves.

    • Site audit and conversion review
    • Structure and copy strategy
    • WordPress and Bricks implementation guidance
    • SEO foundation

    Content Strategy

    Stop guessing what to post and say. A content strategy built around your voice, your audience, and content pillars that build authority over time, not just fill a calendar.

    • Content pillar development
    • Editorial calendar
    • Blog and newsletter strategy
    • Voice and tone coaching

    Business Mentorship

    Direct, honest guidance from someone who has been building businesses since 2003. The wins, the failures, the pivots. No textbooks. No theory. Just what actually works.

    • One-on-one strategy sessions
    • Business model and growth review
    • Decision-making and accountability
    • Long-term advisory relationship
    The Process

    Three steps. No surprises.

    01

    Free Consultation

    We start with an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to go. No pressure, no sales pitch. Fifteen minutes, real talk.

    02

    Custom Strategy

    I build a practical plan tailored to your business, your goals, and your budget. Not a cookie-cutter template built for a different business in a different market.

    03

    Real Results

    We execute, measure what matters, and adjust as needed. You get clarity, momentum, and a business worth being proud of.

    Ready to Build Something Worth Being Proud Of?

    Book a free fifteen-minute call. We will have an honest conversation about your business and figure out the best next step together.

    Book My Free 15-Minute Call

    Your First AI Employee

    For trades and small business owners who are done working past dinner.

    Coming Soon

    Put AI to Work on the Admin That Is Eating Your Evenings.

    You did not start your business to spend your evenings buried in follow-up emails, missed quotes, and admin that never ends. But here you are.

    Your First AI Employee is a practical, step-by-step course built for people like you. Not tech people. Not marketers. Business owners with real work to do and not enough hours to do it.

    You will put a reliable AI assistant to work on the admin that is eating your evenings. Without replacing anyone. Without faking your voice. Without handing over control.

    What You Will Be Able to Do
    • Handle after-hours inquiries without being there
    • Draft estimates, follow-ups, and client emails in minutes
    • Automate the repetitive tasks that eat your mornings
    • Get five hours of your week back in the first month
    Join the Waitlist

    Be First in the Door When It Opens.

    Save 5 hours in your first month or every dollar comes back to you.

      Your email stays with me. No spam, no handoffs, no nonsense.

      Thinking Out Loud.

      Honest takes on marketing, AI, faith, and building a business worth being proud of. No trend-chasing. No filler.

      AI and Automation
      Why I'm Not Losing Sleep Over AI Taking Your Job

      An essay went viral. A hundred million people panicked. Here is the honest case for why the fear is real but the conclusion is wrong.

      Read More
      Entrepreneurship
      The Hidden Tyranny of Numbers

      We have confused what we can count with what actually counts. Two writers noticed the same trap. Here is what they found.

      Read More
      Small Business Marketing
      Google Ads in 2026: The Rules Have Changed

      AI has reshaped how Google Ads works. What used to convert reliably is no longer enough. Here is what actually works now.

      Read More
      Entrepreneurship
      Show Up or Step Aside

      Consistency is not a personality trait. It is a decision made repeatedly under pressure. Most people quit before it compounds.

      Read More
      Entrepreneurship and Faith
      Business by Faith

      What it looks like when your faith is not separate from your work but the foundation it is built on.

      Read More
      Entrepreneurship
      A Big Old Tree

      Some things take decades to grow. That is not a flaw in the design. It is the whole point.

      Read More
      Entrepreneurship
      The Two Circles

      A simple framework for understanding what you control and what you do not. Most stress lives in the space between them.

      Read More

      Speaking and Workshops

      Practical, honest sessions on AI, small business marketing, and building with integrity.

      Mike Fairfield speaking
      About the Sessions

      No slides full of buzzwords. Just real talk.

      I have been building and growing businesses for over twenty years. When I speak, I draw from that directly. Not from a whitepaper, not from a case study I read last week. From the work.

      My sessions are built for small business owners, trades groups, chambers of commerce, faith-based organizations, and entrepreneur communities who want practical insight they can act on the same week.

      I am based in Merritt, BC and speak in person across the Interior and Lower Mainland, and virtually for groups anywhere.

      Topics

      Three areas where I have something real to say.

      AI for Small Business Owners

      The no-hype version. What AI can realistically do for a business your size right now, what to ignore, and how to get started without losing your mind or your voice.

      Marketing That Works on a Real Budget

      Twenty years of building marketing strategy for businesses that could not afford to waste money. What actually moves the needle and what is just noise.

      Building With Integrity

      What it looks like when faith and values are not separate from your business but the foundation it is built on. For faith-based organizations and Christian business communities.

      Let's Talk About Your Event.

      Tell me about your audience, your date, and what you are hoping people walk away with. We will figure out if it is a fit.

      Get in Touch

      Let's Talk.

      The fastest way to get started is to book a free fifteen-minute call. No pitch deck. Just a real conversation.

      Get in Touch

      Book the call or send a message.

      If you have a question, an inquiry about speaking, or you want to talk through a business challenge before committing to anything, the contact form works great. If you are ready to get moving, book the call directly.

      Book My Free 15-Minute Call
      mike@mikefairfield.com
      866-960-9816
      Merritt, British Columbia
      mikefairfield.com

      I also serve clients through Merritt Marketing Group.
      merrittmarketinggroup.com  |  866-960-9816

      Send a Message

      Prefer to talk? Book a free fifteen-minute call at Calendly and skip the form entirely.