Since its founding in 1993, Aegis Protective Services (Aegis) has operated with a simple premise: to provide excellent client service based on building relationships between clients, security officers, and support staff. Since 2003, Justin Dutro has built on that legacy started by his parents and is transforming the company from a security guard business into a powerhouse integrated security company.
Dutro shares, “Most security companies focus on either guard personnel services or technology solutions. Aegis does both. There is so much new security technology, and our customers often don’t know what the right combination of people and technology is for them. They just want to feel secure. We don’t think of technology and security guard personnel as two different things. For us, it is about solving each unique security problem with one integrated solution combining people and technology.”
Aegis’s integrated approach to security fueled their growth in Cincinnati. Then, several years ago, Dutro’s growth horizon broadened, and his new goal was to become a regionally-dominant security firm.
Challenge
Looking internally first, he built out his operations and sales teams. Next, he recognized a need for help with marketing and focused on filling that need. Dutro says, “Until this point, we never had a structured marketing department. Marketing had always been something thrown onto someone’s plate as an additional responsibility. Or we just didn’t do it.”
“I knew I couldn’t yet afford to go hire a chief marketing officer (CMO). So, I was looking for a consultant-type relationship. As I searched, I found a lot of consulting companies that were pushing me on things they sell versus what we really needed. I was looking for someone who could meet us where we were. Help us find the right partners. Someone who would help us with what we needed.”
Solution
This is where CMO-OnLoan comes in.
Amy Connor, President and owner of CMO-OnLoan, shares, “We have a systemic and strategic approach, but it is extremely adaptable based on what our clients need. From day 1 we jump in to understand the brand, business goals, current marketing tactics, and results; we work to understand the biggest gaps and needs, then we make a plan that makes sense for that client based on where they are.”
Dutro confirms that sentiment, adding, “Amy Connor and CMO-OnLoan met us where we were. She helped us think about our growth goals and where our current business was coming from. We used the data to put a plan together on where and how we can increase leads and how we’d measure our results.”
Approach
Connor adds, “We worked with Aegis for about a year to put a solid marketing foundation in place. After we had the foundation in place, we connected Aegis with partners for their website and digital needs, and we helped them define an internal marketing position, interview, hire, onboard, and train this person.”
Says Dutro, “We are always doing something new and pushing our limits – always asking what’s next. We worked with CMO-OnLoan on and off for over 2 years. We had all these different needs, and she was very flexible in working with us and filling gaps. Quickly scaling services up and down as needed. Now, we are off and running on our own. We have our plan. We know what we are doing. We know how we will evaluate.”
Results
Today, Aegis has grown to a large regional security company with almost 600 employees across Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Orlando, with more growth on the horizon.
Connor shares, “It is so rewarding to see our clients graduate with newfound confidence in their marketing ability. I have no doubt that Justin and his team will continue to build on the marketing foundation we helped put in place as they continue to grow in innovative and exciting ways.”
Dutro closes, saying, “Every day, we are solving problems for customers in innovative and integrated ways. Our growth is exciting, but even more exciting is having our customers feel secure and seeing those partnerships with our customers grow.”
To learn more about Aegis's exceptional security services and expertise, visit https://www.aegis-ps.com/.