TerraFirma Marketing

What TerraFirma Marketing does

TerraFirma Marketing is a privately held B2B marketing agency headquartered in South Bend, Indiana (130 S Main St, Suite 315), that delivers branding, marketing strategy, website design and development, digital solutions (SEO, social media, digital advertising), design, and content marketing services exclusively to the staffing industry. The firm was founded by Jay Mattern, a 32-year staffing industry veteran who co-founded and led The Peoplelink Group to become the 35th largest staffing firm in America before pivoting to marketing services for the vertical. As a niche, single-vertical agency, TerraFirma positions itself against off-the-shelf marketing products by emphasizing operator experience, customized integrated marketing plans, and a "simplicity over fads" execution philosophy.

The firm's product surface spans two layers. The primary layer is bespoke marketing services engagements sold via direct consultation and custom quoting. The secondary layer is RateHound, a free iOS and Android mobile application launched in 2021 that acts as a one-input staffing rate calculator (handling payroll burden and other rate factors in a single step). RateHound generates no direct revenue; it is positioned as a top-of-funnel credibility asset and inbound touchpoint for paid engagements. The firm's pricing for services is not publicly disclosed and is built around project-based, quote-based engagements tailored to each staffing firm's needs.

TerraFirma's go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven rather than self-serve. Distribution is anchored by a content engine (the Intel blog and the To The Point weekly newsletter with 93 archived editions), an active conference presence (sponsor and exhibitor at ASGroup Spring 2025 and at ASA Staffing World 2021), and a broad affiliation portfolio with 13 staffing-industry trade bodies including the American Staffing Association, Staffing Industry Analysts, TempNet, ASGroup, ISSA, TechServe Alliance, NAPS, the Alternative Staffing Alliance, and six U.S. state-level staffing associations. Headcount is reported in the 1–10 employee band. No institutional investors, parent companies, or public-stock listings are disclosed; the firm is founder-led and privately held. The only publicly named customer is Broadreach Staffing, an enterprise engagement focused on website redesign and brand rejuvenation.

Name

TerraFirma Marketing

Legal name

TerraFirma Marketing

Website

https://terrafirmamarketing.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TerraFirma Marketing is a privately held B2B agency that delivers branding, strategy, website, digital, and content marketing services exclusively to the staffing industry, complemented by a free mobile rate-calculator app called RateHound.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Marketing Agency Services: TerraFirma provides comprehensive marketing solutions to staffing firms including branding, marketing consulting and strategy, website design and development, digital solutions (SEO, social media, digital ad campaigns), design services, and content marketing. Revenue is generated through professional service engagements with staffing industry clients.
2. RateHound Mobile Application: RateHound is a free mobile application available on iOS and Android app stores. The app provides staffing rate calculations to users at no charge, positioning it as a complementary tool that demonstrates TerraFirma's domain expertise in staffing industry economics while generating brand goodwill and potential inbound leads for paid services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TerraFirma Marketing provides simple, effective, and manageable marketing solutions exclusively for the staffing industry, including branding, marketing consulting and strategy, website design and development, digital solutions (SEO, social media, digital ad campaigns), design services, and content marketing. The firm also offers RateHound, a free mobile rate calculator app built specifically for staffing professionals.

Product overview

TerraFirma Marketing provides specialized marketing solutions exclusively for the staffing industry, combining professional services with proprietary technology. The core portfolio consists of RateHound, a mobile rate calculator app that enables staffing professionals to quickly calculate all key staffing rate factors and profitability metrics on the go, supplemented by a comprehensive suite of marketing services including branding, marketing strategy, website design and development, digital solutions (SEO, social media, digital advertising), design services, and content marketing. This dual offering—specialized software plus full-service marketing expertise—addresses both the tactical and strategic marketing needs of growth-oriented staffing firms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RateHound: The only rate calculator app created for the staffing industry. Developed and made available by TerraFirma Marketing, it allows staffing professionals to quickly calculate key staffing rate factors on their mobile devices.

Products and services

• Marketing Services for the Staffing Industry Full-service marketing solutions for growth-oriented staffing firms, covering client and candidate branding, marketing consulting and strategy, website design and development, digital solutions (SEO, social media, digital ad campaigns), digital and print design, and traditional and experiential content marketing. Delivered as customized, integrated marketing plans rather than off-the-shelf products.
• RateHound Mobile Rate Calculator App A free mobile rate calculator app created specifically for the staffing industry, available on iOS and Android. Staffing professionals input three numbers to calculate the remaining rate factors, with a burden tool to build in all payroll cost elements, providing a faster alternative to spreadsheets.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TempNetminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. TempNet is the national trade association for temporary staffing services.
• Staffing Industry AnalystsminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. SIA is a research and news organization serving the staffing and workforce solutions industry.
• American Staffing AssociationminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. ASA is the nation's largest trade association for staffing and workforce solutions companies.
• ASGroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTerraFirma is a proud sponsor of ASGroup, serving as both an exhibitor and marketing resource to ASGroup and its members. Active participation in ASGroup conferences demonstrates ongoing strategic partnership.
• Alternative Staffing AllianceminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. An alliance focused on alternative staffing models and solutions.
• TechServe AllianceminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. TechServe is the national trade association representing the IT and engineering staffing and services industry.
• NAPSminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. NAPS is the National Association of Personnel Services, a professional association for the staffing and recruiting industry.
• California Staffing AssociationminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. State-level staffing industry association.
• Colorado Staffing AssociationminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. State-level staffing industry association.
• Florida Staffing AssociationminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. State-level staffing industry association.
• Georgia Staffing AdministrationminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. State-level staffing industry association.
• ISSAminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. International Staffing Association representing global staffing industry interests.
• NJSAminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. National Jobbers Staffing Association.
• Wisconsin Association of Staffing ServicesminorOthersDisplayed as a partner association on TerraFirma's website footer. State-level staffing industry association.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bullhorn: Bullhorn is a large incumbent staffing-industry technology provider (ATS/CRM) that has expanded into recruitment marketing and automation. Differs as a tech platform but serves the same vertical buyers.
• Jellyfish (staffing marketing division): Global digital marketing agency that serves clients across industries including staffing/recruitment. Larger scale agency with broader portfolio but overlapping digital marketing, SEO, and content services for staffing-adjacent clients.

Direct peers

• Recruitics: Recruitics provides data-driven recruitment marketing and analytics services specifically for staffing firms, including job advertising, employer branding, and programmatic recruitment media. Overlapping vertical specialization and service mix.
• MarketVolt: MarketVolt provides marketing services focused on the staffing industry, including candidate generation, employer branding, and digital marketing. Direct competitor with vertical specialization similar to TerraFirma.
• Symphony Talent: Symphony Talent provides employer branding, recruitment marketing, and talent CRM solutions to staffing and enterprise hiring teams. Comparable customer base (staffing firms) with overlapping branding and digital marketing offerings.
• Haley Marketing Group: Haley Marketing Group is the largest direct competitor—a marketing agency exclusively serving the staffing and recruiting industry with website design, content marketing, and recruitment marketing services. Highly comparable vertical-focus GTM.
• WunderLand Group: WunderLand Group is a marketing and creative agency that, while broader, has a dedicated staffing and recruiting practice. Comparable in serving staffing firms with branding, digital, and content services.

Others

• Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA): SIA is a research and advisory firm serving the staffing industry. Not a marketing agency, but provides research and benchmarks that staffing firms use for marketing decisions—an ecosystem participant adjacent to TerraFirma's buyer base.
• American Staffing Association (ASA) in-house marketing services: ASA is the largest US staffing trade association and offers member marketing resources and education. Not a direct competitor, but a related ecosystem player that staffing firms look to for marketing guidance.

Emerging players

• Staffing Hub: Staffing Hub provides marketing automation and content tools specifically for staffing firms. Smaller and more productized than TerraFirma, but targets the same vertical with overlapping digital marketing solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/terrafirmamarketing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terrafirmamarketing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TerraFirma Marketing