Commercial Second Opinion
Independent Marketing Proposal & Investment Review
Before you sign it, spend it, launch it or send it, get an experienced independent view.
A Commercial Second Opinion is designed for the moment when something consequential is already sitting in front of you.
An agency proposal.
A media recommendation.
A retailer opportunity.
A sponsorship.
A partnership.
A launch plan.
A marketing investment.
You do not need an open-ended consultancy project around it. You need somebody senior, commercially minded and independent to read the material and tell you what they see before the decision is made.
October Release investment: £395
£495 from 1 November 2026.
Fixed scope. Direct booking. Personally reviewed by Hannah.
Before You Sign
Marketing proposals are written to persuade.
Partnership opportunities often arrive with momentum already attached to them.
Campaign plans gather internal supporters before anybody has asked the uncomfortable questions.
None of this makes the recommendation wrong. It does mean that an independent view can be useful before money, resource or reputation is committed.
I examine the decision without needing to defend the work that created it.
The objective is to determine whether the commercial case holds up, which assumptions deserve challenge and what I would want answered before proceeding.
What can you bring?
A Commercial Second Opinion can be used for one contained decision such as:
An agency proposal or retainer.
A PR or communications proposal.
A paid-media recommendation.
A retail-media package.
A sponsorship opportunity.
A brand partnership.
A campaign investment.
A retailer opportunity.
A launch plan.
A pricing or proposition decision.
A website or rebrand proposal.
A new agency appointment.
A go-to-market recommendation.
If your requirement involves several separate decisions or needs a full marketing strategy, a broader engagement will be more appropriate.
What I review
You submit:
- One central commercial question.
- A short explanation of the context.
- The decision that needs to be made.
- Up to three supporting documents.
As a guide, the combined material should remain within approximately 40 pages or slides unless agreed in advance.
I review the recommendation, the commercial logic behind it, the assumptions it depends upon, what appears absent and the questions I believe should be resolved before approval.
What you receive
- A pre-session senior review of the submitted material.
- A private working session focused on the agreed decision.
- A clear overall position:
GO
The fundamentals support proceeding.
CHANGE
The opportunity has merit, although I believe material points should be changed or resolved first.
DON’T DO
I would not recommend proceeding in the proposed form.
You also receive:
- The three issues I believe have the greatest bearing on the decision.
- The questions or terms I would challenge.
- My recommended immediate next steps.
- A concise written Decision Note issued within one working day.
- One consolidated clarification email within five working days.
A small investment beside an expensive mistake
If your business is considering a £10,000, £20,000 or £50,000 marketing commitment, the fee for an experienced second view is a small proportion of the decision.
That is the commercial logic behind this service.
You are not purchasing an hour of conversation.
You are purchasing independent scrutiny before a larger commitment is made.
Suitability guarantee
I review your initial briefing before substantive advisory work begins.
If the question sits materially outside my experience or I do not believe I can add enough to justify the engagement, I will decline the work and refund the booking.
This is a suitability commitment rather than an outcome guarantee.
This is well suited to you if
- You already have a proposal, recommendation or defined decision in front of you.
- The financial or strategic consequence is meaningful enough to warrant another experienced perspective.
- You want independent commercial scrutiny rather than another supplier pitching for the work.
- You value direct advice and are comfortable hearing that I may recommend changing or declining the opportunity.
Please do not book this if
- You need an entire marketing strategy written.
- You require detailed financial modelling.
- You want me to negotiate the supplier contract on your behalf.
- Several unrelated commercial questions need solving.
- You require legal, financial, tax or regulated professional advice.
- You need implementation as part of the booking.
In those cases, please apply for broader consultancy or obtain the relevant specialist professional advice.
About Hannah
I am a senior luxury brand and marketing consultant and former Selfridges HQ marketing lead, with more than a decade spent across retailer, brand, distributor, trade and agency environments.
My work spans luxury fashion, fine jewellery, watches, accessories, beauty, fragrance, retail media, CRM, partnerships and commercial growth.
That breadth is useful when the decision in front of you sits somewhere between brand, marketing and commercial reality.
My work and thought leadership across these sectors has been featured / published across The Independent, WWD, Retail Week, Glossy and WATCHPRO UK & US. You can learn more about me here and you can explore my LinkedIn profile here.
FAQs
Can you review an agency proposal?
Yes. Agency and supplier proposals are one of the clearest use cases for the Commercial Second Opinion, provided the review remains within the defined scope.
Can you tell me whether my agency is overcharging?
I can assess the proposal, scope, assumptions and commercial logic within the context supplied. This is not a formal procurement benchmark or legal review.
Can you review a sponsorship or brand partnership?
Yes, where the question relates to commercial fit, marketing value, structure and strategic rationale.
Do you provide legal contract advice?
No. Any legal terms or contract questions requiring legal interpretation should be reviewed by a qualified solicitor.
What happens after I book?
You reserve your Decision Day, complete the confidential briefing and upload the supporting material. I review the material before delivery and confirm any included working-session arrangements.
How quickly is the Decision Note delivered?
Within one working day of the working session unless otherwise stated at booking.
If the decision keeps returning to your inbox, give it one independent review before you commit.
Let’s build something exceptional
If you’re ready for thoughtful, commercially grounded strategy, I’d love to hear about your project.
