Afflecto Media Marketing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing and brand development for Clear Blue Smile. We’re preparing to launch in three states with a national broader launch perhaps next year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Afflecto Media Marketing?

We hired them to develop our entire brand. We wanted their help creating the vibe and impression of our presence, especially in having a cohesive website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We met with them to give them our framework after we solidified our name. They took everything we gave them, from the color scheme to the general image, and produced a full brand. With everything in mind, they developed our logo and gave us several options to choose from.  

They also developed our website initially on WordPress, but we’re looking to move to a different service as we expand. 

Basically, if it’s able to be done, we’ve asked them for it and they’ve done it. Their team built a complete PR package and a brand box that includes everything from cool sticker sheets to creating brochures. They’ve edited the copy for our blogs and handled the marketing with other companies we’re collaborating with. They’ve worked on our SEO on the site and strengthening our brand on social media. We plan to use them moving forward for broader tasks. 

What is the team composition?

Amy (Partner & Vice President) and Michael (President) have been our primary points of contact. Rachel (Client Specialist) has helped with our website a lot, but they have other employees who helped who we haven’t met. 

How did you come to work with Afflecto Media Marketing?

We had put it out there that we were looking for a company and we wanted to keep things local as much as possible. A friend who knew of their work referred us to them. At that point, we’d interviewed three other agencies but we felt Afflecto Media Marketing shared our understanding. They’d also done a bit of work in our space for other orthodontists and practices locally, so they were familiar with our industry. 

How much have you invested with them?

At this point, we’ve probably invested between $40,000–$50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since around July 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We really have them to thank for helping get us off the ground and we’re happy with that. I didn’t know what to expect for how long creating a site from scratch should take, having never been a part of a startup before, but we couldn’t be more pleased with their turnaround time. Everything they’ve done has been top-notch. 

How did Afflecto Media Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

If something happens that delays the project or is out of their control, they are so good at communicating about it efficiently. They give us updates on what is happening or if anything if off track. I can work directly with Rachel and they’re good at delegating projects to get them done. Everyone I’ve worked with there has been efficient at communicating and gets things done on time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can’t say enough positive things about their team. It’s clear they focus on developing a real relationship with their clients and it feels personal and not formulaic. We’ve gone to dinner with them, have coffee mornings, and that’s why we love having them here in town to do that more often. They know and understand what we want out of our projects. Everything they have done so far is fantastic. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

For now, since we’re early on in this process, no. They are limited to our budget, but I don’t have any criticism. We haven’t seen the big push we want to see on social media, but that’s more on us getting off the ground and gaining awareness, so it isn’t on them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We came into the gate knowing exactly what we wanted and had a vision. Whether you’re there or don’t know exactly what to do, they will do great in determining a direction. Come to them with what you know and give them the reins so they can take it in a good direction. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Afflecto?

We hired Afflecto to create a cohesive brand strategy and creative content for our company. Our goal was to establish a strong relationship with a marketing firm that could help us create a voice for our organization. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We partnered with Afflecto to help us recreate our website. They're also formulating our entire digital strategy, from planning all of our Google Ads and search keywords to our social media and creative pieces that are tailored to our local community. 

What is the team composition? 

Amy (Partner and Vice President of Media, Afflecto) was my main point of contact. I also spoke with Michael (President, Afflecto). The entire team is so well-versed in their niches that I often refer to them as savants. Rachel (Account Coordinator) was fantastic. We also worked with a designer.  Stacy (Director of Digital Media, Afflecto) is our digital strategist. I've had exposure to a lot of their teammates.  

How did you come to work with Afflecto?

I had known Amy (Partner and Vice President, Media, Afflecto) previously, but it was important to me that we select our vendor based on merit. We made an effort to seek out other opinions. 

When we reached out to Afflecto, we felt that they had taken a comprehensive look at our online presence and overall brand. I could tell that they had listened to and heard us. They expressed a thorough understanding of what made our organization great and offered excellent feedback on some things that we could improve, so we decided to go with them. They were the clear winner based on their depth of understanding and the quality of service they could provide.

How much have you invested with them?

We have them on a monthly retainer. They have also done a couple of projects which are separate expenses.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since February 2019 officially, but we actually first started talking to them last fall. We had an extensive search process as we considered several vendors. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It's too early to have statistics or metrics at this point. Internally, we have been very happy with their work.

How did Afflecto perform from a project management standpoint?

Afflecto is always available and very responsive. Their project management is exceptional. Our respective coordinators frequently communicate via phone and email. 

We have a standing meeting weekly. Since I am quite busy, I don't always make it. I know, however, that they're in constant communication with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're not marketing specialists, so we don't always articulately convey our needs.  Nevertheless, Afflecto always tends to grasp the overall spirit of what we want to drive home. Compared to other providers in the area, they immediately established a deep understanding of who we are, what our brand is, and what we're trying to communicate. They do an amazing job of relaying this information back to us. Afflecto gets us excited about how we can put ourselves out there.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It's too early in the relationship to tell. Their project management is generally really good, but at times it's a little clunky due to how many people are involved. I don't think this is something they need to spend a tremendous amount more of their time making an effort to improve, though. Overall, we're very satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide clarity about what you're looking for when you hire Afflecto.  I've worked with many marketing firms and think Afflecto would add value to small and medium sized businesses who need to clean up their online presence. 

I also recommend trusting the process and knowing your limits and guidelines. Marketing is expensive. If you haven't done this type of process before, you might feel unclear or hesitant about your budget.  

Understand the financial investment you can commit to so that Afflecto can accurately convey the services they can provide at that level of funding. I'm looking forward to what the future holds and seeing a return on that investment. I am confident they will deliver.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the branch manager and loan officer for a midsize, family-owned mortgage company with locations in four or five states.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Afflecto?

Our main challenge was generating more clients through marketing, including radio and web advertising.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Afflecto helps us with all of our web and radio marketing needs, including everything from negotiating our ad prices to radio spot times and station selection. They analyze our target demographic in order to choose the best channels and time slots. They also help record ads in a studio, collaborating with our team on the brainstorming and scripting for each piece.

What is the team composition?

I work with Michael (President, Afflecto).

How did you come to work with Afflecto?

Colleagues from another one of our offices had already been working with Michael and recommended him.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since August 2012 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Afflecto has helped us achieve a significant level of brand recognition in our community. People recognize my voice when I walk into stores and introduce myself, which is a testament to their success of placing us in the right ad spots at the right times.

How did Afflecto perform from a project management standpoint?

Afflecto is good about meeting deadlines and being flexible. They're quick to adapt to our shifting needs and are able to work on projects on the fly. Whenever I need to get ahold of them, either by phone, email, or text message, they're easy to reach.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They genuinely care about the success of our campaigns. They're continuously checking up and making sure everything is running smoothly and effectively. They help us get more for less and are very proactive about helping us grow.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust that they know what they're talking about when it comes to where to put your advertising dollars. They don't give advice lightly; they take a thorough and tested approach to each project they work on.