Bird Marketing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I launched an online store in November 2019. The website allows people to discover and purchase a wide selection of CBD products in the UK. It was my vision to build an online store that would help people discover the many benefits of CBD as it is a natural product that can help with a range of ailments like joint pain, sleeping problems or even anxiety.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited, and what were your goals?

The website was a completely new venture so we basically started from scratch. I hired Bird Marketing to build my vision into a reality. Everything initially centred on the website design including content creation and logo design. The site needed to be an ecommerce store and I needed to be able to list products for sale directly, as well as have capability to manage drop shipped products too. I wanted to have a functional website that gave users a great experience; to achieve this the website needed to look good, be easy to navigate and be a secure and trustworthy place for people to buy products.

Building a resource hub was something I believe can help people learn about the holistic health benefits of CBD. It follows that I want to make people aware of good quality products and make them accessible to people who want to use CBD to improve their health and wellbeing. I was also conscious that we needed to be visible so optimising the site for search engines was also something I considered.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Choosing Bird was easy. I saw from my research they had built great websites and worked with impressive companies. They had good reviews on Google and Clutch. Going through the sales process was straightforward and I was confident in the ability of the company to deliver. Having had conversations during the initial phase it was easy to see what I would be getting at the end of the web design process.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

As part of the proposal there was a complete process that outlined key steps along the journey from first meeting to project completion. There was a kickoff meeting during which I tried to get across the big picture ideas for the project. The designers went away and worked their magic, coming back with a logo design and complete layout idea for homepage, product pages and blog posts.

The majority of what was done up to this point was perfect. I had some ideas about design and after some minor edits the skeleton of the site was ready. At this point the team helped to upload products and test the functionality of the website. Because it was built in wordpress I needed some guidance on navigating the back end to manage stock and add posts etc. Once everything was launched I decided to engage the seo plan lasting 6 months. This was a real eye opener and a valuable experience working with the seo team.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The teams work separately for web design and seo. So I first liaised with Lewis who is in charge of the sales side of things and he was present throughout the journey. Jake was in charge of the development and design of the site and Zoe was the designer I worked with for the logo and web design. All really professional and good at understanding what I wanted and how to get it right. The seo guys Joseph and Luke opened my eyes to another side of the website.

I didn’t fully understand how seo worked (and there is always more to know) but they did a fantastic job of talking me through how search engines operate and what good seo practices can do for performance. We had regular meetings and the idea exchange was useful for me. I got immense value from this experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

My website went from a standing start to converting organic traffic into sales in the first 12 months. Everything was built in a timely manner and there were no delays in launching the site. It all looked great and worked without any bugs. There was an issue with a plugin but because I had everything hosted with Bird it was sorted quickly. I think having it all in one place makes things easier to manage.

Starting from scratch was always going to be a challenge, as with any new business. Search engines take time to register sites and show them on the search results but there are things that can be done to help the chances and I am glad that I chose seo as well as web design because the site is ranking for some great keywords and there is a great platform to build on.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Easy to work with, it is great to spend time talking with anyone from Bird. I like the way they organise their workflow. There were not lengthy meetings or long documents/ walls of text. 9 times out of 10 I dropped a message in the group chat and got a response really quickly. The teams were coordinated all the way through - including the COVID lockdown in March 2020.

You wouldn’t have known there was anything amiss with Bird even though the world had stopped turning for most businesses. They have different departments and each has an effective way of doing things. Seeing how they all work together makes you realise how much goes into a good website behind the scenes…

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Flexible and responsive. They went above and beyond for us, and it's something that I never experienced before with other companies. It was like one big team all working towards the same goal. I’ve got a great website. It is hosted with them, they have done the seo and everything works well. If anything breaks I contact support and I know issues are rectified quickly. It’s a well-oiled machine and completely deserving

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

There was a delay from the time I first spoke to Bird until they could start the project. It was a bit frustrating to learn there was a lead time before we could get started because the time felt wasted. That being said I understand that good companies are rarely free straight away and waiting was definitely the right option.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am director of a finance company based in Essex. We are a family owned business that offer various loan options to people looking for short term finance in Essex. We also have a website to offer loans for people outside of our local area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited, and what were your goals?

We know that a lot of our customers come from repeat business. We’re a local company and we’ve been in the area for over 50 years. This is great for our reputation but we wanted to get our services out there to more new customers through online marketing. Firstly we wanted to maintain our presence for the local services as there had been several companies popping up doing similar things. We know competition is strong and we needed to give the website some attention to keep ahead. Secondly, we wanted to increase traffic to our website so that we can get more enquiries for nationwide services as these are offered online only and present great long term commercial opportunities for us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I did some googling and found some local companies. There are so many companies out there so I just looked for ones with good reviews on Google. I contacted a couple of agencies in London and Essex - our company is based right on the edge of the two. I remember speaking to Lewis Ward as a point of contact at Bird Marketing and he came across really well. Easy to speak to, knowledgeable and professional. We had a few conversations over the phone and Lewis sent me a pack over with information about the seo process. I’ve worked with web designers and seo companies in the past and this pack was professional and well laid out. I liked that I could see what would be done, why it would be good for the website and how much it would cost. It was really that simple. I was happy to proceed and we signed up to the seo plan with Bird.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

Our website had been worked on by a different seo company but we noticed things seemed to stop moving forward. The first thing Bird had to do was work out what was working and what could be improved. After my conversations with Lewis there was a meeting with the seo team during which we discussed the business and our commercial intentions. There were some really good ideas around what could be done but the team wanted to do some research around the best keyword choices. We had another meeting about a week later where they came back with really detailed research for specific services we offer and how many searches these terms got every month. There was a lot of data and after everything was explained I understood how everything could be used to form the plan for the work that would be done from there. There was some troubleshooting on the website and some areas for improvement were discussed. We agreed to build new pages to cover all the services we offer and create tracking so that we can see where our enquiries are coming from.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I have dealt with a few members of different teams. Callum in support has been great at sorting out some little things that weren’t to do with seo. Joe, Luke and Lewis have all been in regular contact on Whatsapp and they have all been great to deal with. I have since dealt with Jake and Aiste from web design as we have chosen Bird to help us launch a new website and I am impressed by them too.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The numbers suggest our rankings have stabilised and we have seen some impact from the new pages as well. The website now ranks for much more and we have got better measures in place to keep track of everything. Every month Bird have done what they said they would. The work is always top quality and I have been happy with the service. There were a few niggles with the site and the team have helped to get everything sorted. Any issues at all have been dealt with rapidly.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Well-organised. They keep me notified about the important things and don’t bother me with the small stuff. It has got to the point where I am confident that they have done a great job so they could almost work without me there. I noticed that they get the business and know how to work in a way that suits me. They seem to care about doing a good job which is reflected in the way they do what they do.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I have been impressed across the board. I hired Bird because of their reputation and all the positive reviews online. It’s great that their own website looks slick and professional and they rank highly for what they do so they clearly have a good model. I was happy with all of the recommendations that were made and the research they did at the beginning was really deep. We learned a lot about SEO from the meetings with Bird. It’s nice to have a company live up to its reputation. They clearly have good processes in place and I’m happy to be yet another positive review for this great company.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I have been generally impressed by everything Bird have done. The team are great and work well together. It has all fitted together well and I’m not sure what could be done differently because I don’t work in the website game.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Director of an Environmental Recruitment consultancy. My role includes the management of recruitment processes for external organisations - we help companies to secure the right candidates and ensure the their hiring processes run as smoothly as possible.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

We approached Bird to design and build a fully functional website to post job listings. In addition to this, we required a strategic SEO plan to help ensure my company is visible when potential candidates search for suitable job roles.

What were your goals for this project?

My main goal was to have a functional website that enabled me to post job listings without sacrificing design. Being a recruitment company meant that the site had to be secure and candidates' information also needed to be safe. I wanted a clear and concise SEO plan which would enable high rankings and generate applications from job seekers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to me by another Recruitment company.

Describe the project in detail.

Initially we went to their office for a kick off meeting where we had a brainstorming session with the team members involved. During the meeting we discussed various design ideas for the website. Bird then went to work and sent various drafts at the agreed milestones.

To their credit, each draft required only minor changes and it was a really streamlined process. Once the website was launched we went back for another meeting with the SEO team to discuss what we were targeting.

Throughout the process communication was high within both teams - I am now a part of a WhatsApp group with the SEO team which means all questions and queries are answered very efficiently.

What was the team composition?

Throughout the sales phase we spoke to Lewis who is the Account Director. Once we had agreed costs we had a face to face meeting where we also met Jake, the Project Manager.

Once the website was complete and launched we went back for another meeting to kick off our SEO campaign. This is when I met Luke and Grace, both of which work on my account on a monthly basis. The team are great!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I’ve had a few clients asking who it was who designed the website and complimented on how easy it is to use. I am already starting to see the results of the SEO plan. I have access to log into their reporting portal which keeps track of how well the website is ranking. Very good!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project management was good and the team made it very clear when I should expect drafts. They kept in frequent enough communication and delivered everything when they said they would. Cannot ask for anything more!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

No question was too much (I am not a web developer so I had many). I was listened to and ideas were easily incorporated into the site. The SEO team’s communication with me has been consistent and clear throughout. Bird Marketing has always been easy to approach and I would recommend them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I’m really will struggle to identify any flaws with Bird Marketing’s process and team members - in my experience they have been fantastic!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an Accountant for a Bookkeeping, Payroll and Accountancy company based in Essex, Oscar Fairchild. My role involves managing the finances within a multitude of clients, in a variety of industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

We hired Bird Marketing to help us achieve our dream website. We had a particular style that we wanted, and the brand image we want to display to our clients whilst generating potential leads.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal for this project was to create a website which helped generate leads and prospects for the company. We envisioned something sleek and simple which would make it as easy as possible for leads to contact us.

In addition to this we wanted the design to illustrate who we are as a company, and the energy we bring to each of our working days. We had a particular style set in our heads and weren’t too sure if anyone could meet it.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were recommended Bird Marketing by one of our clients who had previously worked with them.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Our previous website was one that had a confusing layout and our services were not clear. We found that users couldn’t find our information easily and that we had a high bounce rate. We decided to simplify the site and optimise it the best we could, with no avail. We were then recommended Bird Marketing by a client and decided to give them a call.

From the get go Bird Marketing listened to everything we said. We had as many face to face meetings as needed, and a group Whatsapp so we could be kept in the loop at all times. Communication was high at all times. As soon as we had the first meeting and agreed on the design, it was smooth sailing from there.

What was the team composition?

Initially we spoke to Lewis who is the Account Director, he explained to us what sort of package we would need and sent a proposal. After review we then went into Bird Marketing’s offices and met Jake, the Project Manager, where we discussed designs and had a short introduction to the Graphic Designer, Zoe, who’d be creating some graphics.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

It’s hard to measure really but since the new design has gone up we have definitely had a lot more calls. It’s been nice because people seem to be more comfortable talking to us due to the new Team Page on the site. Our analytics have improved to, especially our bounce rate.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had an initial call with Lewis, the Account Director, who talked me through the initial process and then was invited to the office for a face to face meeting. During this meeting I was able to describe the site I wanted, the objectives for the site, and show them some designs that I liked.

The Project Manager, Jake, then explained what could be done and what couldn’t bearing in mind the price range we had agreed. It was a great meeting and I Ieft having agreed how I would like to be kept in the loop and how often. I have no complaints for Bird Marketing with regards to project management. The project was stress-free and the outcome even better.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found that their knowledge and expertise was second to none. They clearly explained the process to me, how things worked and even gave me a tutorial afterwards to show me how to work the site. Everyone was willing to help and answer whatever questions they could.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Truthfully, I don’t think there is anything I think they could improve on - the project was truly stress-free.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and director of Recipe For Results. R4R is a health and fitness company offering both Personal Training and meal prep services. Our goal as a business is to help our client reach their health and fitness goals. We offer a range of different packages for both services. We are an Essex based company and thus our clients are local to us.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

We initially enquired about having our website redesigned. After an in-depth meeting with the team we decided to also go forward with an SEO package.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goal of the web design and SEO project was to increase the number of enquiries we get online. We wanted a brand new website where people in our local area would be able to find us and get in touch.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Bird Marketing are a very well known and established marketing agency in Essex. There are a lot of companies that have worked with them and they have a really good reputation. After having a meeting with them, we felt they had a real genuine passion about what they do. This is what stood out to us and helped us in our final decision to choose them.

Describe the project in detail.

When we first started working with Bird, we were what you would call a startup company. We didn’t really have much in terms of marketing at all. We knew we wanted a website but we weren't really sure how we wanted it to look. Because of this we decided to leave the design in the hands of the team - and this was by far the best decision.

Our website turned out to be everything we could have imagined and more. After the website was built, we then went on to doing an SEO campaign. Our account manager advised us to do try SEO after we explained our business goals was to increase our brand awareness. We have now been doing SEO for a little over a year now and it has been a huge success. We rank so well for both our meal prep services and personal training in Essex - to the point where we have gone from a few enquiries a month to 2 / 3 enquiries a day.

What was the team composition?

Lewis is our Account Manager, Jake and Jaden built our website ( and they also handle our web hosting / support ) and Nicole does our SEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Yes, we are on page one for ‘meal prep essex’. Before we was nowhere to be seen for ‘meal prep Essex’. To go from nothing to page one in a matter of 12 months just goes to show the team really know what they are doing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team at Bird Marketing Limited are so professional and approachable. They always keep me up to date and in the loop with the monthly SEO reports and if I ever have any questions or concerns I know they are just at the end of the phone.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

If I had to choose one thing out of everything that impresses me it would be their time management skills. The website was booked in and launched on time and their SEO reports are always sent out at the beginning of the month without fail.

Are there any areas for improvement?

With the services they offer, I would say there is nothing I could fault them for. In Fact I am interested in trying out some of their other services such as their social media advertising.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Only Way Is Granite is a flourishing kitchen worktop company, supplying and installing both granite and quartz worktops. We specifically target Essex and Kent, but do branch out to other areas. We take on a wide array of project sizes too - varying from small one day kitchen fittings to bigger and more complex fittings. I am the founder of The Only Way Is Granite.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

A redesign of the website was first. We then moved on to improving our brand awareness with both an SEO & PPC campaign.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to have a brand new, premium website built to reflect our businesses image, and to then improve our presence on Google in our target area.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Bird Marketing rank extremely well for both web design and SEO on Google in Essex. We knew we wanted to work with an agency who were local but established - and we felt this was a great start . After careful research on the company, and reading through many of their positive reviews from their previous clients online, the choice was a no brainer.

Describe the project in detail.

Our original website was outdated, slow and hard for potential customers to navigate around. We felt like it was a poor reflection of the premium services we offer. After rebranding ourselves we knew we needed to refresh and revamp our online presence, starting with the website. We had a vision in mind and knew we wanted a modern looking website.

After our initial meeting with the team at Bird Marketing, we felt more than confident they would deliver something spectacular. They really took this on board what we said and made it even better than we could have imagined. Since having the website redesigned, we have used both their SEO and PPC services which have been a huge success.

What was the team composition?

Lewis is our Account Manager, Jake and Jaden built our website ( and they also handle our web hosting / support ), Luke manages our SEO on the website and Nicole does our PPC.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Yes, we have been doing SEO for a little over a year now and we can successfully say we rank highly in Essex for our key terms such as “kitchen worktops essex” “granite worktops essex” and “quartz worktops essex”. Not only have they improved our branding and company image, they have also improved our business presence. We rank for 251 keywords across our target areas, we have a premium looking website and we have expanded our company massively due to the influx of work.

Putting money into our company's branding and marketing was by far the best thing we have done for the business.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team at Bird are always willing to spend extra time with us in meetings - we have a really good relationship with the team. Also the response time from their support department is outstanding. If we are ever in need of some assistance with the website, they are more than happy to help. Overall we couldn't be happier.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We have worked with a few marketing companies in the past but the one thing that makes Bird Marketing stand out is how transparent they are. Whether it is with their pricing or their reporting, they are 100% honest. They are always offering us their honest advice on how we can improve our marketing tactics and we can certainly say they are always right.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We can honestly say we do not have any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there. 

I am the managing director of Angel Champagne. We sell luxury high-end champagne, both retail and wholesale, globally. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire this vendor? 

We wanted a website that fit our strict brand guidelines while delivering a powerful message to our prospective clientele. Bird Marketing Limited built our site, providing design, development, support, and hosting services. 

What were your goals for this project? 

The website needed some form of animation on the homepage to engage visitors from the offset. We also wanted sleek and minimal subpages for each point that we wanted to convey.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We chose Bird because, out of all of the web design firms we came across, they had attributes in their own website that we wanted in ours. They like to add something special and unique to every website they do, which caught our attention. After looking at examples of what they called the “wow factor” that they put into their websites, it seemed like a natural choice to go with them.

Describe the project in detail.

Bird Marketing Limited used our brand guidelines to create several wireframes for the main homepage and all of the subpages. Once we approved the designs, they created an animation of wings for our homepage along with the rest of the website. We had only a few minor tweaks before we signed it off for launch. Since then, Bird Marketing Limited has continued to host us and maintains the security of the website. 

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the owner and his team of designers and developers. We had several face-to-face meetings and communicated via email and instant messaging, too.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact this project/engagement has had on your business? 

We were extremely happy with the website from the outset, and our suppliers, customers, and wholesale clients have all given positive feedback. Compared to our previous outdated website, this was a much-welcomed refresh. 

How effective is your workflow between your team and theirs? Did you use any specific project management tools? 

The workflow was very straightforward as we had direct communication between our staff and theirs. They took the initiative with most elements of the site, which allowed us to sit back and respond whenever they needed our help. As for project management software, they ran a tight schedule using Google Calendar and Trello and leveraged basic tools like email and WhatsApp to make the collaboration easy. 

What did you find most impressive about this company? 

I was definitely impressed with their ability to create unique designs and features that add a real “wow factor” to the project. They also have reasonable prices. Some of our other quotes were several times higher than their costs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would have been nice if they could’ve started on our project straight away, but they had a waiting list when we originally inquired. However, the fact that they’re so busy shows that they’re clearly doing something well, and they’re and worth the wait.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I co-founded Prospect Knight Ltd, a marketing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

We engaged them to rebuild our website. We have also partnered with the team to provide web development services to our clients.

What were your goals for this project?

The redesign needed to represent our company mission. We also wanted to offer a full spectrum of services with Bird Marketing Limited.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We are good friends with Philip (Director, Bird Marketing Limited) and trusted him. Since our business is family owned, it’s important that we partner with people we consider trustworthy friends.

Describe the project in detail.

We started the project with a lengthy meeting, during which we established every specification for the scope. Bird Marketing Limited provided suggestions and then guided the project. Services include web design, support, and hosting. They designed our site in an iterative feedback process; we requested changes until the site accurately represented our company.

Currently, we provide web development services to our business’ clients. Our team advises customers about their website; we then recommend them to Bird Marketing Limited.

What was the team composition?

We work with Philip, Lewis (Account Director, Bird Marketing Limited), and Jake (Lead Developer, Bird Marketing Limited), who served as project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Bird Marketing Limited has been committed to success throughout the project. The website has received positive feedback from our clients and partners. We’re now more confident in our online presence. We’ve since launched viral marketing campaigns that feature the site.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We clicked well with their team, getting to the crux of our requirements quickly via high-level meetings. They are communicative and available on WhatsApp, email, and phone. We enjoy our seamless collaboration with them.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a great attitude and strong work ethic. The team delivered the website two months after the first meeting, an insanely fast pace. In-person and remote communication are both effective.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They are a young, vibrant, and fast-growing agency. There’s always room for improvement, but there are no major issues with this project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Clear Thinking IT is a national IT support, telecoms, and consultancy partner with several enterprise-level clients. I am the founder and managing director, overseeing all aspects of the running of the company. I also serve as CIO on a contract basis for larger enterprises.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

We have partnered with Bird Marketing Limited not only to rebuild our website but also to partner with us to deliver a full suite of digital marketing services for our mutual clients.

What were your goals for this project?

Initially, we wanted to transform our current website as we had grown from a locally based company to a national brand and needed our online presence to reflect this. We tasked Bird to rebuild our site on WordPress and assist our staff on training to keep it updated. The look and feel had to adhere to our brand guidelines and remain consistent across all of our marketing materials.

We also sought a single preferred partner for digital marketing services that we could recommend to our clients moving forward. Previous attempts at finding partners proved difficult, but Bird Marketing Limited filled the gap perfectly.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Bird Marketing because they are the go-to marketing agency in Essex. We had been in contact with a few other companies in the past, and, from our initial contact, we could tell immediately that Bird Marketing Limited understood how we liked things to be done.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After our kickoff meetings regarding the brief, we outlined clear goals for our site redesign. We needed a corporate-style website to reflect the new growth we had achieved over the years. Additionally, since we offer security vulnerability assessments as a service, it was paramount that our website was impenetrable from a security vulnerability perspective. Bird Marketing Limited built our site on WordPress, which allowed our in-house technical team to easily update and edit certain areas of the website.

After completing the site, they’ve stayed on as digital marketing partners, offering our clients a range of services such as web design, SEO, PPC and, more commonly, support and security maintenance. Our services complement each other very well, and the partnership has been extremely fruitful for all involved.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with Phil (Founder, Bird Marketing Limited) and Lewis (Account Manager, Bird Marketing Limited). We had several meetings and discussions throughout the different stages of the project and now contact their support team if there is anything we are unsure about or want changed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Bird Marketing Limited assisted in building a website with the right overall appearance. We’re now more confident that our online presence is accurate to who we are, and both current and prospective clients have commented positively on the new site. It’s also helped us close a few important contracts.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

When working with past vendors, we felt like some of our ideas were lost in translation, but this isn’t the case with Bird Marketing Limited. We communicate directly with the team members who are working on our projects, which has proven to be extremely efficient and useful when conveying key points. The support team is also quick to help or resolve any issues. As a support company ourselves, we can attest to how effectively they work.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We’ve had a smooth experience so far. As we’ve seen ourselves, not all companies suit each other as partners. However, Bird Marketing Limited and Clear Thinking IT work extremely well together. Not only have we helped each other with our services, but we’re also able to deliver effective, combined service packages for mutual clients. This is a collaboration done right.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas of improvement for any company, however, Bird Marketing Limited has done an excellent job of growing as a company while running a tight, efficient business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the managing director of a national homeware store. We supply products to both wholesale and retail shops, as well as online stores across the country. Most of our products are reproduction antiques, but we also manufacture our own chair line. I’m responsible for overseeing the company—from product creation and distribution to digital marketing—and making sure everything runs smoothly.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bird Marketing Limited?

We were using a custom-built stock management system that connected to a Volusion-based e-commerce site. The platform was managed by a different company, and it was quickly becoming outdated. It wasn’t an ideal setup, and we didn’t have room to grow our business. The existing site wasn’t optimized for mobile devices, so when Google added load time and mobile-friendliness to their ranking algorithms, we experienced a decrease in sales.

Basically, we were behind the market in terms of technical innovation. We needed to find a new agency to bring us up to speed and provide ongoing maintenance. We wanted to partner with a forward-thinking firm that the offered high-end web design and support we needed.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to modernize our site, stock management system, and digital marketing campaigns. We didn’t really have a fixed target. Our archaic website was hindering our business, so we just wanted to clear a path for growth.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

There was a bit of a language barrier with our previous partner, so we were looking for a new vendor based in the UK. I collaborated with our company’s other directors to put together a strict set of criteria to help guide our decision. We wanted to find the agency best suited to our specific business needs.

First, we made an extensive list of available agencies. We searched Google, social media platforms, directories, and ranking websites like Clutch. We recorded each candidate in a spreadsheet, noting specific details like the quality of their reviews, their distance from our office, and their Google rankings. We wanted as much information as possible about each vendor so that we could confidently make a decision. After assessing each potential partner, we submitted a brief document to each qualified agency and timed their responses. We wanted to get a sense of their communication skills. We exchanged emails, scheduled meetings, and requested proposals from each candidate and recorded that information into the spreadsheet. Looking at all of the data, Bird Marketing Limited was the winner. They met all of our criteria, so we decided to make them our new partner.

Describe the project in detail.

We started with a big kickoff meeting where shared all of our issues and listened to their proposed solutions. We discussed the best e-commerce platform for our business and ultimately decided on Magento. After three weeks, Bird Marketing Limited sent over a draft of the site’s homepage for our approval. We were blown away by their work overall, but we requested several changes, and they made them willingly. Once we signed off on the homepage, they started working on category pages, product pages, and other miscellaneous pages using the approved style and theme.

After we had the designs laid out, they started to build the Magento platform and integrate it with our new stock management system. The team made sure that all of our required functionalities and features were working properly. Once they completed the final testing phase, we launched the website. We currently have a support and security plan with the Bird Marketing Limited team. They update our system as needed, making sure we’re using the latest technology and trends.

What was the team composition?

I only spoke with my project manager and their lead developer, but a large team of designers and developers worked on my project. I met a few of them in our initial discovery meeting. I’m not sure exactly how many resources they provided, but I know that hey completed the entire project in-house. I requested that they refrain from using any freelancers or outsourced staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The results have been a bit interesting. We initially saw a drop in web traffic after we launched the new e-commerce platform. The Bird Marketing Limited team warned us that this would happen. It was a completely different website than our previous iteration—new URLs, new content, new images, new layouts, new categories, and new price points. The only thing that stayed the same was our domain name, so it took a while for the Google algorithm to recognize the changes we’d made.

After that short lull, our business took off rapidly. We’re now ten times the size we were before launching the new platform. We’ve had to move to bigger warehouses three times to accommodate our increased demand. We’re kicking ourselves for not reaching out to Bird Marketing Limited sooner. Both our staff and our customers are happier now that we have a new website.

In each phase, they delivered before the deadline. For the design, they promised a draft in four weeks, and we had it in three. For development, they completed the build and integrations about two weeks before their original estimate. We’re used to working with companies that go over schedule, so the lack of overrun was a huge benefit in working with their team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They pride themselves on their smooth website design and development process. The team was excellent in accommodating our requests and any last-minute changes we made. As we’ve grown, we’ve continued to rely heavily on their support. At this point, they feel like part of our in-house team. They’re highly communicative, responding quickly to email and phone calls. We’re also free to visit their office if we have to go over something more complicated. We probably meet in person once a month on average. We enjoy working with their team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I’m most impressed by their efficiency and their attention to detail. Usually, you have to choose speed or quality for development projects, but they deliver both. Additionally, they’re willing to share their techniques. When we were speaking to some vendors during our selection process, they guarded their methodologies. Bird Marketing Limited, on the other hand, was completely transparent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They’re reluctant to expand their service offering. We feel like the Bird Marketing Limited team is capable of providing a variety of other services. With that said, I understand that they want to stick to what they’re good at, and I respect them for it.