BLKDG

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My organization is SNOCRU LLC. Our mobile app helps outdoor enthusiasts stay connected while they’re on the mountain.

What is your position?

I am the founder of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with BLKDG?

We originally partnered with BLKDG for digital marketing, but as the relationship went on, my company lost some key members, and the guys at BLKDG stepped in as project managers. Their responsibilities evolved to include building and managing our store website.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

BLKDG originally helped market our app to drive downloads using Google AdWords, social media advertising, and content marketing. They now do front-end design and user experience work for both our website and our store website on WordPress. They have also helped a lot with email campaigns and have worked directly with our email automation company to create a design for our weekly emails. They led the charge on creating re-engagement emails and a weekly digest email. They set up our blog and now do the writing for that as well.

How did you come to work with BLKDG?

I had hired someone to help with my backend development in 2011, but he left and went to work for a PR agency, the same PR agency that Jonathan [BLKDG Co-Founder] worked for. We met through that PR agency, and when he left to start BLKDG, we began working together.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Originally, we paid BLKDG on an hourly basis, then we moved to $5,000/month in 2015. When things are really kicking in the winter, BLKDG handles our marketing and email, which is anywhere between $3,000 and $6,000/month.

Over the course of the relationship, we’ve spent between $100,000 and $200,000 with BLKDG, and I don’t regret any of it.

What is the status of this engagement?

The full-time relationship has gone on for three years, but Jonathan and I have been friends since the end of 2011.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

My company has consistently grown 40-50% each year, which is a combination of the quality of the work that BLKDG does for us and the quality of our app. When we first started doing digital marketing, our key terms were “ski”, “snow”, and “snowboarding”, but now we’re much more targeted. BLKDG has really fine-tuned the way we market our company and engage our users.

How did BLKDG perform from a project management standpoint?

In the spring of 2014, our head developer left us and we didn’t have a project manager. Jonathan stepped in and took over as project manager for a year, which really saved us. If it weren’t for him, we probably wouldn’t have gotten through the 2014/2015 winter, which is our most important season. He managed our group of developers and built our website that year. He really stepped up to the plate.

What distinguishes BLKDG from other providers?

They care. There are two partners, Jonathan and E.J., and they are passionate about what they do. When I’m in a painful situation, they’re in a painful situation, and when I’m in a good situation, they’re feeling good as well. We celebrate together and we cry together.

Is there anything BLKDG could have improved or done differently?

I don’t think so. Sometimes bandwidth is an issue, but I know they just hired two or three new people, which will help.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm the marketing and communications manager at an architecture and interior design firm with studios in both Aspen and Denver, Colorado.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BLKDG?

We were trying to reflect that our company was able to capture both the urban and mountain aesthetic. We're a 50% hospitality and 50% residential firm, so we wanted our website to encompass the different types of projects we work on.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought on BLKDG to redesign and update our website to reflect our business image. The project started with a brainstorming session about what we wanted to achieve. We got a great internal measure of what we were looking for. We discussed how to use our platform to get our visuals across the web for present and potential clients. From there, we talked about who we are and what we wanted to see. We were really combing and defining our mission statements. That was great to work with BLKDG on.

They brought us wireframes. They knew we wanted a really big visual. We worked with them on that. We did an audit of our project and company verbiage in order to really bring out our cultural aspects. That was a great exercise for our company. We then combed through all of our content and went through what projects we wanted to showcase and which ones we wanted to remove. We defined our direction as a studio and made sure we portrayed that on a website.

How did you come to work with BLKDG?

We submitted an RFP in the Denver area and ended up with 5–6 companies. We narrowed it down to three companies that had worked on websites of past companies or colleagues of partners that were in the studio. We kept it pretty local. We compared budgets and what we were getting. I sat down with the principals and brought them two choices. Those companies came in and spoke with the principals and I .

We ended up choosing BLKDG because they are hands on and like to interact with their clients, which is how we work as well. We liked how easy it was to reach them and how communicative they are. They were very helpful if we had any questions about the RFP, the website, or their designs.

How much have you invested with them?

Our total spend was between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The website is completed. BLKDG updated the imagery and certain elements to make it user friendly. We also wanted to update our newsletter, so we engaged BLKDG again for that project. We're working on our second one right now, which should be out in the beginning of June.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our newsletter redesign was well-received. We definitely have an above-average open rate, and clients have told us they like the design. We pride ourselves on that feedback because we always want to please our clients.

How did BLKDG perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very communicative and always available. They could just pop into our offices at each location and meet with us. We never just sent them a list of bullet points. It was always a conversation, which was great and something we loved about them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The open dialogue with BLKDG was great. We've found that web developers use a totally different language that can be confusing and make you feel inferior if you don't understand. BLKDG never makes you feel like that. They ensure that the product you design comes out exactly how you want it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We ran into a few problems when we were trying to transfer all of the images from our old site to the new one. It would’ve been helpful to have a project checklist to keep track of the movement of content. We should’ve just uploaded all of the images instead of transferring them.

This review was updated on January 24, 2018 by the client. New content is below.

UPDATED REVIEW

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve helped us with email marketing and a reinvigoration of our newsletter after delivering the website. We’re also taking it to another level with more SEO and being more mindful of things like that. We’re also working with them on a press release format and thinking about having an internal portal. That will eventually be our second phase with them.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Jonathan [Co-Founder, BLKDG] and E.J. [Co-Founder, BLKDG] on the website, which was wonderful. Right now, we’re working with Jonathan and BLKDG’s marketing strategist on our newsletter and SEO.

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

We’re just embarking on the SEO, but the website is a great vehicle for floor or site plan renderings. We’ve done a lot process diagrams. It’s really showing more of our process online and helps the clients get from A to Z. We’re able to show them a little bit more about visuals and what their journey is going to look like from inception, to the final walk through with the client, how the principals get these ideas, and how this works out. The diagrams have been a huge visual help for the clients.

How does BLKDG perform from a project management standpoint?

Their method of explaining has been really nice and easy. They don’t make it too technical. They explain it in very simple terms and break it apart in manageable amounts.

What do you find most impressive about them?

Their culture is great and really aligns with ours’. We’re here to deliver an exceptional product, have fun along the way, and just relate to the client. They do all of this as well. It’s a huge benefit and keeps it from being an overwhelming experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not right now. They’ve been great about communication. They work with another architect and they ask if there’s a conflict of interest. It’s really above and beyond for them because we don’t have an NDA.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important for clients to come to the table with their own ideas and not be afraid to go with their expertise as well. Have examples that you want to show them. Also let them really dig into the process with you. They see things through a totally different lens than you do.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

First Descents runs life-changing outdoor adventure programs for young adults aged 18-39 who are impacted by cancer.

What is your position?

I am the director of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with BLKDG?

I joined First Descents three years ago and their website was totally archaic. We rebuilt the website and completely rebranded.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

BLKDG started from scratch on our website. They started with ideation and wireframes, then spent a lot of time working with me on the navigation and user experience. They also helped orient me with Google Analytics in the beginning, which was immensely helpful. They are, for all intents and purposes, a full-time part of our marketing team. They are our trusted source for technical advice and redesign of our pages.

How did you come to work with BLKDG?

Jonathan [Founder of BLKDG] and I used to work together at a public relations agency, but I actually put out a request for proposal for this project. We ended up going with BLKDG because of the design that they put together and the service level that they provided.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It was between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We closed out our web project with them in about a six-month time span three years ago. Now we do quarterly web updates or additions to the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

When I first started, we didn’t have analytics of any sort, so there’s nothing to compare it to. The old site was so outdated that it was borderline comical. Even three years later, I still get comments on a monthly basis about how impressive the look and feel of our new site is. Qualitatively, I am consistently getting amazing feedback about the work that BLKDG is doing. Quantitatively, I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I can see in our analytics that people are getting exactly where they need to be as fast as possible. BLKDG has really helped us prioritize our homepage and some of our initial landing pages to make sure that people are getting right where they need to go super-fast.

How did BLKDG perform from a project management standpoint?

That’s one of the things I’m incredibly impressed by. They are so nice and responsive all the time. If there are any updates that I should be aware of, their team always lets me know. In the past three years, there haven’t been more than one or two times that I’ve realized something was off with the site that they hadn’t already fixed. BLKDG is really on top of it. Since we’re a nonprofit and we don’t have a very big budget, we also really appreciate that they keep costs in mind. They’re super proactive in making sure that my site is always the best it can be. From start to finish, I’ve been impressed with these guys at all times.

What distinguishes BLKDG from other providers?

What sets them apart is that they have a great sense of marketing and branding. Jonathan and I were at a public relations agency together, so Jon understands the point of content on a website. He understands what users need and he goes above and beyond that.

They are also great client-facing folks. They’re amazing to talk to about branding and marketing, and they also do some creative and logo work. They’re a great resource both for the website and for other initiatives as well. They have a 30,000-feet understanding of the entire industry.

Is there anything BLKDG could have improved or done differently?

No, they’re really doing an amazing job. They are growing, which has been great, and I’ve never seen a lack in service, or felt like they were overworked.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are Snowmass Tourism, which is a destination marketing agency for our ski town here in Aspen/Snowmass.

What is your position?

I am the online marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with BLKDG?

We've actually hired BLKDG for numerous challenges. The first project that we hired them for was managing our gosnowmass.com website, which was combining five different tourism websites into one authoritative site for all things Snowmass.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

For the initial website project, BLKDG was responsible for building out the entire platform for our gosnowmass.com website. They also helped with SEO [search engine optimization] and our brand identity. At the time, we didn't have a brand, so they built the look and feel of the website from scratch.

They've also worked with us on social media and paid advertising in the past. Currently, they're creating two additional websites for us that are specific to biking and family activities in Snowmass.

How did you come to work with BLKDG?

BLKDG has been working with us for more than three years. I'm not sure how the initial relationship started but, at some point in the past, our director of marketing worked with Jonathan Georger, BLKDG's co-founder, and felt confident enough to hire his firm.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Our yearly spend with them has consistently fallen between $25,000 and $40,000 for the past couple of years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We usually have ongoing projects with them, and we are billed hourly depending on the services they provide.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Since the inception of our site, user sessions have increased by more than 130 percent per year, which is phenomenal. Additionally, general events that take place on the site have increased by multiples during the past three years as well. We consistently get a lot of good feedback on how fulsome, informative, and easy to use our website is. In general, we're really happy with it.

How did BLKDG perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a great job. They are very organized, and they always bring in the right team members for any project that we have, depending on the specificity. We have status calls, and they always do a great job keeping us in the loop on their progress. It's been a great working relationship.

What distinguishes BLKDG from other providers?

The initiative that they take sets them apart. I know it's cliché to say, but they really go above and beyond. I've worked with many other companies that do the bare minimum and try to nickel and dime you, but we have really given BLKDG a lot of autonomy because they deliver consistently. We ask for the equivalent of your run-of-the-mill car, and BLKDG brings us a Ferrari. Much of their work is self-directed. They take a lot of pride in their work, and it shows. That's much of the reason why we continue to give them more projects, even if they're on the edge of what they're used to doing.

Is there anything BLKDG could have improved or done differently?

Right now, we're firing on all cylinders and everything's going pretty well. The project always comes in better than expected, so I have no improvements to make.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Creative Director of a manufacturing company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We manufacture high quality safes and security equipment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLKDG to accomplish?

• Create ads and manage paid digital advertising
• Redesign website with improved UI and SEO

SOLUTION

How did you find BLKDG?

Referral

Why did you select BLKDG over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from BLKDG were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

BLKDG redesigned our website for improved user experience and SEO. They also created ad content and ran paid digital media for us through Meta and Google.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Impressions, clicks, AOV, orders

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The BLKDG team is attentive and responsive, making sure to fully answer our questions and respond to concerns. They seek feedback to confirm we are aligned and are happy to adjust course as we learn more information.

What was your primary form of communication with BLKDG?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We are a small business, and BLKDG made sure we felt just as important as their much larger clients. They are consistently helpful, responsive, and prepared.

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

No. We have worked with a few different agencies, and they are our favorite by far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Principal/Onwer of Chair 6 Collective

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a PR and marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire BLKDG to accomplish?

• Website Design
• Brand Launch

SOLUTION

How did you find BLKDG?

Referral

Why did you select BLKDG over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned
• Other

What was the size of BLKDG’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

BLKDG built my agency's website from scratch. This team absolutely nailed the SOW, they were patient and empathetic with me, and they delivered like pros!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Quality Deliverable
• Timing
• Budget
• Patience with our process

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

At every touchpoint, the BLKDG team delivered in a timely and quality manner. Their work speaks for itself. The calls and client mgmt made the process fun, too!

What was your primary form of communication with BLKDG?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I cannot overstate how much I appreciated BLKDG being patient with us and letting us find our path. The team at BLKDG was ready and waiting without being pushy. In the end, they jumped back into the project as soon as we were ready to go live, and we're thrilled with the website!

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Marketing

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLKDG, and what were your goals?

We engaged BLKDG to build a new website for a new brand named Morrow.co

SOLUTION

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

We wanted a WordPress website with a HubSpot integration.

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

We had a few different needs, but primarily we needed to capture inbound inquiries and build a robust membership directory.

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

Between 5 and 10 at various points in the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are seeing inbound inquiries come to our website at a higher rate than with our previous builds. And a really positive outcome from our members.

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

I worked for a web developer in my late '20s and have had number of developers throughout my career.

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

We went through a few design rounds to get us what we needed for the website, but I'm most impressed with our Hubspot integration and the training we received.

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

The team did have a few shifts during our project, and some of my requests got lost in passing between different project managers, that said, I understand that, and we worked through those issues pretty quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of The Pinecone Project, an experiential marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLKDG?

We hired them to build us a website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a simple, dynamic, and relevant website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected BLKDG because they were highly recommended to us. The site itself was a silent auction item. We bid on it to benefit a great cause and work with an amazing company.

Describe the project in detail.

Their entire team took the time to understand our important pillars and initiatives. They developed the UI/UX, front- and backend, and effectively incorporated the central aspects of our story. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site is now live at thepineconeproject.com. It runs smoothly and has excellent UI/UX. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They made our workflow easy, straightforward, and effective. Working with the BLKDG team was efficient, fun, and a great learning experience.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their team was excellent.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the marketing director at a beverage company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLKDG?

We wanted our website to reflect how our brand has evolved. We asked them to redesign the site to make it interactive and user-friendly.

What were your goals for this project?

In addition to enhancing the brand image, the site needed to educate our consumers in a meaningful way about a new category of products. We also wanted an updated backend fit for best SEO practices.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our CEO had worked with the co-founder on a past project for an original site. We didn't want to use anyone else. 

Describe the project in detail.

They did a complete rebranding and SEO backend updates.

What was the team composition?

The co-founder had a small team that worked behind the scenes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

BLKDG executed the new branding strategies perfectly. We are now able to approach more outlets for accounts and recently secured a meeting with a large military chain that we previously didn’t have access to.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I think my side could have been more effective with timelines. BLKDG was always timely and hit all deadlines. The co-founder and his team were very effective; they managed all of our 3 main requests gracefully, even with overlapping changes.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They knew how to take our vision and make it a reality. Our product is a new territory for the beverage industry and BLKDG knew how to elevated it to the next level.