BlueCozmos

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief strategy officer for a statistical consulting and software company. We’ve developed a suite of software programs for the health sector that allows for different kinds of statistical modeling and assessment. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BlueCozmos?

When we first started our company, we hacked together a company image as best we could, but none of us were designers. We lacked any real insight into branding and marketing. Eventually, we hired BlueCozmos to help us create a more professional look and feel.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

BlueCozmos has done several projects to refresh our brand image, ranging from website and logo design to more general assets like letterheads and PowerPoint templates. 

One of their key tasks was documenting our marketing materials to solidify a base set of branding guidelines. From there, we’ve worked with them on one-off projects like ad campaigns for door-drops and other conference-type marketing materials.

As time passed on, trends changed and we learned more about who our customer base was. We needed to adjust our brand based on the data so that we could better retarget our audience.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with Jed (Principal).

How did you come to work with BlueCozmos?

Initially, we found Jed through a recommendation. We worked with him while he was at his previous company and followed him when he started BlueCozmos. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with Jed since 2007, and our last major project wrapped up around 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In the early days, we didn’t have any expertise in running a company and didn’t think about how we wanted to position ourselves relative to our customers. We had no framework for thinking about how we were getting traffic and what we made salient to our site visitors.

Walking through the branding process with BlueCozmos taught us a lot about how to even tackle the issues we had. While we’re nowhere near their team’s expertise, we’re able to start integrating our branding into our routine decision-making process. 

That’s helped us figure out who we are and why we’re in the spaces we’re in.

How did BlueCozmos perform from a project management standpoint?

They had great communication. We probably weren’t the easiest clients to work with, but they were incredibly patient with us and helped us see the steps that we needed to take. They did a great job of pushing us to understand how to readjust our targets based on our inputs. At the same time, they also listened to us to understand what our preferences were.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team pushed our boundaries to the point where we could see a broader array of options than what we would’ve found on our own. They took the time to help us understand how we saw our company and what our goals were before thinking creatively to help us achieve that vision.

It’s not a cookie-cutter option — there was real effort and thoughtfulness there. They were able to tailor our solutions to our targets and our brand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have clear goals when you walk in, but be receptive to different approaches. Sometimes people get so fixated on one particular way of doing something that they lose sight of other ways to achieve their goals. 

BlueCozmos is a creative shop, so take advantage of that. It’s best not to put a limitation on how you do something or you’ll rule out really creative ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a plastic additive provider to the processing industry, and I am one of the owners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BlueCozmos?

We worked with their team to assist us in marketing our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a website for us from the ground up, helping us to create everything from the design and layout to the backend architecture. The content itself was a joint effort between the companies, with our teams providing the copy and theirs helping to edit and structure it around what would be good for the performance of the site.

BlueCozmos also helped to increase our exposure throughout business mediums like a trade publication and LinkedIn. They worked with us to strategize how to present the face of the brand and what mediums would be best oriented to support the reputation we were trying to build.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two members of their team, and the owner was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with BlueCozmos?

Our companies had partnered together about 8 years ago, and we decided that we wanted to work with them again based on the success of that project for us, even though both of our companies had undergone some changes in recent years.

What is the status of this engagement?

That project lasted from around May–October 2017, and we are looking to reengage with them soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were pleased with all of the work that they provided for us. We didn’t specifically seek out customer feedback on the site, but the impression was that it was generally very well received.

They’ve also helped us to maintain a presence on LinkedIn to establish some brand authority and stay top of mind for any potential customers, and that has gone very well, too.

How did BlueCozmos perform from a project management standpoint?

They always deliver their work in a very timely fashion, which is one of the reasons we like working with them so much. When we communicate with their team, we most often hold meetings face-to-face, which helps us to stay on the same page with all elements of the collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They seem to have a true interest in helping our business get exposure and succeed, rather than just being serving out a function for the company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there hasn’t been anything that has really disenchanted us at all from their services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just have your notebook open. The more information they get, the more they can utilize that information to develop focus for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of Hawk100, an Ohio-based wealth advisory firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BlueCozmos?

We have a long relationship, and they’ve helped us with many projects. Most recently, they worked on the redesign of our website. Other projects were in the digital and marketing spheres.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

On the web design project, they focused mostly on design. Jed (Principal) has a great eye for design and helped to get our message across to our target audience. They have nice insights for what’s going on with appetites in the consumer marketplace and developing a message around them. I give them some content and they run with it.

What is the team composition?

Jed has a solid team behind him, but I mostly interact with him.

How did you come to work with BlueCozmos?

Someone in the business community put me in contact with them 11 years ago, when they were operating under a different name.  They have offered solutions and comprehensive capabilities that go beyond the initial need, so I’ve hired them under a variety of circumstances over the years.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested roughly $70,000 over the years in them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2008 onwards.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I hire them to help me manage my networks. I have an entrepreneurial spirit, but I don’t have the cardio or the time to manage every little aspect of my business. They help me redirect my focus in ways that are impactful.

We’ve grown quite a bit since I began working with BlueCozmos. We’re at about 4x the revenue that we were at before. While I won’t attribute that to their work, they’ve given me the tools to support and build my business so that I could grow it.

How did BlueCozmos perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re laid-back, but they get everything done. We’re not a major metropolitan city where time is pressed — if you want something done you need to drive it until it is finished. Jed and his team set things in motion and if you have a good project management focus it’ll work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I enjoy their camaraderie and their team. Jed is easy-to-work-with, transparent, and brings his own ideas and challenges to the table.

Are there any areas they could improve?

He could drive the project side a little more. I need someone else to drive it for me, which has been a balancing act on my side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Lay out what the course objectives are ahead of time, and follow through on all dates. When you do that, it works out very well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Partner in a CPA firm that is developing its own accounting software. I am the lead for that project,

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BlueCozmos?

We asked BC for a review of the branding design for the software as well as input on our Brand Story.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the software brand to be fresh and appealing to a new generation of firm owners. We weren't sure we could accomplish this ourselves.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have worked with BC before on other similar projects and trust their design sense and advice on product positioning.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

BC provided a detailed review of the graphics and messaging being used for the software and provided valuable input on improvements and alignment with our goals.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with the owner of BC, Jed Rumora

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The software has not been officially released so the final outcome is unknown but we have gotten very positive responses on the branding from our beta test group.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. No snags in the process at all.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

BC is able to get "out side the box" just enough to make a brand truly unique without being too edgy or funky. They know how to appeal to a business customer who values design.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that come to mind at this time.