Bonsai Media Group

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CTG is a leading provider of digital transformation solutions and services. Serving as a catalyst for our clients’ transformations, we accelerate project momentum and achievement of their desired IT and business outcomes. CTG has operations in North America, South America, Western Europe, and India. I am the Vice President and CMO, Global Marketing and Communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bonsai Media Group, and what were your goals?

In September 2018, CTG was still live on a site launch in March 2014. Since that time, CTG’s business needs had evolved and created the need for features and functionality that the current site was not built to support. Further, the company needed a site that presented clear and compelling market messaging around service offerings and careers that was specific to our major markets (North America and Europe, including Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and the UK at that time), while also maintaining a strong global brand and employer brand message. Finally, we were looking for a partner who could build a site that would allow for scalable growth on an Umbraco platform.

SOLUTION

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

Throughout the process, Bonsai was highly engaged, asked a lot of good questions, and their efforts to get to a solution that fulfilled both our desired scope and budget was apparent in their “best and final” presentation. Bonsai was very capable of doing this project and their portfolio of work spoke immediately to the quality of work that they turn out and demonstrated work with other large, complex organizations (Amazon, Sherpa, Seagull Scientific) at that time. They were also a certified Umbraco Gold Partner which gave us the reassurance that they had the skills and resources to develop sites effectively and securely on the Umbraco platform. While Bonsai was the smaller of the two final firms we were considering, the selection committee believed strongly that their size would not impact their ability to execute our project on time, on budget, and result in our desired end result. We met a number of their team members, in person at our corporate HQs and felt that there was strong working chemistry between the two teams (including our IT team members).

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

February 2019-December2019: From Discovery to project planning and go-live, full web design, development and messaging development for a suite of 4 websites (U.S., Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, with France prepped for later go-live).

Phase 1: Project planning, discovery/immersion, vision workshop, creative brief / vision doc, CMS review & definition, integrations definition, analytics review, branding and messaging assessment, competitive research, persona definitions, user flows, SEO strategy sync / collaboration with existing SEO partner, site architecture, content inventory and strategy, template definitions and designs, content widget designs, video needs definitions, multilingual scope+ strategy/process, hosting solution, website strategy, wireframes, website requirements document.

Phase 2: design, development, testing/QA, training, go-live. From December 2019 – present, Bonsai has served as our full-service website development partner providing outsourced maintenance for all sites, SEO services, a new build for a suite of five recruiting job sites and redesign of the original sites during a company rebrand initiative.

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

We've always had one single client success manager and then several supporting team members. We've come to know many of them on a first name basis. Several have worked on our account since we first engaged Bonsai.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In our most recent KPI reporting for 2021, we saw a 9.7% increase in users, 17.2% increase in sessions, 39.4% increase in page views, and 22.7% decrease in bounce rates across our global portfolio of sites. The bounce rate is significantly below the industry average for B2B sites of 75%. Additionally, with Bonsai’s SEO support, over the past three years, the total site traffic from search engines to all CTG sites is up nearly 30%.

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

They're collaborative, responsive, and accommodating to our needs.

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

That they have continued to remain as responsive, collaborative, and creative as they have, despite their growth and challenges presented by COVID in recent years. As a long-time Marketer, I've had many partners in my career, Bonsai stands out among the crowd.

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

Early on in our relationship, project management was not as tight as we would have liked, but I account that to them being a smaller, growing company and team at that time. I've seen nothing but improvement since then. And, when we have encountered issues, I've always found their CEO, Jason LaBaw, receptive to feedback and quick to make corrections. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of the business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bonsai Media Group, and what were your goals?

Our old website marketplace platform did not offer several key features which made order processing and inventory management seamless for our sellers.

SOLUTION

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

We spoke with over 15 firms and did extensive research when looking for a firm that could implement our vision.

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

We did a discovery phase where Bonsai fully understood our pain points and helped us scope a technical solution. From there they created an amazing front end design and developed the platform. Once the platform was ready they did extensive testing to ensure it works properly and did an amazing job training us on it.

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

Business Operations Manager, Project Manager, Designer. The team was amazing and everyone I worked with was very talented.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have already received feedback from our sellers that the new platform offers many amazing features which they are excited to use.

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

Amazing project management and the team really cares about your business. You do not feel like you are working with a vendor but instead a partner who is vested in project outcome.

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

Their analytical ability to understand the business and offer solutions along with their project management and execution. The final product was amazing, and their process to get there was very impressive.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a human resources company. We provide organizations a system that enables employed members of the organization to effectively assist unemployed members.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bonsai Media Group?

Because this is a unique concept, I needed guidance with communicating it and implementing it. Bonsai’s team developed my website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the site from the scratch; we worked from a blank screen. The goal of the website is to educate organizational leaders as to how my organization can help theirs assist their unemployed members. Whether it be churches, veterans groups, or what have you, they can come to our website learn about what we do, and then sign up for our app as one of a number of types of users, including job seeker, organization group leader, and so on. Employers can post jobs in the system, and employees of the organization can help job seekers find employment.

What is the team composition?

I began working with Don (Director of business Development). He assured me that, even though I wasn’t a tech wizard, that they were. He put me in touch with Jason (Co-Founder & CEO), who met with me virtually many times and convinced me that they could handle this project and were willing to communicate at my level, as a low-tech client.

Jason then assigned me to Matt (Digital Project Manager), who oversaw the project. Matt was tremendous and very consistent in ensuring that all the details were being executed as I envisioned them.

How did you come to work with Bonsai Media Group?

I found them initially through a Google search and spoke with a number of their competitors, but none of those options came close.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from Feb 2021–March 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site just went live and we’re only beginning to market it, so we don’t have any statistics, but I don’t believe it will be long before people will be using it.

How did Bonsai Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

I was very pleased with their regular status update video calls. We’ve retained developers in the past and they always become hard to reach after we’ve been promised lots of interaction, but Matt and the team showed up at least once a week to review progress and address my concerns. I was also very pleased with the extensive diagrams and notes they took to memorialize each detail of the vision. They had gigantic pictures, which were very helpful.

We mostly communicated over Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I spoke with a lot of their competitors none came close to Bonsai in terms of budget or the language they speak in. I was able to understand everything they discussed even though I’m not a technology person.

Bonsai was creative and solved really hard problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no problems. We’re thrilled with the product.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If your needs are anything like mine, then Bonsai is the answer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Vice President of White House Gifts, a gift shop in Washington, DC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bonsai Media Group?

Our main source of revenue came from our storefront in Washington, DC. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we lost that source of revenue and were looking for ways to pivot. We thought that by enhancing our website, we could serve our customers better.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked off of our existing Shopify site. We leaned on their expertise to really improve our platform. They suggested that we add special features to engage visitors and keep them on the site longer.

In addition to changing our site’s design elements, they helped us with digital marketing and advertising.  Their team made an effort to understand our business and our customer base before making recommendations.  

They improved our SEO and managed our Google Ads and Google Shopping accounts. They also helped our email blasts.

What is the team composition?

Don (Director of Business Development) was our primary contact.

How did you come to work with Bonsai Media Group?

I was sold on Bonsai Media Group after talking to Don. I needed a partner that could hit the ground running and they had a lot of experience.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around March 2020 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re a true partner. They’re conscious of our budget and make sure that we’re getting a return on our investment.

How did Bonsai Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We regularly meet virtually and they share their screen to go over how the site is performing.  We were new to digital marketing, but Bonsai Media Group was patient and walked us through the process. They were honest and transparent throughout our engagement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood our needs and helped us reach our goals. I’m also grateful for the relationship I have with Don. It’s clear that they see us as a partner and not just a client. Unlike a lot of other companies, they’re fully invested in our project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing to add.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In hindsight, it would have been helpful for me to understand what our digital marketing goals were ahead of time. That would help escalate the process a little more. New clients should know their goals and understand what it would take to scale their product.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Northwest Laborers Training, based in Kingston, WA provides apprenticeship training serving the commercial construction sector. I am the marketing analyst for the training center and guide our efforts to promote apprenticeship and our program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bonsai Media Group?

Apprenticeship programs are not widely known or understood within the United States for a number of reasons and we realized the most efficient solution to promote our message and our training program was to bolster our online presence. We needed to find a savvy partner who could help us accomplish our goals.

What were your goals for this project?

This effort entailed a new web strategy and design, SEO and online advertising. Our goal is to sustain and strengthen our online presence.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Bonsai Media Group through a respected referral with whom we had worked with in the past. The referral had done excellent work for us and their recommendation to team with Bonsai Media was held in reverence.

Describe the project in detail.

The first phase of our work began in August of 2019 with Bonsai Media’s effort to learn about us and the Northwest Laborers Training organization. Bonsai wanted to know how we operate, how we do business and our short and long term goals. Along with our requirements, Bonsai Media submitted a proposal to revamp our existing site. That effort began in earnest and we were up and running within two months. Following the launch of the new website, Bonsai began work to design our online advertising strategy and campaigns. Simultaneously, Bonsai Media began the work on our long-term SEO efforts. As of today, our work with Bonsai Media continues with our on-line and social media ads and on going SEO.

What was the team composition?

Our team is comprised of four individuals with two from Bonsai Media and two from our end. It’s a close-knit team that has gelled well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are very please with the result of the web redesign. The look and feel is much improved and the ability to navigate the course descriptions and class schedules is now accomplished with one or two clicks rather than scrolling through pages of info. We continue to improve our rankings across all channels, including users, organic traffic and sessions, CTR, goal completions, goal conversions, links and ranking of keywords. The site architecture redesign is directly attributable to ranking improvements and to rank for more specific keywords.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our team workflow has been highly effective. Bonsai Media regularly schedules meetings and, of course, if we have questions or need info, we can call or email them at anytime.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Bonsai Media is a class act. They are consummate professionals and go above and beyond to ensure their services are first-rate. They are experienced and have access to resources to tackle any challenge. It’s a pleasure to have Bonsai Media on our team.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Bonsai Media has been on our team for nine months and at this point in time, I can't think of anything that really needs improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Seattle's Union Gospel Mission is a passionate community of people who follow Christ in his relentless, redeeming love for all people. Our mission is to serve, rescue, and transform those in greatest need through the grace of Jesus Christ. I am the Digital Marketing Manager and I am responsible for the entire online footprint of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bonsai Media Group?

Our website was over 10 years old and on a clunky platform with limited abilities to customize and update. Bonsai listened to what we said was important to us and they presented a website that met all of our needs and even anticipated future needs.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to accurately communicate the heart of the Mission and the powerful stories of life-transformation that we get to see every day.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We sent out an RFP to multiple vendors and assessed things like time, cost, expertise in the area, market reputation, and understanding of who we are as an organization.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed mock up versions of each template involved and consulted with us on the thoughts and strategies behind every detail. We wanted a place that would make the changed lives of those walking out of homelessness and addiction easily available.

What was the team composition?

We worked with our project manager directly with consults occasionally directly from Jason, the owner of Bonsai Media Group.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The anecdotal feedback alone has been huge. Everyone from staff, volunteers, donors, to those in need have made numerous comments about the ease of our website. And that's in addition to our increased conversion rates and average site visit time.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We set up a service level agreement with Bonsai to clarify expectations for communications right away. That included roles on both sides, who to include in emails and when, and an outline of our ongoing maintenance contract. We utilize video conferencing calls every other week for a check in, email for all account management communication, and teamwork for all tasks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They can understand our needs and desires for our web presence sometimes before we even know what we want. They have also gone above and beyond as a vendor to get to know us as a client and our programs by spending time volunteering with us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There is very little I would ask for them to improve upon. Some of their developers are working in different time zones, which can be difficult during business hours when we want to move things forward. But has been exponentially beneficial when things have gone awry on weekends or late in the evening.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of Kramer Leather. We’re a custom gun holster manufacturer with customers ranging from government agencies and police departments to everyday gun enthusiasts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bonsai Media Group?

We had a mandatory performance upgrade that our previous vendor couldn’t comply with. We needed to find a company that could accomplish an entire website rebuild in a very short amount of time. They’ve also helped us with digital marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They began by building the website. We were looking for an end product that members of our team could update on the backend without it being too complicated because not everyone is tech-savvy. Desiring a user-friendly interface, they recommended using the Shopify platform. Once that was settled, they built out and launched the site for us in approximately one month.

After the site was live, we continued to work with them on some online marketing, which was fairly new to us as we were familiar with print ads. We launched several PPC campaigns and have worked on our social media promotion. In a short few months, we’ve noticed a steady increase in sales.

What is the team composition?

We had a team with a designated manager for the site redesign, as well as a small team with a representative who helps us with digital marketing.​

​​​​​​How did you come to work with Bonsai Media Group?

They were the first company I came across when I searched for local companies online. We also reached out to several other vendors, but it was clear from our initial phone call that they were a good fit and would make good partners for us. They understood the urgency of our initial project and made us feel confident that they could get it done.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $30,000–$35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2018 and they continue to work with us on marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our old site was outdated and limiting our growth. Just being mobile friendly has had a significant impact on our business because customers are able to clearly view the website. Our numbers have steadily increased, and we’re seeing that the majority of our business traffic is coming via mobile devices.

Not only is the layout more user-friendly, but also more attractive and offers a better experience for customers. We’ve received a lot of comments from users about how much they appreciate the new look and feel. We continue to see steady increases in contacts and sales, and it’s all due to the work of Bonsai Media Group.

How did Bonsai Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate up to three or four times per week by email in order to resolve any questions or requests. They’re very responsive, even replying late at night or on weekends. The team does a great job of explaining technical processes for people like me who aren’t familiar with how to manage the more complex components of a website, and have gone out of their way to send video tutorials so I could confidently train myself.

For marketing, we have video conferences once a month with an easy to understand breakdown of analytics.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The majority of their staff is young and up to date on the newest technologies in regard to web design and marketing. The members of Bonsai Media Group’s team work well together, and their communication skills are excellent.

Beyond that, they’re incredibly welcoming and invested in us. We even had a team member drop by on Christmas Eve to deliver a gift from their entire team. They clearly care about each individual client and are eager to help us find success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m sure every company can improve on something, but everything they did for us was great and the pricing was fair.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a try! They have the expertise to help, and that was made clear from looking at their previous work. Everything that we’ve experienced with them has been hassle-free and yielded great results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We’re a multi-property company with five locations. I’m the director of IT systems for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bonsai Media Group?

We needed the migration of domains from another firm using the Embraco platform to Azure, and to retain Bonsai Media.

What were your goals for this project?

To achieve seamless migration from Embraco to Azure platforms for one of our primary domains. We wanted to avoid any downtime.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our due diligence made us aware that they have a successful track record in web migrations, with a high level of expertize and professionalism.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They moved the site from its existing provider to be hosted on Azure. After that, they addressed any issues that arose as a direct result of the transition.

What was the team composition?

There were five members from Bonsai Media—a coordinator, one main sales contact, and some technical experts. On our side, there were three members from our IT team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There was no downtime involved which was our primary goal, while several last-minute changes on our end were handled in an efficient and timely manner.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The Bonsai group we worked with were extremely well organized and talented. From start to finish, their team coordinated all of the steps and tasks needed, and delivered on time and within the budget. They were a delight to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They took control of the project immediately, setting up all the required conferences and meetings, which resulted in little work on our side.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can see. I’m impressed with this firm and their talented staff, so we’ll definitely be working with them on future projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CIO of a national environmental firm. We deal with drilling and groundwater remediation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bonsai Media Group?

We wanted to address our internet presence, including SEO and social media reach.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bonsai refreshed our website to match the scope of our business. The main priority revolved around simplicity and ease-of-use. We place content on the CMS platform, but occasionally we outsource some of the work to their team.

Their team services all of our internet media. They perform monthly reviews of our web analytics, and we’ve optimized our SEO and social media campaigns around those results. Bonsai also assisted us with rebranding around 16 acquired companies and have consolidated them into a single brand.

Bonsai continues to provide web maintenance and reviewing our SEO metrics. Sometimes we seek their assistance when running specific campaigns.

What is the team composition?

My marketing team has worked with several project managers. My primary contact is Jason (CEO, Bonsai Media Group).

How did you come to work with Bonsai Media Group?

I had worked with Bonsai before working here and recommended that they interview them as a potential vendor for the website. Bonsai was selected for a variety of reasons, and they’ve been working with the firm ever since.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Bonsai in July 2015, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before working with Bonsai, we didn’t have SEO, and our search engine rankings were poor. We achieved all our goals. The firm is in the top one to three of different areas that we’ve optimized our rankings around. We’ve generated a significant number of website quotes.

There’s been a noticeable improvement in reach. We have a tool on our site where the public can report safety issues, and there’s been a substantial improvement in company safety. Bonsai has helped us become who we are today.

How did Bonsai Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

It varies as we’ve worked with different project managers. When challenges arose, their team resolved them. Bonsai is a responsive agency that takes pride in what they do. This pride reflects in the work they produced.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bonsai’s willingness to learn our business and understand our goals and then pivot that understanding to developing our vision for us stands out. It is not a cookie cutter approach, but more of a partnership. Their team doesn’t need support from ours, which is a testament to their talent. They want to be partners, not only a vendor.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If you asked me this two years ago, I would’ve commented on their communication. Their team has gotten better at pacing regular contact. Bonsai could transfer more knowledge on what the analytics mean and how they can improve to our team.

Any advice for potential customers?

When working with Bonsai, I would suggest looking over a communication schedule, which would be useful for both teams. If your company is looking to expand their internal team, they are a fantastic partner. But if you aren’t looking for that, you’d want to see how they will fit with your company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner and CMO of Apex Facility Resources. We're a commercial services and furnishing company that helps customers manage the total life cycle of their workspace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bonsai Media Group?

We wanted to update and refresh our website. We began working with another company but we were not satisfied, so we started looking for a new vendor.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we met with Jason and discussed the design for our website. The online industry is changing very quickly, so we wanted to have a design that would be relevant for at least a couple of years. Then, they learnt about our company, our target audience, and what we were trying to achieve. They transformed our old website and developed an interactive hero for the homepage. The interactive hero provides users with a quick and engaging way to understand our main services.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with Jason (CEO, Bonsai Media Group).

How did you come to work with Bonsai Media Group?

We knew Jason through networking.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is attractive and user-friendly. It helps us better communicate our key messages, while the interactive hero has increased the amount of time users spend on the homepage.

It's a been a very productive engagement and we have a sense of working towards a common goal. They also have a very positive relationship with our marketing team.

How did Bonsai Media Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They have very strong communication skills. Also, they're very responsive and flexible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As a workspace design and delivery service, we're always trying to understand what our customers want. Bonsai Media was able to understand our business goals and become part of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Anytime we get out of communication with them, we get back on track very quickly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're very knowledgeable, so let them educate you. I learnt so much during our meetings with Jason.