Bop Design

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the marketing director for an organization the helps nonprofits raise money through direct response. I oversee all our B2B marketing and sales outreach efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bop Design?

We needed to completely reinvent our website from scratch.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to upgrade everything, including copy, images, function, analytics, interfaces, pages, etc. We needed a brand-new site.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them on Clutch, reviewed highly for B2B websites. We gathered proposals from them and two other firms. All three were comparable in price, but Bop's B2B experience was drastically more robust than the others.

Describe the project in detail.

We began with an overview of our wish list for the new site. We also provided Bop with market research outlining our brand position within the industry. Collaboratively, we decided which pages to create and how the visitor journey should flow between pages.

Bop wrote some of the best copy I've ever seen and selected image options. They presented us with two homepage examples, and we picked the elements we liked most from each. They then proceeded to design the remaining pages. We handled the editing while they produced the site.

What was the team composition?

We began with an introductory meeting with everyone that would be involved. We mainly worked with a copywriter, their lead developer, or their lead creative director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within the first three days of launching the new site, we saw our bounce rate drop from over 70% into the mid 40's. Also, the time spent on the site tripled, from two minutes spent on average to six.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was great! They were patiently persistent with us and kept us on track with deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They built an amazing website that does everything we wanted it to plus a little more. It all works better than we thought it would. None of us could believe that we got so much for the money we spent. If we had paid double than what we did, it still would’ve been a good deal.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I'd hire them again in a heartbeat.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

IVEMSA is an outsourcing management and compliance services company in Mexico. We help foreign companies set up operations in Mexico and provide the management services so they can concentrate on their core business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bop Design?

We hired Bop to help with our overall digital marketing strategy and brand positioning.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to improve our branding, content, and digital marketing strategy.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After having interviewed several agencies, we saw that Bop was able to grasp our requirements well. They were very conscious of our budget and didn't oversell their service. We also liked the fact that they were straight to the point.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Bop Design thoroughly interviewed our team to understand our value proposition and target market. From there, Bop worked on revamping our websites content with a straight-forward approach and stellar design.

Their team is currently working on SEO and optimizing the website's UX/UI. They are also helping us create full-bodied content for our blog.

What was the team composition?

We work directly with the Bop's principals and their team of collaborates. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website has seen an uptick in traffic, and we are starting to see more prospects which will hopefully turn to clients. Our sales cycle is quite long, so the results of our engagement will emerge further in the future. However, the quality of their work so far is immediately noticeable. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their hands-on team makes workflow seamless and collaborative. Although they are a boutique agency, they have the expertise and bandwidth to tackle any marketing need.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are impressed by their overall professionalism, know-how, follow through, and quick execution of requests.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, so far everything is great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of Connectronics, Inc. We are a vertically integrated manufacturer of Radio Frequency (RF) connectors, adapters, and components. We design and build a wide variety of standard and custom connectors with low minimums and fast turnaround capabilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bop Design?

Our website launched in the early 2000s and was outdated. It had a negative impact on our customer's perception of us. We selected Bop Design to redesign the website and create new content for the site.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed an easy-to-maintain website that allowed us to make updates and posts to reflect new products and trade show events. We also needed to restructure the site's hosting and management arrangements. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We researched available B2B-focused design firms and conducted phone screens with four potential partners. We received proposals from two finalists and selected Bop Design due to their overwhelming amount of experience in the B2B arena. They clearly articulated their vision for post-launch website maintenance efforts which was a vital consideration for our project. 

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Bop Design executed website user interface design, development, and implementation. They created the graphical and copy content for the site with collaboration and input from our team. Bop Design also provided full implementation support, troubleshooting, and a detailed user manual for us to reference.

What was the team composition?

Bop Design provided a project manager, copywriting and search optimization experts, and technical resources to develop and implement the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The improvements were staggering compared to the old site. We've received very positive feedback about our updated UX and have gained an unprecedented increase in business conversions. The improved UI have allowed new customers to easily access our portfolios and be reassured of our experience. 

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Bop Design assigned a project manager from the beginning to the completion of the project. He was our primary point of contact and always followed through on our requests, questions, and deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Bop Design's B2B focus is what set them apart. They understand the unique aspects of B2B marketing in ways that a B2C subject matter expert may not.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

We were completely satisfied and happy with the results.If anything, a rough framework for future enhancements and their costs would have been convenient. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the vice president of sales at Silvus Technologies, which was founded in 2004 to bring the revolutionary benefits of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication technology to the transmission of high-fidelity video, voice, and data in harsh conditions. Silvus assembled a team of scientists and engineers to pursue U.S. government-funded research and development opportunities that address severe multipath, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation, interference, high mobility, and spectrum congestion. As of today, Silvus has successfully executed more than $56 million in contracts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bop Design?

Our previous website was created in 2012. It looked outdated and did not properly reflect the cutting-edge work we do.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to surpass our competitors’ online presence with a polished and media-rich platform that reflects the quality of our products. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We solicited bids from three local vendors. One vendor was fully committed but referred us to Bop, explaining that Bop competes with them for many projects and always produces high-quality work. Of the proposals, Bop’s was by far the most impressive and professional and conveyed their creative aptitude and attention to detail. They have the whole process down to a science.

Describe the project in detail.

Bop pitched two different concepts that met our needs. The process of refining the website to suit our needs was interactive, and they responded to all requests while saving us from bad ideas on a few occasions. The website was completed within six months.

What was the team composition?

Bop assembled an impressive team of experts, each specialized in a certain area. They were all competent and professional. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

After comparing our current website to the old one, I think the results speak for themselves.

How effective was the project management?

The progression from design to development to launch went seamlessly as we were handed off from one team member to the next.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

On the surface, they seemed like a best-in-class marketing company. Now that our project is complete, I can definitively say they are a tremendous asset. I feel privileged to be able to collaborate with Bop.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

Check out their past work for other companies. If your B2B company is looking to enhance your profile in the market, Bop can help. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of a company that manufactures a wide array of rooftop components for the pre-engineered metal building industry. We make roof curbs, skylights, smoke ventilators, roof hatches, and roof safety products. We ship products nationwide as well as to several international customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bop Design?

We hired them to design, build, and deploy a new company website.

What were your goals for this project?

We operate in a very competitive market, so the presentation of our products and capabilities was paramount. Our primary goals include providing intuitive online access to product documents, installation guides, and contact information. We also wanted to improve the ability of users to submit quote requests online. Lastly, we wanted to build on a platform that allows for efficient expansion of features and functionality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted a market search of companies that best fit the project scope and who specialized in B2B web site services. After requesting quotations from five agencies, we interviewed three of them. We selected Bop Design because their portfolio aligned with our vision for the site and the proposed budget was on target. In addition, they developed using the WordPress platform, which would allow us to directly manage content and images in-house.

Describe the project in detail.

To gain a thorough understanding of our goals for the new site, Bop started with a series of conference calls and questionnaires. They then provided a set of baseline concepts for us to choose from. After the baseline design was established, we received a more comprehensive mockup of the website. They provided several revisions until we were happy with the design.

Once the design concept was complete, we received access to GatherContent, allowing us to easily supply content, images, and documents. Once the content was complete, they executed the actual build for about 2.5 months, including quality assurance (QA) and approval from our team. Bop then handled the deployment of the site as well as redirects from our old site.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of roughly six members: a project manager (PM), two developers, two designers, and a content specialist. There may have been others involved that interacted directly with the PM.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

Our website has only deployed recently, so we do not have metrics to share at this time. However, we've asked a few key customers to review the new site, and they have all conveyed a very positive response. If our customers approve, then I'd say the project achieved one of our primary goals.

How effective was the project management?

It was a clean process. Aside from GatherContent, they utilized BugHerd to track and address site issues during QA. Our project manager was very responsive and did not hesitate to request feedback from their internal specialists to help us make key decisions. Those types of services were not specifically spelled out in the contract, but they were more than willing to help whenever possible. Their team was very easy to work with, and it was a great experience overall.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by their superior design services. We appreciate the personal attention we received from their creative principal, who is the driving force behind their approach to web design. The Bop team was excellent at taking feedback and finding ways to achieve our goals while ensuring an excellent web user experience.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

As a small business, we have limited internal resources for content development. In addition, we underestimated the time needed to develop web content, images, documents, etc. Ideally, content should be developed ahead of time, or at least scoped and assigned before the project starts. This will cut down on the number hours required during the build and prevent delays in deploying the site.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Reproductive Partners Fertility Center San Diego is an in vitro fertilization company that helps people build their families. We maintain several field liaisons in the San Diego area, including the University of California San Diego, local OBGYNs, and other physicians. I am the marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

Growing our patient base is very important to us. The field is highly competitive, but our physicians have some of the highest success rates in the nation. We wanted to strengthen our online presence and PR campaigning to connect with more potential patients and increase our conversion rates.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Online, they’ve helped with our social media accounts, our website’s SEO [search engine optimization], and our AdWords campaign. They also assist with our print materials and other content. They also work to improve our cost effectiveness. They research which key words work best for us, inserting stronger words and removing negative ones that weren’t driving conversion. They’ve also developed good taglines for us.

They ramp up their involvement when we have conferences or events to prepare for, increasing our content and design. They occasionally provide us with a medical writer, and they have a variety of resources at their disposal to meet our needs.

What is the team composition?

I work mostly with Rachel [Content Marketing Director, Bop Design], who helps in our social media and blog posting. I also work with Jeremy [Business Principal, Bop Design], who runs our AdWords campaign, and Danielle [Lead Designer, Bop Design] does some of our design work.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

A videographer we worked with recommended them. I did some research on them, and liked their strong online presence and sample websites. We looked at three different companies. After a phone interview, we brought them in for an in-person meeting. Our medical director really liked their work, their attitudes, and responsiveness.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2016, and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bop is much more comprehensive than previous companies we’ve worked with. They’ve really improved our online visibility, and we’ve seen a phenomenal impact on our cost per patient acquisition.  Before their involvement, we spent close to $200 in AdWords per acquisition, which they’ve gotten down to $25–$40 per acquisition. The team we worked with before them was nowhere near as good as they are.  

We currently have a smaller team of physicians, so our capacity is in flux. Bop is always responsive to our needs, and has increased our business whenever we can accommodate growth.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re well-organized, timely, responsive, and have great attitudes through the process. They give us any information we request, and explain things in a great way. Rachel is wonderful, responsive and prompt. As soon as she sees a change, be it a new review or post, she lets us know. She’s great with reputation management and coming up with responses to both positive and negative reviews on Yelp, Google, or social media. Jeremy is also very responsive when I work with him.

Rachel and I communicate at least twice a week, mostly by email, but sometimes by phone. Our phone and in-person meetings have scaled back since the beginning of the project. They provide us with monthly reports and updates, and are willing to brainstorm or discuss an issue. Their summaries are comprehensive, and they’re always available to answer questions. Their turnaround times are quick, and in months we scale up their involvement, they’re always on top of everything.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attitude and their adaptability. They’re accommodating, even during our most intense months. They have the capacity to help us more when we need it, and always stay positive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only area we don't take advantage of is the medical writing because our physicians prefer to do their own blogs.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as many specific details as you can, and go through everything that can help you meet your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director and part owner of Melfred Borzall, a 3rd generation manufacturing company. We manufacture and sell tooling for the horizontal directional drilling industry used to install utilities underground.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

Our website was over 5 years old and needed to be totally rebuilt. It wasn’t mobile-friendly nor current with our branding and didn’t effectively demonstrate the benefits of our products. We needed a site with a cleaner design, one that was consistent with our marketing efforts, and one that we could easily make changes to. We also wanted to be able to add products and promotional videos as needed and integrate SEO [search engine optimization] and analytics.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After our initial interview, Bop provided us with a very detailed description of not only the costs involved, but also their methodology, the steps to take, our involvement, and a timeline. Once we had the contract in place, the 2 principals from Bop traveled 5 hours to sit down with our owners in person for our first in-depth discovery meeting.

Shortly after this meeting, they pretty much had the entire website mapped out. Within the first couple weeks, they came back to us with a few different ideas for the overall look and design of the site. From there, they presented us with 3 – 4 different variations for the home page and each of the major sections.

The project continued to be developed on schedule, with the only delays being internal as our company was slow to provide photography to Bop. Once the website was finished, Bop had an extensive testing process and a great tool for noting problems and changes. They also paid great attention to keywords and did all that can be done to maximize our SEO since they knew this was one of our major goals.

What is the team dynamic?

The project manager assigned to us was amazing at coordinating all the different aspects and people involved in the project. She kept us accountable just as much as her own team members. There was also the designer that spent plenty of time looking at our current marketing and advertising content to make sure that the new website carried through our message and branding and really spoke to our audience.

There were also 2 developers involved and both were easy to work with, bringing things down to a level that a non-programmer could understand. The copywriter was amazing at quickly learning what our products and industry were about and who our customer base was. All along the way both principals at Bop oversaw the project and checked in with us personally to ensure we were happy with the progress and direction.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

We interviewed a few different web design firms. There were 2 major differences between Bop Design and the others. First, Bop spent a fair amount of the time asking about our company, our customers, how we sell, and how we market. It was quite deep into the conversation before they started talking about themselves, their methods, and their team.

Second, they are great marketers, which I saw from their own website and learned during the interview. Their price was also in line with all the other quotes we received, making it an even easier decision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bop helped give our a digital launch campaign a good initial boost. The first sign that our new website was a success was from the feedback provided to us by our employees, distributors, and customers—it was nothing but rave reviews. There's also been a large increase in traffic and time spent on the website.

Our SEO has steadily been getting better, which is partly due to the ongoing content marketing that Bop has been helping us with. We're also able to keep the website more current with new products, featured products, the addition of distributors, etc.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

The workflow was seamlessly much better than I ever expected, especially in dealing with a web designer remotely. The Bop team was very easy to get hold of and extremely responsive when something crucial needed to be taken care of right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

With Bop, not only did we gain a great web design firm but also an outstanding marketing firm. Aside from building our website, they made sure it served not only as a marketing tool but also as an extension of our company, all in line with our branding. They have a great team of genuinely good people that listen and act.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing manager of Kravitz, a retirement plan consulting firm. We are business-to-business providers of specialized corporate retirement plans.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

We were rebranding and remaking 3 different websites for different parts of our business. Our old websites didn’t give us the ability to update content since they were simple Drupal sites and not WordPress platforms. They were clunky and not user-friendly. We wanted them to be much more intuitive, user-friendly, and mobile-responsive. SEO [search engine optimization] also had to be improved so that we could connect to the needs of our target market. In the process, we wanted to adopt a unified look across different functions. Generally speaking, we wanted more contemporary and professional-looking websites since we hadn’t updated them in several years.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bop Design redesigned our content management system and provided SEO consulting. We have a lot of content, and Bop Design has spent a lot of time working on SEO, titling everything properly and setting up the right keywords. We already had high Google search rankings for our field — cash balance plans — but their team made it better through content management and page setup.

One of the features we needed on the website was a membership section for the training and certification program we offer for financial advisors. They would have the ability to sign up and pay for the program, after which they would have access to special content such as training videos. They could also take online exams. Bop Design found a WordPress plugin that helped us create this, and they set up an online payment solution.

One of our other websites centers on a special part of the market, with a different login membership section set up by Bop Design.

Bop Design designed ads, stationery, and other content for us. They also took charge of a renaming project for one of our businesses.

We worked with 4–5 people from their team, who remained constant throughout the project. They had a well-organized project manager in place. She was our main contact. She updated timelines and managed expectations on a constant basis. We also worked with a designer and a web developer. At the peak of the project, I would email our project manager daily.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

We sent out an email to companies we were interested in. We described our brand, who our target market was, and what our needs were. We reviewed 8 options and received proposals from 4 of them. Bop Design went through an interview before submitting a proposal. They asked a lot of questions and did their own research on our company and field. Rather than telling us what they’re good at, they focused on our needs. Also, we wanted to work with a B2B-focused company. There were many big, expensive players in this area, but Bop Design was mid-range and understood working with small firms.

How much have you invested with Bop Design?

The cost of their work between 2015 and the beginning of 2017 was in the range of $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Bop Design in June 2015. The main part of the web development was finished in 6 months, but we had other work, including redesigning our stationery. We launched the site in February 2016. It was delayed in order for us to add more content and to match the start of our peak season.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our overall page traffic has increased by around 30%. The number of lead-completion forms being filled easily doubled what we had before. Bop Design integrated the call to actions into all the pages of the site. It is generally better setup, and we receive great feedback on the site.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything they delivered was on time or ahead of time. Any delays were on our end. There was a tracking system in place within WordPress, where I could see the team’s action items. Bop Design’s creative director was a part of the process. Our project manager has been the best one I’ve worked with out of all our past vendors. She is incredibly organized, communicative, and detail-oriented. If something needs to be done, it will. We’ve had many quirky, special needs for our site, and Bop Design has found solutions for all of them. They have a thorough knowledge of other vendors and solutions, including choosing web hosting services or anything else. They’re also reasonably-priced, compared to many other people in the market. They are transparent with pricing and timing when something might incur additional costs or other complications. We always knew what we were getting into.

What did you find most impressive about Bop Design?

We were impressed by their ability to understand our unique business needs, specifically around B2B marketing. Bop Design has brought a strategic business development and sales understanding to everything. Rather than aesthetics or technical sophistication, they care about what will actually work for a business. Bop Design’s business development director, Jeremy Durant, was involved at the beginning of the project. He continued to touch base throughout to make sure they understood our business needs and that the project reflected them.

They were really good listeners. If we gave them feedback that a design or a website map wasn’t quite the way we wanted it, Bop Design would revise things quickly. They really did their homework and had excellent responsiveness and communication.

Are there any areas Bop Design could improve?

The only time we ran into issues was when their team was behind on things. Bop Design’s team has a relatively small team. When we had rush jobs, we couldn’t always get them done. Being so good makes them always busy. If they expanded the team, they would be even busier.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Bop Design?

I did a lot of research before choosing Bop Design. If the client is in the B2B space and looking for a strategic web design, branding, and marketing firm, Bop Design is an excellent choice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a Managing Principal, specifically for the sales and marketing efforts of Perr&Knight. We provide insurance consulting and software solutions to the property and casualty, and accident and health industries. This includes actuarial consulting, product development, insurance policy and forms consulting, regulatory compliance, state filings, licensing, technology consulting, statistical reporting, data services, and predictive analytics. Our software includes StateFilings.com, which is a leading cloud-based state filings management solution.

We have offices in Santa Monica, Boca Raton, the New York Metro Area, Fort Worth, and over 100 insurance professionals. We’ve been around since 1994.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

Our firm has been in business for 22 years, so we've had a website ever since the Internet was around. Slowly but surely, our marketing department wound down here at Perr&Knight. We had people leave and we didn't replace them. We made the decision as a firm to outsource our marketing department, starting with a complete redesign of our website, which was totally outdated.

We were doing nothing in terms of organized content marketing, and we needed to hire a firm to help us with rebranding. Everything from a new website, new brochures, new booths and table tops for conference exhibit halls, content marketing, and marketing via social media which we had never done before. Our target market is the entire property-casualty and accident-health insurance marketplace: insurance carriers, managing general agents, and reinsurance companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In short, Bop managed the entire process of web redesign and continue to manage the ongoing content marketing efforts.

Once we chose our firm, we started with the website. That was the very first thing, just getting that website up and going. Their initial proposal to us, the initial phase, was to build out the website. They completely did the artwork, colors, and website design from scratch.

They updated the wording of our insurance content using some of the content from the old site and new services that we had added since our old website had been updated. That process was collaborative, very back-and-forth. I would get my consultants that know different things about insurance to provide me with updated content, I would give it to Bop, they would have their professional writers make it sound good and salesy, and then add it to the website.

Once the website was up and running, we switched over to the second phase of the proposal, which was ongoing content marketing. They are, in all essence, our marketing department at Perr&Knight. I work with them just as if I had a staff of people in-house working on content marketing.

They write all the blogs for us. They have a 30-minute interview with our subject matter experts on a topic that we provide. Their professional writer takes all the notes that she took and writes the blog. Then that comes to us a couple of times for edits. She's a writer, not an insurance person, so it's out of context sometimes. We just clean that up a little bit to make sure it's contextually right, because we're talking about detailed insurance and actuarial stuff. It’s very minimal though, as she does a great job. Afterward, they post the information for us on our website.

They’ve done new brochures and redone our booths. For example, since we launched the website, we started a new department called predictive analytics. It's a big thing in insurance right now. We had to develop a brochure from scratch so that we had marketing material to take to clients and conferences. I called them and said, "Hey, we have something new that we need you guys to design. Here's some of the content. Make us a brochure." Once the brochure was made, we have to add that to the website. Additionally, we needed to add that service to our home page and develop a page for it on our website. That would go back to them, and they would deal with the website again. We're about to launch that new service.

They’re actively working to help us build our brand in the insurance arena through our website, marketing efforts, social media, and SEO. They keep us relevant on LinkedIn. About once every two weeks, they will send me a list of 20 articles, and I tell them yes or no to each one. What they’ll do is pick that article and schedule it to show up on our company's LinkedIn account, so Perr&Knight is always out there as a thought leader.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

Bop Design was one of 7 firms to whom we sent our RFP. One of the reasons we initially included them was because they were in Southern California, which is where our headquarters is located, although we later found out that geographical proximity doesn't matter with Bop Design since we communicate regularly via email and phone. We liked their proposal the best in terms of strategy, design, support, and price.

How much have you invested with Bop Design?

Between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged Bop Design in February 2016 and launched the new website in October 2016. The original timeline to launch was 6 months, but the delay was entirely our fault, as we weren't as responsive as we needed to be.

Phase 1 was to build out the website from scratch, do all the design work, take the content provided and make it look nice and professional, and change the wording to make it more salesy. Once that ended and launched, it was just ongoing content marketing at a monthly fee for whatever we need. I don't know what I'll need 3 months from now, but when I do, I'll just call them, and they’ll do it. Plus, the website is not just a done deal after launch; it's always evolving. So we have been working with Bop Design regularly since the launch; they’ve become our marketing department.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I have nothing but positive things to say about Bop Design and their entire team, from Jeremy [business principal] down the line. They are the best vendor I have ever worked with personally, and I’ve worked with a lot. Traffic has increased since the new website. They put together for me a 15-page monthly report going over all of our Google Analytics, AdWords, and AdRoll. It's pretty detailed, and it's all metrics. It compares month over month and the same month over different years, like May 2017 to May 2016, and the difference is phenomenal. Yearly traffic has gone up to 76% in May 2017 versus May 2016.

Their quality of work is the best. I have received many compliments from clients and friends, as well as our employees (and with over 100 employees, it is hard to please everyone). You can visit Perr&Knight’s website and see for yourself. All of the blogs, since October 2016, were written and designed by Bop’s very professional writers and designers after a pain-free 30-minute interview with one of our experts. They make it so easy. We provide the content expertise, all insurance-related, and they turn it into a great piece of content marketing. They also drive all of our social media marketing and advertising. And we are seeing results in leads and new business come through our website.

You can do actuarial consulting firms in New York, LA, or wherever, and we're coming up on the top organically, even at the top of these Google searches. We were never at the top before. There's a method to the madness—that's why they're a professional firm that does this. When they built our site, it was with SEO in mind, and the words that they used all helped to get us higher up organically without paying for advertising on Google searches. That has worked tremendously.

Another thing I love is, when people find us on Google or any other search engine and fill out our Contact Us form for more information or a proposal, that email comes directly to me, and I take it. I keep a spreadsheet of leads and follow up on them. I kick them off to a subject matter expert, and it turns into projects. Since we launched in October, we've had 69 solid leads that came through the website that resulted in 27 proposals worth $932,000 in proposed fees. In terms of closed and billed projects, we've closed and billed over $125,000 since we launched. Those are just leads that find us on the Internet and come to the website. I think that's pretty good, and it keeps growing month over month. These numbers are strictly people that fill out the contact form. I'm sure there's additional business coming in just when people call, but it's harder to track.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We regularly have an hour-long phone call every month to go over the month-to-month report. Not only do they give us this customized report, but then they call and go through every page with me and tell me that, "We like this. This is working,” or “We got to work on the bounce rate. We want to fix that." They're constantly evaluating their efforts to me and showing me what's working and what could work better.

They are always on time and on budget, or under, and they are always available for me via phone and email even if we don’t have it scheduled on the calendar. From time to time, things pop up and I need to ask them a question or get a professional opinion from them as our marketing firm, and they always make time for me.

I would say there are 7 people I've interacted with: Jeremy, Kara, Rachel, Summer, Emily, Colleen, and John, and I interact with 4 of them regularly, if not daily.

Everything goes through me, so I'm the point person, and then I will get them to people they need, such as subject matter experts, as needed. It works really nicely.

What did you find most impressive about Bop Design?

Apart from everything they’ve done for us, everyone at Bop Design is super cool, nice, and professional. They really have a great staff. We did our due diligence by interviewing and sending RFPs to 7 firms when we were looking. I’m so glad we picked Bop Design.

Are there any areas Bop Design could improve?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of marketing at MediKeeper, a health and wellness portal that helps employers manage their employees’ rising healthcare costs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

We wanted to build awareness of our company through the website and drive qualified leads, most likely for demo requests. We had a prior website that had been developed in-house. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted a responsive WordPress website that would continually draw people to fill out forms, allowing us to capture who they are and follow up with leads. We wanted to showcase our competitive suite of solutions in the market via the products themselves and through our various client testimonials and case studies.

Bop Design first sent us 10 different questions in the form of a backgrounder, which helped them understand the company and our goals. Then, we had a face-to-face meeting in which Bop Design went through every answer we gave, clarified our objectives, and refined our focus. It was an unexpectedly extensive 2-hour meeting that resulted in 3 wireframe concepts. We loved all 3, but we ended up selecting the best option for our needs.

Around 8 people in total were involved in the project, including everything from design, strategy, copywriting, SEO, operations, and development. Bop Design handled the team selection, and I had no part in this. I was blown away by the knowledge of their employees. They weren’t kids straight out of school who simply knew technology. At their heart, everyone there is a marketer with special skill sets in copywriting, SEO, or technology. Because of their focus and the amount of experience they’ve had with B2B clients, I was extremely happy with the team.

We had a single key contact, but the emails we sent to that person generally go to a group box, and a lot of people were involved in responding based on the topic and expertise levels. We interacted multiple times per week, especially during more significant stages like copywriting, finalizing designs, and doing SEO.

We originally engaged them for website design and copywriting, but, once the project concluded, we continued the relationship with pay-per-click management, SEO, and further development. Their professionalism was obvious, so we wanted to find a way to keep exploring and using Bop Design’s expertise.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

I’ve been working in the San Diego marketing industry for nearly 30 years, and I’ve reviewed 7 agencies that I thought could be good fits, based on my past experiences with them. Three of them were shared with the management team, and we all agreed to bring them in for a presentation. Out of those, we selected Bop Design, specifically because of their extensive B2B experience. Because Bop Design has a 100% focus in this area, we found them to be a more qualified option. They also had outstanding experience with driving lead generation and weren’t only focused on building a pretty website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Bop Design in July 2016, and the site was delivered in November. We have an ongoing collaboration. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Our lead count has quadrupled since launching the new website. The abandon rate has been decreased, while time spent on the website has increased. Most satisfying of all, I’ve heard many customers and prospects say that they love our website, which wasn’t something I heard before. We’ve had good feedback both on the subjective and the objective side.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They promised to deliver the site on November 17, and they did completely within budget. I was not expecting this, as I’ve had late deliveries from every other firm I’ve worked with. This is the nature of the work, so I was ecstatic by their punctuality and cost.

Through my background in marketing, I always thought I was a good project manager, and I was used to having this role. In this instance, though, I was not the best person for this task. The person assigned to me by Bop Design did an outstanding job in terms of project management. On the day of signing the contract, I received an email notification with all the key milestones, responsible people, due dates, and descriptions. I truly believe that Bop Design was able to deliver the project on time because of their strong project management skills. I never felt bugged, always felt supported, and clearly felt that they were moving the project along.

What did you find most impressive about Bop Design?

They did a fantastic job developing the website and built something that I’m proud of, delivering it on time and within budget. But, in today’s environment, clients mostly want to work with nice people—genuine human beings who care about things. Having a sense of humor and good camaraderie is important. Through this project, I had the chance to meet and work with some terrific people. I consider that a privilege.

Are there any areas Bop Design could improve?

With previous agencies, we always found items to correct. I don’t think that anyone’s perfect, but Bop Design has done an outstanding job of looking at our clients’ needs and addressing them.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Bop Design?

Look at a couple of competitive solutions, try to understand what you want from a new website, and share it with the agencies. This will give your provider the ammunition they need to truly come up with a creative concept that meets your needs. In my case, Bop Design grossly exceeded my expectations and gave us more than we hoped for—not only in terms of design and looks but also in terms of functionality and results.