Bop Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager for EngineeringPeople, a company that develops augmented reality (AR) applications, primarily at the enterprise level.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

Our website was extremely outdated and didn’t reflect our current AR offerings. We needed a partner to refresh our site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We collaborated closely with Bop Design, answering their questions about what we wanted the site to look like and how we wanted it to function They helped with the entire dev process, including copywriting, designing, SEO, and creative content. The site is on WordPress, and Bop Design integrated analytics to measure improvements.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with three people.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

I found them online. I liked the work they’d done previously, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from February–May 2018. We’re currently making plans for them to update our website soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site has amazing UX/UI, and it’s incredibly easy to navigate. Unlike before, it now reflects all of our offerings and matches current digital trends.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicated via email and phone, whichever was easiest for us. They often provided biweekly reports and were highly responsive, thoroughly explaining their answers.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their work exceeded our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re the experts, so trust them and don’t micromanage.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing director for Haskell & White LLP, a full-service public accounting firm located in Southern California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We engaged Bop Design to redesign our website as a WordPress platform.

What were your goals for this project?

Our original site was difficult to update and lacked mobile compatibility. We wanted to update it for future lead generation.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We sent proposals to nine vendors. Bop Design replied with a middle-of-the-road bid, and their resources and skill set matched our project goals. They focused in particular on delivering ROI for each site they built, which appealed to us.

Describe the project in detail.

Bop Design helped rewrite the entire website and redesign its appearance to match our new logo. The logo redesign—which Bop Design was not responsible for—caused some delays, but once the project began, it proceeded smoothly. The team also implemented SEO to improve our rankings in search results.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the creative principal, a project manager, a writer, and a technical person.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since our launch two year ago, the number of leads has dramatically increased and the site has seen a ten-fold return on the resources we invested in it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Bop Design made the collaboration seamless. They utilized tools in the testing phase that made communication and updates between our teams easy.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Bop Design broke a large project down into simple components and stayed on track every step of the way. The team demonstrated in-depth knowledge of SEO and web designs, and they explained each concept in a helpful way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, the project went smoothly and any holdups came from our side. We’re highly satisfied with their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager of an outsourced IT group. We primarily service hedge funds, private equity—family and office—and the alternative investment industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

Our existing website hadn’t been refreshed for a few years. It was a static site without too much functionality, other than providing our phone number and an email address. We enjoy a nice reputation in the market, but some of our competitors have launched strong marketing and branding efforts.

We wanted to revamp our entire site to elevate our presence in the market and reconcile our digital presence with our reputation and capabilities. We were also aiming for some content marketing functionalities that would drive traffic to the site so it wouldn’t serve as just an information source.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve focused on three areas: the website redesign, new website development, and content marketing and SEO. First, Bop went through an established information gathering process that enabled us to share background on our competitors, industry, and what we were looking to achieve. After digesting all that, we had a creative discovery meeting where Bop’s principals traveled to our headquarters to meet me and my leadership team. They wanted to connect with us in-person and hear directly what our collective vision for the site was. This accelerated and enhanced the quality of the creative they came back to us with.

Soon after this meeting, they delivered two creative approaches for us to consider. We chose one of them, and they began to design the UI. After two rounds of homepage revisions, they developed subpage designs that were compiled into a 20-page template document. They made sure to develop a responsive design so the site would work well on tablets and smartphones.

For the second part of the project, they built a WordPress site and implemented the agreed-upon design. They even put together a custom manual for myself and our staff containing step-by-step instructions on how to update and modify the site post-launch.

Third, we signed up for ongoing content marketing. Every month, they do brand messaging and copywriting by writing two blog posts and helping publish our newsletter. They also produce downloadable thought leadership white papers every quarter; these are always designed nicely.

Beyond creating content, they also promote it through LinkedIn, Google AdWords, and AdRoll, a retargeting program. When people visit our site without converting naturally, we can get in front of them again as they’re browsing, serving up a display ad that brings them back to our site. The final component is on-page SEO. Bop improves and enhances our organic SEO by crafting search strategy, consulting on keywords, and integrating them to help drive traffic.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Jeremy (Business Principal, Bop Design) and Kara (Creative Principal, Bop Design), along with a core team of six.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

I did quite a bit of online research and talked to some of my colleagues. Initially, we had a list of eight potential partners based on internal discussions and reviews; I engaged with four of them. We presented what we wanted to do, and they came back with proposals. Based on these, we selected Bop.

How much have you invested with them?

The website redesign was $36,000. We pay $5,000 per month for the ongoing content marketing and website updates.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since May 2018. The website launched in September.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Even though we’ve just begun, our organic search has already improved by 47%. Though this is low hanging fruit (this is the first big marketing project in my year here), Bop has done a great job.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed quite well. Expectations were set nicely at the beginning, communication is excellent, and they’re open and honest. They've stuck to their dates and any slippage that occurs stems from us turning around approvals.

When I was investigating potential vendors, I noted that Bop's project management seemed strong, and it certainly has been. They were and are the most communicative and responsive option. The frequency with which we talk depends on the project phase were in, but it’s never been less than multiple times per week. Often, we speak multiple times per day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Regarding our overall experience, we love their accessibility, turnaround times, and client service. The quality of the creative, design, and development is what I expected, but the client service is far greater.

They learn more about our business, industry, and clients every day, which helps them provide further recommendations. They never adopt a sales approach either, saying we need something. They also us saying we ought to consider something.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having more robust testing parameters/protocols is be one idea, depending on the client. We’re a demanding client regarding security because our clients are highly security-conscious. There was a small snafu when we went live that we should have anticipated because they were in no position to.

If they engage with a similar client in the future, and I think they will, they ought to ask more questions regarding security. There should also be more due diligence around the type of environment the website may be utilized within.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

You should be prepared to answer a lot of questions, which Bop uses to inform their approach to the project. Make sure to think out your value proposition, client personas, and pain points. Bop can digest a large amount of information. The more fuel you give them, the better they’ll run.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a product manager at Bardy Diagnostics, a medical device and digital health company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking to develop a new corporate website. Our previous site was outdated and needed to be modernized. We wanted the new site to help position our company as a leader within our industry.

What were your goals for this project?

The new site needed to aid healthcare providers, administrators, and other users in purchasing medical devices. It would serve as a crucial touchpoint to gather information and evidence on our products and services. This update would help us develop credibility, emphasize new services, and highlight our expanded product line.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had several internal referrals, and we expanded our search to Clutch.co to evaluate other vendors that would fit our needs. After a former colleague recommended them to us, we saw that they were more engaged in understanding the scope of our project before submitting a proposal.

Describe the project in detail.

There were six phases of the project over a 16-week timeline. We started with the discovery phase before proceeding to planning and designing. In this time, Bop Design pitched two creative directions for the site template and design. The second half of the project focused on writing copy, development work, and the final launch.

What was the team composition?

We worked with project managers, copywriters, and web developers. There were various team members involved during different phases of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Though we’ve launched the site very recently, we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from our employees. We are confident that the product will serve healthcare providers in the buying process. Together, we accomplished everything we planned on doing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project management was excellent. We communicated at least once a week, during which we had clear expectations for deliverables and could review timelines. We had all the milestones scheduled on the calendar, and there was never a point when we were uncertain about the project status.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I valued their communication and project management skills. They also had great technical skills with copywriting and WordPress, so their talent in these areas stood out. Bop Design’s expertise made them an excellent partner for our company’s size and budget.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Heritage Paper is an industry leader delivering outstanding packaging design, equipment solutions, and fulfillment services to the southern California marketplace as well as national partners across the country. I am a sales account executive and lead the company’s marketing efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our previous website was designed nine years ago in conjunction with other sister companies. Because not all entities shared the same focus, the message was generalized and confusing. We hired Bop to not just redesign our website, but to also manage necessary SEO redirection to prevent traffic loss and assist with subsequent content marketing support for the new URL.  

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted the website to clearly convey our distinct advantages in this competitive field, to educate engineers and operations managers conducting independent preliminary research, and to serve as an effective marketing tool for our sales reps.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After interviewing many different web developers, I chose Bop because they demonstrated exceptional skill and creativity in the B2B arena as well as a more in-depth understanding of our website’s purpose in generating more sales. In addition, they had the content marketing resources and experience to help us generate a return on our investment and offered a custom WordPress site, which we understood to be an advantage over the cheaper stock versions.  

Describe the project in detail.

I first polled our internal sales force and completed Bop’s project questionnaire to ensure we had a collective, comprehensive view of our messages and goals. Then I prepared a rough outline of a site map that identified crucial messaging and primary areas of focus before meeting with the business and creative principals and the web content director. We conducted a tour of our facility and design department followed by a general discovery session to which we invited our general manager (GM), our designer, and another sales executive. Bop carefully managed the process over the next four months, but there were inevitable delays on our part; we spent several weeks approving two revisions of the creative design. The remaining time was spent copy writing and selecting accompanying photos.  

What was the team composition?

Though we consulted with another key person when necessary for items requiring owner approval, we kept the team limited to primarily the GM, Bop’s head of design, and me. It was a good balance of marketing and sales input, tech design, and upper management endorsement. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bop excels at building websites for B2B. From the web developers who supervised the general process of copy and layout to the web integration tech and content marketing teams, each member or principal is capable, experienced, and knowledgeable in their respective disciplines. They can provide all the tools of a large agency but at a more reasonable cost and on a more personal level. Their quality of delivery may even surpass that of big vendors.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was extremely easy and fluid. Although I was responsible for the bulk of copy and layout decisions, we respected each other’s opinions and worked well together. They were excellent communicators and clearly explained the process of each phase so that we could attempt to plan for the expected output. They also remained flexible when issues arose preventing us from staying on schedule. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are a skilled, knowledgeable team and every member is pleasant to work with. As we move forward with the content marketing strategy, their talent and efficiency continue to impress. I look forward to a long and successful relationship with Bop Design.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No; they're great!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a partner at a public accounting firm in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bop Design?

Bop completely rebuilt our website for us. We really wanted a modern looking, outside the box website, and they were able to deliver.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start, we gave Bop examples of websites that we thought had a good theme or branding. They then presented us with a number of design and layout recommendations from which we chose. They then worked on rewording and populating the site with content including a blog, new photos, and key words based on our mission, values, and vision. They also created some really outstanding taglines that reflected our goal of reaching younger entrepreneurs.

What is the team composition?

We mostly communicated with their creative principle, but we also worked with a copywriter and a developer.

How did you come to work with Bop Design?

At the time we were considering redoing the website they actually cold called us, which turned out to be very fortuitous.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost somewhere between $10,000­–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began this project in 2012, and we are about to start a new initiative with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bop took our old website, which was truly awful, and created one that I am very proud of. It has helped us to recruit high quality employees who often comment on how they really got a feel for our culture just from looking at the site. Additionally, while most of our business comes from organic leads, we have seen a significant increase in the amount of leads generated from the site. The website they built us really represents who we are as a company, and the feedback we have received from potential employees and clients reflects that.

How did Bop Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly speak over phone and email. They are very proactive at communication and setting follow-ups after any conversation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Often times I will sit down with vendors and tell them our story and they will suggest something that in no way reflects who we are. Bop actually listened to us, did the work to understand who we are, and came back with ideas that reflected our culture. Every time they produced something for us it was on message and conveyed what we wanted.

Any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to hire them. The time and effort they put in to understand who you are and what your end product should be is unbelievable. I can’t recommend them enough.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing manager at NPC, Inc., an information management and distribution solutions company based in Claysburg, PA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to re-design our website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to clearly tell our story and show our target audiences why they would want to work for us or with us. Externally, we wanted to show our company as a solutions provider/strategic partner and not just a provider of capabilities and products. We wanted to highlight our offset printing, digital printing, fulfillment services. We wanted to use our messaging to position the organization for growth and transformation, moving away from the labeling us as only a “printer," a “government contractor," etc. We wanted to create a solid foundation for future marketing/communication efforts by using a CMS to make it easier to publish content and updates to the site.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We submitted an RFP to a number of website design and development vendors. We used a criteria scorecard and interview process to determine the best fit for the project.

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

Bop handled front- and backend development, concept development, UX design, content creation, content editing, and our website's launch. Their team took a quality over quantity approach to our website redesign strategy, focusing largely on the stories presented to our target audiences rather than on traditional SEO. 

What was the team composition?

There were a dozen people on the website design and development team, each with their own specific role, making it easy to transition from one part of the project to the next.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new website design showcased a modern look and feel, and it was much easier for us to publish new content, new pages, and edit current pages.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Once we ironed out the details on the goals and approach, the site content, design, and development stayed on schedule. Since each person on the Bop team had a specific role in the process, project management flowed nicely. Our handoffs during each phase of the project, from concept, content, design, to development, went smoothly. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their up-front customer service and relationship building set a positive tone for the project. Their structured, comprehensive final review and rollout of the site contributed to a smooth launch. Their development team was always extremely responsive to any and all requests.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the business development manager for a full-service media planning & buying agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were redesigning our brand and wanted to update our website to accurately reflect our company. We needed to revamp our old content and create new elements to beef it up.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a website that was visually appealing, modern and informative. We wanted our potential clients and job searchers to understand our company well and reach out to work with us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We wanted to find someone with a great first impression that could understand our business and translate our values into a cohesive site. Bop Design was reasonable in their pricing, and we felt confident that they were up to the challenge.

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

Bop Design developed the front- and backend of the website. They designed our UX/UI and helped create our content.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a core group of about four people, but experts in a specific field were assigned as needed. We also worked with a day-to-day project manager who informed of the next steps of the project and introduced any additional experts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Based on the analytics we've received since the launch of our new site, traffic significantly increased. We also received several leads from potential clients.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

This was a long and complex project, and their project management handled it exceptionally well. Throughout the project, their team was responsive and addressed all of our many questions. The timeline was pushed back a bit because of the holidays, but overall communication and expectation management was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed with their ability to closely listen to our vision and turn it into reality. They were able to understand our business and keep our content and designs true to our core values.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

Since launch, we experienced some glitches on the site. They were fixed quickly by the team once we brought them to their attention, but it would've been helpful if they a system to alert them of any malfunctions in real time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

American Cargoservice is a full-service international and domestic freight forwarder. Since 1991, we’ve provided project logistics and transportation services for the alternative energy, mining, educational and manufacturing industries. As the business development manager, my primary responsibility is to manage our contract with the University of California system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Bop Design to execute a complete website overhaul.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a user-friendly website that promoted our company as a well-established San Diego-based business. Ensuring that we could update the site in-house would help us keep the content fresh and relevant to our industry and customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I sourced our industry partners and customers websites for mentions of web designers they used. Ultimately, we chose Bop Design because they promptly responded to us and had a local branch in San Diego.

Describe the project in detail.

Our company contributed the bulk of the content. Bop Design provided the process, structure, and design of the website. The team was responsive to our needs. They kept to the schedule while allowing for flexibility when we needed more time to provide content.

What was the team composition?

The team we worked with from Bop Design included Jeremy (Business Principal, Bop Design) and Emily (Project Manager, Bop Design).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received inquiries nationwide from consumers.  Bop Design created a website for our company that’s easy to use, even for people with little to no prior knowledge of WordPress.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their project management style was very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Bop Design team was very easy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They could have included a few days of hands-on WordPress training in the cost.

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.