Comrade Digital Marketing Agency

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing coordinator for a division that is under a machinery company. We sell and do service on medium-speed engines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

Our website was very outdated. We wanted a refreshed look — something that reflected our company in a better light. We also wanted to implement an SEO strategy plan.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Comrade Web Agency used WordPress to create our website. They first delivered a design, and we went back and forth on that. They were able to customize the code that was needed to complete the website.

The team also implemented an SEO program in the backend. Once the website launched, they went into our Google Search Console to help us with SEO as well.

What is the team composition?

The core team consisted of three people, but we interacted with about 15 team members when it came to feedback. 

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I found them through a Google search. We also talked to other firms, but we thought that Comrade Web Agency was a good fit because of how flexible and customizable they were. We also liked their initial design work, and their account rep was easy to talk to. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from fall 2017–January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The functionality of the website is great. It’s easy for the user, and it’s easy for us to add content. It was important for us to have control of the website so that we could update it as needed as opposed to going to someone else. 

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was good. It helped that we only communicated with one person, and we used phone and email. They were good about being flexible and being able to customize their work according to what we wanted. We never felt restricted.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing about them was their customizable development. We could tell that they were skilled when it came to development.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve been more upfront and transparent about certain aspects of the project. Other than that, they performed quite well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be completely transparent, and clarify each aspect of the project. Make sure that nothing is ambiguous because things can get lost in communication.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing partner at Rivas & Associates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

We hired them to create our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Comrade Web Agency designed and developed a completely new WordPress website for us. They built the site to be as optimized as possible.

Comrade also helped create our firm’s logo.

What is the team composition?

I worked with 2–3 people from Comrade. Reed (Senior Account Executive) was my main point of contact from the beginning. He presented their work and checked in on me.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I Googled ‘modern, clean-looking law firm websites,’ and Comrade Web Agency appeared in the search results. We chose them because they were very responsive and their websites looked really good.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was about $9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think I reached out to them in November 2019, and the website launched in July or August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m really pleased with the website and logo. They definitely portray the image I want. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people who say the website looks very good and optimized, and that it doesn’t need much work right now because it was done right.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication was very good. Any time I reached out to them, they got back to me. The deadline was reasonable; if anybody dragged their feet, it was me.

We communicated via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Comrade was eager to please. They were persistent in convincing me of this product, and then making sure that I was getting what I wanted throughout the process. They were very prompt in communicating with me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think the logo design could’ve improved a little bit. I liked the logo they created for the law firm, but when I tried to hire them for a side firm’s logo, we couldn’t connect creatively. I wanted more of a locally-themed logo, and I think they just weren’t knowledgeable of my locality because of the distance. However, that was the only thing.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be ready to be engaged with Comrade because they want to make sure you’re okay with the direction they’re going to go in, as they should. They will need and want to talk to you to verify things, so just make sure to make the time for them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a company that specializes in the design, sales, installation, repair, and support of industrial compressed air equipment. We have three locations and serve all facilities that use compressed air as a primary utility that drives their operation. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

They were working on SEO, PPC, and social media marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Just as I was joining the company, they put together a quick website to support a trade show that was a few weeks out at the time. Additionally, they’ve done some patchwork on our old, template-based website to improve it from a marketing perspective.

Since then, I’ve worked with them on two other website projects. One is for fluid air safety products, while the other supports a product that’s offered through our sister company. Two of the sites are on Shopify and the other two are WordPress sites. They ran advertisements on Facebook and LinkedIn to get the word out about our services as well.

What is the team composition?

I work with a few designers and project managers as well as a marketing manager. I have two points of contact for SEO services and another two main points of contact for web development. 

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I inherited the relationship. However, it was important to our owners to be able to meet with partners face-to-face. We searched for local companies specializing in digital marketing and web development. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $60,000–$80,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since around January 2018. Our teams are moving into a new project together soon. We’re working on the scoping process now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They operate at an expert level when it comes to web development, SEO, and PPC strategies. Their team understands the science and the art behind their work and approaches projects accordingly.  

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate regularly, meeting monthly to discuss PPC and SEO metrics. There, we also speak about new tasks or requirements. If something needs to be repaired or replaced, we’re able to easily request that. We’re working together on a new scope of work currently. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their depth of experience and specialization offers a lot of value for our team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve had issues with launching sites in the past. They’ve declared sites finished when there were still changes that needed to be implemented and aspects that clearly had not been tested. This isn’t an earth-shattering issue, but it’s been my greatest source of disappointment with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Expect to build in some post-launch time for adjustments to the site, which should be coming with any project anyway. It’s important to have a thorough testing and tweaking phase.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Maxim Partners is a small private equity firm in the suburbs of Chicago. Our team consists of five full-time employees and 10 additional industry partners and interns. My position is office manager and executive assistant.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

We began working with Comrade Web Agency in 2018, by which point our website was really outdated and didn’t look very professional. We needed a completely new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Comrade Web Agency developed a WordPress website from scratch. Creating a website from scratch was new for us, so our team worked closely with Comrade to determine the best way to develop and design the site. The site is informational.

What is the team composition?

Our point of contact was Reed (Senior Account Executive), but I’m sure he had a team that he worked with.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

They were recommended to us by our IT support company, Framework IT. We did extensive research first and then settled on Comrade.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in May 2018, and they finished the site by the end of 2018. Since then, we’ve had a maintenance package with them, so that if we have any questions or need something to be changed, they do so.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re extremely satisfied. The website looks really good, and we’re proud to present it. It runs smoothly.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very professional and hit deadlines. Most of our team travels a lot, so it’s hard for us to stick to deadlines, but Reed was very professional; he would constantly reach out and ask what else we needed. We communicated via email and phone. We also set milestones, and they met them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Comrade does great work. They’re professional, patient, and full of ideas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re great.

Any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with the basics, and they’ll come up with extras and go from there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Illprepvb.com, and we are a website dedicated to high school and club volleyball here in Illinois.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

High School sports coverage used to be much more expensive, but due to a variety of factors has been dramatically reduced in recent years. After I retired, I decided to create a website to help provide more exposure to high school volleyball in our area. We did it for free for one year, and then decided to get serious and started looking for a professional company to redesign and modernize what we had.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of the main things we were looking for was to have a sharper, more professional look to our website. They ended up developing the new site from scratch but helped us to integrate about a year’s worth of information in a way that the people who had uploaded it could still access it. Their team focused on making the new site much more organized for people using the site and much easier to update for us on the backend.

What is the team composition?

We met with one person on a couple of occasions to discuss what we were looking for, but there were a number of other people working on the site behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I put out an RFP to look for bids from professional agencies, and they were in the middle of the road in terms of pricing, so we decided to reach out to them. Our initial conversations went well, and we were confident that they would be able to deliver the requirements we were looking for, so we decided to move forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of the project was a little over $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together with them from October 2017–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impact of the work speaks for itself to a certain extent. We were extremely pleased with what they delivered. As we delivered into the project, we discovered more and more that we wanted to change and fine-tuned what we wanted to create, and they walked us through the entire process almost seamlessly.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They were open to the ideas we had and presented us with suggestions of their own when they felt strongly one way or another. Over the course of the engagement, we developed a really good, solid working relationship. They were great about communicating thoroughly so that we understood the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Some of the suggestions that they were able to make from their own experience were incredibly valuable to the final product that we created with them. We really appreciated having access to their experience so that we could implement a lot more of our ideas than we would have been able to otherwise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were quite pleased with the relationship. We were hoping to have it up and running a little sooner, but as time went on, we gave them more things to do, so that wasn’t their fault.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They are very amenable to your feedback and input, so if there is something you want to address, don’t hesitate to bring it up with them and they will take care of it for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the executive director of the Illinois Nurses Association.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

Our website needed to be updated and redesigned.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them a lot of different materials to work with, such as content and pictures that we wanted on the site, and they put together a framework for what the final product was going to look like. Once we approved it, they worked through all of the pages to finalize the code and content on each one.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with Reed (Senior Account Executive) and Anna (Project Manager) for all of the work.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

We talked with a few companies who submitted proposals for our project, and we were impressed by Comrade Web Agency’s the most. We liked the work they had done on previous sites as well, so we selected them for the job.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was somewhere between $10,000-$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together ran from around December 2018–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any specific numbers to share, but our members really like the designs that they implemented for us. In the midst of the current pandemic, it’s really important for us to be able to get information out to our members quickly and in a format that’s clear.

This website has allowed us to keep people informed about the virus and its coverage much more easily than we were in a position to do before.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very proactive about regularly checking in on things, requesting whatever they needed from us to move forward, and making sure that everyone was on the same page in terms of next steps. We mostly communicated by phone and email, but we used an online project management tool that allowed us to share desktop screens when necessary as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were really impressed by their overall attention to detail and design. They just know how to make websites look really attractive in a format that is also smooth and user-friendly. They’re very professional in everything that they do, so we really couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really don’t have anything that comes to mind that they could do differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Look at their previous projects and clients and get a sense of what they are capable of before nailing down the details of your design. I would also suggest dedicating someone internally who can spend a lot of time working with them because in order to get the most out of them, you need to put in some effort to get them the materials and approvals that they need as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager of Blackhawk Supply. We’re an online commercial HVAC parts distributor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

We didn’t have online sales experience so we needed to find a company that had professional skills, knowledge, and experience in online web development, marketing, and sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us with our website development initially, and then SEO and PPC support. They also consult on some of our marketing strategies and keep us abreast of how we might best use new selling platforms available to us. That helps us stay up to date with and navigate online business programs.

What is the team composition?

Initially, we worked with a group of people to get us set up in different areas of our company. As we became established with them and our website got a little more mature, we had a point of contact on the marketing side and another point of contact to handle the higher-level technical aspects of our website and Google Merchant Services.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

We interviewed a bunch of companies and found that Comrade had the right tools all-around to support us. We met with higher-level firms as well, but as a small business, we needed a company that was going to provide us with personal service and accountability. We found that Comrade, from the get-go, really offered that.

Some of the larger companies made it seem like a privilege for us to meet their owner. As a small business, we consider everyone to be important, from the highest to the lowest level. Comrade valued us from day one, offering us tangible resources. They were prepared for the first meeting, and we thought someone who worked that hard to earn our business would work hard to help us grow.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend around $100,000 per year with them, in addition to a Google Ads spend.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since October 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve made a lot of recommendations in ways we wouldn’t know. It’s not just placing an ad. They tell us how to get the best quality placement for our ads based on our website. Year over year, we’re growing just under 50%, and that directly attributable to Comrade.

Before Comrade, we put a few ads online but we didn’t really know what we were doing. They’ve really helped us professionalize that part of our business.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic, and I say that because on a monthly basis we have reviews of the accounts and they have the details to answer any questions we have right then and there. They know what we’re going to ask before we ask it and prepare their answers. They’re a very thorough and professional company, and they’re probably better at project management than we are.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s their attention to detail and attention to the client’s needs. They’ve become an integral part of our business beyond the project they’re working on. When we have questions about strategies – and not just once a month at our meeting – they’re responsive and approachable.

Anything we ask of them, they truly understand how to research it and get back to us. They also help us prioritize things to get us the best ROI.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We could utilize more of the services if we had the staff to do so. I wish we could do everything they recommend, but it’s just not possible.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set realistic expectations. Listen to Comrade and what they offer and understand what you’re able to do with the constraints you face.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief marketing officer at American Tent, a vinyl tent manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

We needed a better website with specific capabilities as our company grew. Our goal was to make our site more functional so that customers could make purchases instead of having to call our salespeople.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Comrade Web Agency developed and designed our company website. Their team evaluated what our top products were and redesigned the site to be as user-friendly as possible. They ensured that the site would answer as many potential client questions as possible. 

The Comrade Web Agency team also investigated our competitors to see what strategies worked for those teams. If they were a fit for our company as well, they would implement them on our website. They also provided SEO services, helping us choose target keywords to increase our ranking.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one main account manager for the website and another manger for our digital marketing, Anton and Margo

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

The owner of our company had heard of Comrade Web Agency through a tradeshow. They came in with a much lower bid with very comprehensive strategies. Additionally, they had a really good plan to get us started right off the bat, so we decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $45,000 on the initial website and we now spend $5,000 a year on digital marketing.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Comrade Web Agency began in October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new website has seen an increase in page views and lead conversions. Our online sales are up from $1,000 a week to about $7,000 a week, with a monthly sale increase from 10 sales to 30.

Comrade Web Agency did a great job of building the website with the experience of the user in mind. They implemented everything that would help it work from the start. Their digital marketing efforts help people get to our site.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They essentially manage the project for us. Comrade Web Agency sets up deadlines for us and asks for our approval on timelines. They always follow through and meet expectations. The team is incredibly responsive, especially given the current global situation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Comrade Web Agency worked really hard to get to know our industry, which we appreciated. They sometimes seemed to know more about vinyl tent manufacturing than I did. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re so committed to making the project successful that at times they feel like taskmasters for me. They are willing to push you to go faster, but it’s for your own good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get ready to work quickly and efficiently. The more prepared you are, the more helpful Comrade Web Agency can be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Gillespie Productions, LLC, a video production company. We mostly specialize in corporate video.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Comrade Web Agency?

We had two challenges. The first was our website, which I built personally off of a WordPress template four years ago, and needed to be updated. The other challenge was our digital marketing efforts as a whole.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Comrade Web Agency took complete responsibility of both the website rebuild and the digital marketing campaigns. When we first engaged them, the team took the time to understand our business and its background before diving into solutions and suggestions. We worked together to collaborate on the ideation behind the website’s look and feel. In terms of our digital marketing efforts, the team manages our SEO strategies.

What is the team composition?

We have an account manager as well as two digital marketing points of contact. During the website build, we had a single project manager.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I have a colleague who works for an organization that hosts a large yearly conference. Comrade Web Agency was one of the sponsors, and I attended their speaking session. I was impressed by the company, so I decided to reach out to them and get their information at their booth. 

How much have you invested with them?

The project has cost about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in November 2019 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s still too early in the engagement to track any significant metrics; the website launched just last week. However, the initial response has been extremely positive. The results have very much aligned with our expectations so far and the work itself has exceeded them. Everyone who’s seen the end-product has been blown away.

How did Comrade Web Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

In my engagements, I place a lot of importance on project management. As far as Comrade Web Agency goes, their project management style is the area with which I’ve been the most satisfied. The team is absolutely on top of it, they get it, and whenever they say they’re going to do something, they do it. Comrade Web Agency is extremely organized and always engaged with the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Comrade Web Agency offers exceptional value. Their price point compared to the value of the work they provide is excellent. They have true subject matter expertise; they know what they’re doing. Also, their project management is truly a differentiator.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If there was something that needed to be fixed I wouldn’t hesitate to bring it up, but Comrade Web Agency has done everything right so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re holding up your end of the bargain in terms of having things ready for them. They keep the project moving, and you need to be able to provide them with photos, videos, text, feedback, or whatever else they might need in order to continue working at their pace.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We build racks and carts for the baking, meat processing, foodservice industry. I am the inside sales manager and I work with the marketing department to make sure that sales and marketing are on the same page.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Comrade Web Agency?

We hired Comrade to help us with increasing our meaningful web traffic.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to double our incoming leads and be sure they come from sources that we can do business with.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We received a referral from a friend in another company that used Comrade's services and were very happy with the result.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Comrade upgraded the framework of our website, tweaked our ads in a more effective way, increased SEO by adding blogs and adjusting product descriptions and adding product and process pictures, and they showed us that adding pricing would help our customers complete the transaction online.

What was the team composition?

We had a project manager, Margo, who has kept us on task and helped us move through the process quickly. Other members included web designers, print designers, Natalie - Marketing Director and Sasha - VP, and others in the background that we did not meet.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our leads have doubled and more. Website traffic has increased with all the changes that we have made. We don't get near as many leads for something that sounds like what we do but we don't (I know this sounds odd, but consider it).

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We were assigned a project manager and they asked who would be copied on every email so that the people that needed to be in the loop were in on every communication. It was very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

There were never any questions that we had that the team from Comrade could not answer. They're always confident in their response to our questions and have good reasons for the suggestions that they make.

Are there any areas for improvement?

An in-person visit might be helpful.