Comrade Digital Marketing Agency

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We began working with Comrade Web Agency in 2018, by which point our website was really outdated and didn’t look very professional.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

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a real estate website where users can see homes for sale.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Comrade Web Agency helped us to capture the online market for people in the process of purchasing or selling a home. We wanted to get them into our funnel and work with our team of real estate agents.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We designed a brand-new website from scratch and acquired ongoing SEO support. They gave me advice on blog articles, keyword ranking, and traffic reorientation. Sophisticated website design was also provided. The website needed to be updated several times a day and have a great UX that had scheduling and question-answering functionalities.

The site was built in WordPress and used raw data from the MLS. We’ve got that data on the website, which is good for SEO. They did technical work and incorporated a large number of high-quality images, as each house as up to 30 photos. They knew all the necessary technology. At times, they were able to find a vendor who could solve problems they needed.

It was a collaborative process. They find topics on a national and local real estate level. They give me keywords and topics to write articles about, which I then send to them. Their team edits the content and optimizes the site with better tags.

What is the team composition?

We had four members of the team working with us.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I chose them based on their online reviews. They had very detailed reviews on Clutch. Another company I talked to also referred them to me. After speaking with them, they won me over. They worked hard to understand what I wanted to achieve.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in June 2019 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not many statistics in terms of click-through, but we’re getting visitors. The blog articles are getting traffic. The usability and design of the site are great; I love using it. They’ve been excellent and effective. They get things done without going over budget or timeline. Other companies I’ve worked with start websites and stumble, but Comrade Web Agency was great. They delivered.

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

Working with them remotely is very, very easy. They used a project management tool that allowed me to see how the website was laid out while it was under construction. It was easy for me to tell them what I wanted to change. They’ve been very easy to work with and managed everything remotely through emails and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They work very hard to listen to the customer and understand the expectations. That’s their strongest suit. They’re also good at communication and on top of things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared to do a lot of work remotely. If you don’t want to handle the project through phone calls and emails, it won’t be the best choice. They make it as easy as possible without meeting in person, but some business owners may not be ready to do that. You should also be ready to submit the content they need. You need to know what to say.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a managing partner of a small consulting company. We serve clients on a project basis—either through private coaching, team development or enterprise strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our website was basically a business card to start with, and we wanted to make it a useful platform that could help generate leads. In our business, connecting with customers is dependent on understanding human challenges.

Our goal was to tell a story through our site and get more human connections through our content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed the site’s layout and architecture. Then, they developed the platform using WordPress. To create the site’s design, we provided them with a brief and some of our marketing content. That way, they understood who our customers were. We wanted them to use our digital illustrations and creative assets. Rather than user stock photography, we sourced illustrative art that would evoke emotion and human connection.

We had an idea for a quiz, and they figured out how to build that from scratch rather than using a third-party application. They built a custom web app that asks about 15 multiple-choice questions. Users then receive a leadership style profile that is presented on a green overlay. Users then receive an email determining what kind of leader they are.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Reed (Senior Account Executive, Comrade Web Agency) , who does most of their program management. Then, they had a local project manager that would connect us with their development team. Most of their developers are based overseas.

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I sent RFQs to about ten different agencies. I selected Comrade Web Agency for two reasons:

They had the time. While other agencies weren’t able to support us at that time of year, Comrade Web Agency was ready to help us.

When we spoke with Reed, he did his best to demonstrate how he wanted to express our message in creative ways.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $15,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from the end of 2018–April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m proud of the work they did. It’s quite beautiful. We worked through all of our challenges. They were able to build the backend so it worked as I wanted. At the same time, the frontend UX is exactly what we hoped for. So, given that it functions, I think we did a good job.

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

In general, they delivered what they said we would, but their project management was less than extraordinary. Depending on the number of projects they were working on, they’d be hands on, and then their level of attention to detail and focus would shift. As a result, I managed a little more than I would have liked.

I set up weekly phone calls to make sure we were staying on track. I would clear up any open questions we had then, too.

I created a shared Google site so the team could have access to all of our content. Then, for our feedback on the site, I had them create copy workbooks and the site layout. I then used slides to demonstrate where changes were needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were unconstrained by templates or convention and had extraordinary amounts of creativity. They understood our concepts and figured out a way to make them happen. I really valued the development team’s creativity and flexibility.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve their project management. Although I didn’t have a problem with being involved, my partner didn’t want to focus on it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared and know clearly what you want. They’ll help you figure out the design, but you should understand the architecture you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a real estate agent and the owner of a website that allows people to view properties for sale. It also teaches consumers about the process of buying and selling homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I wanted to steer more online traffic and home purchase/sale opportunities to us and away from major real estate websites.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a new WordPress website for me. It’s a comprehensive site, with testimonials, information about me and my team, as well as all the home for sale in my area. They also included a blog. That’s about it at this point, but they’re doing some ongoing service for me as well.

Originally, they came to me with a questionnaire. I completed that, and they start coming with colors. They had a wireframe model that I could log into and request things to be moved or changed. We went through a lot of rounds and built the site in pieces, page by page.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with Reed (Senior Account Executive, Comrade Web Agency) from an account perspective and Anna from a development perspective.  

How did you come to work with Comrade Web Agency?

I got annoyed at my previous web developer and put out an RFP to a dozen firms near Chicago. A couple got back to me, including Comrade. Another company we were looking at told us we didn’t have the budget for them, but they recommended we talk to Comrade. They said Comrade would be a good partner for our complex desires and budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $25,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of June 2019. We’re still partnering together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were excellent, delivering what they said they would on time and on budget, which was my biggest concern. I’ve explored other web developers and marketers, and they fall short after promising the world. Comrade did what they said they would, and now I have a finished product that acts like I envisioned it would.

I’ve been sharing the site with colleagues and they say it looks fresh, memorable, and professional. They say it’s on the level of national company’s website, and I’m nowhere near that size.

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

They’re very good. When I expressed concerns over a couple of stumbling blocks, stemming from how comprehensive the site had to be, they replied quickly. They sought a solution and described it to us directly. I wasn’t nervous about vastly missing the launch date at all.  

There’s been lots of communication back and forth over email, along with a check-in every week or two. If they need something, they emailed and I would drop whatever it was in Google drive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m not sure how to answer that because I’ve never used anyone else of their caliber. They took any problems by the horns and took ownership of them, however, which I appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wonder if the stumbling blocks could have been avoided with more research upfront. They resolved the issue quickly, but I’m curious if we could have launched the site two, three, or four weeks earlier with more initial research.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Definitely have a conversation with them. They’re open to trying very hard to understand what you want to create and delivering that.

I would also say to keep an open mind. They’ve worked in many different fields doing digital marketing and web design. Let them talk you out of what you want sometimes because they know what will work for your goal. They’re very focused on your goal.