CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

NSBx is an autism intervention agency, specializing in ABA intervention for children with developmental disabilities. I am the Program Director, and this project was a collaboration with our Director of Operations, Mackenzie.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency, and what were your goals?

We hired Creative to take over a previous website development we were not excited about. It was an okay website, but it didn't feel as professional and clean as we would've liked it. We therefore hired Pete and his team to overhaul what was done so that it fit our vision. Not only did they accomplish this, but they did so in great time, and with careful attention to all of our feedback.

SOLUTION

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

We chose this vendor after doing careful research of local agencies in our area. They had the best customer reporting in reviews, and during consultation seemed like the best fit for what we knew was a large project. After feeling unsatisfied with our previous website, we felt it was very important to trust our new provider, and Pete and his team at Creative really demonstrated this.

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

Development of a 10-12 page website. We had an initial consult with the team where we went through our vision and ideas for what inspired the 'look' we wanted. Shortly after we had a precise breakdown of costs and a roadmap of deliverables. Our organization needed some flexibility when it came to timing since I was just about to take maternity leave (Program Director). The team worked with us on this and was very open to shifting deliverables when/if we needed to.

Our developer was able to meet with us to discuss wireframes and initial design templates. We were very particular about the overall appearance and the team was receptive to multiple meetings until we felt it was exactly what we needed. The team also created other resources for us including a brochure and lanyards, which we also cannot say enough good things about.

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

• Pete - Director
• Anna - Creative Director
• Eillish - Content writer
• Daniel - SEO Specialist
• Brian - Web Developer
• Misty - Merchandise

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the website has been re-launched with the new look, we can confidently send our customers to this resource for more information when previously we were not proud to share it with others. This saves us countless hours of explanations over the phone, and the website has very clear directives on how to connect with us. Since the launch of the website and pursuit of ads to attract attention to the website, we have had an estimated 50% increase in traffic, with phone calls from customers who already feel informed about our services.

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

Everything was on time with careful monitoring from Pete and his team. They were open to discussion (previously felt another agency was defensive of feedback and this team was very open to us!), and worked with us on every item. We used email to communicate as well as GoToMeeting virtual meetings.

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

The overall welcoming feeling when you first have consultation with them. Their confidence in their ability to provide great work for their customers was impressive.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of BeerGater, a company that converts coolers into beer kegs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

We needed help with our e-commerce training, communication, and marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CREATIVE is helping us develop our pre-sales strategy, including marketing, advertising, Shopify, and social media. They set up our Facebook and Instagram accounts and completed our e-commerce training and fulfillment. They've also reviewed our communication strategy and have almost completed marketing strategies for email, Google, and SMM. The team provides ongoing marketing and communication strategy services. The next step is for CREATIVE to help us with advertising as soon as our inventory gets in.

How did you come to work with CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

I've worked with CREATIVE before, and they've always done a good job, so I reached out to them again.

How much have you invested with them?

By the time the project is completed, we'll have spent between $30,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2022, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

CREATIVE has done a fantastic job so far. They have our pre-sales operations set up and ready to go. Overall, they're an excellent company.

How did CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always on time or early. The team works with my staff really well and communicates all the time, exceeding our expectations. We have weekly conference calls and daily emails. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed by CREATIVE's great staff. They have many very specialized people who can handle the work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything they need to improve; I have zero complaints. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with CREATIVE. For our part, we'll never use anybody else!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and owner of a financial services company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

We needed help establishing better brand recognition and getting more targeted clientele. 

SOLUTION

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

Our website received positive feedback from initial viewers and prospective clients. Our audience understood the site’s content since the information on the site was clear and concise. As a result, people filled out forms, and I received better-qualified leads.

How did CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

CREATIVE was great at project management. If something came up and needed more information, we talked through video meetings. I felt I was included in every aspect of the project. Along the way, I could never say that I didn’t know what was happening. Everything proceeded the way I wanted them to go.

What did you find most impressive about them?

CREATIVE was accommodating; they communicated well and followed up as needed. If they were unsure about something, they didn’t just assume — they asked. Additionally, their team always requested my feedback whenever they were doing something. They didn’t have to do anything twice; they did everything with my vision in mind all the time. 

They were aware of everything that I needed. They also cleared out details that a layperson may not easily understand. They were willing to give and take, and we had a great partnership.

My experience with other providers was that even though they also did initial interviews, they assumed and did things by themselves whenever they were unsure of something. They would later force that as what they thought was the best for me. CREATIVE was not like that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They went above and beyond my expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate your needs and wants. Work with them. Marketing companies can’t solve all your problems on their own — you have to be a part of the process. A good marketing provider will ask questions all the time to ensure their work fits your goals and ideals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve dealt with a lot of web companies, and whenever they do a design, they can’t wait to move to SEO. However, I always wanted my website to be a certain way — I want it to be functional so I can work with it. 

Our website received positive feedback from initial viewers and prospective clients. They understood the site’s content. As a result, people filled out my forms, and I received better-qualified leads. 

The information on the site was clear and concise, and it attracted qualified leads.

How did CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great at project management. If something came up and they need more information, we talked a lot of times through video meetings. I felt I was included in every aspect of the project. Along the way, I could never say that I didn’t know what was happening. Everything proceeded the way I wanted them to go.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were accommodating. They communicated well and followed up. If there was something they were unsure about, they didn’t just assume, they asked. If they were doing something, they requested my feedback. They didn’t have to do anything twice; they did everything with my vision in mind all the time. 

They were aware of everything that I needed. They also cleared out details that may not be easily understood by a lay person. They were willing to give and take, and we had a great partnership that way.

When I worked with other providers, even though they also did initial interviews, whenever they were unsure of something, they just assumed and did things by themselves. They would later force that as what they thought was the best for me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They went above and beyond my expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate your needs and wants. Work with them, and be part of the process. Marketing companies can’t solve all your problems on their own — you have to be a part of the process. A good marketing provider will ask questions all the time to ensure their work fits your goals and ideals.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director at EmployAbilities Society of Alberta. We support youth, persons with disabilities and barriers to find employment through training.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

We were looking to improve our marketing of the learn to earn program. The program was focused on getting youth into the program and letting business owners know about the program.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected 3 marketing companies to provide an list of marketing services they could do in a year for EmployAbilities learn to earn program. The 3 companies responded to an RFP and provided a synopsis of the work that they were able to accomplish for $30,000. Interviews occurred and Creative was chosen to market EmployAbilities program.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After beginning with a series of discovery meetings it was determined that the following marketing efforts needed to occur:

1. Update the learn to earn webpage on EmployAbilities website to include a referral form, updated graphics, pictures and content.

2. Promotional products were ordered to give out to business owners

3. Updated rack cards were developed

4. A social media marketing campaign was developed to enhance the marketing of the program on facebook and linkedin.

What was the team composition?

Creatives president has been involved from the start of the program and had overseen the project to date. As well as the creative director, and social media specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen a significant increase in the number of youth that apply for the program. Each intake for the Learn to Earn program has 12 youth. EmployAbilities is receiving 50-60 applications for each intake.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The work flow has been good. All posts are approved by the Executive Director and program supervisor before being posted. Weekly or monthly meetings are occuring to ensure that the marketing is achieving the goals of the program.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their commitment to the learn to earn program. They are dedicated and want the program to succeed. They have taken on extra duties and tasks outside of the contract to support EmployAbilities to succeed.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

NO improvements at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Ned’s Wish, a society that raises funds for the medical wellbeing and veterinary care of retired police service dogs. We are a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency.

All law enforcement agencies are publicly funded, so there are dollars that are being put into ensuring that working dogs keep working. However, there is a bit of a gap for when these canine officers retire. Our organization bridges that gap by looking after the veterinary costs of these animals so that they can enjoy a healthy retirement after having served their communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

We’re a very small charity that is just getting off the ground and we needed to bring awareness towards the retirement of police service dogs. That is why we engaged with CREATIVE. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CREATIVE helped us put together a promotional fundraiser. They connected us with different sponsors and marketing bodies and helped set up an event website to get our campaign off the ground. We have an existing website for the organization, but they created a new one from scratch just for this dog-friendly race event that we’re holding. On this site, participants of the race could register and donate.

The CREATIVE team also helped us get our message out through social media, secure silent auction items, and create a kindness meter that we could take to events. They designed our t-shirts and all of the artwork for our van, which we use to carry our own dogs around to events. 

They have even begun to teach our volunteers how to do things as well. They connected us with experts in different fields who we can talk to so that we can have our own people take on the work in the future.

What is the team composition?

We’ve dealt with their Pete (President) and Anna (Creative Director) who oversees the graphic design and web development efforts. Misty (Senior Promotional Marketing Consultant) has been instrumental to the Heroes Run as well. 

How did you come to work with CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

CREATIVE reached out to us, looking for a charity to support. They liked what we were trying to accomplish so they did a whole presentation with our board of directors and showed us what they could help us with.

How much have you invested with them?

They have done everything pro bono for us. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started this project around March 2021, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The amount of awareness that CREATIVE has brought to our cause has been phenomenal. We've really come leaps and bounds in the short time that we've been working with them. We've never done a national-scale promotional fundraiser prior to this engagement, and we've only been able to do that thanks to their support.

We appreciate that they’ve been getting our name out there on their own website as well, promoting our event to their clients and connections. Donations and monetary support aside, we’ve seen an increase in our site traffic and awareness thanks to their work. People have also begun to approach us on the streets, and several organizations have reached out to us to ask how they could support us or we were interested in hosting one of our events at their location. 

How did CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email, phone, and video calls, and CREATIVE always gets back at me within the same day. If there’s anything we need, they’re very good at reacting in a quick manner. For instance, a couple of police service dogs were tragically killed in the line of duty sometime during the project, and we wanted to commemorate them during our event. We only had a really short period of time left, but they jumped right into it to take advantage of the timeframe.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very open and inclusive group of people. I feel like I can just tell them whatever I’m thinking, and they will find a way to help me with it. There was one instance where they even offered up their office space so that we volunteers could have our annual general meeting. There is just that genuine support coming from CREATIVE that gives us the impression that they really want to help and see us succeed. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I can think of. We’re very grateful and fortunate to have them on our side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. Don’t be shy to express any idea you may have because CREATIVE will always come up with a solution. They’re very supportive and won’t be offended even if you seek the help of a company or people who are outside of their network. They’re just extremely honest and possess a ton of integrity.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a marketing and communications company that specializes in helping SMBs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency, and what were your goals?

My client needed a creative company with deep knowledge of the promotional products industry to create the right branding (logo, palette, font, guidelines) and an inspiring (easy to update) website for his new company.

SOLUTION

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

We interviewed and had quotes from two designers/developers. We chose A Creative Agency because they demonstrated a strong understanding of our audience. Their entire team has an energy and customer care attitude that stood out from the very first meeting. And last but certainly not the least, their graphic designer is outstanding.

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

We had a kick-off meeting to brainstorm a new company name. From there, we shared a wireframe that mapped out our focus and core products. A Creative Agency provided a quote and got to work. Their developer listened to our need for an intuitive platform so we can easily add products. We landed on a WebFlow site which is working well for us.

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

Four people formed the core team we worked with. The company owner provided initial direction and industry best practices. Their senior designer created the beautiful branding. Their website developer translated our wireframe into a Webflow site and their content writer put together the product descriptions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have just launched but response thus far has only been positive. We are continuing to use A Creative Agency's graphic designer for marketing assets and advice.

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

A Creative Agency's team is extremely responsive. They communicate quickly and concisely. They are always available for feedback and reassurance that we are on the right path.

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

I find their "can-do" positive attitude and responsiveness very impressive. It feels like we are all on the same team even though there were three different companies involved in this project. They are an absolute pleasure to work with.

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

We had a few overlapping roles so I would have defined who was doing what more clearly at the outset.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner/Managing Member of Six Twenty Six, LLC.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a promotional product distributor

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency to accomplish?

• Website Relaunch
• IT and Marketing Support
• Sales & Production Support

SOLUTION

How did you find CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

Other

Why did you select CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

What was the size of CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency’s team?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The Team at A Creative Marketing Agency exceeded every one of my expectations. My site is now active and a great representation or our capabilities. The best part is that the team can create with little direction and get it right. I have had the best experiences working with A Creative Agency.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Traffic is UP 46% on the site
• Marketing is effective
• Sales & Production are UP 24% YTD

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Creative delivered early. They responded within 24 hours for all needs. It was a great experience.

What was your primary form of communication with CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

The quality of their team and services was impressive. There is no other better....they are my partner & peer....

Are there any areas for improvement or something CREATIVE Promotional Marketing Agency could have done differently?

Not one thing needs to change - all is perfect!