Daylight Studio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and co-owner of Pride Disposal & Recycling, and we have two companies. The first is a franchised garbage and recycling collection company that picks up garbage and recycling from residents, businesses, and industries. The second is Pride Recycling, for which we have a mobile shredding truck and a transfer station to reload and process garbage and recycling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We hired them to redo two of our websites; one is pridedisposal.com, and the other is prideshred.com. We also needed them to redesign some of our marketing materials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Daylight Studio developed two websites from scratch. They repurposed some of the content from our old websites, but from design and functionality perspectives, Daylight Studio completely redid the sites.  They built out standard features, such as a home page, dropdown menus, and specific pages to the different services that we provide.

They also built out and implemented a calendar lookup feature that had been on our previous site and which allows customers to put in basic information about their account to find their collection schedule. One of the more unique components that Daylight Studio built is a system that enables us to upload CSC files from our customer database to the website. Based on that information and those tables, customers can find out what route they’re assigned to and what their collection schedule is.

They also designed and configured brochures and a three-panel display that we use at community events.

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

We’re part of a trade association with other garbage and recycling companies, and I spoke to another company representative at one of the meetings. I mentioned we had been thinking about doing this website project for a while, and they were working on a similar one. They had already met with a couple of companies, including Daylight Studio. My team reached out to those companies. Based on our initial meeting and their proposal, we chose Daylight Studio.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent between $80,000–$90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on this project in July 2018, and our partnership is ongoing. Daylight Studio completed the main projects, including the websites and brochures, and they continue to provide maintenance. We’ve discussed doing other projects in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any statistical evidence. Anecdotally, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on both the websites and the brochures. People internally and externally love the new websites; they’re much more user-friendly. I think that the sites will be sustainable for quite a while, even considering how fast things change with technology.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Daylight Studio is easy to work with. They’re good at staying on timelines, communicating, and helping my team through the process as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Daylight Studio wanted to engage with us, understand what our goals were, and help us grow and showcase our brand. They wanted to understand who we were and then be able to better communicate that to the outside world based on what they put together for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything that didn't go well or that I would have liked to see go a different way.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Use your company’s strengths, and then let Daylight Studio use their strengths. For example, as the experts on our content, I felt it was important that we be the ones that helped write it, but then also take their feedback from an outside perspective as well. They advised us on what was industry speak versus how they recommended we present it on the site, and it was a good partnership. Make sure you’re doing things on your side of the partnership that make sense for you to do, and vice versa.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the digital strategy manager for Argyle Winery. We carry a variety of white and red wines, but we are most known for our sparkling wine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We needed to do a complete redesign of our website. E-commerce presents for about 15% of our total income for consumer sales, which is high for the industry, so it was important that we have a platform for our club members and customers to purchase our wines on. The online store portion of our website was originally hosted on an industry-specific e-commerce system.

As a 30-year-old winery, we have a rich brand story. Our team wanted to bring some pieces of this to our site experience instead of relying on an about page. We also wanted the ability to update our site by ourselves, without relying on outside help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our engagement with Daylight Studios began with a strategy session about the customer journey and discussing new ways to engage with users and increase loyalty. They completely redesigned our website, focusing on online sales and our brand story. Their team integrated our online store into the WordPress platform and created features for the home page that call attention to various special offers. 

The Daylight Studio team also designed a modular content system to show off our story. These items pop up throughout the site, driving users towards elements of our history to provide a richer experience of the site and make it feel less static. Their team gave us the ability to make updates to the website. When we changed our e-commerce system last year, we hired them to do the development backend and rebuild our store on that system. 

What is the team composition?

We had a core team of four people that we worked with, including Anna (Director of Accounts, Daylight Studio), Tyler (Senior Designer, Daylight Studio), and various other people on the development side. 

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

Daylight Studio was referred to us by one of our design partners. We went through a whole RFP process and did research on different firms, but ultimately chose Daylight Studio.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $80,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing relationship with Daylight Studio began in May 2017. The website launched in October 2017, but they continue to do maintenance work for us. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work met important KPIs for the website. We have seen an increase in sales, traffic, and conversions. Daylight Studio’s work allowed us to exceed all of the goals we set. Their team came up with innovative ways to think about the development of the site.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was excellent. My standards are high, considering I used to be a project manager at a web development firm. Daylight Studio’s team is among the best I’ve worked with. They were clear with planning and budgeting, keeping things on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with a lot of developers, and Daylight Studio’s project management set them apart. They had excellent insight into UX design, and the site creatively met our objectives. The website is built in an elegant way that gives us flexibility. Two years later, we still haven’t had any serious issues with the site. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I received some internal pushback on the cost, but it’s definitely an investment. Daylight Studio’s price is completely fair; customers get what they pay for

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to be clear about your objectives and priorities for the site. We were pretty hands-off but also really clear about our need for the modular content strategy. Daylight Studio really nailed it on the first try.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing technology manager for the California Association of Boutique and Breakfast Inns. We’re a non-profit organization that promotes bed and breakfast inns and small independent hotels to travelers looking for somewhere to stay. I run the membership program for our web database as well as any marketing campaigns directed at the public.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We were looking to redesign and develop our directory website. This included creating an admin-side login, making our website more user-friendly for both inns to update their own listings and for consumers who were looking to find an inn. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Daylight Studio managed all of the development for our website, while also making sure it was mobile-friendly. They helped us switch from a PHP website managed by Dreamweaver to a WordPress site, which they built from scratch. This included performing front- and backend work on Wordpress as well as managing plug-ins and helping with SEO, internet marketing, and event tracking. They also incorporated our blog into the website, where previously it was hosted on a separate platform.

What is the team composition?

I directly interacted with three team members, including Shawn (CEO, Daylight Studio). There was also a team of developers involved who I was not in direct contact with. Daylight Studio collaborated with our contract graphic designer for the design portion of the project. 

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

Our graphic designer had a relationship with them from previous projects and felt that they would be a good fit. After we reached out to them, they submitted a proposal. Daylight Studio turned out to be the best option.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we've spent close to $45,000. This includes the initial $35,000 for the development of the website as well as $1,500 quarterly for maintenance.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began the project in June 2017. While development has wrapped up, we continue to run a maintenance contract with them now to address any issues or make any updates to the website. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our members are much more willing to go into our site to make updates and changes. Through the changes they made to our blog, we now see a significant amount of traffic being driven to our website. The platform is now more usable and looks better for our users.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Daylight Studios is excellent; their team went above and beyond our expectations. They're always willing to jump on a phone call with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The level of service exhibited by Daylight Studio is higher than any I’ve experienced. They are incredibly responsive and flexible, making them easy to work with. I’ve had a great experience with every person I have communicated on their team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We haven't been disappointed with anything they've produced, so we're incredibly happy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Daylight Studio conducts a discovery call when they make a proposal to figure out the extent of projects and how everyone would work together. I found this call to be beneficial to both parties and recommend using it to figure out how they operate as well. It was helpful to find out what their expectations were of us and what our role would be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing manager at Marchex. We’re a call and conversation analytics company that helps companies drive more calls, understand what happens on those calls, and convert more of those callers into customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We’re a fast-moving team and needed another pair of hands to support new conversion rate optimization projects and website updates.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Daylight Studio tackled several projects for us. First, they performed an audit and made recommendations to improve the website's accessibility. Their team optimized our website for mobile experience, redesigning the layout to streamline UX across the platform and highlighting our demo request experience.

Their team formatted consistency across the website, integrating several features. They’ve mainly focused on new lead generation magnets to help capture new customers. For example, Daylight Studios created an interactive quiz module from scratch, which visitors can use to find solutions they’re interested in. We use it across the platform as a primary lead generator.

They have also worked on ROI calculators and featured assets callouts. Their team helps maintain our backend on Pantheon as well as our frontend on WordPress. To enable our team to make their own updates, Daylight Studio is streamlining processes on WordPress.

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

A colleague recommended Daylight Studio. We originally hired them for a six-month retainer project. After being pleased with their work, we renewed the contract and have continued to do so.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $200,000 over the course of our work together.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first partnered in January 2018, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with Daylight Studio, we’ve actually seen our website conversion rate triple. The work that they’ve implemented has had a tangible impact on revenue. Their team has consistently met or exceeded the delivery of new projects across the board.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

We get almost daily updates on where we are in projects. Daylight Studio has been proactive with suggestions or recommendations, making them feel like an extension of our team. They’ve been open and honest about project scopes so that they’re always staying within timeframes. Their team communicates quickly and clearly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team’s creative-thinking and problem-solving abilities are impressive. Rather than just execute a project within our set requirements, Daylight Studio is willing to take the time to understand our goals and find the best solution to tackle them. They don’t hesitate to provide suggestions to improve our vision, which shows they care about our brand as much as we do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be great to have more visibility into the timeline of deliverables. We could’ve used more communication about how long a project is going to take.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know your goals at the beginning of the project, but be open-minded and trust their expertise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the production manager at Meadow Outdoor Advertising, an ad sales company. We specialize in billboards. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We needed a database to manage our inventory, leases, customers, billing, and the processes of creating and ordering artwork and installing the designs on our billboards. We couldn’t find any existing software that was close to what we needed. We needed somebody to create it for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We needed to transfer all of the information we had from a different program into the database. It took a long time to do that because we needed the history of all of our invoicing. 

With the new system, our lease specialists check on the leases that we pay monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and yearly. The system needed to indicate when they were paid and move the date forward. For a yearly lease, it would move the date to pay the next time ahead so that it would always be up to date. It was fantastic because our lease specialists could create a lease change request. They would send it to our general manager for approval. Once it was approved, all the changes were automatically put in the database, and nobody had to do anything.

In addition, if something needed to be paid or addressed, a change request would be emailed to the person that would either make a payment or complete a task manually. 

We have leases that have special deals in the system. For instance, we can’t have a competitor on the billboard that’s on their property. Messages like these had to be communicated to the other departments. When we created a contract, these details needed to show on the right-hand side. We have some billboards that have top mounted lights. Extensions cannot be put on top mounts because they might run into the light. There are many tiny details that we need to keep track of about each of our locations. Also, if we need to schedule work to be done the next time that a seller is in the area, then we put that information in, and the system sets up a reminder. We can create work orders in the database, and the database pulls all the information from the location and also the customer on the location. It will pull the picture of the location and what it looks like. For instance, with the work orders we have for installs, we show the last install picture and then the picture for the install that is pending. When we input the customer, if they need both an approach shot and a close-up shot, we can toggle back and forth. It’s amazing.

A report is sent to our salespeople every morning that says what was sent to print, what was shipped back to us, the approximate install date, and when it was installed.

What is the team composition? 

I work with David (Principal & Senior Developer, Daylight Studio).

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

After contacting a few other agencies, we asked Daylight Studio. They did such a great job for us on our website, and they were up for the challenge. David had not done anything this extensive before, but he was able to give us great advice.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2014 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have great dynamic reports. It’s revolutionized our office, and everyone is delighted with it. It has saved us a tremendous amount of time; it’s saved us at least 80 hours a week. Everyone in the office has benefited from this project. It has changed everything.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. David came up with great solutions and was exceptionally helpful. He responded quickly to our needs. When we first started using it, we needed a few tweaks, and he responded within a couple of hours. He was always there for us. He always kept us informed on what he was working on and what he completed. He came out once a week to talk to us about it or help out with issues. He was especially hands-on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were willing to take us on. They’re exceedingly knowledgeable in what they’re doing, and they’re intuitive. David was able to offer advice and solutions, and he also made sure he understood what we needed. He did a lot of research on billboards, and he asked questions about our industry, which gave him a better understanding of what we needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re awesome. I can’t think of a thing they need to improve on. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a firm idea of what you want. Identify what your goals are and how you want the end product structured.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

We're a small, boutique investment banking firm in Portland, Oregon that focuses on mergers and acquisitions. We source capital all over the world while meeting the needs of our local clientele. One of our goals is to help local companies get themselves sold anywhere in the world. My role in the company is that of senior vice president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We had established our brand in 1991, and it was due for a facelift. We needed assistance with the setup of an up-to-date website and a review of our logo, branding, and collateral materials. Our second priority was that we wanted to forge a relationship with a company that could have an ongoing support role for our digital marketing and advertising needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redid our logo and completely rebuilt our website. Daylight took down the old site and started from scratch. In terms of branding, they’ve assisted us not only with collateral materials for our company but also with crafting communication and marketing materials for our clients. 

Daylight built a simple website that lets users navigate through various pages about our company and the different deals that we’ve done. The team had to develop artwork, fonts, icons, and graphic designs for those sections. They formatted an array of logos from the companies that we’ve sold and then took photographs of our native American décor. They utilized these pictures to make our website unique, adopting a specific aesthetic that supports our brand. There was also a content specialist who smoothed out and edited the content that I wanted to put on the site.

Recently we’ve had a corporate restructuring and a change of ownership, so we’re planning to work with Daylight to rebrand the company again. We’re going to update our logo and do some email blasts and print advertising—probably a whole new suite of collateral materials. We’re already in communication with them about this next project.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, several developers, an art director, and a copywriter.

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

It was an exhaustive search. We talked to many different digital marketing firms in Portland and a few in San Francisco. I interviewed a variety of firms to find out what they could do, what they had done, and what it would look like to work together.

I finally found Daylight when I noticed that one of our partner firms had a particularly attractive website. I asked them who had done that work, and they referred me to Daylight. I ended up choosing Daylight because of their beautiful product and user-friendly business model. They don’t put us on a retainer, so we can pick up work with them whenever we need to without paying a monthly fee.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in August 2015, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had a very successful last two years. We’ve done four large deals, and Daylight is going to support us in announcing and advertising our success with those deals. Also, the site is easy to navigate and works beautifully. The pathways for moving from one topic to another are clear, and you can always quickly return to the homepage. We don’t measure standard metrics, but I can tell you that, in a very relationship-driven town, Daylight has absolutely enhanced our image and improved our reputation.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They're superb. They really know how to manage a project well, and are even humorous with it at times. They walk you through the process with wonderful efficiency without sacrificing anything in terms of their understanding of the brand. We found ourselves meeting with a team of five diversely talented people who represented the various disciplines—the technical side, the graphics side, the marketing side, the strategic side—that asked us all about our brand and really listened. From start to finish, getting a whole new website built—and mind you, I had homework too—took four weeks or less.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They know us really well because they took the time to learn our brand and understand our priorities. The team is brilliant and well-informed, and they’re deep in terms of their talent pool. The product is beautiful. It speaks for itself. If you look at any of the websites they’ve done or the collateral material they’ve developed, it’s all gorgeous. Aside from deliverables, their means of doing business is terrific. Their process is excellent, and their price tag is unmatched. I love not having to pay a retainer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not a thing, I love them. They're great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say, just listen and do what they tell you to do. You’ll get out what you put into the project. Doing a web site means you have to think about your brand and do some writing and segmentation work on your own. Do your homework for them, and they will be there to support you and work with you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a marketing manager at Visit McMinnville. We're a municipal destination management organization that focuses on economic development through the promotion of year-round overnight tourism.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Daylight Studio?

We started working with another organization, but that vendor couldn't meet our needs. We were looking for a new company to revamp our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Daylight Studio redeveloped our WordPress website from ground up. They kept the same basic platform, and they created a different backend, CMS, frontend design, and user experience. Our state was creating their own database for tourism information, and Daylight Studio developed a custom bridge that links our website to that database. They also managed SEO for our website.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with 5–6 members of their team, including a project manager, a frontend developer, and a backend developer.

How did you come to work with Daylight Studio?

They were recommended to us. We sent them our RFP and we liked their approach. They anticipated what we actually wanted instead of what we said we wanted, so we could rely on their expertise. Also, we connected with their team on a personal level, so we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $60,000–$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Daylight Studio in April 2016 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We defined our expectations in advance, so the project went very smoothly. Daylight Studio has met all of our needs.

How did Daylight Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

They're great communicators. They're flexible and presented us with very specific options and the costs for each option. They also explained how each path would impact our business, which we appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listened to us and came up with creative solutions to meet our needs. Also, they talk to us in non-technical terms that we can understand, so we feel we're part of the process. They really became an extension of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. If we had a miscommunication, we quickly resolved it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Setting clear expectations and an accurate scope of work at the beginning will help you avoid problems later on.