Directive

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We sell collectable banknotes and coins.

What is your position?

I'm the accountant. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive Consulting?

Primarily, we were looking to keep our pay-per-click costs low, and conversion rates high. Ultimately, we wanted to drive more traffic to our website through Google Shopping and organic rankings. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They write articles for our blog. We don't approach social media, as it doesn't go hand in hand with our business model. Our buyers don't usually use social media.

They also write content for our products. It tends to be a little difficult for banknotes as they're not a common product.

How did you come to work with Directive Consulting?

The gentleman who found them no longer works here. Therefore, I'm not sure why we hired them, but they were highly regarded when I started.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We spend less than $50,000 per year, but it's an important investment for us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in September 2015, and we have no plans to stop the relationship. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We're definitely satisfied. We initially set up all of our pay-per-click campaigns in-house. In the first month of our collaboration, they were able to cut our ad spending down by about 20 percent and increase our conversion rate by 4 percent. After the initial cleanup, they focused their effort on writing articles for our blog. We just had it up and running because getting it to function with the website was a bit of an issue. The articles that they wrote were great.

As far as pay-per-click goes, they are on board with any changes we want to make in terms of pricing and fees for Google Shopping. They're very quick to respond.

How did Directive Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

The only project that we've worked with them closely on was the content for our product descriptions. They won't deliver it until next week. I can't yet comment on them meeting deadlines, but we did have a face-to-face meeting with them for the kickoff, and that was great. Both Garrett [Mehrguth, MBA, president and CEO at Directive Consulting] and Tanner [Shaffer, vice president at Directive Consulting] were present, which was good for us.

What distinguishes Directive Consulting from other providers?

The one thing that stands out is Directive's dedication to finding new marketing avenues, and the latest changes being made in their field. They seem to always be going to seminars and increasing their knowledge, and are focused on gaining all the information and insight in the industry.

Is there anything Directive Consulting could have improved or done differently?

It's too early to tell, to be honest. They haven't missed anything yet. The communication is there, and their performance is great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are an e-commerce site. We sell tobacco products.

What is your position?

I am the president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive Consulting?

The initial and main goal, up to this point, has been to reach out to our target consumers through digital marketing. We utilized whatever it took. Because the tobacco industry is limited so far as advertising goes, we reached to Directive Consulting to find out what strategy we could use to market ourselves.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The main thing we've worked on is content marketing, SEO [search engine optimization] and PPC [pay-per-click] campaigns through Google. There are also social media campaigns and some blogging – really anything to generate authentic online content for our company and the products that we sell.

At first, they full-on analyzed our competitors, and we launched a general strategy. Through SEO, we began targeting our consumers with various keywords; with PPC ads, it was the same: we had certain keywords and campaigns that we deemed necessary. As far as content goes, we looked at various ways in which we could put ourselves out there, with remarketing campaigns, blogging, and social media.

How did you come to work with Directive Consulting?

It was a referral made by the web developers we were using.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

We paid an initial research fee, which was fairly small and we pay less than $50,000 per year now.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in mid-August of this year. It's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Before we began working with them, the website had about 10,000 visits per months. After we started, from August 20 until today [December 2015], we've had an extra 20,000 views. This is just for the general website visitors. Repeat visitors are around 40 percent, and we attribute them to the digital marketing they put in.

As far as sales numbers, it's huge. The initial traffic we were getting before contracting with them was not really generating sales. They weren't great leads. Since we went with Directive Consulting, sales have gone from $6,000 to $35,000. That's a big difference. We're planning on sticking with them and upping our campaigns. We've decided to launch a Google Shopping campaign, for instance. It's like practicing medicine. You have to keep experimenting with different things. I trust what they're doing, and I see the results.

We would have done way better, but we had issues with our website. It's not fully optimizable, mobile friendly, or doesn't have the ability to track conversions. I'm actually working on developing a new website. As soon as that happens, we'll have a more fixed idea on what direction to take.

How did Directive Consulting perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was great.

What distinguishes Directive Consulting from other providers?

One thing I love about them is communication. They're always there, regardless if I have to call, text, or email them. I mainly deal with Garrett and Tanner. I like their structuring, from ownership and managers, to the programmers, content generators, and so on. Everything's communicated easily and thoroughly. They're updating me every week. If I'm MIA, they'll follow up and ask what happened to this or that.

Is there anything Directive Consulting could have improved or done differently?

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We make outdoor products out of vinyl, such as fencing, gazebos, patio covers and gates.

What is your position?

I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive?

I'm looking to grow my business and get new customers.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

I've given them benchmarks for lead generation that I'm trying to achieve, through either PPC or organic internet searches. They created social media campaigns and have done article writing. They offer me a full service solution to my online marketing needs. They are very comprehensive.

How did you come to work with Directive?

They were referred by another customer. I trusted their reputation.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

As of now, between $10,000 to $50,000. It may increase as we roll over to e-commerce. I am strongly considering doing eCommerce work which would require more budget but Directive Consulting could handle that project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together four months ago. It's ongoing. I have no plans to stop but it is early in the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

They're doing a solid job. Two days ago we had a meeting after the first month of having Google Analytics. I don't have enough traction for any significant metrics, but I have been very happy with what they're doing. I foresee measurable results very soon that will be positive thanks to the effort that was put in.

How did Directive perform from a project management standpoint?

I am pleased with their management.

What distinguishes Directive from other providers?

Directive Consulting is good with giving accurate measurements of results and progress. I like how they measure stronger than other companies and insist on telling clients the results. They are transparent because they have real metrics to prove their progress.

Is there anything Directive could have improved or done differently?

They could give more in-depth comparisons to the competition. I would like to know what my competitors are doing online and borrow their better strategies.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a pest control company, but specialize in rats only. We service the entire LA County. We're also expanding to the Bay Area.

What is your position?

I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive?

When we started our company, an employee did all the marketing for us, using Google, and similar advertising methods.

Since we met with Garrett [Founder of Directive], I felt that they were the right guys to do the job for us. We gave them a try, and since then there's been a dramatic change for us in terms of budget and the amount of quality leads we get from them. Advertising is the only way we get new customers.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

They take care of all our content marketing on Facebook and Google, and with local agencies. 

We've seen more results, with a smaller budget, than what we used to spend. They’re also optimizing our website. They take care of all of our online marketing needs.

How did you come to work with Directive?

I took a course in Santa Monica, California on digital marketing. Garrett was the teacher on one of the extra courses. Within an hour of meeting him, and seeing how he talks, I fell in love with what he's doing. He's invested fully in the marketing process.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

Our advertising budget used to be $30,000 a month, not including Facebook, content marketing, or any local directories. Since we started working with them, we've reduced our budget by almost $10,000, but are getting many more leads. We spend about $20,000 currently and get a fantastic ROI.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's an ongoing partnership. We've worked with them for four months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The content marketing they do for us is very beneficial. They've taken a lot of time for research, making sure they are on top of everything and that the users are compelled to read what they're writing. We get a lot of personal attention from them. Every month we get full reports on how we're ranking and concrete tips regarding what we need to do to improve the following month.

How did Directive perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a great job in this regard.

What distinguishes Directive from other providers?

They're great and they’re helping my business be successful.

Is there anything Directive could have improved or done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My company is a directory for some of the world's top ranch vacation destinations.

What is your position?

I am the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive Consulting?

We were trying to improve our website's organic ranking. We were trying to increase our traffic, improve our ranking on Google and other search engines, and expand our business that way.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

I also market for another company, and they are helping us with that as well with SEO [search engine optimization]. They're writing content for us and making sure that content gets published, which helps us with visibility. They also help through social media, finding new customers and engaging old customers. They help us learn more about the changes in SEO, how things are a bit different, and what new methods need to take place. They're doing some pay per click through Facebook. They've chosen the right campaigns to market through Facebook because we have seen good return on our investment. They also did a little bit of redesign on the website for organic ranking reasons and a better user experience. 

How did you come to work with Directive Consulting?

I work with a guy who does pay per click through Google, and he referred them to us. 

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The cost is less than $10,000. I'm definitely getting a great deal.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them four months now. It's ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Within just four months, we have significant results for our keywords, to the point that I wouldn't want to let our competition get a hold of them. Our search engine ranking for specific keywords have gone from second page to in the top three. Our national ranking for Luxury Dude Ranch is up to four nationally. Ranch Vacations is up one, so now we're at three. Luxury Ranch is five, which is up four. We've definitely seen an increase in traffic leads.

What distinguishes Directive Consulting from other providers?

I get hit up a lot by other companies who want $24,000 a year to fund the project. These guys are very personable. You're working one on one with the people in the company. They're not sending you to someone overseas to write you stuff. Directive Consulting is very motivated and passionate, and you can tell they care about your business. Your success is their success. 

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

No. I think they're doing a great job. I'd recommend them to anyone, if they aren't my competitor.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

My company is called Mesa Property Management. We have two offices, and our business consists primarily of residential – single families.

What is your position?

I'm the president and managing broker.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive Consulting?

My goal is to be found online. People are staring at their computer going, "I need a property manager." I want to come up in the areas that I service. That is my ultimate goal.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Directive Consulting did some backend house-cleaning from my previous SEO [search engine optimization] guy, making sure that everything was done correctly, and there were some things that were not best practices that they addressed for me. Subsequent to that, they ended up actually redoing my website and making it more conversion-friendly. It's a little bit early to tell. We did a website revamp, mainly to just make it look more like what every other site is evolving into, in terms of the look and feel when you hit it. They're doing Facebook campaigns, posting articles for me, and getting me boosted – doing all the social media and blog work.

How did you come to work with Directive Consulting?

They were referred from a guy who I've used to do some work for my company.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together five or six months ago [winter 2015], and the relationship is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The biggest challenge that I faced with employing an SEO person or company, especially for a small business like mine, is providing reporting on what work is being done, and what is the result of that work on an ongoing basis. I went through two SEO guys, and other than me cutting them a check every month, and making sure I was on a conference call, and writing stuff down about what they were doing, and double checking to make sure that it was done, I had limited visibility into what kind of results I was getting.

One thing that caused me to look more seriously in doing business with Directive Consulting was that they provided several different points of contact on a regular automated/semi-automated basis, reporting that shows me what I'm doing in terms of visits, broken down by referring sites, direct sites and all that stuff in Google Analytics. They're delivering it to me in a format that I can understand, and then they're also doing some keyword reporting as well and one or two other reports, and I can see the progress and where we're at.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

No. Not really at this point. I haven't been with them really long enough to address the main issue that I had.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company does appliance repair, and we're based in Orange County, California.

What is your position?

I am the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Directive Consulting?

We originally had a website that I made myself. As a person who doesn't do any of that stuff, of course it was just kind of a bookmark so that our customers can see that we're online as well. It wasn't bringing in any business, or anything like that. We wanted to change that and start having the website actually mean something. Bottom line, we went through a couple different companies to see what they were all about. Directive Consulting was just on point, in my eyes. I really liked what they were talking about. I liked dealing with Garrett [Mehrguth, president of Directive Consulting], so I went with them.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Directive Consulting did Web design for us, SEO [search engine optimization], Facebook ads, AdWords, and they were managing our Yelp account, too.

How did you come to work with Directive Consulting?

I had partnered with a bigger company, and I didn't like how they worked. I didn't want to go with a big company. I definitely wanted to do a small one. I talked to a couple different other smaller ones that are local here. Their pricing was a little bit higher, and they didn't seem as accommodating. I actually got referred to Directive Consulting through one of my customers, so I gave them a call. Their pricing was on point. I spoke to Garrett. I knew a little bit about SEO, and it seemed like he spoke the language, so we decided to go with him.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

They did the website for us. Then we wanted them to design some images for us to put on the website, and we wanted to take it a little bit further than what they normally do. It was under $10,000 even after all the additional things that I requested.

What is the status of this engagement?

I think we started working together in February of this year. They finished quickly. They did it once, and I wanted more. They were trying to do me a favor and keep the cost low, which is great, but I didn't want to keep the cost low at the expense of the feel for the website. I told them I want it to be a little bit more, and I'm willing to pay a little bit more to make it that way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It's really hard for us to keep a good track of what's coming from where, especially when we ask people where they heard about us, and they say, "Oh, the Internet." It's been really hard to keep track of it, but we definitely have experienced an increase in volume of calls. I think we were on page six for local searches of "appliance repair" when we started, and now we're on the top of page one, just underneath the Yelp pages. We've definitely seen the results there.

What distinguishes Directive Consulting from other providers?

Just how personable they are. Directive Consulting was really accommodating when I was requesting specific things. Since I did make my own website, I knew a little bit, enough to be dangerous. I had that picture in my head of how I wanted it to look, they really helped me realize that picture, and they completely did it in a cost-effective way. I was really happy about that.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

I was unhappy with one of their consultants that I was dealing with, the original manager of our account. He just wasn't really good at communicating things. I made that really clear to Garrett, and he was on it. Once he heard that, he got me over to Tanner, and he just took care of us from there. I really like Tanner's work. He is very focused and knows what he's doing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We do outsourced accounting for small businesses in the tech space and service industry. Our website is http://www.basis365.com/

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m a co-founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Directive Consulting?

They’re helping us try to rank highly on Google searches for relevant keywords, and also helping us put together a sales funnel. The ultimate goal of our work with Directive is to find leads and have a scalable system to take them through the sales cycle.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They’re working on organic SEO [search engine optimization], so we can rank for the main keywords that we’re looking for. They’ve also experimented with Facebook ads, and now we’re starting to roll out Google ads as well as the side project of helping us out with the sales funnel process and what tools we would use for that. The lead generation they’re working on through Google would feed into that pipeline.

What was your process for selecting Directive Consulting with which to work?

They’re in the same building, so I was aware of them. They had some seminars that they were hosting, so it was relevant to our interests. It was obvious to us that they knew, inside out, what tools people need to be aware of, and how to use them. We knew we couldn’t learn that ourselves, and their team seemed really current, really eager, and high energy.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

It was less than $10,000.

How long have you been working with them, and is the project ongoing?

Yes. It’s ongoing. We started in the third quarter of last year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Are you satisfied with Directive Consulting’s work?

Definitely. We had ranked pretty well with our Google AdWords advertisements, but we’ve seen it improve since the engagement began. They put something in place so that we appear twice on the top of the page for outsourced accounting, which is our main target keywords.

They’re experimenting with social media ads. I think that was useful. We expected that Facebook maybe not be the right place, so we validated some of our assumptions. The results of the SEO campaign seem useful, the tweaks to the website have helped. Also, being able to have someone know how to track what’s happening has been helpful, too.

Do you have any statistics or metrics, or just general trends to gauge their success?

I don’t have any stats to share currently but, generally, there have been increased leads coming in. In terms of appearing on the first Google result page, I can lots of improvement. We’ve had more leads, and we are just starting to see the benefits of analytics behind the leads, which tells us useful information about potential customers. We have a meeting planned to discuss analytics.

Is there anything unique about Directive Consulting that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

I can see that the other firms we spoke to just seemed more traditional or old school, so we like that these guys are pretty new and aggressive in a positive way. They reach out to industry experts and build a reputation and knowledge as they continue to expand on their services.

To me, one unique thing is just their proactive attitude. A lot of marketers tend to just tell you what they do and tell us to follow it. With these guys, it’s collaborative and they’re eager. They find out what’s out there and just go get results for the client. They’re constantly learning, trying to tweak and stay on top of changes in the industry.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

The one challenge is blogging. To us, it doesn’t read well because we know what we would have written as industry insiders. Instead of spending time working on the blog, we should have had them working on landing pages.

What advice would you give a future client of theirs?

Be ready to spend and have a budget. To run a successful, comprehensive campaign costs a little more than a small business may think. Be prepared to trust Directive Consulting and use their suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization

We’re People Space. We’re a co-working tech hub. We have bout 20-25 companies that work with us. We do events and workshops on the weekends. It’s in the same category as We Work.

What is your role and responsibilities, please?

I’m the Executive Director. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Directive Consulting?

Our goal was for me to rise up in the ranks in the co-working space with the key word co-working and ultimately to be more searchable and get more clients in the space. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

It was just SEO. The priority was to get better search engine ranking.

What was your process for selecting Directive Consulting to work with?

They actually work in the space so I can see how they work and how they deal with their customers. I see them 40-60 hours a week. So, I definitely know that they’re legitimate and do what they say.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

It was under $10,000.

When was the work completed?

It’s ongoing. I changed up my website and they had to rearrange some things. We extended the project a bit longer to get things back on track. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

People are Googling for co-working more than ever before. So, I don’t have complete statistics, but I do know that people who do walk in for a tour, 99 percent of them had found us through Google. We have nine reviews on Google.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

When I switched my website, I saw the rankings drop. Then, they went in and readjusted the architecture of the website and within a couple of weeks, we popped up as number one on Google. 

Is there anything unique about Directive Consulting that really makes them stand out, compared to other online marketing companies?

They’re very result driven. If they have a specific goal, they can get it done.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

Maybe they could give some more updates and explanations of the tasks that they’ve completed. They did quite a bit, but sometimes they didn’t report the full extent to me.

What advice would you give to a future client of theirs?

Be very task specific. They’re great for ongoing tasks, too, if that’s what you need. But, as in any project management situation, know what you want out of the work before you begin so that everything’s clear. They are great at being result driven. If you’re also that way, it will work really well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization

My company is a small mom-and-pop [plumbing] business — two trucks and five guys covering a 40- to 50-mile radius.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Directive Consulting?

My business goal was to advertise and to replace what I once relied on the Yellow Pages to do for me. They’ve been helpful to get my phone number out there again. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They created a new website for me and did all of the SEO [search engine optimization] for that. We’ve talked about pay per click but, because I’m so busy right now, I don’t need pay per click. We’ve also talked about doing Facebook, but that doesn’t seem to be worth it. Now, we’re working on email marketing and keeping in touch with all of my current customers and keeping our clientele in a close geographic radius.

What was your process for selecting Directive Consulting with which to work?

One of their founders is my son, so it was a logical decision.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

That is confidential.

When was the work completed?

It’s always going because they’re always writing articles and keeping me abreast of what’s going on. We’re working on an email campaign right now. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

My phone has been ringing with lots of local clients, which is great. I did have a website before and had maybe three hits a month on it, but they took on my SEO during my son’s time in college and improved things greatly. When I’ve had questions about short-term goals and long-term goals, they’ve had a lot of good input for my business, beyond SEO and advertising.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

Yes. Very satisfied.

Is there anything unique about Directive Consulting that really makes them stand out, compared to other online marketing companies?

They’re putting in the time and work and doing all of the groundwork. I have been contacted many times before with a promise to be put on the top of Google with a special technique. I know that’s not true. I know it takes a lot of work, and the guys at Directive are doing that tough work.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. If there has ever been any hold up, it was always on my part. They’re doing their part to drive the project forward.

What advice would you give to a future client of theirs?

Be patient. SEO doesn’t happen overnight.