DSM

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Principal of D. Goldberg Marketing Advisory (DGMA)

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

DSM is a full-service marketing agency providing digital strategy, execution, and creative solutions for B2C and B2B clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire DSM to accomplish?

• Customer aquisition
• Brand development
• Creative execution
• Content development

SOLUTION

How did you find DSM?

Existing agency of record at my company

Why did you select DSM over others?

I inherited the relationship at my employer

How many teammates from DSM were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

DSM was my agency of record during y tenure as Head of Marketing and Communications at Cover Whale. They deliverd services across the integrated-agency spectrum, including lead & demand generation, customer acquisition, funnel optimization, SEO/SEM, paid advertising, earned media, brand development, creative execution, website development and managemenet, and content developement and management. 
They were also my ideation partner and strategic marketing council. DSM consistently provided excellent client service and produced winning work. I inherited an existing agency relationship when I jointed Cover Whale and immediately recognized their talent and the value brought to the business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most important project was an ongoing campaign to acquire new insurance agent partners. Against a total direct campaign investment of approximately $450,000 (media spend plus a pro-rata share of the agency retainer) the campaign generated $18.9 million in new written premium and approximately $6.6 million in gross retained revenue. 
That's a return of roughly 42:1 on premium and 15:1 on retained revenue. Truely an amazing outcome. In addition, over the course of our relationship, the company's share of voice among direct competitors grew from 4% to 60%, and brand search results improved by more than 350%.

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

DSM was proactive, always, and took the time to understand our business and anticipate our needs, always bringing ideas without being asked. Project management / account management is a strong suit. 

What was your primary form of communication with DSM?

Email or Messaging App

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

They are a digital marketing firm with the rare ability to generate great creative. They are a left-brain AND right-brain agency. Also, excellent client service all the time.

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

No. They are excellent and professional at hearing and addressing feedback. They also are fearless at providing feedback.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product marketing director of an organization that provides healthcare services at home.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DSM?

Our business was going through a lot of innovative changes, so we hired them to redefine our corporate narrative and positioning. We also needed their help in creating and implementing our marketing and sales assets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DSM redefined our company’s overall look and feel. They’ve updated our logo, messaging, and positioning to better communicate ourselves and show the value we bring to our target audience.

Additionally, they’ve provided us with creative direction in developing and implementing our marketing and sales materials, such as email and presentation templates. They also come up with new content for our website, which was outdated.

What is the team composition?

I work with several people from the DSM team, including Caitlin (Account Manager), who’s my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with DSM?

I worked with them previously at my last organization, and I was really impressed with the work they did. Their price range was also within our current budget, so they were really the first company that came to mind for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested more than $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2021, and our engagement is still ongoing. In fact, we’ve already expanded the scope of work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received great feedback from our leadership team on the updated design of our website and sales assets, which have helped us establish a fresh new perspective of who we are as an organization.

How did DSM perform from a project management standpoint?

They follow a data-driven approach that has allowed us to validate any specific directions or decisions for the project. For communication, we interact through email and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

DSM feels like a partner to us — they’re trustworthy, and they give us the confidence to solve any problems we have.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The content they’ve provided is not as detailed as it should be, but that’s not entirely their fault since we didn’t give them enough time to fully understand our business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to help them understand the challenges of your organization. This can serve as a guardrail on how far they can push their creativity.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a two-local massage franchise in New Jersey.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DSM?

We were trying to recruit new massage therapists.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We collaborated with DSM to attract new talent. We went through some exploration calls to address what could draw a massage therapist and explained how our business operates and what we can offer in terms of employment regarding pay, benefits, and training.

Initially, we provided a list of licensed massage therapists in New Jersey, and there was a big push on Facebook for recruitment. DSM created the artwork using some pictures and quotes we provided. They also interviewed our employees to generate the recruiting materials. Lastly, we did a three-staggered in-home postcard, which was sent to the list of licensed therapists.

Additionally, they did a direct mail piece for us and managed all of the digital advertising on Facebook, overseeing which ads were working and doing the plan every week upon the results of various ads. DSM also did email blasts. They created a HubSpot account and pushed that out.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with three people: a senior VP of account services, a digital marketing associate, and the director of strategy. In the beginning, we spoke with the CEO, but he wasn’t part of our weekly calls.

How did you come to work with DSM?

I posted that I was looking for a local marketing agency on a neighborhood group on my Facebook page. Somebody put forward DSM, so I went online and filled out an inquiry. We immediately received a call from the CEO.

They were personable and upfront. We wanted to see what they could do for us, and they didn’t want to string us along for money. It turned out that we’d had a personal relationship with them from years ago.

Once we started talking, we were able to connect with them. DSM seemed knowledgeable, and every single person on the team had a great background. They were true to their word; we never felt that we were being sent along on a sales pitch. Moreover, they were honest about what they thought they could help us with. We trusted them, so we wanted to partner with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our partnership in May 2021, and we put it on pause in October 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Recruiting talent and hiring people is extremely difficult right now. We’ve put in a lot of effort, but this is our last step. We have one more postcard to drop. Then, we’ll see what happens.

So far, we’ve hired one massage therapist that received our email and gotten some interest from our postcard. Nothing has panned out yet, but we’ve gotten phone calls. Also, there has been word of mouth that people have seen our ads all over social media, so we’ve had a significant presence.

How did DSM perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. The team followed through on everything. We had a phone call every week to touch base, and they were clear about what they needed from us. Outside of that, we communicated through a lot of emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were extremely personable. We could tell how much they wanted to help us make a difference and succeed. DSM wasn’t just clocking hours; they really cared. We were trying to get a lot out of the project, and they wanted to build a relationship with us. We were a small client to them, but we never felt unimportant.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have thoughts on that. If there were something, we would’ve discussed it together. They were open to suggestions, and we discussed things and worked together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Stay engaged and keep up with weekly calls and feedback. They were open to listening to us, and then they took their expertise and executed the best they could. So don’t sit back, engage with them, and collaborate.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a property management and development company with nine open buildings running close to over 100–200 units. We're also opening up more properties in the next few months. I'm the marketing director and I ensure that all our properties are getting enough leads.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DSM?

We outsource our digital marketing needs to DSM.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team develops all our Google and Facebook Ads. They also handle our content creation efforts. More often than not, we send them photos and they put it all together. Our overall goal is to drive traffic to our website in order to generate leads for our properties, and they work with us on that effort.

What is the team composition?

They have a team of 5–7 people, composed of account managers and digital specialists. 

How did you come to work with DSM?

They were referred to us. Before giving us any quote, they made us fill out a questionnaire to know our goals, such as the specific numbers we want to achieve at the end of the year. We chose them because they didn't just throw out a quote and say they could do something. We also felt that they would be able to provide us with the best results.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $150,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2020, and we are still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've seen a significant increase in our website traffic and leads. As a result, we've been receiving better conversions from our platform. My colleagues agree that the website has been performing well. Overall, everyone has been pleased with the team's results.

To give more context, out of all the nine properties that they worked on, we managed to lease-up one property around September. We were able to get all the units fully occupied even during COVID-19.

DSM has been a huge part of our marketing efforts. I know a lot of competitors have been struggling to get leads and things did slow down, but we have been able to achieve success despite all that.

How did DSM perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly calls. Additionally, they have been great with deadlines. It’s something I don’t normally ask or follow up on because they always pass their deliverables on time. 

Even when we had budgeting issues, we always come to an agreement. Furthermore, they have been willing to work with whatever issues we have.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their dedication and passion for what they do impress us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve been pretty happy working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

What they do at the beginning stages makes them different since they have a whole process. They sit down with you and try to understand what your goals are. As a result, they figure out how to achieve your vision. Along with their talent, their process has been crucial in getting us results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of LG Protective Wearables. As a response to the pandemic, our business started providing PPE, mainly face shields, to meet the need. We have a specialty of trying to bring as many US-made products into our assortment as possible.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DSM?

We were doing social media advertising, but we hit a few speed bumps because of all of the regulation advertising changes regarding products like PPE. I hired DSM to navigate those waters for me and my business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team at DSM created social media ads, ran those ads, and assisted with the strategy for those ads and my business.

What is the team composition?

I communicated with five or six people directly, including Darren (President), Dan (Director of Strategy), Morgan (Marketing Manager), and Christine (SVP of Account Services). They each handled different aspects of the engagement.

There were some people behind the scenes that I didn’t interact with.

How did you come to work with DSM?

I found them through a quick Google search. I wanted somebody that was local to New Jersey, so if I needed to meet them in person, we could do it. They’re about 10 or 15 minutes away from me, so it was a perfect fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

I brought them on to help in April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of service has been fantastic. Since the engagement started, they’ve become like a partner. Beyond marketing, we discuss everything involving the business. They feel like part of the team. They’re always available, and the team is willing to help with areas outside of the scope of work.

How did DSM perform from a project management standpoint?

We normally email to set up Zoom meetings. We speak at least once a day. They’ve met every deadline, even delivering before on some aspects. There have been no holdups.

What did you find most impressive about them?

My favorite part is that this feels like a true partnership. We’re working as one unit. I don’t feel like DSM is a marketing company that I hired to do some projects. They’re fully in the fold with me, whether it’s in their scope or not.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve had zero issues with them. They helped me get over my challenge.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let Darren explain what he can bring to the table. I highly recommend everyone I work with. Darren knows what the customer will need and will be able to guide them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and president of CRS Roofing Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DSM?

Initially, we were looking to redo our website and improve our marketing strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DSM redeveloped our WordPress website for us and continues to make tweaks here and there. During the initial stages of the engagement, their team performed industry research to help them best write copy for our site.

The team also provides marketing services, from SEO to PPC to social media campaigns. DSM also provides blog content and inbound marketing services. They also assisted with a promotional print advertising campaign.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact at DSM is our account manager.

How did you come to work with DSM?

I had a personal connection with the owner of the company.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $60,000 a year, not including side projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing relationship with DSM began in May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This past year, our organic traffic was up by 12% and new site visitors from New Jersey are up by 50%. Our total keyword rankings have increased by 47% and first-page keyword rankings have increased by 12.7%.

Their team catches on quick, as time went on we had fewer and fewer rewrites. The entire team has been consistent throughout the project, which we’ve appreciated. They doa great job of consolidating information and really getting our point out there in a concise manner.

How did DSM perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams have utilized BaseCamp to help with managing the project. DSM also holds status calls, which we’ve moved from having weekly to having bi-weekly. They set an agenda to encourage a smooth meeting. We also communicate via email and they’re always quick to respond. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

DSM is incredibly flexible, adapting to changes with ease. They take on changes and pivots in our strategy so nicely. They work really well as a team and are willing to adapt to my schedule.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we know each other pretty well as companies now so there’s no need for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with DSM. Get all of your ducks in a row first to really put together a game plan of where you want to go and how you want to get there. It helps set expectations and makes everyone at DSM’s live easier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and founder of a Business Strategy/Marketing firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire DSM?

I worked with DSM on behalf of my largest client, a niche travel company. Together, we planned an aggressive, highly-targeted, hyper-local campaign targeting a niche travel audience.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals of the projected were to integrate with the community, leverage the long-standing heritage of the company in the region and drive overall awareness while activating our key demographic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

DSM has a stellar reputation and I always hoped for the chance to work with the company, especially their principal, Darren Magarro. When the opportunity came up, he was my first call. He exceeded his reputation and my expectations.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Darren and his team provided strategic counsel and presented a thoroughly vetted, multi-level campaign they developed specifically for our needs. Many agencies pull a cookie-cutter plan off the shelf and just change the logos. DSM is the opposite. They dig in to truly understand the client and create a custom plan.

What was the team composition?

I've worked closely with the principal Darren Magarro and Christine Devereaux, SVP of Account Services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Due to covid-19, we were not able to execute our plans. DSM provided counsel and support throughout this time, going above and beyond.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was excellent. Darren leads through clear communication and cultivating relationships. It is clear this is a pillar on which the company is built.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I connected with DSM during what would become one of the most difficult economies for small business. Not only was my business and my client's business decimated, the coronavirus clearly had a personal and professional impact on DSM. In spite of this, the DSM team never wavered, kept the ideas flowing while showing incredible support and compassion.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas for improvement, but nothing that I've found to date.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of GAIN Communications. We are a 35 year provider of Telecommunications Consulting Services while providing telecom solutions to clients from Coast to Coast. All of our clients are referred to us by other long term clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire DSM?

Marketing to existing client base as well as assisting other GAIN clients with their marketing needs.

What were your goals for this project?

To cross-sell all of our specialized services our client base and to introduce to notch other service provider who bring a truly value added benefit to our national client base. Due to the trust we have built with our clients over the years we have become a source of recommendations when there is a need.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

DSM was selected due to their impeccable reputation in the industry and their honest approach to satisfying complex challenges. Their team demonstrates professionalism and product knowledge throughout the process.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Cross-selling to our large list of clients is a challenge. Since all of our clients have come to us with referrals from other clients DSM is able to leverage their talents in reaching the target audience so that GAIN Communications becomes a single source for many of their needs

What was the team composition?

All levels of expertise get involved with their projects including their CEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is an on-going process but the results are beyond our expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. DSM guides the client every step of the way ensuring the project goals are met or exceeded.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They grasp our needs and manage our expectations while bringing the project within the budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can not think of any areas of improvement. They are a firm I would highly recommend without hesitation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Corporate Essentials is New York City and New Jersey's premier office refreshment provider, offering more than 3,500 skus of snacks and beverages to offices of all sizes. When we started working with DSM, I was in the position of VP of Marketing, and during the time of the relationship I moved to SVP of Operations and eventually Chief Growth Officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire DSM?

When we initially engaged in conversations, we were looking to "refresh our website." What it turned into was a full re-brand of the company, and the creation of a full inbound, digital marketing strategy moving forward.

What were your goals for this project?

The original goals were a logo and website redesign before hiring DSM. After signing with them, the goal became much loftier - to create the new standard for the world of convenience services.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Other vendors pitched us only on their vision of what we thought we needed. DSM went in another direction completely, and showed us their view of the landscape of our industry, and what we should be doing to be years ahead of the competition. They sold us the vision before we ever discussed what the cost of that vision looked like, and we decided that their vision perfectly fit our needs.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with several all-hands discovery sessions. The entire DSM leadership team and account team, along with the Corporate Essentials leadership team, at that time it consisted of the CEO, COO, VP of Marketing, VP of Sales and the VP of Operation. Over time the regular engagement continued with the VP of Marketing from Corporate Essentials and members of the DSM leadership team.

After the initial rebrand of company collateral and such, the focus turned to the company mission and values. They (DSM) had us focus on why we do what we do as opposed to what we do, and this helped us land on the concepts of company culture and employee happiness as why people use our products. The tagline of "Fuel Culture. Work Happy." became the driving force behind all things to do with Corporate Essentials.

In the years that followed, there continued to be regularly scheduled meetings with the newly formed Corporate Essentials Marketing Team, and regular work done by DSM including blog posts, website updates and SEO reviews and maintenance.

What was the team composition?

The regular DSM account team was composed of an Account Manager, a senior leader, an intern and a member from another department at all times. This last person changed some times depending on the current focus.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most-interesting outcome from this project is one that we've seen over the past few years as it relates to the Convenience Services Industry (of which Corporate Essentials is a part). From the time of the relaunch of the Corporate Essentials brand, and in the four-plus years that followed, there has been a shift with this industry of focussing on what the items sold represent (ie keeping people caffeinated and at their desks) to the "why" people choose to work with a Convenience Services company to promote company culture and improve employee happiness.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There was never an issue with workflow. Using Basecamp and Slack as the main tools of communication were very effective for all involved.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The thing that I found most impressive was the ability of DSM to feel like part of the company. We never felt like just another project, we always felt like the only project. They made an effort to understand our business and our industry and that shown through perfectly.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any areas for improvement that stand out.