Followbright

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We help companies find any type of employee or person, but our main niche is commission-based sales reps. I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We needed to refresh our site and make it responsive. I used another company in 2012 for the initial design. In 2014, I became aware that Google would start creating problems for people without mobile-responsive sites. We tried working with our original vendor but they completely botched the refresh. Our average leads went down from 16 per day to 1 or 2. After 3 weeks, we had to go back to the old site. SEO was another issue for our site. Our organic search traffic first started to dwindle in February 2016 and became worse and worse.

About 8–9 months later, I tried another company, but that didn't work out either. We didn't even get to the launch phase. I wanted to make sure that I could find the right company and took my time searching for one. I get all my leads from the web, so I'm dead in the water without a good site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main goal was to make a responsive version of the existing site without changing very much. Followbright also implemented new site features, a few things that I wanted to change. Followbright wanted to make sure that the new site would be able to convert before doing that, and we followed their recommendation. They worked on creating content and getting the SEO back to where it was. Followbright set up the servers so that 25% of the clicks that went through would go to the new site. That allowed us to slowly test it and make sure that it was able to conversion users with similar success as compared to the older site. We also changed the lead forms and phone number in order to tell which leads were coming from the new site. Followbright was the only company to offer this, even though it was one of the main concerns that I voiced. They alleviated my concerns in this regard and ended up giving the right recommendations. Followbright assigned a total of 3 people for my project.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

I found Followbright on Clutch.co. This was after contacting 10 or 11 other candidates and having 8 to 9 phone conversations. I received 5 to 6 quotes and whittled them down to 2 possibilities, including Followbright. I chose them because they seemed to be the best fit, following our phone conversations. 

How much have you invested with Followbright?

The total cost of Followbright's services was around $14,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Followbright in the summer of 2016 and the project took around 2 months to complete. It was delivered under the deadline. We continue to use Followbright for content marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

Our site is currently working fine and it doesn't need additional work. In terms of conversions, the site is very important. Even though our organic traffic is down for 2016, the conversion rate has gone up after launching the new site. My account managers talk to potential customers every day. They've all felt that the quality of the people making contact with us is better; there were fewer questions and people haven't asked us about references nearly as much. Even though we work with several large companies and feature their logos on our website, people would still feel the need to ask about what we could do for them. They would usually ask for a reference. We never want new clients contacting old clients because it's a hassle. Because this question went down after the new site was launched, I can deduce that new customers have more overall confidence in our company. 

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

Compared to other vendors I've used, the communication with them has been exceptional. They use an online system in order to track the project and very few things were left out. Other companies I've used seemed to have a problem with remembering all of the details.

What did you find most impressive about Followbright?

I've appreciated Followbright's willingness to pick and choose their clients. We wanted to have a good fit, which takes some time to figure out. There are many factors on my end, as a vendor, when connecting with a new client. Followbright seemed to do this as well by asking many questions in the very beginning. Choosing the right customers can be a hard issue, but Followbright asked many relevant questions about me and my company. They made sure that we'd be a good fit.

Other providers will simply take the business and give it to a junior designer or put it on the backburner. In contrast, their principal spent quite a bit of time discussing our needs and issues. Out of everyone I talked to, she was the only one who truly understood my issues and cared about them. Many of the other companies were ready to give me a quote quickly and only wanted to have half-hour meetings. At the end of the day, my project wasn't big enough for many of them; I could understand that. At the same time, I wanted a good fit from someone who would do everything possible to make sure that the solution worked. Followbright was also the only company to come up with a clear approach and potential solution for one of my greatest concerns: would the redesigned site convert?

Followbright has been around for quite a while, which we could tell by the professional approach to our conversations. When I have a challenge, I know that they had encountered it before and were not simply making up stuff. It's also appealing to me that Followbright is the right size for our company. Followbright's owner looked for ways to solve my problems instead of simply pushing their offering to us. We've even talked about some internal employment issues that our company had and Followbright's owner suggested contacting a company that they use. We've had more of a business partnership than a web design relationship.

Are there any areas Followbright could improve?

I would have liked to know up front how Followbright works with clients after a service was completed. I made the assumption that Followbright would be okay with charging me an hourly rate, but they wanted me to sign a retainer. I was not toally aware of that in the beginning, but I did not ask explicitly so it cannot be put entirely on them. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our non-profit works with local partners in order to help children arrive at kindergarten ready-to-learn levels. We work with school districts, family resource centers, and county governments, acting as a conductor and making sure that everyone is on the same page and working collaboratively. I am the executive director of the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We'd been limping along with [our old website], making it work. Several years ago, the State of Colorado received about 50 million dollars in funds for improving the quality of life in childcare centers and homes. The work was initially done at a state level, and within the last 18 months, the final bits of money came to us in order for us to help licensed providers improve their quality. We had a new and hugely expanded focus, so we felt that our website would act as a major connector. It was 15 years old and needed a redesign.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Followbright developed our WordPress website. We had direct contact with their principals, and there were around 5-6 other people handling the deep technical issues.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

I had known Followbright's owner through a family contact and decided to take a look at the company from a professional standpoint. The only problem that we had was that we were working with federal dollars. The process was extremely restricted and required a result with only half the amount of money and time. We talked to other designers and developers in Boulder County, who said that the project was not doable within our proposal. Followbright said that they could do it, and actually did.

How much have you invested with Followbright?

I find that our budget with Followbright was too low for what we wanted in the very beginning. The total cost of our project was between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Followbright on April 1st, 2016. Because of our federal funds, the project had to wrap up by June 30th. Followbright has had to implement a completely new redesign within that time. They continue to host the website, but we have an in-house person for minor tweaks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

My board had a small website design subcommittee made up of knowledgeable industry people. We worked with Followbright, and have gotten extremely good feedback from our members. People have told me how clean, professional, and crisp the site is compared to the old one.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

We were working with federal money, so the project had to come in exactly on time. Followbright knew this upfront. If they hadn't taken on this project, we may not have been able to do it with anyone else. Boulder has many IT companies, but the 3-4 that I talked to told me that our project was not doable with its current budget.

We mainly collaborated using Basecamp and also had phone calls when necessary.

What did you find most impressive about Followbright?

This is not a usual project for our organization, so I can't say anything specific. I am extremely pleased with what we've gotten.

Are there any areas Followbright could improve?

No. I would recommend Followbright to my colleagues, and have done so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

For the last 15 years, I have served in various positions in Ken Wilber's organizations. Wilber is the most widely translated academic philosopher in the world. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages.

What is your position?

For the project we worked on with Followbright, I am serving as a project manager and strategic advisor on behalf of an international association.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

Several years ago, Wilber was approached by the acting campaign manager for a prominent politician who was seeking re-election in Ukraine. Their longer-term aim was to rebuild the aspect of civil society informed by Wilber's philosophy. The immediate aim was to create a website to deliver newly created content featuring business executives, scholars, and consultants applying Wilber's work in various social domains and relevant topics areas: education, corruption, economics, religion, and so forth.

I have assisted, in various capacities, on at least 10 sites during the last decade and a half. We've made many mistakes during that time. I have a good sense of what doesn't work. I was looking for a firm to complete the project using best practices and demonstrable skill while keeping things organized for an on-time delivery and within the budget requirement. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

We needed Followbright to handle the visioning, strategy, and design of this site. The site build was to be handled by our Ukrainian partners. They guided us from planning through delivery of final desktop and mobile designs carefully and expertly. I relied on them heavily to assist in the planning for the content delivery functions, including content taxonomy and user experience. Above all else, I was seeking a clean, functional user experience, an integration of aesthetics and site function, and something that would be easy to hand off to a team of developers for whom English was a second language. They completely nailed every step of the process. 

How did you come to work with Followbright?

Followbright was one of four or five companies that were approached to offer a proposal for this project. They beat out a number of larger firms, simply because their owner, Erin Pheil, (a) understood the project most thoroughly after just two calls, (b) communicated most honestly and clearly about how they could assist, (c) had a project management approach compatible with how I like to work and, (d) was simply the most personable and fun. She was inspired by the uniqueness of this project and was not turned off when she found out that we were only looking for design services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work with Followbright is complete at this time. Again, not only did they complete their work on time and within budget, they did it will grace and flexibility. We had to re-arrange timelines at a few points during the project – our fault, not theirs – and they were more than accommodating. The site is still not yet launched as we are continuing to work on content and site development. When the site is ready, we'll launch at integralsociety.global.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We don't yet have metrics from the site yet since it is not launched. But, for a project like this, three "metrics" stand out – time, cost, and fun. As I have mentioned, expectations about each of these were met or exceeded. For me, that's the sign of a successful project. As for the designs themselves, they have been very well-received by our partners and third-party subject matter experts.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

The most important criteria here was designing to spec while doing so on time and within budget. This was nailed. Beyond that, for me, it's all about the ease of the process and how it adapts when things don't go as planned. Followbright shined in this respect, as well. Erin and her colleagues were exceptional. Planning was intelligent and dynamic. Communication was clear and engaged. The overall strategy employed and work produced resulted in 95 percent approval by decision makers on our team. This was a function of well-executed visioning and implementation. The project was managed through an online PM [project management] solution, with emails and phone calls used as supplements, when required.

What distinguishes Followbright from other providers?

From my first call with Erin, their communication, understanding, and excitement for the project made them stand out above other firms. As it was proposed, their approach looked both well considered and achievable. While all of this might seem standard, I have been involved in many projects where the process was derailed, and the deliverables suffered because these items weren't clear from the start. Beyond all of that, I had a great time working with Erin, who is very personable and honest about how she could help our project succeed.

Is there anything Followbright could have improved or done differently?

The largest area of concern related to communication breakdowns between my team and our partners. We were not clear on how and when our partners would be involved in each step of the process. This was solved for on the fly and resulted in the timeline changes I mentioned earlier. To be clear, this had nothing to do with Followbright's work. However, given the nature of the project, it would have been great if Followbright had predicted these types of problems and helped coach me through reasonable solutions from the start. With that said, they were incredibly flexible and accommodating when we had to adjust mid-project as a result of these issues.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We offer a web-based market wherein educators and some others can create a profile in order to advertise their services outside the classroom. These are typically second-job services like tutoring, landscaping, childcare, and so on. Community members can search by school district and service type in order to hire a teacher. We're an e-commerce site for teachers, offering messaging, and transaction functionalities.

What is your position?

I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

I had a concept for my business, but I am not a proficient coder. I either needed to bring in a partner to the business, improve in my software skills, or find a resource like Followbright. I did a lot of research through which I found them and decided that they were the best option for my idea.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Followbright has developed my company's website using PHP and a SQL database on Apache and Linux. We created a project blueprint that was drafted during a meeting and included all of our desired functionality and the general ideas behind it. After this meeting, it was left up to me to commence the work with them or to simply take the blueprint and present it to another company.

We haven't done a lot of marketing work through them. They put together a blueprint at the beginning, which included insight in terms of the site general structure and how it would pertain to our ability to market it. There was a broad discussion on this topic and Followbright has done some work on modifying and tweaking my logo. Since we've launched the site, they've provided free insights into how we can continue to market the site, but this isn't an official scope of our work.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

I researched the web for a Colorado-based development group. I evaluated their specific expertise by looking at other website they'd built. Followbright had experience with e-commerce sites, which was important. They had also done a lot of work with municipal clients, which indicated that they'd be familiar with my target demographic. I spoke with several other groups, ultimately choosing Followbright.

What is the status of this engagement?

The site was launched last week [February 2016].

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The site has been online since Wednesday. A few days after its launch, it had already gained a substantial number of views. Only a few teachers had signed up, but their feedback was very positive in terms of the site's user-friendly design and concept. Everyone I've spoken to about the site has liked the way in which it functions and its look. 

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very good at putting a realistic plan together and guiding the work toward it. I was always made aware of what I needed to do at my end to allow the work to move forward.

We used Basecamp for project collaboration. It was chosen at Followbright's suggestion. I'd had experience with it in the past, so it was a good choice for me.

What distinguishes Followbright from other providers?

Their team's general understanding of the context in which our product needed to fit was very good. We didn't simply work on a site but were thinking much more broadly about how the site would be used and how future iterations would look. I don't have a vast experience with web developers, but this particular ability has been unique to Followbright compared to others I've worked with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're an online retail and wholesale company. About 99 percent of our sales come through our website. We sell various nutritional supplements, including industrial hemp extracts.

What is your position?

I am the founder and president of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We wanted to rebuild our website. I had personally designed its first iteration through GoDaddy. It was an elementary system.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Followbright was tasked with rebuilding our website based on our old page. This included migrating our content and continuing the SEO [search engine optimization] work that I had done on the old page. It was very important that our ranking would not be affected by what would be a huge transition.

The website was built using the Peddlar WordPress theme, which Followbright highly customized. I gave them examples of other websites that I liked, and we went back and forth regarding colors, fonts, and so on.

Our first aim was to make the site look better. Our clients would have a higher trust in us if we had a good-looking website. Secondly, we wanted a site more suited for a growing business. GoDaddy's functionalities are limited, and we're quickly growing into a multimillion dollar company. The options for expanding our product line were very limited. For example, the menus had no sub tabs. Our product line could only be so large without becoming confusing.

The migration was initially supposed to be a simple process. Our web store would remain open to new orders, and we would still have access to our customers' information.

Going forward, we required a lot of functionality. The wholesale part of our business is becoming a bigger part of our revenue. There are functionalities related to this that we're only now beginning to implement. This includes enabling customers to set up their own wholesale accounts. In the past, we would use coupon codes in the back-end. Followbright have included a functionality by which customers can purchase a certain combination of products that meets a quantity-based discount tier, which will automatically be applied. This is huge improvement to having to take wholesale orders on the phone.

The most recent project we've worked on is for a batch inventory tracking process. We've expanded our production site from making half-gallon to 20-gallon batches for some of our products. We want every single one of those to be tested for their purity and potency by a number of markers. The project aimed to make all of this information accessible online. When clients buy one of our products, they can look up a lot number and get the actual test results for what's in their bottle. Logistically, it was a nightmare to think of how this would be implemented. We were grasping in the dark, but Followbright were fantastic in getting our idea realized. We've built the back-end system already, and only need to put the production system in place.

After we launched our website, we needed their team to be our emergency guidance resource. We opted for their top-tier care package. We can message them at any time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. for any issue, be it a crash or a glitch. We email them multiple times a week with customization issues for our website. They respond within minutes every single time, offering tons of thought and knowledge.

We launched a discussion forum on our website a month and a half ago. I wanted to make multiple changes to it, for which Followbright did custom coding. For example, I wanted responses to be indented, green reply buttons, and so on. We launched it and it became very successful. We have 45 active discussions within it, even though it was only launched a month ago.

Another small project we worked on consisted of an affiliate program that worked as a way for partner companies and Facebook users to post links that get tracked by us. Any purchase made through them will bring a commission to the poster. Followbright researched a number of programs for us and found the one with the most automation and made the most sense. Payments and tracking are automated. It works by itself, and I don't have to keep an eye on it. It was a huge accomplishment.

Part of our care package features not only emergency situations, but site customizations as well. We currently have between 35 to 40 different plug-ins that Followbright have uploaded, activated, and customized in order to solve different needs. They made sure that the glitches for each one were hashed out. It amounted to a ton of work that they've put in on a weekly basis in order to make our site better.

We have other big projects in the pipelines, including messaging and copywriting for all our marketing materials.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

I found them through Google searches for web design companies within Colorado. I wanted a company with good SEO [search engine optimization] skills because I needed to know that I could entrust my SEO work with them. I also wanted a local firm with which I could have a personal relationship. Having the same time zone was important.

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

Our first project amounted to $42,000, including SEO work and web design. The cost of their care package and the rest of the work we're doing is around $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

When we launched our new website, we simultaneously launched new marketing campaigns. Our sales had a huge rise because of that marketing. The amount of daily visitors increased as well as their engagement, the amount of pages they visited and the time they spent on them. Our conversion rates increased accordingly.

Our old website wasn't mobile-friendly. The new page came with numerous tablet and phone orders that we weren't getting previously. It was a huge increase in sales that happened overnight. Our Google Analytics ranking is currently 3.5, whereas the average for all previous years was 2.5.

We averaged 36 daily orders before our relaunch. This increased to around 72 average orders. I don't attribute this solely to our marketing efforts. A substantial portion of this success is due to conversion rates and a higher trust in our website and company.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

Once we've agreed on a payment plan and scope of work, we can expect the work to be delivered without any changes. Followbright have always been on time or early. The most recent project we've worked on, for our batch numbering system, was supposed to take 3 to 4 weeks. They delivered the work in less than 2 weeks. It was less than half the estimated time.

We use Basecamp for project tracking. It is our primary communication tool.

What distinguishes Followbright from other providers?

The thoroughness and care that they put into the responses to our requests stood out to me. If they need to look deeper into a matter, they let us know immediately. As soon as their team has an idea of what needs to be done, they'll lay it out in great detail. Followbright put much time into researching the proper resources in order to educate us.

We're currently working on a project for messaging and propositioning on our website. As soon as I sparked some interest with them for this, they gave me a tremendous amount of resources for this subject. They have a phenomenal ability to break down complex topics into succinct, well-researched material.

We wouldn't have attempted many of the changes we've done with our website if we didn't collaborate with a company like Followbright, which we could trust, and which is invested in the long-term profitability of our company. They're not trying to make a quick deal and move on to the next client. They're supportive of our success and want to create a good relationship for years to come.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a consulting firm working within the mountain resort industry. We specialize in ski area planning and design. In addition, we also assist our clients with a variety of federal, state, and local entitlement approval processes.

What is your position?

I am one of the company's three principals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We are under contract with the department of energy in Washington, D.C., for a large environmental impact statement process serving a project in New Hampshire, the Northern Pass Transmission Project. We're preparing the impact statement for the Department of Energy.

We wanted to create a project website with a variety of features. It would act as a portal for the public, offering ample documentation, but also meet many legally required public commentary opportunities.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

Followbright helped us build our website from scratch. The public commenting portal has ended up being quite efficient for the client, in terms of time saved. In many projects, we would receive 20-page comment letters from attorneys, opposition groups, and so on. It would then require staff to type those in physically or scan them into a back-end database. Followbright helped us automate that process completely. The portal allows them to enter commentary, automatically populating the back-end of our site. Users can upload various file formats, too, which are then automatically converted to our database's requirements.

The website we were using previously had been programmed in a more obscure programming language and the person that developed it became unavailable for additional work. We had to find another vendor to work with, and we discovered that modifying the site was not going to be an option. We would have to reinvent it. Followbright rebuilt the entire website with improved functionality, in a language that is more common to the business world. It also made it much more user-friendly for us to populate some of its content fields.

Some of the basic visual elements of the old website were retained, but not much of the original functionality was saved. We've added several new features. For example, Google Maps integration, which allows users to see the entire project and click on different zones, find routes, and so on. Followbright built the site using WordPress.

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

The total development cost was $76,000. The initial project had a fixed price and was eventually expanded into a maintenance contract. Followbright is still on board for monthly maintenance and assistance for any issues that might occur.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial development took around four months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We don't have a baseline for the site's performance before Followbright came to work for us. They jumped in when we had the framework of a website.

There are almost 10,000 individuals working on this project. We knew that we would be using this portal to release the environmental impact statement, and our concern was that, once we'd posted it, there would be 5,000 additional hits to the site within the first day. Followbright's solution was to move the hosting to Amazon Cloud Services. This way, the back-end would be completely ready for a spike in traffic. It would have been detrimental to our image to have the site go down for a day or two once the client announced the document's availability. Followbright figured out the back-end horsepower needed to ensure there wouldn't be hiccups immediately after the launch.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

Followbright was able to finalize the website even before we had the content for it. They were well ahead of schedule. There were no major problems with it, and any glitches we discovered were typically fixed within 15 minutes. Their project management skills and day-to-day communication were fantastic. We never felt like we weren't a priority. They use Basecamp, which is effective for exchanging info and feedback beyond email strings.

What distinguishes Followbright from other providers?

I like Erin's [Followbright owner Erin Pheil] business approach. It's very matter of fact and down to Earth. During our first meeting, she organized the time allocated for questions and presentation very well. I find her to be refreshing from a business standpoint. Rather than calling us directly, she would schedule calls at precise times, and keep to them. I appreciate that level of efficiency, and any company could benefit from it. She has proven to be an inspiration for our own operations.

In my company's line of work, a constant frustration point is that our competitors provide disingenuous proposals to clients. Many consultants will intentionally ignore requirements missed by the client, in order to modify their contract subsequently. We don't do this, and neither does Followbright. If we require a website to have a list of features, 100 percent of them will be realized. Erin takes the time to figure out what the job is, what it will take, and delivers the whole program. There's not a lot of upselling at the end based on what went unspecified.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are the Dillon Dam Brewery, the largest brewpub and restaurant in the Colorado Rockies and the United States in general.

What is your position?

I'm the marketing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

In terms of requirements, we wanted a clean, visually oriented site. It also had to be responsive, which was challenging.

We are a very successful restaurant, and so are booked to capacity for many days in a year. Our aim is to fill out the rest of the time. For the less busy hours, we organize various activities like happy hours. We wanted to be able to display daily specials on our home page.

We wanted to showcase our beers in a way that looked hip, but also family-friendly. Although we serve beer and alcohol, we wanted to present a welcoming image to every type of customer. We include pictures of kids prominently on our home page.

Through analytics, we were able to see that the majority of people want information about our menu in general, not just the beer. Travelers in particular are looking for this information.

A large part of our business is from first-time customers. Last year, when we did a menu change, we realized that patrons had no idea about it.

The initial website we'd built with Followbright is still operational, but we both agreed that it was time for a change. Many local businesses had their pages hacked, which was a signal for us. We wanted to jump into the modern world of websites and move more toward digital marketing.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement.

We've recently completed the new WordPress website, implementing features that were too extensive to put in the original one. We did a triage of the features we wanted, eliminating what wasn't essential. Erin [Pheil, president and lead consultant of Followbright] is what we refer to as the mastermind in terms of organizing everything. Aside from her, the design team included four people.

We implemented a service called TapHunter. Our brewer changes varieties every day, so it was essential to us. We weren't sure how hard it would be to add it to our site, but it came along. Right now, it looks more like a simple list of beers rather than a chalkboard, which is the look we were aiming for.

As we add items to our menu, we will be shooting more photography.

Followbright created six different designs for key pages of the site's 22 total pages. The new WordPress functionality allows us to make menu or any other information changes in minutes rather than hours. Our hours of operation change on a daily basis, and it was important to give this information to customers easily.

Our online store was built using Shopify. Previously, we had had a custom solution that was becoming less secure. We are thinking about developing it further as we have seen a spike in sales after switching to Shopify but, for the moment, we have limited activity for it.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

Our owners wanted to go through a bidding process even though we'd had a relationship with Erin for several years. We did this and found Followbright is still head and shoulders above the competition.

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

The total cost so far, including photography and video production, has been $45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work is ongoing. There are a few bells and whistles we're looking to add. We're researching more aspects of the digital market and, as we continue to do so, we will adjust our budget in this direction and move out of television and print advertising.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

As an anecdote: if you ask Siri for brewpub recommendations in our area, it will be overwhelmed. We're hoping to change that. Our ranking isn't low, but we are in a competitive market with more brewpubs growing in our area. I don't know if we'll have jumps in traffic, but our real goal was to make more information available and to sell our auxiliary merchandise. Also, the website is our face to the world – our branding. It needs to have a modern look, and Followbright have achieved this for us. The site just went live so it's a little too early to share any meaningful metrics.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

Followbright gave us straight answers, instead of trying to sell us snake oil. The two other development firms we've worked with were agonizing in this sense. We've built a great relationship together, and I wouldn't want to work with any other firm. I haven't found their level of professionalism anywhere else.

What distinguishes Followbright from other providers?

We've been working with Followbright for more than 10 years. Prior to them, we've worked with three other companies for our website's development, going back to the early days of the Internet. It was a jagged process.

Followbright was a completely different experience. Erin actually had a formal education in web development as opposed to our previous company, for example, who specialized in video production.

While working on the project, I had a personal problem and had to suspend the work, which lead to a delay. Followbright had no problem in accommodating me. They rolled with a big punch and came back to finish the work.

Is there anything Followbright could have improved or done differently?

I can't think of anything. My recommendation for any prospecting customers that may be lacking in experience on projects of this kind is to think their plans through, do a lot of brainstorming and get their ideas together. They should prioritize the features they want. If you try to add all the bells and whistles in the beginning and lack the necessary knowledge, it can become too much. Phasing items in time will lead to a better outcome and remove the pressure of achieving a perfect site from the start. It also helps in keeping costs down. The Internet changes daily, and sites evolve with it.

BACKGROUND

Could you provide a brief description of your company?

Interthinx is a subsidiary of First American. We specialize in risk mitigation for the mortgage lending process. Anytime you do anything in the mortgage industry, and anytime the government, bank, our brokerage house, needs to find out if the documentation is correct, or they need additional services to help with this process, we provide solutions for them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the business challenges you were attempting to address when you first approached Followbright?

We had a very old legacy website. It needed to be updated and redesigned. It was built in a way that was difficult for potential customers and existing customers to find information and interact with the company. We engaged with a vendor to provide a solution for us, not only in the architecture and layout, but also with the design, integrating into a CMS [content management system] system and hosting. This went on for a number of months, potentially, even a full year. I came on board. The company realized that the vendor we’d selected just couldn’t deliver our solution. They were providing improper or not industry-standard solutions, and were leading us down the wrong path, especially for a long-term relationship. We were essentially being held captive, so we terminated their contract.

We then conducted a lot of research and determined how we wanted to do our hosting solution, and how we wanted to integrate our CMS solution. We determined that we needed to do monthly if not weekly updates to our content, and performed an exhaustive search on what CMS solution would be the best fit for us. We determined that ExpressionEngine was the solution that we wanted to deploy.

We then did a vendor search for ExpressionEngine design and integration. We approached a few different companies. We went through a high-level RFP [request for proposal] process and we decided to engage with Followbright.

Everything going forward with Followbright, for us, has been a complete success. Everything they’ve done has been great. They’ve worked on everything from the very comprehensive high-level build where they actually fully customized our ExpressionEngine tool to meet our architectural specifications. They integrated an existing design into our CMS tool. It took us a while to get to our first launch. They helped us with a phased launch. We launched with 80 percent of our site. Then we launched with the remaining 20 percent a couple of months later.

Since then, we’ve been doing incremental changes and upgrades, not content management. We’ve been doing some architectural changes because we’re currently going through integration with a new parent company. We’re adjusting offerings that have an effect on the layout of the site. They’re helping us with the big changes. 

We’re definitely going to remain with Followbright going forward. We’re going to build a relationship so they can help us with anything difficult that might emerge down the road. We have two more projects coming up. We call them micro sites; they’re slightly different from our primary corporate site. We’re already working with Followbright, how we can work with them bringing the CMS tool as a unique environment and going through the whole process again but on a much smaller scale.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope work delivered during the course of the relationship?

Design integration, CMS customization, CMS implementation, HTML, CSS and JavaScript expertise, advanced development or coding knowledge. They’ve done a couple of tricky things. They’ve done advanced iFrame integrations, customized CMS templates, CMS content population. They’ve also been involved in the development and content implementation of the site.

Could you provide a general cost estimate for this work?

I'd prefer not to reveal that information, but it's a considerable amount. It's well into the six figures at this point.

This remains an ongoing relationship, correct?

Yes. Very much so. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work they’ve delivered?

The big one is the user feedback, especially because of the prior legacy site that we had, which has really teetering on the edge in terms of functionality. We’ve received a lot of praise about the new design as well as the upgraded and streamlined functionalities. 

We’re basically tracking the same volume, but the engagement rate has gone up dramatically. We have people spending more time on the site. They’re investigating more pages and interacting with far more data. They’re downloading more information. We now have lead-based generation all throughout the site. The site is generating significantly more potential leads, ultimately funneling them into Salesforce for the sales team to act upon. Looking at a year ago, the leads have increased by roughly 400 percent. It’s been just dramatic. The level of engagement, I think we’ve gone up like 40 percent. Our bounce rate continues to drop.

The key metric that we’re concerned about is that our site becomes a useful tool for new and existing customers to gain information and provides more valuable insight to our sales team. They’ve really gone above and beyond our expectations. We’re very pleased with what they’ve delivered.

In retrospect, are there areas you think Followbright could improve upon as a service provider?

No. I really don’t have any complaints. In the beginning, we were somewhat skeptical about the distance, because we thought we might actually need to work face-to-face. As the relationship unfolded we realized working remotely with them wouldn’t be an issue, but you can never tell going into a project.  

Working with Followbright has been very successful. They’re very detail oriented. They work toward the proposal. They deliver quality work on time. That’s the main thing. They’re able to provide us all the services we need, and we’re even scaling the services based on whatever the project requirements might be.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I work for a short-term vacation rental company. We rent out condos at a local ski resort here to the various tourists and recreational skiers.

What is your position?

I’m the founder and president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the challenges you were attempting to address when you first approached Followbright?

The primary challenge for us was to get our business a legitimate and compelling online presence. We began with the basics; our logo needed a major redesign, something newer and more modern. Then, we needed to overhaul our website, which meant designing it from scratch and then building the functional components out. We didn’t have the necessary skills and experience to do this, so we began to look for companies that would be able to handle the grunt work.

SOLUTION

How did you select Followbright as your solution partner for this endeavor?

Erin Pheil [founder and owner of Followbright] has been writing a column in our local newspaper since as long as I can remember. We knew we’d prefer working with someone local because there were going to be things that would be easier explained and describes in-person. We’re in a relatively small town. For most of the year, business is pretty slow and everything is calm and predictable. But, during peak season, and holidays, this place explodes. That’s when the business really comes in, and we wanted to capture even more market share. We contacted Followbright with a contact form and then we actually had a conversation with Erin. She came across as a very knowledgeable and experienced professional, and we were just drawn to her. Plus, they already had a great track record in the community.

Could you describe the scope of work they’ve delivered to you during the course of the relationship?

The very first thing we started with, about four years ago, was our logo design. Then, we started working on transferring my WordPress blog into a full-on website. They designed and developed and entirely new site using ExpressionEngine as the CMS [content management system] backend. They’ve also done other ad hoc tasks like unique value propositions, website copy audits, code reviews, module customizations, etc. They’ve worked closely with me on our marketing plan for SEO [search engine optimization] and Google AdWords. They continue to offer us ongoing support and maintenance services.

Does this remain an ongoing relationship with them or was there a recent completion date for any particular project?

The original site deployment is complete, but like I said, we still use them for ongoing support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback you’ve received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

That’s a tough thing to measure. They have a great reputation and, if you just look at their website, you can tell they have some very extensive experience. I wasn’t sure she was going to take our project because we’re tiny in comparison to some of their other clients. When I started with them, my annual gross revenue was right around $100,000. I’m now at a little more than half a million in revenue. We’ve grown significantly. It’s really difficult to measure what exactly their contribution is, but I would say it’s been huge. It’s huge because all of my business comes through the website. As far as statistics, I don’t have anything like that. I have hundreds of statistics based on my business, but it’s not controlling for their exclusive contributions. It’s been a fantastic business partnership.

When working with Followbright, is there anything you’d consider unique about their approach and/or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

Yes, the depth of their research and how they listen to me, and I assume their other customers, too. I was floored on how many great questions Erin asked us before they began work on the website. She really digs deep into what are your requirements and objectives are for the website. It was made clear to me at the very get-go that Erin was meticulous and thorough. They place a very large emphasis on quality and relevance. They always want to ensure that their client isn’t just getting the solution they think they want, but the solution that will deliver the results they’re looking for.

In retrospect, are there areas in which they could improve as a service provider?

Their service provision is right on the mark. I could always look for a vendor that’s less expensive because they’re definitely not the cheapest. However, I think you really get what you pay for when you partner with Followbright. Other than that, I really don’t have any critiques.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your organization?

I'm an entrepreneur that owns a few different companies. I've worked with Followbright in various capacities at many of these companies I own. I first began to work with them while at Delphi Partners, a financial services firm.

You're the founder, correct?

Yes, that's correct.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Could you describe the challenges you were attempting to address when you first approached TimeForCake?

I am not, by any means, an IT [information technology] or even digital marketing expert. I tend to know what I want and have a vision of what I want it to look like, and then I try to find people that can execute on that idea, actually build the solution. I'd worked with two IT vendors prior to the engagement with Followbright. I had pretty much come to the conclusion that I did not like these IT firms. The final straw was the last firm we were working with that had tried to help us create a website, landing page, and recruiting campaign. It was like pulling teeth the entire time. It was such a bad experience that we were ultimately forced to terminate their contact. That's when a close business associate referred me over to Followbright. So, we basically needed them to salvage our site.

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of work they've delivered to you during the course of the relationship?

First and foremost, it was really more of a consulting relationship. What I really appreciated about them was that they didn't come in immediately offering solutions or products. They didn't necessarily assume that they had the solution or were the solution. They really offered us strategic insights and best practices around our branding and marketing, site design and functionality, and content strategy.

The very first thing they did was come into our office to help us craft a new master positioning statement. Erin Pheil [founder at Followbright] thought it would be best to establish a solid branding direction before beginning to design and develop the site. We really appreciated that kind of thoughtful approach. It really forced us to consider all of the details, all of the requirements and goals we had moving forward. After we agreed on the master positioning statement, I basically said, "Okay. Can you guys take of this with our guidance?" That's when the deployment began, and it's been smooth sailing ever since.

When was this project completed?

We finished last winter, or perhaps it was early this spring. Either way, we retain them for ongoing maintenance and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results, could you share any statistics, metrics, or user feedback you've received that would demonstrate the effectiveness of their work?

After our site as fixed, the next step was to devise and execute a new recruitment campaign. It was a specific event. It was a sales symposium that we held in another city. Followbright created a landing page, helped us with some pay-per-click campaigns, and helped us monitor and record our progress. We increased the number of inquiries twofold. We'd doubled the inquiries with their help. The event was a stunning success, and we actually received twice the amount of attendees, too. Anecdotally, our staff has been very impressed with Followbright. They've received nothing but praise from the folks here.

When working with Followbright, is there anything you'd consider unique about their strategic approach or development methodology that distinguish them from other vendors?

How they cultivate and manage their client relationships is the first thing that comes to mind. It's an overused term or cliché, but those people at Followbright really do want to partner, as far as I'm concerned, with their clients. I've had very poor experiences with marketing and IT firms, but Followbright is on the other end of the spectrum. The people actually care about their clients' business. Unfortunately, that seems to be a unique characteristic. It's relationship-based. They're more about asking questions than providing answers. They're very good listeners, very thorough. If there are things that I have questions about or simply don't understand, they stop what they're doing, crystallize it for me, and them move on. It's been an extremely collaborative experience.

In retrospect, are there areas you think they could improve as a service provider?

They've yet to let us down. I'd honestly be guessing. They're human, so I'm sure there are places where they fall short, from time to time. But, I'm not the one to tell you what that might be.