Followbright

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and founding director of a 4-year college for Mountain Guides.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

We initially went to Followbright for help with our website and looking at how we could better discern finding fitting prospects for our school. Our application process is very time intensive, so it was best for us to narrow down the application pool. After a few exploration meetings with Erin (Founder and Lead Consultant, Followbright) and her team, we undertook a project that covered a range of communication platforms: website content, social media, drip email sequences, creating scripts to use during interviews and onboarding process management. Quite simply, we overhauled our entire communication process.

What were your goals for this project?

Simply, we wanted to find students for our school who were the best fit and would likely stay in the program. We only take 32 students per year and want to find students who will graduate and move forward to succeed in the industry. We wanted to create a system that could find students who would have a lower chance of dropping out.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I initially found Followbright through a friend of a friend who had a similarly positive experience. Followbright has a detailed onboarding process for clients, and it wasn’t until after a series of meetings and discussions that I was sold on Erin’s ideas.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Followbright helped us rework our communication across all of our platforms, including our website, social media, phone and interview scripts, and onboarding process.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a project manager from Followbright who kept things simple. I am not sure how many others worked on the team internally, but I know there were at least four others.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We reduced our first year drop out rate by half and boosted net income by more than $1 Million.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Once the sales process and scope documents had been created, we worked with one project manager the whole time. This process worked well for us, as we always knew who to talk to if we had thoughts or questions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was blown away by how well they listened and thought creatively to solve problems. They challenged our assumptions and completed goals—on budget—and to the quality we wanted to achieve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the town manager for the Town of Frisco. A resort community located in the mountains of Colorado. I oversaw all town operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

We hired Followbright to increase our web presence and to create a brand for our web communications.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to create a web portal that wasn't based upon the historical government approach to communication. We wanted to create a web interface that was built around the citizens and their interests.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We already knew them as a local vendor in the area with a great reputation for being innovative, timely, ethical, and responsive.

Describe the project in detail.

Followbright designed a UX/UI and interface that connected all the city departments with the citizens of Frisco. They organized the information citizens cared about in an easily accessible and consumable format.

What was the team composition?

We primarily worked with Erin (Founder, Followbright).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While it's been a few years, I firmly remember we were pleased with the outcome of the project.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Erin communicated well and organized a process to deliver the project on-time and within budget. This project made Frisco a leader because of the web design and interface Followbright developed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Erin listened closely to our feedback and delivered on her promises.  They didn't feel like just another company on a letterhead and were personable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a realtor for RE/MAX.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

I needed a website to generate leads and attract buyers and sellers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a whole new website for me. They took care of all the development as well as the design work. They researched keywords and told me which keywords people were looking at the most for my area and business, and those were the ones we decided to target. They have continued to update the site, making it SEO friendly, getting it to rank well, continually checking on broken links, and updating me on changes with Google and how they rank websites.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Erin (Founder, Followbright) and Josh (Frontend Developer, Followbright). Erin brings people in to do projects that improve rankings on the site, such as blogging.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

We found them through a referral from a previous client.

How much have you invested in them?

I have invested between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2005 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was so excited that I actually teared up when they showed me the new site. What they have done to make my site user-friendly is incredible. Many people tell me that the site is so easy to navigate. There is no confusion at all, and people prefer it over other sites where they can search properties and MLS, which is really important to me.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

They have been awesome. We mostly communicate through phone or email and sometimes it is through in-person meetings. I don’t understand a lot of it, but I trust them so much that if they recommend something, that is what we do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are so responsive to everything and there are no delays. Erin does what she says she is going to do and it is a pleasure. They’re so easy to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just listen to their advice and go with it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are an underground water and sewer line installer. We specialize in water main rehabilitation using the MainSaver patented process.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

We hired them for SEO implementation. We wanted to get our new MainSaver process on the web.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal is to use industry keywords to lead potential clients and companies interested in using our technology to develop a new business market. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Their owner was highly recommended by several people in our community.

Describe the project in detail.

Followbright started by creating various accounts on many online search websites. They solicited articles from local businesses to garner exposure for our keywords. Currently, they are providing technical support.

What was the team composition?

They provide an account manager who is our main point of contact. I am not much of a computer person, so she guides the entire process, creates to-do lists, and shows us how to complete our tasks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

We now receive 1–3 cold calls from our website per month, and our website is usually in the top 3–5 listings for our keywords.

How did the Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

Followbright does an excellent job guiding me through the process. They offer great customer support anytime I reach out to them. They are very responsive to my requests and always reply within 1–2 hours.

What impresses you about the Followbright?

Followbright is very professional, and our account manager always takes the time to explain difficult topics in an easy-to-understand way. She is always friendly and always happy to help.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an office manager at Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. We provide ski lessons, rafting, rock climbing, and ropes courses for people with disabilities. We also offer summer camps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We had an outdated website that was built on a pro bono basis. The biggest challenge we had with that website was that we were not able to edit it ourselves. We had to call the provider every time we needed to change anything and the process usually took a long time. We started looking for a new company to build a new website for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built a WordPress website, which we can edit ourselves whenever we need it. They also added some new features, allowing our customers to make online donations or sign-up for a newsletter. At that time, we had a retail store, so they created a listing of everything we had for sale and added the pictures (We've now taken that down because it was hard to manage).

What is the team composition?

We worked with two members of their team.

How did you come to work with them?

Our community is quite small, so we heard of Followbright and got a quote from them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them for about five months in 2008.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our team was very excited to be able to make changes to the website. We do a lot of fundraising events, so we can add them to our front page. We also have a blog, which we can update.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

We had several in-person meetings and Followbright did a great job trying to understand our needs and address any issues that came up. In addition, they provided hands-on training to help us get used to our website. We mostly used phone and email to stay in touch. They still do quarterly maintenance updates on our website.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very proactive and made sure our website was secure and up-to-date with Google's requirements.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide child care services in resort towns throughout Colorado. I oversee the technology, sales, and marketing efforts for our business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

The website was in dire need of a redesign when we acquired the business.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have an engaging and aesthetically pleasing website that would attract more customers. Business growth had been flat the two years before our purchase.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were doing business with the previous owner. While we considered looking elsewhere, we liked that they were local. We also completely agreed on the current state of the site.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Followbright helped us implement a more modern and mobile-responsive UI. First, we explained what we wanted and provided examples from other sites; then they helped us narrow down our choices. I bought a theme online that they customized for our desired template. They did all the coding and implementation and managed the cutover from our old site. We continue to work with Followbright, as they host our site and provide minor adjustments when needed.

What was the team composition?

The team involved is lean but effective. During the development phase, we worked with a project manager, a developer, and a trainer. The trainer was only involved in the initial part of the project to help us manage the site ourselves. We didn't select who we'd work with, though I wouldn't have it any other way.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Since we launched the site, we've experienced over 100% year-over-year growth, mainly because the new layout makes customers feel confident about our business. Ultimately, this has led to more website traffic and higher conversion rates.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They handle project management and ensure things go smoothly. We communicate mainly via email, but we also have calls and screenshares when necessary. They are extremely responsive. If there was ever a time the project slowed down, it was due to my bandwidth constraints.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by their ultimate delivery. While we're a small customer for them, they’ve never made us feel that way. We would use them again.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I changed my mind often and required them to redo work, but that's more on me than anyone.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a history professor at the University of Denver.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

I hired Followbright to design a website to support my forthcoming book.

What were your goals for this project?

I desired a site that would draw readers to the book, share select content, and extend its audience.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I previously worked with the Followbright team. My first experience was excellent, and I knew I could rely on them again to realize this vision.

Describe the project in detail.

I write books relating to the history of maps. Because the print format of books is limited in size and sometimes in color, I use websites to help showcase the material.

What was the team composition?

I work primarily with a web designer at Followbright.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project so far has been extremely well done. From the development of the project vision to the composition of the mood board, to the creation of the home page, everything has gone smoothly. Followbright has consistently delivered pages and sites that help maximize the potential of my research, enlarging its audience, and amplifying its message.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team is first-rate in terms of delivering on its commitments. Every communication has been professional, thorough, and positive. When I have presented some challenges, the team has consistently found creative solutions that I would not have been able to devise on my own.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I am particularly impressed by the efficiency, thoroughness, and creativity of the designers. The team behind Followbright is one of the hardest working crews I've had the privilege of collaborating with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, it's been a pleasure to develop projects with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the principal of a marketing communications firm. I'm responsible for primary client contact, project management, and the coordination of contracted resources.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Followbright?

We hired them to do website development for at least three separate projects. We have also used Followbright as a third-party web hosting partner for multiple clients.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted visually appealing and user-friendly sites. In addition, the sites needed to be functional across browsers and responsive for mobile devices. The backend needed to be clean and easy to use for clients to execute content management.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I met them at an industry conference; their presentation spoke directly to our design challenges. Their talk displayed a knowledgeable thought process and solid experience. I knew I could trust them.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Followbright built all new sites from scratch with custom WordPress themes, development, and coding. We provided limited Photoshop comps.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with the developer for the duration of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

I've delivered sites to my clients that I would not have been able to complete without them. Furthermore, their critical insight has saved me from making costly mistakes. When I worked with them, I knew the work would be right and completed on time. They took a thoughtful approach to every aspect of the project and asked the right questions to provide the right solutions. I don't even have to give it a second thought.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The developer communicated questions, timelines, and project status very well. I always knew where my project stood and when I would see next steps.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They cared about doing the job right and doing it on-time. Not having to worry about their performance was worth everything to me. That quality shouldn’t be taken for granted when evaluating potential project partners.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

No. They were my go-to when a project that exceeds my skill set. I know they would be honest, deliver as promised, and that my clients would be happy with the finished product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Primus PVX, a real estate and business valuation company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We needed them to finish developing a complex valuation website that another vendor couldn’t complete work on.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first vendor built the WordPress site pretty close to launch, but it contained code that was a little too ambitious to be stable. We asked Followbright to simplify some JavaScript in the UI that was the root of most of our problems. We also needed them to modify the very complex algorithm built by the previous vendor a little bit.

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager who works directly with their coder, Rob. We’ve also connected with Erin, the founder. 

How did you come to work with Followbright?

Our initial site development was handled offshore. Since communications were difficult, we wanted someone local and accessible. We interviewed Followbright and one other company, but we connected much more with Followbright and were impressed by their accessibility and creativity. They agreed to take on a project started by somebody else – which a lot of companies wouldn’t do.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $44,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since July 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re in an intermediate stage right now, but the work so far is very encouraging. I feel quite good about how they have diagnosed coding issues and the steps they’ve recommended and are executing. It all seems to be spot on. We haven’t really done anything else with them, so it wouldn’t be fair to speculate. The results will speak for themselves.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

There haven’t been any management questions and I haven’t detected any issues. We have periodic conference calls if we need to share a screen, but it’s not that frequent. A lot of coding is internal work on their side so it takes time. We also use an online project management tool for ongoing communications.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responses are almost instantaneous! They do exactly what they say they’re going to do, when they say they’re going to do it. Which is not a widespread characteristic in business. They’re positive and high energy, and that counts for a lot in my book.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t withhold or be restrictive with information. Just be as open and forthcoming as Followbright is because they’re very creative and helpful. Don’t try to second guess them; let them do their job.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated on May 29, 2019 by the client. The original star ratings were: Overall – 5, Schedule – 5, Cost – 5, NPS – 5. New content is below.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Primus PVX, a real estate and business valuation company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor?

We needed them to finish developing a complex valuation website that another vendor couldn’t complete.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first vendor built the WordPress site pretty close to launch, but it contained code that was too ambitious to be stable. We asked Followbright to simplify some JavaScript in the UI that was the root of most of our problems. We also needed them to modify the very complex algorithm built by the previous vendor.

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager who works directly with their coder Rob. We’ve also connected with Erin, the founder.

How did you come to work with them?

Our initial site development was handled offshore. Since communications were difficult, we wanted someone local and accessible. We interviewed Followbright and one other company, but we connected much more with Followbright and were impressed by their accessibility and creativity. They agreed to take on a project started by somebody else—which a lot of companies wouldn’t do.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

The results about halfway through the project—its first phase—were very encouraging, and that is the point at which the first review was made on Clutch. At that point, they had been involved with the project about nine months, and presumably understood the site pretty well. Results were encouraging to that point. 

We began a second phase that promised a hard launch in about six months, for which Followbright required that the entire fee be paid upfront. Followbright then began a rewrite of the UI portion which dragged on, missed the launch deadline entirely, and three months later announced that they no longer had the capacity to complete the project. 

How did Followbright address the challenges that arose? 

They offered partial completion for an additional fee. We opted to terminate our engagement, and received 40% of the second-phase fee as a settlement. We then hired another developer. It turns out that all of the work done on the second phase was worthless to us as it wasn’t finished, and the new developer restarted the project at the end of the first phase. This was not known when we agreed to terminate, and we are now net in the hole to the tune of almost all the remaining fee, as well as a great deal of time.

How was project management handled? 

They were great when everything was going well. I still don’t know what happened in that second phase, but their communication essentially collapsed. It would have been nice to have known that the deadline was not achievable.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

Their ability to sell their services is impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should refrain from taking on projects that they cannot deliver.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Stay connected in real time. They apparently do quite well when their capacity and talent match the project. I don’t know how to predict project failure, but (based on the other reviews) it seems to be rare.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Tipsy Bartender, a digital media company focused on making cocktails. We have millions of fans on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, but we never focused on a website.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Followbright?

We needed to build a complex website. We have thousands of drink videos and we wanted a search function based on color, strength, and category. We also wanted a feature for viewers to search drink recipes based on what they have at home. It would have been less expensive to use a template, but I wanted the site to be unique and to meet our needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We came to the conclusion that it made sense to have a proper website. That’s when Followbright came in. We had the content, but we needed the vehicle to get it out there. I told them what I wanted and they laid out a blueprint of what we would do. After the blueprint, we moved forward with development on the site. They built a WordPress site from scratch. They did everything, the design work, backend, and frontend.

There are many features on this site. They developed a strong, built-in search engine. Our homepage has 2–5 featured videos at the top of the page and each time the site is opened or reloaded, the featured videos change. It selects from hundreds of videos.

We’re still working on making it look better and changing small details. The developer gave us a blueprint of how to do updates. We’re trying, but he’s still under contract to do it for us if we want it done.

What is the team composition?

A developer and a designer did the development work on the site. Erin [Founder, Followbright] coordinated everything and was the main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Followbright?

We searched Clutch and called a couple companies. I looked for those who were ranked the highest and checked out what they had to offer and their pricing.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $90,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July 2017 until January 2018 on the site. We now have ongoing support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is really cool. Everybody loves it. It’s visually stunning and bursting with color. It’s beautiful.

How did Followbright perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything flowed smoothly. Our team understands websites so it’s pretty straightforward for us. We used phone and email to communicate. When they needed to teach us about the site or get more in-depth information about what we wanted from the site, we used Zoom to share screens.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are nice people. They are really good at what they do and were able to understand exactly what we wanted. We’re very happy with the product.

Also, they’re responsive and attentive to the project. I don’t have to wait days for a return call. Everything is instantaneous. They were on top of it the whole way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything else they could do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about what you want. You can use other websites as examples and point out what you like. It’s very difficult if you go in not knowing what you want.