Imagine

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a volunteer for Prince William County Volunteer Fire and Rescue. I’m also the point person for our relationship with Imagine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

We have eight separate, local departments under our umbrella that each has their own identity and business set up. To aid volunteer recruitment efforts we wanted to create a unified brand identity and website. As first responders and volunteers, however, we didn’t have the experience or time to do it ourselves.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had to build the site from scratch because what existed wasn’t adequate to further our recruitment push. Now, we have a single website for our country and single pages for each local department. Some of the departments, if they do have another website, link to their specific website from their central page.

The site was built on WordPress, and Imagine also included social media integrations for the individual departments to link to their social media accounts. They also provide ongoing maintenance of the central site, alerting us to problems and investigating problems that we send to them.

They helped us consolidate our central branding without sacrificing each individual department’s branding. This required them to understand the semantics and differences of each department, so it was like having eight different clients. No one department does something the exact same way as another. They had to be flexible and grasp what we do.

Now, the website as a mechanism for us to push recruitment without having to worry about things falling between the cracks. People can pick a specific department to apply to by going to the central website and then getting to pushed to the one either closest to them or that they like the most.  

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with two people. One was a point of contact that was the master of deciding the look and feel, and the other person executed on those ideas.

How did you come to work with Imagine?

I volunteer for one of the individual departments, and we used Imagine to design our specific website. When our central organization needed a web partner, I recommended Imagine, since they already knew our work and I already knew their quality.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $25,000–$50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since April 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The central website is easy to use. Each department has its own page, and if they’re big enough to have their own website, they can redirect people to it. On the other hand, the smaller departments don’t need anything more than their page on the central website. This model solved a number of problems for us.

How did Imagine perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a bit like trying to herd cats because they were working with eight different organizations made up of volunteers, most of whom have day jobs and work as fire and EMS personnel at night. Imagine did a great job of being accessible though, especially on nights and weekends. We always felt like we could reach out to them

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took time to understand what made each department better, as well as what our fire and emergency services entailed. Instead of using stock photos that misrepresent the uniforms we wear and the work we do, like other firms have done, they worked with us to make sure the images and content on the site were authentic. They found out enough about our technical expertise to accurately reflect our story. It doesn’t look like we hired someone else to tell our story.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. Most of the things that haven’t gone right are on us, not Imagine. Some departments have engaged more with the central site than others have, but that’s not on Imagine. They set us up for success and pointed out corners we didn’t want to paint ourselves into.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take advantage of everything they have to offer. Some of their packages include training for the websites, either over a phone call or Zoom or in-person teaching. People should jump in and set up those experiences right away. They also offer lunch-and-learn style, free classes over Zoom about Branding. If you take ownership of the project, you’ll learn a lot.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a founding partner of a boutique law firm with practice areas in family law, criminal defense, mediation, and personal injury.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Imagine?

We needed them to redesign our website and optimize the pages. We wanted other local marketing of our services and our accomplishments through press releases.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to see an improved web presence and community presence, with recognition and increase visibility to our potential clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had previously worked with this vendor on a foundation project when I was on a board of directors, and I also served on a board with their CEO. I wanted to stay local and I was impressed with their work.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The provided clear direction and suggestions on page design and then implemented the design and developed the website in WordPress. They instructed us on the ease of making user updates to the web page. They moved us from Google Ads as a needed source of exposure to organic searches.

What was the team composition?

Their team included a designer, a supervising project manager, and an assistant to the designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to forego Google Ads with the performance of the website through organic searches. That saved us $500 on our marketing budget.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We made initial contact with their CEO. The designer was then integrated into the discussion with the rest of the team. They are accessible by email or phone when troubleshooting is needed. They periodically reached out to update us on SEO progress and provided statistics.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re willing to collaborate.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we’re completely satisfied.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing manager for the Department of Parks and Recreation for The City of Manassas Park. I am responsible for all of the content that goes out to the public, including all print and digital collateral.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Imagine?

We needed an overhaul of our website, which was over five years old and wasn’t mobile responsive. It needed to be migrated to a more user-friendly platform and redesigned with our users’ interests in mind.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a mobile responsive site that would be easy to update and modify. We also needed stronger calls to action and a simpler way to communicate important news to visitors via our homepage (e.g. weather closures, upcoming events, blogs, program registration, newsletter sign up). Finally, we needed to clearly communicate all the services our department provides in an organized and easily accessible manner.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We sent out a request for proposals to several web developers in our area. We received three bids and reviewed the bids. We considered cost, including ongoing maintenance costs such as hosting and security, along with design strategies from each of the vendors. Imagine's design strategy met our needs clearly, and their goal of placing us in control of our own web host pushed us to choose them.

Describe the project in detail.

They built our website from the ground up. When the project was launched, Imagine met with our entire department to listen to their wants and needs and then worked with me to develop a strategy to capture everything we needed. They sent me requests to review to approve pages and designs during the buildout. Once the site had launched, they fixed bugs and made other adjustments as they were discovered.

What was the team composition?

Imagine’s creative director was our main point of contact. We also worked with the CEO several times, especially in the planning stages.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Program registration and special event attendance have increased and webpage views and unique sessions have steadily increased year-to-year since the website was launched. We saw a dramatic shift in mobile traffic to our website. About 70% of visits were from desktop users prior to the redesign, and now nearly 70% of our traffic comes from mobile and tablet users. Patrons have also reported they are able to access the information on our website much easier now, and posting cancellations and closures are almost effortless.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Imagine had a project management system they used to communicate milestones, approvals, changes, etc. between our teams. We mainly communicated via email, and they also had phone meetings to explain to staff how to use and update the website once it was launched. I liked having a one-on-one relationship with the creative director responsible for building out the majority of the website. Also, they made me feel like an important client through my direct connection to the CEO.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re upfront, transparent, and authentic, and they listened to our needs and designed appropriately. They were the only vendor that knew I could manage the web hosting myself.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for the Independence Fund, a nonprofit organization for veteran services. We deal with severely wounded veterans, their caregivers, and families. We advocate on Capitol Hill, as well as promote suicide prevention among veterans.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

When I was brought onto the nonprofit last June, they had gone through several dysfunctional experiences with web design companies who left them high and dry. I was tasked with finding a new company that would deliver what the organization wanted.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before starting with development, we held several planning meetings involving my stakeholders and their goals. Patrick (Founder, Imagine) counseled our team to choose a WordPress site that we change as our business elements change. He didn’t want us to design ourselves into a box. They developed critical functionalities into our WordPress website.

We needed the site to be HIPAA compliant. Our organization has access to VA records with personally protected private information. To capture some of that data on the site, we needed a strict firewall to protect the information. That element went into the design. Their team created a vibrant interface that’s modern and accessible for veterans and interested communities. We also rely on donors for support. We currently use ClearGIVE as our donor management software but are migrating to a different one shortly.

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with Patrick and Jason (Creative Director, Imagine).

How did you come to work with Imagine?

Imagine was recommended to me by the US Department of Agriculture when I was running a foundation in Washington DC. Their team worked on multiple website designs, backend analytics, and digital advertising promotions for the foundation.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $30,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Imagine in August 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone in the organization loves the site that Imagine built. Recently, we signed a retainer with their team to get monthly services, which includes site improvements and reporting. Our team loves how responsive Imagine is because since we’re short-staffed, we end up going in hundreds of directions. The morning after the most recent State of the Union, I drafted a statement that needed to post on the site right away. They posted it immediately. Their responsiveness sets them above and beyond other vendors.

How did Imagine perform from a project management standpoint?

Patrick and Jason have been intricately involved. We mainly communicate through email. Patrick lays out milestones and projected due dates, and we negotiate the timelines. They’ll stay up all night to meet any deadlines we need. In mid-January, our CEO needed a personal and professional website. I called Patrick, and the site was launched in ten days. She commented on how magnificent their work was. Imagine doesn’t make promises that they can’t keep.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Imagine listens to our team. We needed our internal stakeholders to focus and articulate what they wanted on the site in terms of functionality. Imagine has the expertise to turn that into creative genius. Their team doesn’t come in with a set agenda. They find out what their client is looking for and turns around to deliver it. Imagine probably has created projects that they weren’t proud of, but if that’s what their customer wants and pays for, they provided their service flawlessly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints. I’m a repeat customer and have referred others. In this day and age, it’s hard to find companies with longevity. I’ve been dealing with the same team at Imagine for a decade.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure your goals are clearly defined before going into the conversation. Everybody has multiple stakeholders, and when it comes to creative design, everyone thinks they are an expert. Customers need to do their homework and make sure all your stakeholders are involved in the beginning. This would be extremely useful for Imagine to do their magic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner Loveless Porter Architects, LLC, a commercial architecture provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

We were trying to broaden our marketing approach and create a concrete plan. We reached out to Imagine for their help in developing a strategy. Our website was also outdated, so we hired them to redesign the platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Imagine began the project by redesigning the site on WordPress. They built it to enable modifications and regular posts. From there, they started working on the social media strategy. This process included developing our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts and linking them to our website.

Their team creates content to post on these platforms on a weekly basis, and they write monthly blog posts. They guide us in finding the best times to post and how to engage with our demographic most effectively. Additionally, they’ve boosted several Facebook posts for us to increase engagement.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Patrick (Founder & CEO, Imagine). Additionally, Emily (Director of Account Development) serves as our dedicated project manager and works with us daily.

How did you come to work with Imagine?

We found Imagine through referrals from previous clients. We wanted to work with a company within city limits and met with their team. We liked that they’re a local, small business.

How much have you invested with them?

For the website, we spent between $5,000–$10,000. We currently spend $1,500 per month for their marketing services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since July 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our redesigned site garners positive feedback from users. The organization of the platform has increased functionality. The site’s modern look is crucial in our current digitally-focused world and it performs well.

Our social media interaction has substantially grown, and we experience more likes, comments, and follows from our key demographic.

How did Imagine perform from a project management standpoint?

We have monthly in-person meetings with the Imagine team, but we also communicate through email and Facebook. They streamline the process—we receive word document questionnaires to address our concerns and ideas. They’re always on top of the tasks we give them and continuously work toward our goals.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is consistently available—they always make time for me and value our project. Additionally, they’re a very creative team and produce quality designs, which has earned high-profile projects for them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m not an expert in their field, but their approach truly works for me and doesn’t need improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

There’s nothing specific I could recommend, but if your team has creative, dedicated and personable individuals, Imagine is the right match for your project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We sell test equipment, including fault locators, impulse generators, and transformer measuring systems to utility companies and test labs. We have two divisions, high-voltage (HV) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). I’m the vice president of the company and am principally responsible for the HV division.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

We had a very old website and wanted to update it. We wanted to improve our leads and make the site more modern and mobile-friendly. We also wanted to boost our SEO and digital marketing efforts. We hired a different company that offered a lower price but had so many issues with their work that we asked Imagine to help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us fix all the issues with our new Drupal site, which is much easier to edit than our old site. We have a lot of suppliers with evolving inventory, so we needed that ease of access. They helped us clean up our product pages and taught us how to navigate the backend.

They’re also working on our SEO, customer tracking, AdWords, and other digital marketing campaigns. We want to keep our previous visitors interested, so we target them in our advertising. We also spent a lot of time switching to a new CRM and tidying our database of email contacts. MailChimp blocked our initial campaign, so we needed to fix the database before we could continue. Now, we have a monthly blast to our contacts from each of our divisions. We give Imagine the materials, white papers, and product information we’d like them to push and they make recommendations or corrections.

What is the team composition?

I work with Patrick (Founder + CEO, Imagine) and Jason (Creative Director, Imagine), who works as our designer. Emily (Director of Account Development, Imagine) works on our email blasts, templates, and some of our advertisements.

How did you come to work with Imagine?

They worked with us on our old site in 2009. When the other company failed us, we approached them to help fix it.

How much have you invested with them?

We’re on a monthly payment plan and have spent about $28,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together again in April or May 2017. They’re still making improvements to the site and our SEO. It’s a work in progress.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They run analytics for us and give us monthly reports. We’ve had a definite increase in site views and inquiries. We had a slight drop in rankings when we first changed to the new site, but that’s normal. We’re back in the number one position on Google, after ads.

There were some latent issues with the site design from the previous company and they’re working to fix as much as they can. It’s been a tedious process, but they’re very good at what they do. We should have gone with them in the first place.

How did Imagine perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a really good company to work with. We’re about 10–15 minutes from their office, so we often meet to discuss what they’ve accomplished and what needs to be done. We also correspond frequently by phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really know what they’re doing, especially compared to other companies we’ve worked with. They have the skills, education, and a good knowledge of today’s market. They keep us up-to-date and explain things to us in layman’s terms. They’re really good at informing us and we’re impressed by how adaptive they are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We pay on a monthly basis and have asked them to itemize their invoices on an hourly basis so we know what we’re getting. Any business can be more responsive, but I don’t have any other suggestions for improvements.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do a face-to-face meeting when you sit down to do the work. They came to us when they pitched to us and got a good idea of what we needed them to do. They also have a really cool office and are fun to visit.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a business intelligence manager for a telecommunications company. My division focuses on cybersecurity services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

We needed resources to develop marketing content for various product launches and cybersecurity services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beyond creating internal and external marketing collateral for our new products, Imagine developed an approach for communicating complex cybersecurity messages into more accessible terms. They worked directly with our cybersecurity experts to ensure that their content accurately reflected our services as well as promoting our strategic partnerships. The marketing materials included slide decks, one-pagers, and articles written in conjunction with subject matter experts.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with their CEO and their director of account development.

How did you come to work with Imagine?

We initially considered a few different companies before getting in touch with Image through a referral. Once we started working with them, we immediately noticed their strong marketing skills. They completed a few projects for us, and we’ve continued working with them ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $14,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began in April 2017 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any hard metrics on conversion rates for sales that they’ve generated. However, from a qualitative perspective, we’ve seen strong progress with our product release. They’ve increased public awareness for our products, which empowers our sales team to promote and sell our services.

How did Imagine perform from a project management standpoint?

We conduct weekly meetings to discuss project progress, review deliverables for quality and accuracy, and establish timelines. They’ve consistently met deadlines and maintained a standard for producing high-quality work. In terms of communication, we speak in person, on the phone, and via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their biggest strength is their creative talent and business acumen, particularly their understanding of our business model. They have an incredible instinct for visualizing our approach, which allows them to think strategically about our marketing channels and create the materials accordingly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In order for them to understand a client’s business strategy and objectives, the client must invest a lot of time to foster that intimate relationship. We’ve taken them on as partners and openly shared our plans, which enables them to work creatively. Without that relationship, they can’t design new content to their full potential.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Prince William Living is a lifestyle magazine for Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park in Virginia. Our mission is to build a better community by promotion quality of life issues, including solid economic development, strong education and workforce development; supporting the arts community; and encouraging volunteerism through our local not-for-profits.

What is your role at the company?

I am the publisher.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

We needed a platform to take our print magazine out to the Internet, as well as expand our ability to share stories via the web. We wanted to create a site that would be "home base" for our business. Additionally, we were looking to extend the reach and power of the Prince William Living brand beyond print and to reach more people with more information faster.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Imagine built us a WordPress site that was user-friendly, customer-friendly, and attractive.

How did you come to work with Imagine?

Imagine took the time to understand our brand, understand our needs, and come up with innovative and exciting solutions. Once I knew they understood and cared about our business, there was no other choice.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was completed in a few months in 2013

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

With Imagine's help our readership has doubled. We can offer more products and services to our clients which has increased our profitability. Imagine was great throughout the process. They were always professional and eager to see us succeed.

What distinguishes Imagine from other providers?

I liked that they had the dedication of stepping into our shoes in order to better be able to meet our needs.

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

I should have hired them sooner.

BACKGROUND

Could you please provide me a brief description of your company?

Sparkles! Child Care Centers is a company that provides a quality early childhood education program in the Northern Virginia area.

What is your role at the company?

My role is to support the work force by providing them a consistent, safe and quality educational program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached Imagine?

We needed website optimization, company branding and on-line reputation management. We wanted to maximize our marketing dollars by having a marketing company that could effectively understand, address, develop and implement our marketing goals.

SOLUTION

Can you tell me about the scope of the project?

Imagine developed marketing and implemented a marketing strategy for Sparkles! that would take us to the next level.

What was your process for selecting Imagine to work with? 

I had seen one of their presentations at the Women’s Leadership Conference and was very impressed with all the information they provided.

When was the project completed?

This is an on-going effort, Imagine remains on a contract

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

We have seen an increase in enrollment. Imagine has performed excellently.  They are in the moment and give it all they have.   

When working with them, was there anything unique or special about them?

What distinguishes them is their knowledge of the different aspects of marketing as a whole.  I have worked with several other marketing companies and found that they all had specialties, such as, optimization, website, on-line marketing, etc.  What I found with Imagine is a complete marketing package.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

If I really had to look for something it would probably be the documentation of all the brainstorming ideas and projects we have liked for the company, but that were put on the backburner for either lack of budget or other things had a greater priority.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a media consulting company, working with radio and TV. Also, about a year ago I went into the real estate business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Imagine?

Imagine has worked for us in two capacities. Our media company is 30 years old, and they began helping us about 20 years ago, so that’s been quite a long relationship. Then, most recently they helped me kick off my real estate business. So Imagine has actually been playing two roles.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

In the media consulting company, we wanted them to do our print ads, business cards and work on our website. In the real estate business, I wanted them to do a website, business cards, billboards, ads on my listings and direct marketing. I also wanted them to do direct mail—both email and snail mail. So Imagine has done quite a lot with the real estate business in particular.

How did you come to work with Imagine?

I was introduced to Imagine through a mutual friend that spoke highly of them.

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

In the real estate side, it’s probably about $20,000. On the media side, they have been working with us for so long; I could only imagine that it has to be around $40,000 to $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around 20 years ago with the media company, and I’m still currently working with them on the real estate side. We don’t really do that much with the media company any more.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics, metrics or other feedback from your relationship with Imagine?

From the media company’s standpoint, part of what we do is marketing. So we worked with them on developing a lot of our original ideas. They were very good about following our lead, listening to us and giving us what we wanted. I think all of that was very important. Right now we’re doing the same thing for my real estate business. I had an idea of what I wanted to do and asked Imagine how we might go about doing that. They sort of took those ideas, integrated them, and made them look great.

Everything that I’m telling you, by the way, is about Imagine’s owner. I think he is incredibly talented, listens very well, is very responsive and is terrific at what he does.

What distinguishes Imagine from other providers?

Imagine's design ideas and creativity are all excellent. They listen really well and don’t overreact. The owner is very level, very calm and very consistent.

Is there anything Imagine could have improved or done differently?

The only improvement that I could see, and I’ve said this on more than one occasion, is that I would prefer to work just with their owner. I want him to be the only one working with me. I know that he wants to grow his business, but he is really the key. If I need something done right away or I need somebody to make a good desgin, he is the go-to guy.