Inbox Army, LLC

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Senior Director for the Office of Alumni Services & Giving at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. We are a regional, public research institution offering a variety of undergraduate to doctoral programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

We hired Inbox Army to assist us with an email newsletter template for our College of Agriculture and Natural Resources alumni and friends e-news communications. We utilize Blackbaud NetCommunity to launch/deploy emails so we wanted to ensure the html would work with this system and also be mobile responsive.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a branded email template that aligned with our institutions branding and something we could utilize to just change out content without messing up the email layout.

SOLUTION

How did you select Inbox Army, LLC?

We spoke with 3 companies but liked the communication with Inbox Army.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was to design an e-mail newsletter template with html code to best display content using our specific email communications system.

What was the team composition?

It was a handful of team-members that made it all happen from sales, design and follow-through. We mainly ended up communicating with 2 of the representatives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are just about to deploy the email template for use and excited to get feedback.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Good workflow - it was streamlined.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their quick responses impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think the main issue was just trying to work through how the html corresponded with the specific software we use, but Inbox Army was accommodating with that so not really anything they or we could control. It was just a matter of communicating where the html was not working properly and getting those tweaks done.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the social media manager for Rankings.io, a hyper-focused digital marketing agency that specializes in search engine optimization for elite personal injury attorneys. My role includes creating social media content and managing all of our social media channels, as well as managing our eNewsletter.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

I started at Rankings.io in July of 2020 and one of my first onboarding meetings was a call with InboxArmy. I was hired to manage the eNewsletter and social media, but we work with InboxArmy to assist in the implementation, coding, design and distribution of our newsletter.

We needed a partner who specialized in email marketing, and that's why InboxArmy was selected to be one of our vendors. I work diligently on the copy each week, but InboxArmy is responsible for distributing the content to our subscribers weekly, giving us insights on what is and what is not working, and developing strategies to help us achieve better open rates and engaging content.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goal of this project is to establish a weekly newsletter that highlights Rankings.io as the SEO agency of choice for elite personal injury law firms. We wanted our subscriber list to be up-to-date on recent podcast episodes, happenings in the world of SEO, as well as share some tips and tricks from our founder and CEO in each newsletter.

SOLUTION

How did you select Inbox Army, LLC?

My boss had chosen InboxArmy as a vendor before I was hired. I know as part of his decision-making process, he wanted to work with a vendor that was knowledgeable in email marketing, design and was easy to communicate with. And that ultimately was why he chose InboxArmy

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

InboxArmy keeps the wheels turning. I am responsible for creating and curating the copy and content that goes inside the newsletter. InboxArmy designs, codes, implements, schedules and distributes each newsletter and provides feedback and insights on what we need to do to make our newsletter the best it can be.

So far, they have helped us achieve an active subscriber base with a decent open rate, and that subscriber list is growing.

What was the team composition?

I've worked closely with the production team, who are responsible for the design, coding, scheduling and distribution of our newsletter.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with InboxArmy we have seen an increase in open rates within our active subscriber base. We now send out a weekly eNewsletter and have a system and routine in place, which we did not have before. We are eager to see the results that keep coming, and are very pleased with the service and assistance they provide.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

InboxArmy and I communicate wonderfully. We have a constant chain of communication in place, and if I have a question or concern, I usually receive help within minutes.

They have created a calendar for us to use, which shows days they need content by, as well as launch dates, content, etc. I always know what is going on, because we communicate often and it is much appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm honestly thankful for the communication. I come from a PR background, so communication within a team is a top priority. I never have any worry on whether a newsletter is going to be sent out on time because of how in the loop we are.

We have a monthly meeting in place to discuss each month's performance and how we can do better, and their team always comes prepared with ideas and feedback on what we should do to make our newsletter great. The customer service is much appreciated as well.

There are times where I need some assistance and ask if they can hop on a quick call, and within minutes we're on Zoom. Im just impressed by everything.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that we know of yet. We're excited to further this partnership and are very impressed with everything they've offered us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the head of communication with a focus on customer success. Reflectly is the #1 journaling app within the health and fitness app world. Reflectly motivates its users with journaling and positive reminders throughout the day.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

We were looking for an email marketing agency that had experience within the app industry to help us increase conversion and retention through email marketing.

Specifically, we needed help with email design, branding, strategy, automation, and optimization. We began looking into email marketing 10 months ago and wanted to make sure that we are focusing on the right areas.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase conversion rate with 1% Increase retention rate with 25% Establish a solid foundation to expand our email marketing efforts.

SOLUTION

How did you select Inbox Army, LLC?

I searched online and found 20 agencies. I set up meetings with each one of them and ended up speaking with 15 of the 20 agencies. I questioned and scored all the companies and in the end Inbox Army was among the two finalist. I ended up choosing IA, because of their specific focus on email marketing.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We kicked off with a couple of discovery calls, where several of the team members of each of our companies where present. Before the calls they had reviewed our previous efforts on our email service provider.

While IA is excellent at email marketing they are not the best at meeting facilitation and discovery. I do feel that they understood what we were looking for, but the process could have been a lot smoother and the meetings more streamlined.

What was the team composition?

The CEO was involved in all of our strategy calls. For the day to day work I was given a personal project leader, who helped manage our project and his team of designers and coders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Together with IA we have built a solid foundation for our future efforts and our email game is beginning to look really strong. It's still to early to tell about any specific metric results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. Super fast response time and timely deliveries in every aspect of our project. I have been able to reach out to IA at all times and they have always been able to resolve any issue or answer any question promptly.

We do have a small time difference (I'm based in Europe and they are based in the US), but I feel that has not been a hindrance to moving our project forward.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are very knowledgeable and fast working while delivering high-quality output. They are very proactive and often give me friendly reminders to push our projects forward. I truly appreciate their efforts. They have become an invaluable accountability partner for me.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Most of their work is great. There are only minor things like sometimes I would have to ask for the same edits twice because they weren't incorporated the first time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Provanz Supplements Inc. I manufacture and sell dietary supplements online, kind of like nutraceuticals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Inbox Army, LLC?

I wanted to grow my email list and the way that customers interacted with us via email. My email marketing strategy was disorganized, I sent emails once in a while, but it required a lot of effort. I wanted a partner that could help me out with that so CX was more consistent.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They integrated a couple of things onto the website which allowed me to collect emails. We had permissions so customers could approve the information being collected. We also sent a series of follow-up emails as well. So when people signed up to the newsletter or signed an account with us, they received consistent emails. Then 1–3 times a month, they help me design an email to send to our email list.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with an account manager, but I also deal with the production team as well. Periodically, I work with Chris (Managing Partner).

How did you come to work with Inbox Army, LLC?

I found them through a simple Google search. I was looking for a partner that had expert insight into email marketing. They seemed to fit the bill, so I reached out to them and we had a couple of conversations.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $10,000 per year. It varies because the services I need has fluctuated here and there.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in early 2019 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My email list has grown by 50%. Also, depending on what we do with the emails, we usually see a spike in sales. For example, we sent an email a week ago, and sales went up by 250%. Their impact is definitely noticeable.

How did Inbox Army, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They work well together and are very organized. Whenever I need something to happen, we get on a group phone call, and we figure out what needs to happen. We have phone calls and use a group chat to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re well-organized and are experts on what they do. Inbox Army, LLC has clearly been doing this for a long time and is very efficient and effective. In comparison, other companies I’ve looked at provide many different services but aren’t nearly as skilled.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been a few occasions when I wasn’t sure who I was dealing with. That was in the early stages, though. Overall, I can’t really complain.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask a lot of questions and try to understand exactly what you want to achieve by working with them. If you ask them the right questions, the process will be a lot easier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Purple is a mattress retailer that is primarily online in the DtC space, but has moved into retail and wholesale as well. I manage email automations and lead gen for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

We were in need of an email developer to code our email templates and promotional campaigns using HTML and CSS for better rendering and more control over the content in emails.

What were your goals for this project?

To create beautiful, dynamic emails that rendered correctly and displayed appropriately on every device.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My manager worked for Inbox Army a few years back and knew the work would be fast and high quality. We needed to move quickly as our in-house developer was leaving. We primarily trusted our manager's decision to work with IA and were not disappointed.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We typically design the emails using a software like Figma and then pass those designs to our IA team to code them. There is sometimes a little bit of feedback involved, but they code the emails exactly to spec as they receive them. They also test their code to ensure it displays correctly on all devices and with each email client.

What was the team composition?

We've had their production team primarily involved with an account manager helping to prioritize projects that we've passed along. The team size has stayed the same.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Inbox Army has been wonderful to work with. They have quick turnaround times with very few if any issues we fix on our end. The goal was to have coded emails to send to our subscribers and with the pace we are working at, that turnaround time is critical.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicate via Slack and email, and we've never encountered issues with those modalities. There isn't much of a workflow since we just pass the design file and then they code it and send the code to us (or upload it into our ESP). Any feedback we've provided has been responded to well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are so easy to work with and adaptable when changes arise in specific emails or series.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO at Patriot Gold Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Inbox Army?

We were looking for someone to authenticate and take over our email marketing campaigns and give them an air of originality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Inbox Army does the email deployment, helps us with our content, and does the email design. Additionally, they also help us to lower our bounce rate and whitelist our inbound email marketing campaigns. 

They send out about a quarter of a million emails and design unique calls to action (CTA). The team also assists us with lead generation.

What is the team composition?

We work with three teammates, and we’ve also interacted with Chris (Managing Partner).

How did you come to work with Inbox Army?

We were searching for service providers online when we found them.

How much have you invested with them?

For one-off projects, they increase the price, but we typically spend $3,000–$5,000 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in about March 2017, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They streamlined our process, and our marketing goes out on time. Inbox Army does what they say they’re going to do, and they offer a premium product at a fair price. We’ve increased our revenue by 140% since we started working with them. The service has paid for itself. 

How did Inbox Army perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve never had to explain something twice or had any issues. We also don’t have language barriers, which is great. We primarily communicate via email and phone calls. 

Having someone in a senior position take accountability and communicate the way Chris does makes a big difference. Even though he has a team that works on our project, he’s very hands-on and always an email or phone call away, which I appreciate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Most of the agencies we’ve come across online are very hands-off. Inbox Army offers a human-to-human element, which is great because our telephone sales business is the same way. Once you get your program set up with the team, they won’t walk away. They stay engaged and aim to be as hands-on as we need them to be.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Down the road, they could offer content creation, which is more of a desire than criticism. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re serious about your email marketing, give Inbox Army a call.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing for a dietary supplement company serving both ecommerce retail customers, and wholesale customers within the healthcare and aesthetic industries (e.g. plastic surgeons, dermatologists, med spas, aestheticians). We formulate, manufacture, and distribute high-quality supplements in the categories of surgery & recovery, skin & beauty, and general health & wellness. I oversee digital and print marketing campaigns for both sides of the business, including copy writing, content creation, QC/proofing, and planning the promotional calendar.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

Though we've been in business since 1997, our exclusive distribution at the start was through wholesale. In 2012 we first opened our ecommerce store selling direct to retail consumers, and starting in 2015 we began putting greater resources into growing that new side of the business. When we hired Inbox Army in late Summer of 2018, we were looking for an email-specific agency to cover an internal talent gap in our organization within the areas of email coding and design.

What were your goals for this project?

With the aid of other digital marketing efforts on and off-site, our goal with emails and working with Inbox Army was to double our retail/ecommerce revenue within 3 years.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

More or less extensive online searching for email-focused agencies that work with smaller businesses. Our spreadsheet included 70 agencies of which we contacted a large number of them. Ruled out most based on monthly minimums and/or being broad in focus rather than specializing in email.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope of their work was to develop a consistent set of brand standards for our email marketing campaigns, and to create emails for both automated flow messages and one-off manual/promotional sends. We reviewed with their team lead the set of brand standards we had used historically that needed to be refreshed for a more modern style, and sought to establish conventions in our emails for standard features like headers & footers.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the owner during the sales cycle to discuss the project and review their portfolio of work done for other clients. Once signed on, we were introduced to our Account Manager who acted as a liaison and creative guide between us and their design/coder team in India. We also were introduced to the team lead in India, but we do not know the precise size of that entire team. There were staff changes and turnover within their organization in the subsequent months after signing, and for the majority of our working relationship we've been working directly with the team lead in India with occasional input from the owner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with this vendor our volume of emails and our email-based revenue has increased. We've established some consistency in our messaging and improved the rate at which we execute on campaigns.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have used email as well as phone calls and slack to communicate, and this vendor has a great response rate. They employ project previewing via platforms that make it easy for us to comment and cite edits, which has improved the efficiency of executing on campaigns. They are highly receptive to feedback, and generally provide an accurate estimation for what to expect in terms of timeline and meeting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to quickly turnaround coding projects and simple email designs has been a big plus working with this vendor. As compared with other vendors, we appreciate them working with us on multiple changes and email variations without nickel and diming us on those variants or putting a max number of changes as a restriction on any campaign they've completed for us. I am impressed by the India team leader's enthusiasm, positive attitude, availability, receptiveness to critique, and responsiveness, especially on urgent projects that have come up with very tight windows.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their coding work is good. While their creative and design work has improved over time, there are still areas of opportunity for them to create stronger unique designs and execute a design concept creatively across several different types of messages in a given campaign.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Sales and Marketing Manager for LandCentral. LandCentral is an online land investment company where we sell land on contract to customers throughout the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

Initially we had hired Inbox Army to create a few one-off campaigns. We then switched to using Inbox Army in handling our email marketing needs.

What were your goals for this project?

To effectively handle our email campaigns, scheduling, and email templates.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had interviewed several options for our one-off campaigns, and found Inbox Army to be the most knowledgeable with what our intentions were and for the most fair price. Once the campaigns were complete it was an easy choice to move all of our email marketing needs to them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Through meetings and screen-share we were able to express the direction we were wanting to head. From there Inbox Army was able to provide feedback as to how to best implement what we were wanting to do long-term.

What was the team composition?

We have 1 point of contact, but then she works with others as needed (especially during development phases).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had great progress with our welcome, re-engagement, and cart abandonment campaigns. We have received enough data from these in order to proceed with further development and changes to the campaigns.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There is always quick and easy responses to any questions, comments or concerns. We schedule all emails through Basecamp and provide content and comments through that system. Any additional concerns are quickly managed through email or phone.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're definitely knowledgeable about email marketing. If anything ever comes up that our rep hasn't dealt with she is quick to find the solution that will best fit our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We'd love to continue to further develop and change our strategy as needed. Inbox Army definitely has the expertise, and if we're ever planning or doing something wrong (or not as profitable) on the marketing side of things we'd love to know.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of the Email Experience Council. We’re the email marketing body of the Data & Marketing Association, a professional organization that works to improve the reputation of email marketing and communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

We were looking to improve and revamp various email templates we send to our base. Inbox Army has updated our templates a few times over the years.

What were your goals for this project?

Our base and membership are comprised of professionals in the email industry, so we wanted our email communications to reflect the utmost professionalism. This required us to find a partner with top-notch design skills and high deliverability standards.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Inbox Army after reviewing several companies in the space and sorting through solid recommendations and work history.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Over several years, they’ve worked to make our templates sleek and responsive. They ensure all of our email communication needs are met: bi-weekly e-newsletters, weekly event emails, quarterly sponsored-emails, and special alert emails.

What was the team composition?

I work closely with Inbox Army's leadership and team members to meet our current and evolving needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We used to get emails regarding broken links and template designs, differing fonts, and issues with mobile-responsiveness. Those complaints have ceased thanks to Inbox Army.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our point of contact is really good about keeping me apprised of deadlines and accepting new assignments that weren't previously scheduled. In our business, new email communications are needed to accommodate time-sensitive issues that arise.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This is very much a collaborative process. We exchange ideas, and they turn my thoughts into reality. They even go a step further to offer suggestions I haven't thought of before.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I’ve seen. The quality and timeliness of their work are excellent. I’m quite pleased with our relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a data-driven marketing firm that provides strategic, analytic, and execution services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

Primarily, we needed HTML development associated with complex email campaigns. We also required as-needed assistance with campaign management (e.g. building workflows in email service providers (ESP)).

What were your goals for this project?

We needed seamless handoff, flawless execution, and successful handling of scaling.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met them via LinkedIn and gave them a trial run. They were highly capable, so we expanded their scope quickly. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Our team passes approved creative off to Inbox Army, and they build the HTML and upload it into the ESP. They also handle output QA and rendering.

What was the team composition?

We had direct contact with the company owner, as well as a point of contact for specific requests. We also had access to their working team itself.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve taken care of an urgent need with ease. We’ve been comfortable from the start, and, as our scope has grown, we’ve developed a stronger and stronger dialogue. Together, we address all needs/issues and move forward in lockstep.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Inbox Army provides project and account management resources and offers a good balance of transparency (they tell us who is doing what and when) and independence (they get their work done without needing a babysitter).

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to scale and dive in quickly is outstanding.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, none come to mind immediately.