Kontra

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of a furniture retailer in Croatia. We have two different brands: a general furniture store and a showroom specializing in sofas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kontra?

We needed help with social media marketing. We use separate channels for our two brand names.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Currently, Kontra is responsible for all of our advertising and marketing initiatives, including our website and social media accounts. Initially, we provide guidelines and content, including a huge bank of photos and images, and Kontra takes it from there. They design, prepare, and publish our Facebook ads and AdWords campaigns. They propose keywords, analyze the results, and help determine strategy. They also help us with promotions on Instagram and other channels. When customers comment online, we manage and respond to them on our side.

What is the team composition?

We communicate with the owner of Kontra and an account manager.

How did you come to work with Kontra?

We chose Kontra after doing some online research and interviewing a few people who were doing something similar. We also got a few recommendations.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $35,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2016. The work is ongoing, as we decided to extend the scope of our engagement with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re satisfied with their work. They provide monthly reports, and we also do some statistics of our own to see how the business is going. So far, we’re happy with the results.

How did Kontra perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re managing everything quite well. We communicate via email and the occasional phone call. Also, we have monthly meetings to discuss previous results and future direction.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a compact team that’s very professional. They’re dedicated to meeting our expectations. I definitely recommend Kontra.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of the IT department for a city’s nonprofit tourist board.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kontra Agency?

We wanted to create a portal for bloggers to describe the city across our informative websites. Furthermore, as an institution, we had a challenge with content for social media networks because, in the beginning, we weren’t creating content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, they created eight monthly blog entries about the city’s offerings. Following that, we wanted to get locals—including foreign transplants—involved with the content. We also wanted to talk to tourists on the streets about their impression of the city. The team created a CMS, which we use to approve their content before publication. To support the blog posts, Kontra Agency created two Google campaigns for Christmas and summer tourism.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Ilija (CEO, Kontra Agency).

How did you come to work with Kontra Agency?

We wanted a company with expertise in writing. A local firm in a small city, Kontra Agency knew us through shared social networks; I already knew Ilija. They contacted us via email to introduce the company and their services.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend around 100,000 Croatian Kuna ($15,770 USD) per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2015 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The sites now have 360 blog entries that cover our city’s cultural and culinary scenes. The content promotes our hidden gems in a compelling fashion. We want to do more with them, especially advertise the site’s content, but our budget limits the breadth of activity. We’re proud of Kontra Agency’s work and have applied for an award from a leading tourism organization.

How did Kontra Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve completed everything on time. We communicate via phone, email, Skype, Facebook Messenger, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

A very creative team, Kontra Agency has found a variety of interesting stories in such a small city—and topics not usually covered in traditional platforms and advertising channels. Overall, creativity keeps this partnership dynamic and I’m satisfied with what we’ve created so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Hire them because they like to work and are not afraid of a challenge.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing coordinator for a heating and cooling solutions company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kontra?

Our company needed help establishing a presence on social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’m working with Kontra mainly on digital marketing channels—advertising and setting online campaigns. Kontra initially set up a Facebook page for us and later worked on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube profiles for us.

Our company does seasonal advertising, and I collaborated with their team during the summer and winter depending on which products we wanted to promote. We focus on air conditioners for the hot season, for example.

They set up a media plan and created advertisements for us, mostly on Facebook, but also on YouTube. They’re successful in optimizing campaigns. We’re able to run several ads, monitor them on a daily basis, and optimize them.

Kontra is currently managing a campaign for one of our markets. They’ve also made media buys for outdoor advertising, not only digital. I’ve given them my whole budget for the secondary market to make a media plan, gather and compare offers, and contact the parties involved.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is their CEO.

How did you come to work with Kontra?

They were recommended by my graphic designer.

How much have you invested with them?

Our yearly budget with them is between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Kontra 3–4 years ago. The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have many engagements on our social networks. We’ve recently established a competence center, which monitors all our campaigns for Central European countries. We ran a campaign in the spring and received many good comments on our performance from the competence center.

How did Kontra perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re constantly online. I can get answers at any time of day and even during weekends. Kontra is extremely helpful. Our main form of communication is email, and we also have phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their accuracy. We can set up goals and truly monitor our success. Kontra is an analytics-driven company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don’t offer everything we need. Kontra has started to hire experts in other areas, including graphic design and copywriting. I expect that they will cover these in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a group of two companies: an optical shop and a medical hospital for ophthalmology and orthopedics. Both do a lot of Facebook and Instagram advertising. The clinic and ophthalmology channels fit especially well with our patients and market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kontra?

Reaching out to new patients is always a challenge. We advertise a lot for our clinic and optical shop, but our main services, specifically LASIK, are private. It’s impossible to have LASIK in a general hospital since it’s a strictly private service provided by clinics. We reached out to Kontra, one of the best agencies in Croatia, because we wanted to acquire as many patients as possible.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handle 80% of our social media campaigns, including copywriting and searching for photos. They send us the copy and we make changes.

What is the team composition?

They assign an account manager for daily work, but we also discuss important topics with their CEO. 

How did you come to work with Kontra?

I started working for the company in 2013. I wasn’t satisfied with our Google advertising agency, so I changed to another group, which was great. We had amazing results within the first few months, and I trusted their judgment. That group recommended Kontra to us.

I was also dissatisfied with our Facebook agency, so I asked the owner of our main contractor—who was a certified Google trainer—to recommend an agency in Croatia. He also referred me to Kontra.

How much have you invested with them?

Excluding our advertising spend, their fee has been 5,000 kunas ($790 USD) per month since the start of our collaboration. We’ve negotiated the price a few times, but I'm not keen to pay more for the same service.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Kontra in 2013 or 2014. Kontra began with Facebook and added Instagram one year later. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their CEO's involvement is proactive, not passive. Every time Facebook offers a new advertising approach or tool, he's the first one to know about it. He shares that information, encouraging us to implement and test those new channels. 

He works to optimize our spending and constantly increase the number of leads we receive through each channel. We get more and more, yet stay on the same budget. That's really valuable.

Their best asset is their ability to manage our constantly fluctuating advertising budget. Our competitors also invest in ads, but we always perform well with Kontra. Our number of leads rises every year, so we're satisfied.

How did Kontra perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate using everything from WhatsApp to phone to email. I can call their CEO or my account manager at any time, even after working hours.

Every month, they analyze how our posts perform and how many leads we receive. This gives us the answers we need for the next month and enables us to fine-tune our posts and advertising. They communicate well with my marketing department and put a lot of effort into their actions.

They also reply to our posts. On one occasion, I noticed a negative comment on our advertisement. Our manager was on it in five minutes. Their crisis management is responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not many agencies provide medical advertising since it’s delicate, but Kontra is great at it. Our copywriter understands how our advertisements and posts should be written. We don’t give them many corrections.

A group's performance tends to become worse as the years pass, but no one photo or selection of copy is better than another. They maintain the same level of quality, and our results get better and better. I’m satisfied with their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we started working together, they were defensive toward feedback on the copy and image quality. I asked their CEO to be less emotional during these discussions. He felt that he was giving everything he could and more, but I was still dissatisfied. This has changed with time. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a marketing and sales coordinator at De'Longhi.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Kontra Digital?

When I joined the company, there was no one in the marketing department. We wanted to do more in the field of digital marketing, so I started looking for a company to help me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us set up and launch our social media platforms. I gave them a brief and they delivered everything on time. We only had one thing to correct and our headquarters approved everything within three weeks.

Currently, Kontra Digital manages our social media accounts and creates Facebook and Instagram posts for one of our brands. Every month they send me a plan and we discuss the best posts for the season and for each week. In addition, they manage the Google Display Networks for me and send me a monthly report. We're also planning to start Facebook and Instagram for one of our other brands.

We have regular monthly meetings where we discuss our strategy, challenges, and the budget. It's a collaborative process and they've become real partners to us.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with their CEO.

How did you come to work with them?

They were recommended to me. They had the best offer, so I chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about 40,000 EUR ($46,500 USD). It was much less than investing in television or print, but we got a lot more in return.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in October 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a brand awareness campaign in April and May, which included YouTube advertising and Google Display Networking. I just got the results showing that the number of our shares for that brand increased by 10.3%.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They perform very well and accommodate our last-minute requests. We mostly use email to communicate. Our experience working with them has been very positive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very professional, knowledgeable, and easygoing. They're keeping up with the latest trends, which gives me confidence and security.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They do everything I ask of them and we work as a team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a great and highly professional team, so you can expect the best services. They're improving all the time and growing their agency, so they can cater to most of your needs. You can learn from them even if IT is not your specialty.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Kärcher is a German family-owned company that operates worldwide and is known for its pressure washers, other cleaning machines and equipment. Kärcher also offer a wide range of professional cleaning equipment for industry.

I work at the position of digital marketing specialist and was a liaison between Kontra agency and Karcher d.o.o.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kontra?

We hired Kontra as a full service agency to cover up most of our marketing projects, OOH advertising and also management of our social networks.

SOLUTION

How did you select Kontra?

We held meetings with several marketing agencies, gave them a budget and chose the agency which seemed most professional and imaginative.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After an initial meeting Kontra provided us with a media plan which included Google, social media, OOH and radio advertising, PR articles on multiple portals and magazines and social media and influencer management.

What was the team composition?

I have worked closely with Kontra's CEO until they assigned us a key acount manager who informed me about campaign progression, any requirements on their side regarding company's materials they did not have access to. Everything was done on the agency's side, from ideas to design and implementation, we just had to put ok on it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We did not set any KPIs but Karcher had increase in total page visits and views, increase in social media followers and interactions, brand awareness skyrocketed and most imporant, Karcher reached their sales targets.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was great. We were in constant communication adjusting to any new formed situation.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Creativity and easy going mentality. I believe that sometimes there were situations that were unexpected and more difficult to handle but I never got that kind of feedback from them.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Improvements are always welcome, but Our collaboration is excellent, and every task is accomplished with a desire to help. They are providing more points of view and choosing together the solution that suited Karcher the best so in this case everything was perfect.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Export and web sales of Croatian products, ( wine, olive oil, distillates, truffles and beer ), CEO and Founder

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kontra, and what were your goals?

To build our web site and ongoing marketing ( google and FB ads)

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

by recommendation of some friends from companies like Kracher and similar

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We made a plan together and just keep going until every step of the plan wasn't done

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

all together 9 people

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Professionals. Clear plans and a good mindset. Not trying to rip of the client then they showed us each even sometimes small part of the big plan

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They are very professional and on time.

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

it's not important, do you speak with the CEO or with anybody with lower range always the same polite profesionality

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

We have nothing to write here.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The enterprise, of which I am CEO, sells books and expands educational content at the state level.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kontra?

Brand awareness increase and reach to the new short and long-term customers.

What were your goals for this project?

To beat last year results.

SOLUTION

How did you select Kontra?

I have known Ilija and Petar for a long time. I chose them based on my previous experiences and if one thing is for sure, i will tell you that they always delight you.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Google and social media strategy, execution, tracking and reporting. Giving advices on budget. My role was giving them visual content and feedbacks on a weekly basis.

What was the team composition?

Several people are involved. One for each part of the campaign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increase in the number of potential buyers and offers by 100% compared to last year. So for next year the scale is set high.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I consider their team very reachable. We are using apps like Productive and Microsoft Teams so communication is fluent and thats why the answer to this question is...extremely effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a huge amount of knowledge and many years of experience which is amazing. Hard work and results they achieve.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Time will tell us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm owner of the company that is designing and selling planners for women.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kontra?

I hired Kontra for settiing up and managing my google and facebooks ads and campaigns.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to increase sales and web shop clicks and traffic.

SOLUTION

How did you select Kontra?

I was attending some conferences where Ilija was a lecturer, after that I started following Kontra on social networks and used many of Kontra free resources and ebooks on digital marketing and marketing in general. When I was to decide who to hire for managing my campaign there was no doubt that I will hire Kontra agency.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They are positioning my ads on Facebook and Google, taking care of budget spent, advising me on what's the best and sending reports.

What was the team composition?

I work with Ilija and David.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My web traffic increased for 50% and my sales for 100% compared to the same period last year.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Everything is smooth and communication in general is excellent. Very quick to respond and with clear and reasonable answers.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They run my campaign and take care of everything as it is their own campaign and money. They are very knowledgeable and expert in the field. I'm more then satisfied and impressed with the campaign results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything is goo so far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

TECE is a medium-sized, family-owned business. The headquarters are based in Emsdetten. 26 additional sites throughout the world offer competent points of contact, close to you. We are a global manufacturer of sanitary products and installation systems. I'm a marketing manager for the region of TECE Adria.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Kontra?

We hire the agency Kontra to build and to create our Social Media content for our Facebook and Instagram and to ensures that our popularity across social networks is built with a foundation and monitoring that turns popularity into profits for our company.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to be visible in the social media world and to tell our consumers that our brand is active and focused on thriving communication with them.

SOLUTION

How did you select Kontra?

We searched online and found them :)

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

From the first meeting we knew that they were the right agency for us. Everything felt just perfect with them.

What was the team composition?

I have worked closely with one team member of the Kontra agency. My role was to give him just an input for creating the content plan.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had an increase in sales, more communication with our customers and huge brand awareness.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They respond within a couple of hours even on weekends.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The whole team showed unique creativity and excellent communications.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything is just perfect!