Little Guy Branding

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the executive director of Dreamweaver Foundation, a nonprofit organization based out of Omaha, Neb. We work to fulfill lifelong dreams for terminally ill seniors in need. We strive to improve their quality of life and are committed to honoring what we call “our most cherished generation” in their final days.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Little Guy Design?

When I first joined the organization, I was an operation of one person, tasked with building capacity and managing all functions of operations. One of our biggest challenges was building brand awareness of our organization. We felt we had a huge opportunity to do that through social media. We were looking to redevelop our website and integrate our CRM, as well as promote our work through social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Little Guy rebuilt and redesigned our WordPress website, integrating our CRM from a third party that allowed us to create custom forms, newsletter templates, and add features like a donation and signup section. The way they set up the site allows our team to easily upload photos and information on newly featured dreamers. They also set up our Google Analytics for us to start monitoring metrics and site performance.

Then, they worked on our social media strategy, setting up a customized calendar to work from. They continue to manage our Twitter and Facebook accounts, and created a YouTube channel to host our video content.

Recently, their team also helped me write a press release for a special feature. 

What is the team composition?

I only work with Matt Stewart (Designer/Developer, Little Guy Design) and Paul Eide (SEO/Social Media/Content Marketing, Little Guy Design). Our personalities mesh well together—they're very open, honest, and professional communicators.

How did you come to work with Little Guy Design?

An organization we'd worked with previously introduced us. I met with several other companies, but ultimately felt Little Guy Design was the most qualified for the job.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $25,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've worked together since August 2016 and are budgeted to continue the relationship through 2018. I've been in touch with them almost every day throughout our collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Little Guy Design's work has increased our Facebook following from under 100 to well over 600 people in one year. Digital engagement has grown exponentially and we're way beyond where we thought we'd ever be.

Their assistance with a press release had a huge reach, with 129 newspapers picking up the story nationwide. We were featured on a few news channels and on the front page of four newspapers.

We've seen direct donations go up significantly as a direct result of improvements they've made to the website. Similarly, many people have been so emotionally moved by our social media posts that it's brought in a new stream of donations.

How did Little Guy Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We're in touch on a daily basis either through email or Slack, meeting every other month for an in-person overview. If I ever have a concern, they discuss it with me and fix it immediately.

There have been times I was up late at night, sent Matt or Paul an email, and they got back to me on Slack right away so the issue could be fixed before the next morning. They've been flexible around what works for my schedule in that way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're small, personable, and down-to-earth kind of guys. Unlike other agencies, they don't make you feel low on their list of priorities and you work with the people you talk to. I know when I call Paul or Matt that they're doing the work for me—that makes a huge difference.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not yet.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into it prepared. Be concise about what it is you want and don't be afraid to sit down with their team and ask a lot of questions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an optometrist and president of Ideal Eyecare.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Little Guy Design?

We wanted a strong digital presence when we opened the practice because most patients find us online through insurance databases or search engines.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built and designed the website to align with our March 2015 opening. The site features call to actions for users; clients can use the online scheduler and submit paperwork to save time at our office. The site also lets users check accepted insurance plans. The SEO work focuses on keywords for Google and Bing in the local market.

Currently, Little Guy Design creates content for Google postings and Facebook. We’re about to increase the number of social media platforms they manage.

What is the team composition?

At first, the designer/developer was my contact person; he helped build the website. Since the site’s launch, I’ve worked with him and the SEO and marketing specialist.

How did you come to work with Little Guy Design?

I met one of the team members at a business networking group. At the time, I didn’t own a practice. However, I got to know him and became impressed by Little Guy Design’s portfolio. I knew I wanted to work with them by the time I opened the business.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $1,500 per month, which totals between $50,000–$55,000. We expect costs to double after we finish acquiring another practice.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in November 2014 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

January 2018 was a great month; our rankings were very high for local searches. We’re seeing even more positive patient reviews. Little Guy Design has been able to build on this growing success; the practice now appears on Google Maps.

How did Little Guy Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We’re constantly in touch, communicating at least once a month. They send me monthly progress reports and are easily accessible when I have questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team constantly educates themselves about trends and industry practices. They stay ahead of changes to Google’s or Bing’s algorithms. That expertise plays a significant role in our strategy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve never had anything to complain about.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep asking questions because SEO has a lot of changing factors to consider.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director and president of franchising and marketing for a non-medical in-home healthcare company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Little Guy Design?

We started 10 years ago as a local company. In order to establish a successful franchise model, we need national recognition for our brand. Our website plays a really important role in establishing the brand but it was a very old design and wasn't user-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had multiple meetings to discuss what we wanted to achieve. They created an architecture of the project and now are executing on it. They completely redesigned the main pages of the website. They also built several new WordPress pages including a franchising page, a university page, and portals for all of the franchisees. The university page allows our clients that are caregivers to log on and get additional training. The portals provide franchisees all the different materials needed to run their business as well as access to the training university for their employees.

They're still building out content for us, hundreds of pages that all connect and link back to each other. There’s a lot of interactivity and numerous forms. They’re tying all of the work together through an SEO strategy and social media engagement. They've got us writing blogs and posting more often on social media, and everything links back to the website. They also maintain our system and host our sites on their server.

What is the team composition?

I talk to Paul [SEO lead, Little Guy Design] and Matt [owner/designer, Little Guy Design]. They have a great team doing the work but I always deal with the two of them.

How did you come to work with Little Guy Design?

I researched different companies and felt they knew how to handle SEO and website work as well as how to draw national attention.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together about a year and a half ago [mid 2016] and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They send me reports every month on SEO results, how many clicks we're getting on the website, and how long people stay on each webpage. They allow me access to the analytics so I can go on and track their progress. So far we’ve seen the numbers increasing every month.

The site is very user friendly and easy to use even for our clients that are seniors. It was very important to us that all of our clients and franchisees could get on the site, manipulate it, and easily find what they're looking for. They’ve definitely succeeded in accomplishing that goal.

How did Little Guy Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great. They’re always willing to come down here and meet with us in person. All it takes in one phone call and they're right there to help us out. Paul has his strengths and Matt has his strengths and they complement each other. These guys are on the ball.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've worked with a lot of different providers but now I won't use anybody other than Little Guy Design. These guys are personable. They sit, listen, and pay attention. Too many web designers tell you it needs to be done a certain way because it's easier for them. Little Guy Design listens to what you want done and then makes it work. If there's a problem they come down and talk to you and will never blow you off.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of your goal so they can execute exactly what you want. Tell them your story and they’ll listen.