LLT Group

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager for a company that manufactures flow-testing equipment for fire protection systems. We specialize in fire hydrants and fire pumps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LLT Group?

For years, people recognized us by our product name rather than our company name. We decided to change the company name to the product name so that people could better identify us, which required a logo and brand redesign.

Additionally, we’ve had our previous site for five years, so it looked dated, lacking adequate e-commerce capabilities and mobile optimization. We wanted to update our site design to reflect the new logo while also improving user functionalities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the most part, LLT Group developed the overall brand design, which became the focal point for our new marketing efforts. They pioneered our branding campaign by updating our logo and color schemes to reflect the new company. They then redesigned our site’s UI to match the new logo and enhanced its e-commerce functionalities using WooCommerce. To support our marketing campaign, they also developed and implemented a print marketing strategy.

What is the team composition?

We worked with multiple project managers who oversaw various aspects of the project. One project manager coordinated the site design while another worked to develop our other marketing collateral. We currently work with a few other team members to maintain the site.

How did you come to work with LLT Group?

We found them online and contacted them. After a bidding and interview process with other companies, we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We prefer to keep the project costs confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work lasted from October 2016–December 2017. They completed the site within the first few months before proceeding to build our marketing materials.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We use Google Analytics to measure our site performance and track month-over-month development. While we noticed some resistance from our longtime users, we’ve seen noticeable growth in traffic and an increase in digital orders. We’ve also recently implemented new metrics to judge our print advertising, so we currently don’t have any feedback on that yet.

In terms of internal feedback, they met our logo design expectations. We wanted an original design that differed from the templates that other small companies used, and they produced strong deliverables.

How did LLT Group perform from a project management standpoint?

When we launched our projects, we would usually visit them onsite and then communicate through email and phone as the engagement developed. They usually responded promptly to our inquiries.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated their dedication to our project. They didn’t just view us as another client; rather, they worked to understand our business and proactively sought different business avenues where they could provide support. With their insight, we considered them more a trusted partner than a vendor.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing particularly comes to mind. Of course, a faster response rate may facilitate communication, but they’re a small firm. As they bring on more clients, their personnel grows, so they’re always improving.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers must have a clear understanding of their current business state, their goals, and their internal limitations. One can’t go into a branding overhaul and expect corporate level design without the financial investment. Having clear, realistic expectations of what one wants to do and what is possible help to facilitate a smooth engagement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

At a corporate level, our company manages a lot of medical waste for companies across the world. Our division specifically manages product recalls for manufacturers and retailers.

What is your position?

I'm the senior marketing communications manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with LLT Group?

We had a website that was very outdated. The back-end structure – the way in which it was built, was very clunky. It took us a long time to make updates to the site. We were looking for someone to help revamp the entire thing into a WordPress site that was more user-friendly, easier to use, and then obviously a new clean look and feel that would better represent our brand.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They were responsible for the back-end redesign of the website. We haven't really leveraged them for SEO [search engine optimization]. We assumed that they would build our website in an SEO-friendly manner, but we didn't really use them for those specific services. They did graphic design for us, and that was a big thing that they've brought to the table for us. The website that they built for our division initially, that same design template is now being rolled out across different divisions across our company. It's kind of the standard template.

How did you come to work with LLT Group?

We had gone through several different providers. We wanted to stick with local companies. We're in Indianapolis and they're in Chicago, so that was still close enough for us in case we had to have in-person meetings. That was very important to us. I think one thing that sold us was that they were very responsive and very knowledgeable.

We did have an initial in-person meeting with them, and we just could tell that it wasn't a bunch of fluff. They knew what they were talking about and that they were experts at what they did. I think those are some of the key things that really sold us. We also looked at things like price, turnaround time and, considering all of those things together, they ended up being the best choice for us.

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

I would say all in, everything that we have spent with them, is in the $10,000 to $50,000 range at this point.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working with them in the spring of 2014, and the website was completed during the summer timeframe [2014]. We have since used them for another website early this year [2015]. In the past, we've had separate websites for different business units. The first one that we approached them with was for our environmental solutions business, and that's the one that we rolled out sometime toward the end of last year. Then, we applied that same look, feel, and design to our product recall business, which is what I was telling you about before. We rolled that out earlier this year – I think in March.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any feedback from this engagement?

We clearly felt good about the first website they built for us because we used them to build another one. We wanted to follow the same structure – the same look and feel. We were pleased with the aesthetics, the overall design, and how professional and clean looking it was. One of the nuances to our site that we rolled out this year was that we actually created both an international and a U.S. version, and it was important that we have a design that could apply in both markets, which they did a really good job of.

In terms of navigation, we also felt it was really clean. A lot of their suggestions were driving to a really good user experience, which we appreciated. We've been pleased with how they built the back-end of the website. It's definitely more streamlined than what we had previously. There were a couple of things we ran into lately where we are having to make some tweaks to what they did but, overall, it was definitely an improvement from what we had before.

What distinguishes LLT Group from other providers?

What I really appreciate about LLT Group is that they are so responsive. I feel like the customer is always first. We've had different changes in the scope of our projects or changes in parameters and I've had to go to them with last minute requests. They're always more than willing to help, no matter what, even if it's last minute. I really appreciate their responsiveness.

Is there anything LLT Group could have improved or done differently?

The only thing I'd say, and this is I guess the downside of being so responsive and accommodating, sometimes it can become hard for them to manage all of our competing requests because we do throw a lot to them. Maybe, sometimes, it might be helpful to have another project manager involved in some of the things. But, again, I just really appreciate them being willing to accommodate whatever we ask.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We have a couple different companies they've done some work for, but the primary company is Mosquito Squad. We're in the mosquito control industry.

What is your position?

I'm one of the principals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with LLT-Group?

We were looking for a new platform for our services. We had a website, but it was kind of Mickey Mouse. For the type of business that we're in and the volume of the business that we're doing, we needed to take it to the next level, or actually probably take it up five levels. We contacted them, and they just went through and redid our entire site. Also, planning for everything that goes with it, meaning blogging, SEO [search engine optimization], organic, pay-per-click, just putting a whole plan together and sticking to it, that's going to help us grow our business.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They did Web design, SEO, blogging, and social media. Not as much social media I would say. We already have our own Facebook page, so we're linking to that. We're spending a little bit of money on a monthly basis with organic, obviously trying to do all the right things, and have a process in place to start helping us rank higher for all the keywords and placement that you want to get within the area of the internet that we're trying to reach.

How did you come to work with LLT-Group?

I didn't actually choose them. At the time, I had another business partner, and a friend of mine uses them. Initially, we decided to meet with them, and they were definitely notches above the people that we had been talking to. The way I see it in the industry is, you have the people who don't have a big budget – they're with a firm, but they don't have the knowledge or the expertise to get you where you need to go – then you've got the mid-range, and then you've got the big boys.

Even though they're a small firm, they've got the knowledge and the expertise. You need to be willing to spend the money, because it's not cheap. There's a lot of things you have to do, and you don't magically start ranking for the top five keywords in your industry just because you built a website. You can build a website, and that's great, but if nobody can see you online, they're never going to find you. That's where they significantly helped.

Nobody has all the answers, and I think they're learning every day, but at the end of the day, it's all about traffic and how many people you can drive to your site on the Internet. I think they've done a great job.

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

I'm sure we're in the six figures. We started with one section of the site, and then we added a lot. We just added a whole video feature where we can upload all kinds of videos to the site and any type of news stories and things on the news that people can see. That was another three or four thousand. You keep finding ways to improve the site, and then obviously building all the landing pages for the site, organic, and pay-per-click. It's not cheap, but if you want to try to blow away your competitors, you have to be online.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's always ongoing. I think we contracted with them in January of this year [2015]. That was for the mosquito site. They built our other company's site last year, and that wasn't them doing the full work. At the time, one of our partners was involved in a lot of the design and mainly handled that. We're actually going to redo the whole site, and let LLT have a 100 percent input, instead of only 40 percent like last time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We haven't been able to analyze the data. We've been so busy. We're busy about two months out of the year, that's our sale season. We'll go back and analyze all the data once we get through the middle of August or so.

I can tell you this, without the shadow of a doubt, the volume of Web leads coming through into our business is tenfold higher. We also do a tremendous amount of marketing. I do a bunch of radio, and we tell people to Google us. We have a pay-per-click ad there, and they click on it.

In this industry, people want to go to a website, they want to read more about what you do and how it works. We feel like the more you can educate the consumer on the site, the more likely you are to get that business. We're contemplating putting together a whole "how it works," along with a lot more narrated video of what we do. Then on the back-end of our site, we may add a function where we can have employees login and do all of our training and develop our course online directly on the site. I would do this in conjunction with LLT-Group.

What distinguishes LLT-Group from other providers?

They're a lot more knowledgeable. It depends. You can look at it a couple different ways. When you look at it as building a website, that's one thing, but everything that goes with that website is another. I'm sure some people have one company build a website, and then they have their own people doing all their SEO and everything. I like the fact that they're good at both. LLT-Group becomes an extension of your business. That's what I like about them. It's not a low-cost item, but it's probably one of the most needed items in businesses.

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

Honestly, some of it's my fault, but I really like companies to be proactive in what they're doing, what their timelines are, what you're spending, where the money is going, and having a detailed report and not having to ask for it, just so that the customer has a better idea of what's going on. They should just be able to provide a recap of all the information that they have, and it needs to be proactive in getting there. I think that can be improved.

To me, it should be a standard thing. It's not that they don't already have that information, because they do, but I feel like I shouldn't have to ask for it. I think it should just be a part of a summary that gets sent to the client every Friday.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We provide investment reports to the individual investor market. It provides them a platform to login, to type in a stock symbol, like Microsoft or Apple, or something like that. Obviously, my company creates, and then outputs. It provides a nice Web platform for investors to access stock reporting.

What is your position and responsibilities?

I am one of the original founders of Equity Set Data. I founded it with two other individuals. My role in the beginning was working on the algorithm for the reports, and conducting the actual analysis and metrics we used to output pricing. My role now is more focused on marketing, and working on strategies for pushing out and getting more users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with LLT-Group?

The main challenge was the fact that what myself and the others had created, it was all via [Microsoft] Excel. There's a language called Visual Basic in Excel. We did all of the programming and all of the data grabbing, that was going online to resource Yahoo data and Google data and pulling that information on MSNBC. The challenge was taking the work we had done and automating it.

We first needed to design a website around it that allowed people to sign up, and then actually create the platform. We exported the reports in PDF form, so we would submit these, and people would log on and they'd be able to download PDF reports. We wanted to make it so they type in a symbol and it populates live reports. Besides automating it, the challenge was also finding the data sources that we could pull from to generate these reports as soon as somebody enters a symbol.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The only thing we came to them with was a logo, so we kind of had the branding and coloring set. They did the Web and, obviously, the programming involved with that. They used API [application programming interface] calls to a big finance data provider, which could live stream the data in.

They did a lot of programming in that aspect of it, but they built the databases around it. They pulled in the information; they made sure of the payment processing, so that when users sign up, they can do recurring billing and they can cancel their accounts as well as free trials and different promo codes. They also did a lot of the back-end work to make the nuts and bolts work as well.

How did you come to work with LLT-Group?

To be honest, I really just started by searching around online, "Web developers." I made a list, and then I narrowed it down. I went to a bunch of firms' websites and chose the ones whose work I liked stylistically, but who were big enough and smart enough to handle the programming challenge.

I narrowed it down to about 10 to 15, and then I submitted contact forms. At that point, I felt comfortable with all the people I contacted, and it came down to getting proposals. I submitted a form to them, they got back, and I had multiple calls with a lot of different agencies about the scope of it.

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

The web project was in the range of $40,000 to $60,000. I'm excluding things such as ongoing marketing. They also do pay-per-click and other services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We did it in phases. What we developed is only open to a beta group, so there are still more steps. For the first phase, it was getting some basic landing pages up, and that took around three to four weeks. Then, until we had the actual site live, it probably took another three months.

All in all, I'd say four to five months, and that's where we had a working site. Now, we have kind of paused, but the intent is to go back and keep scaling up.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We wanted simple and easy to use. We're floored just because we're numbers-oriented, so we don't really have a design sense, but what they put together for us was amazing, in terms of the charting and graphing, and all those different things, incorporating that into the brand. We also get general feedback from users saying, "This is cool. I've never seen anything like that." Our personal feedback was, we hadn't seen anything quite like it, either. 

What distinguishes LLT-Group from other providers?

I always find it comforting that I have one project manager. Whenever I have a question outside of my manager's expertise, they'll loop in someone else. I really feel like if I need anything, I have someone there at LLT-Group that I can talk to. That's what stood out for me.

Also, I visited their offices, and meeting them face to face was a selling point for me. They were showing me the capabilities they had, and that one person, to this day, I could pick up the phone and call him, and he'd still be aware of me and of my account.

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

I really wouldn't say so. Not being familiar with the process, I don't know how the front-end and back-end development works. So there were times when I was confused about things, but they always followed up, they always sent me deliverables. They'd always try to educate me. That's the only thing that I can think of. When it comes down to it, it might've just been my ignorance of never having gone through someone to build a website, or built a website, so I just wondered sometimes what things mean.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & Principal of Kairos Commercial

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Tenant Rep Commercial Real Estate Firm

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire LLT Group to accomplish?

• Company Name and Brand
• Company Logo
• Website Design

SOLUTION

How did you find LLT Group?

Other

Why did you select LLT Group over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from LLT Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Company Name - They assisted in creating my name and stress tested it.

Full Branding/Logo Design - They created my logo & brand colors.

Website Design - They built my entire website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Not applicable yet.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project management was one of LLT's biggest strengths. They delivered everything they committed to on time and were extremely responsive throughout the entire process.

What stood out most was that I never had to re-explain my vision. I shared my goals and the direction I wanted to take the company at the beginning, and the same team stayed involved from start to finish. There was never a handoff to a junior team member or someone unfamiliar with my business, which made communication seamless and efficient.

They were also incredibly patient with me. I'm very detail-oriented, and I asked for plenty of revisions and questions along the way. Every recommendation came with thoughtful reasoning and always took my budget into account. At no point did I feel pressured into unnecessary work or additional costs.

By the end of the project, they felt less like a vendor and more like a trusted partner invested in the long-term success of my business.

What was your primary form of communication with LLT Group?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed me most was how quickly they understood both my business and my vision. After a single conversation, they "got it." I never felt like I was starting from scratch with each meeting or explaining my goals over and over.

I also appreciated that every recommendation had a purpose. Nothing felt generic or driven by upselling. They took the time to explain the reasoning behind their suggestions and always kept my budget and long-term goals in mind.

Finally, they truly became a partner rather than just a marketing agency. Even after the project, I know they'll continue to be a valuable resource as my business grows. That level of trust and confidence is rare, and it's what sets LLT apart.

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

Nope. Transparency is key for me and they delivered in every way.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Business Development of PRS

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

PRS is an IT field service outsouce provider providing cabling, installation, maintenance and warehousing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire LLT Group to accomplish?

• New Web Site
• Inbound leads
• Thought Leadershipo

SOLUTION

How did you find LLT Group?

Online Search

Why did you select LLT Group over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from LLT Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Replace existing website with a new brochure type website with SEO links that lead to higher quality leads.  Feature the services offered by PRS, the industries they serve, FAQs, and set up Google Analytics to refine our search to achieve high quality inbound leads. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are just launching so we do not have measurable outcomes as of yet.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project Management was excellent, communication was continuous and LLT was highly responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with LLT Group?

Virtual Meeting

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

They made a real effort to understand our business, which made their recommendations helpful to the overall success of the outcome. 

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

No we are very happy with their project approach and deliverables. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Founder of a consulting company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company is a strategy consulting firm focused on helping Corporates and Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to grow their business profitably

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire LLT Group to accomplish?

• We just launched our new firm and needed to design and launch a website advertising our services, clients, insights and industries that we serve.

SOLUTION

How did you find LLT Group?

Online Search

Why did you select LLT Group over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from LLT Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We prepared content to support a kick-off in terms of the information and high-level sections we wanted in a site. There were several formal rounds of feedback, but informal discussions along the way that were very helpful for us to fine tune what we wanted.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The new site is great! We're very happy with how it turned out.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Very professional. Attentive to details, which was important given the amount of content and some changes along the way.

What was your primary form of communication with LLT Group?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They were very well organized at every step. They made it easier for us to do our part to get what we were looking for.

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

none noted

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of a financial services company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company is the nation's number 1 source for business loans and with over 50 years of combined experience

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire LLT Group to accomplish?

• we needed a new website to optimize my digital presence.

SOLUTION

How did you find LLT Group?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select LLT Group over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from LLT Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We have initially devised a project plan with LLT Group’s team to specify my timelines and development needs. After the scoping stage, they’ve then built the website based on our requirements and brand guidelines.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

LLT Group’s has crafted a user-friendly website that impressed our customers, resulting in a traffic increase. Their feedback our my primary success metric for LLT Group’s work.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We mainly communicate via email. LLT Group has excellent communication and project management skills. Apart from that, they respect our timelines and budget.

What was your primary form of communication with LLT Group?

Email or Messaging App

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

we are most impressed with their quick response rates and reasonably priced services.

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

We honestly haven’t encountered any performance-related issues from their end. LLT Group was a dedicated and accommodating partner through the years.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am an executive at an it services company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company helps developers and companies build a bold new world through GenAI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire LLT Group to accomplish?

• We hired LLT Groups with the specific goals and objectives of achieving integrated, vibrant, and streamlined solutions for our business
• To enhance our operations, optimize efficiency, and improve overall business performance.
• We chose LLT Groups with the explicit intent of obtaining efficient, lively, and integrated solutions for our company.

SOLUTION

How did you find LLT Group?

Online Search

Why did you select LLT Group over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from LLT Group were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The scope of work with LLT Groups encompassed implementing integrated and streamlined solutions for our business. This involved comprehensive analysis of our existing processes, identifying areas for improvement, and developing customized software solutions. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The collaboration with LLT Groups resulted in measurable outcomes that demonstrated significant progress and success. We experienced improved operational efficiency, streamlined workflows, enhanced data accuracy, and increased productivity. Additionally, the implementation of their solutions resulted in cost savings and better resource utilization. These outcomes positively impacted our overall business performance.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

LLT Groups showcased excellent project management skills throughout our engagement. They consistently delivered items on time, adhered to project milestones and deadlines, and effectively communicated any potential delays or challenges. They were highly responsive to our needs, actively seeking feedback and incorporating it into the project development process. Their proactive approach and ability to address our concerns promptly were truly commendable.

What was your primary form of communication with LLT Group?

Email or Messaging App

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

What impressed us the most about LLT Groups was their ability to deliver integrated and vibrant solutions tailored to our specific business needs. They demonstrated a deep understanding of our industry and business processes, resulting in customized software solutions that seamlessly integrated into our operations. Their attention to detail, commitment to quality, and innovative approach were truly remarkable.

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

No. They consistently exceeded our expectations.