LYFE Marketing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a social media influencer in the wellness and beauty industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lyfe Marketing?

I run my own business, so I needed additional help to manage my website and implement some of my marketing and branding strategies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They oversee my budget for Facebook and Instagram ads, keeping me up to date on what I spend each month. A member of their team also oversees the technical management of my newsletter and blogging site. This includes a la carte projects like creating custom banner ads to support ad campaigns or posting new blog content when I’m promoting a brand sponsorship. I write my own content and provide any photos, but their team assembles all the pieces on the backend and uploads them to my site. With the newsletter, they implemented my design for a template and now I provide them with the monthly content that needs to be inserted. They also handle sending out the mass emails for me.

In addition to the technical things, they also help manage my social media accounts in order to increase engagement on my profiles and build my following. This mostly involves reaching out to other social influencers in my industry and interacting with followers.

What is the team composition?

I have an account manager and two other staff members working with me, and then one of the partners at the company also handles my account.

How did you come to work with Lyfe Marketing?

I found them through an online search. I wanted a company that clearly understood how to use SEO effectively since that’s such a critical component of online marketing. After looking at their website and at some Facebook reviews, I called them to see how they could meet my needs.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent less than $10,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started working with me at the end of October 2017 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve successfully increased my followings across Facebook, Instagram, and my blog. Instagram has shown the most growth, which is partially due to their work, although there were other factors involved as well.

How did Lyfe Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

My account manager is always clear, concise, and organized. She does a good job of overseeing my account and handling all the communication to ensure there aren’t any issues. The rest of their team is very strong as well, although there’s one person who is sometimes not prompt with things.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve provided exactly what I needed. The whole experience has felt very customized to my goals. I can come up with an idea or a vision for my brand and as long as I’m clear in how I communicate it, they’re able to bring it to life.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve streamlined the process now, but when we first started out there was one team member who always seemed unprepared or missed deadlines. After I expressed my concern and worked with that person one on one, I saw an improvement, although I still sometimes feel a little bit like they’re not as on top of things as they could be.

One other thing I’d like to see is a bit more guidance for their clients in terms of giving advice about how to increase growth. Sometimes it’s very one-sided, with me supplying the ideas for where to take marketing campaigns next or how to grow the brand. It’d be nice if they took a more collaborative approach.

In addition, I feel like they’re a little limited as my brand continues to grow. I’m going to need support from someone who has more experience helping bloggers and influencers scale up their businesses, and who’s familiar with the networks of potential sponsors.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They do an excellent job of realizing and implementing your ideas, but you need to be the leader and come up with your own strategies for where to go next with your brand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of a company that provides translation and interpretation services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LYFE Marketing?

We wanted to promote our company to a wider audience across the country. We were hoping social media marketing would help us with that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LYFE Marketing created content for Facebook and LinkedIn, but their focus was on managing the paid section of Facebook. They also managed our other social accounts, including Twitter.

What is the team composition?

The project manager was my point of contact. Other people assisted the project manager.

How did you come to work with LYFE Marketing?

I found LYFE Marketing through an online search and chose them because of their experience. Their prices were fair, considering the number of years they’ve been in business.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $7,000–$9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January until August 2016. I ended our relationship because I went a completely different route. The company that manages our website is now handling our social media marketing as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We got a lot of likes on our Facebook page.

How did LYFE Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a pretty seamless and effective process. We communicated via email and sometimes telephone. They communicated well and handled our questions and requests promptly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’d give them a perfect rating for the way they’d set up their team. I didn’t have any issues with them. In fact, I spoke with the president of their company and told them I’d use their services again whenever I have the need.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would strongly recommend them to any company, small, medium, or large. They’ve been in this business for a long time. If you’re a small company, they can help you grow in the social media area and increase your revenue.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of a firm that provides the outdoor sporting goods industry with software and services to drive revenue and to maintain regulatory compliance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

We needed help transforming our digital marketing program.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to generate scalable revenue through digital channels.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

LYFE Marketing had a stronger command of the digital marketing arena than their peers. They were also able to use simple terms when speaking to our less technologically-inclined executives.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

The started with an evaluation of our current digital marketing program, website, and materials. Based on that review—as well as a conversation about our goals—they created a plan to improve our brand position. In addition to redesigning our website, they manage inbound marketing through PPC, SEO, and our social media channels.

What was the team composition?

Their executive team is in charge of project management while their field staff handles project implementation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen significant increases in traffic, sales leads, and revenue thanks to their innovative social media advertisements and improved keyword ranking.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The project was managed through weekly meetings run by their executive team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're able to simplify our digital marketing and determine what is truly valuable to our revenue model. Their executive team and digital experts are all top notch.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I joke that I wish they were located down the street from our office.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a player in the NFL, so social media is a very important part of my personal image and brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

I needed to increase my brand awareness, which would lead to larger business opportunities such as endorsements.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to expand my brand into both local and international markets through social media.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After having a bad experience with a different company, I was advised by my close associates to look into LYFE Marketing. Instantly, I was met with the level of professionalism and care that I had been seeking since entering the NFL and building my brand from the ground up.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Being a current player in the NFL makes my schedule pretty crazy, so I required a company that would generate promising marketing results such as increased awareness, leads, and sales. LYFE Marketing did just that and more; they've nurtured my brand while producing beneficial results all around.

What was the team composition?

I’ve worked closely with their director of social media management and a digital advertising specialist. I’m more than pleased so far.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve seen tremendous growth for my brand and can witness myself reaching a wider market instantly. They’ve worked efficiently.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I’ve always been able to get in touch with them. They provide comprehensive details when asked by my team, which is something that was lacking with the previous company I employed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I’m very impressed by their professionalism as well as their communication with me on every step in the process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I’m very satisfied with their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the building manager for a large commercial builder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

Lyfe Marketing managed and grew our social media presence. This included daily posts, interaction with prospective tenants, and updates about building events.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to find potential clients for our building and give it a great online appearance.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had met the owners through mutual business contacts.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Lyfe Marketing would update our social media on a daily basis and communicate with potential leads. They would then send our in-house leasing staff leads for the business.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager who handled all elements of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We obtained several leads through social media. I was excited to have an additional channel to grow the real estate business without having to hire internally for the position. This definitely helped increase our revenue.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Once they were up to speed on our needs, communication and workflow were pretty seamless. They updated me weekly and reached out via email with any very specific questions potential clients were asking.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were consistent with their work. I think that is key when working with anyone. Some firms come out of the gate strong and slowly fizzle as months go on. Lyfe continued its strong performance.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. I am a happy client.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is an international nonprofit organization. Our mission is “to advance the awareness, understanding, and practice of servant leadership by individuals and organizations.” As the operations coordinator, I’m in charge of many tasks. In this instance, I focused on marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

We hired LYFE Marketing to redesign our website and produce four high caliber email newsletters per month.  

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to use email newsletters to engage our current members and acquire new ones from our warm email list. The website redesign aimed to facilitate a better UX and goal-oriented focus.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My team and I researched and contacted many companies. I ultimately chose LYFE Marketing due to their fair pricing and contracts, knowledgeable sales team, and positive reviews.

Rather than treating me as just another new client, they genuinely listened to my pain points. They helped me choose services that would bolster the most business growth instead of encouraging me to sign up for ones I don’t need.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Soon after signing on, they sent us a questionnaire to fill out. My director and I met with their staff per service to conduct an onboarding call. We made introductions, asked questions, and established an overview of next steps. Just a week later, they sent my deliverables for the email newsletters. As is reasonable, I had a few edits which they gladly changed. They’ve continued to build on my vision since we’ve worked together for over a year.

For our website redesign, we outlined the scope in the initial questionnaire and refined the design during the onboarding call. They completed my homepage first and then executed on the rest of the site after I gave approval. LYFE Marketing helpfully discerned the best ways to give our website a competitive edge. They adeptly identified the most useful plugins, layout, and copy to include.

What was the team composition?

They assigned us a specific team lead for each service to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I saw an immediate improvement after starting the email marketing campaigns. My open rates and click-through rates increased overnight. LYFE Marketing created a caliber of content and design that our organization simply couldn’t match it in-house. 

After launching the newly redesigned website, we also saw a marked increase in click-through rates to our membership page. Our bounce rates have improved as well. A good number of members have emailed us about how much they appreciated the new site. They’ve praised how easy it is to find what they need, which was our number one goal.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They always made themselves available to us and provided constant new content and frequent updates. We value them as a trusted resource. LYFE Marketing even offered digital marketing recommendations outside the scope. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their vast knowledge of digital marketing as a whole. They took a holistic view rather than limiting our project to just the services I signed up for. I regularly came to them with questions about optimizing work we had in progress. 

They assisted a few efforts I was conducting internally, as well. I much appreciated how responsive they were via email. They always made an effort to ensure I understood everything they did.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No agency is perfect. When there were hiccups in the campaign, though, LYFE Marketing took ownership and made a solid game plan to fix it

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a CPA firm that offers accounting, bookkeeping, and financial services to small businesses and high-income individuals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

We have traditionally acquired our clients through word-of-mouth. We hired LYFE Marketing to grow our business through digital marketing. They have redesigned our website, optimized it for SEO, and launched a social media marketing campaign.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to increase leads for our business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to LYFE Marketing by a friend who is currently their client. We interviewed a few other agencies, but LYFE Marketing was the best option for us.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The overall scope of work aims to increase leads and build awareness of our CPA firm in the local market. LYFE Marketing develops strategies to help us reach our market. Their graphic designers and copywriters produce content that educates our audience about our services. 

What was the team composition?

Our primary contact is our account manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With heavy online advertising during tax season, they have helped us increase traffic and leads by over 400%. Social media engagement is up 1145%. We have built a strong follower base.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We schedule monthly calls. However, they're flexible and accessible if we need to talk about the campaign during the month.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing about this company is their ability to generate results. When we worked with other firms in the past, we couldn't generate any favorable outcomes. LYFE Marketing caught on to our business quickly. Their consistency and proactivity results in more sales.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a real estate company that helps people buy and sell homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

We hired LYFE to provide weekly email marketing services to clients in our database.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to better sustain our relationship with clients in order to increase client awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them via a google search for a "local digital marketing company".

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

LYFE was hired to help with our email marketing and Facebook PPC ads.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a digital marketing manager, social media manager and other team members. LYFE had some internal turnover during the short period we worked together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We didn't see any positive results. When I asked for my money back, they refused and called it "services rendered". I feel swindled and very disappointed.  

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their project management was poor. Most notably, the team promised bi-weekly meetings which they never scheduled or even followed up about.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found their work unimpressive and think that—of the hundreds of other digital marketing companies—this is one I would rather have avoided working with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would recommend they work more meticulously when forming email marketing campaigns, particulary when it comes to something as simple as spelling.

Company Responses

This comment was provided by Sherman Standberry, COO and Co-founder of LYFE Marketing, on June 18, 2018. 

We are sorry to hear about the referenced experienced. Within 60 days, we cut this client's acquisition costs in half through Facebook ads and they received over 30+ conversions within 60 days. There were minor errors that were detected in advanced and did not affect the overall status of this campaign. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of Generation Genius, a startup that produces captivating science videos for children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LYFE Marketing?

As a two-month-old startup, our online presence was nonexistent. We supposed it would be beneficial to partner with a social media management firm who could strategically use our thrilling video content to build up our brand’s awareness.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The objectives were to set up our social media profiles, grow our online audience, and post engaging content five days a week. When they created the Instagram account, underscores were awkwardly placed at the beginning and end of our company name, making it impossible for customers to find us on the platform. They always obscured our site name with URL shorteners, so our followers were skeptical of clicking our links.

We spend millions of dollars to produce our videos in Hollywood. Instead of utilizing our high-quality content, they simply post blurry, indecipherable screenshots of the videos. Their other attempt at engaging content included mundane information copied from the FAQ section on our website.

Their marketing strategy entailed following hundreds of accounts with the expectation that a good portion would follow us back. Although this isn’t against the terms of service, it’s not an effective way to generate quality leads for our business. On Pinterest, we’re following 10 times more accounts than we have followers. It’s a similar case for Instagram, but the ratio isn’t as steep.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked with two individuals directly.

How did you come to work with LYFE Marketing?

We found LYFE while reviewing the top-ranking social media firms on a ratings and reviews site. Their reviews led us to believe that they were competent in their industry, so we hired them.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $10,000 on their social media marketing.  

What is the status of this engagement?

After a two-week delay, they started working on our accounts in February 2018. The partnership ended in May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

LYFE’s work had no positive impact on our business. We occasionally received two likes or comments on a post, but overall no one interacted with the dull content that they posted. They also failed to target the appropriate audience, so no leads were gained while working with them.

How was project management handled?

They delayed the project for two weeks, which was detrimental to the product launch we planned for March 2018. Red flags regarding their professionalism are present throughout the contract. Clients who exceed two hours of phone discussion per month are subject to additional fees, and those who fail to pay on time will be charged a $250 inconvenience fee.  

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

We never experienced any communication issues with their team.

In what specific areas can they improve?

Social media management is an art skill that their team does not possess. When we expressed our issues with them, they refused to hold accountability. 

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

Their positive reviews should be evaluated with skepticism.

Company Responses

This comment was provided by Sherman Standberry, COO and Co-founder of LYFE Marketing, on May 29, 2018. 

We are sorry to hear about the referenced experience and would like to clarify issues within it. This client signed up for a social media management service, which is a not a service that we recommend to clients seeking leads (although the review disputes leads). This service focused on building brand awareness, followers, and engagement. Regarding strategy, there are many moving pieces to our strategic approach that are not mentioned in this client's review. Regarding delays in launching, the only way there would be a delay in a client's campaign is if they signed their contract late, paid late, or did not provide an element necessary for rendering service to us in a timely manner. Our contracts specify this timeline as well. Regarding communication limits, we do impose phone communication limits because we offer our service on a fixed fee basis (and not hourly or on a % of ad spend like some agencies do). However, email communication is unlimited and clients may schedule weekly or monthly calls at no additional charge as long as it fits within the agreed upon time allotment. This limit was set by what we found to be a consistent average throughout our clientele, and 99% of our clients don't have an issue with this. Overall, this client's business was a startup and was with our agency for less than 3 months. This experience is not reflective of our portfolio, as we have several hundred established clients who have been with our agency for a number of years.
 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and co-owner of an indoor trampoline park called Flight Factory Entertainment. This facility provides a fun option in a rural city without many attractions. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire LYFE Marketing?

We hired LYFE Marketing to kick-start a social media campaign for our new company. We simply wanted to drive awareness of our business in the immediate area. However, we aren’t located in a metropolitan city and didn't have the population size to draw a strong audience.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed to market our business six months before opening. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We heard about LYFE Marketing through a mutual friend and kept seeing their customers’ testimonials online. We decided to hire them because of their thorough exploration process and attention to detail in relation to our company. They willing to adopt the identity of our company and represent us in the same way that we'd represent ourselves.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

LYFE Marketing built our website, created our entire Facebook and Instagram marketing strategy, implemented the strategy, and directed our ad expenses within those channels. We provided the funds for the ad expense, and they told us where to spend it; they were right every time!

What was the team composition?

We had one social media coordinator and consistently communicated with the owners of LYFE Marketing, who ensured our needs were being met. We felt like our relationship was important to them. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

LYFE Marketing helped attract over 500,000 visitors to our social media in six months and generated over 7,500 likes. This boosted our sales for the opening month and gave us the strong start we wanted.

Our target market was really engaged in the marketing campaigns, which boosted our business. LYFE Marketing is the only reason that our business succeeded initially. They really exceeded our expectations and surpassed our goals.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They communicated clearly. They always did what they promised and responded quickly to our questions about ongoing services.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was blown away by the level of effort that each person devoted. They really cared about the work they were doing and were truly invested in the results. The team seems to get along well, which created a great experience for us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were extremely pleased with our relationship. I wish they’d posted more for the amount of money we spent. But, we knew and agreed to the amount of posts upfront and were still happy.