Meli Marketing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP & CFO of a wholesale distributor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Meli Marketing?

We hired Meli Marketing to increase our web presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Meli Marketing designed our website. We provided them with business certificates, certifications, and a scope of what we do. They worked on our recycling webpage, so we gave them information on our tools and why people should recycle with us. Meli Marketing controls all of the content for the site. Their team sends me the work to view and approve. They also assist with our Facebook and Google presence and create maps and blogs.

What is the team composition?

We work with Meli (Founder, Meli Marketing) and her team.

How did you come to work with Meli Marketing?

I’ve known Meli for around 15–20 years.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $72,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Meli Marketing in 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My business has gotten multiple leads because of Meli Marketing’s work.

How did Meli Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style is efficient. We communicate through email and phone calls. Once a month, we discuss analytics and ratings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with their responsiveness.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, their team does an excellent job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you provide the scope of work and know what you want to accomplish. Clients should be prepared when doing marketing work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Serene Wax Boutique. We offer hair removal and waxing services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MeliMarketing?

We hired them to help with our online marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we got started, they interviewed us, filmed a short advertising video in our store, and took photos of our products. They also work on our social media posts, which includes making and sharing videos of our local events, and they manage our online reviews.

What is the team composition?

There were five people on their team, including their owner, who was very involved.

How did you come to work with MeliMarketing?

We heard about them through a local restaurant and decided to reach out. Once we saw how professional their team was, we decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $8,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2018 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve done an exceptional job. We’re seeing greater regional exposure online. Our business is in a newly-developed area, so it wasn’t on the maps, and MeliMarketing’s team helped ensure that our locations were visible and easy for customers to find.

How did MeliMarketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re generally responsive. The development team is always in touch with us and the owner always checks up to make sure our project is going smoothly. She’s very diligent about making sure her team follows the plan she’s outlined with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Customer outreach is one of the most important skills in the service industry and they do a great job of making sure our needs are met.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re trustworthy and you can rely on them to do a good job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the general manager and director of marketing for ER Katy. We’re a 24/7, full-service, free-standing emergency room (not attached to a hospital) in Katy, Texas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to raise awareness of our brand strengths in our area to compete with urgent cares, clinics, hospitals, and other free-standing emergency rooms.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to grow patient traffic coming into our ER.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I chose Meli Marketing for several reasons. First, I had worked at a community event with a local company (non-medical) whose business boomed because of their partnership with Meli Marketing. Second, I found Meli's (CEO, Meli Marketing) unique digital marketing tools to be brilliant. Finally, Meli Marketing’s team was highly attentive to my thoughts/goals and came ready with ideas at our first meeting.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Meli Marketing handles almost all of my social media and strategy on multiple platforms.

What was the team composition?

I work directly with Meli. She’s been beyond helpful and has taken ownership of my marketing challenges. Meli has a full staff that assists with content, and I work with three of her marketing specialists. All three have impressed with their work ethic and creativity.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not only has our brand awareness in Katy improved, but our patient traffic has also increased by 30%. It’s important to note that the project is still ongoing.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Using a shared drive, Meli's team and I have shared content development tasks easily. We exchange ideas and strategies quite fast, and I appreciate the complete transparency in their work. I know exactly what I'm paying for. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This is a tough question as I find two aspects to be "most” impressive. First, they possess in-house-developed marketing tools that are quite powerful and efficient across several marketing platforms. Second, their entire team has an optimal combination of creativity, listening skills, work ethic, and accessibility.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I’m sure there are areas for improvement, but I can’t think of any at this point. Meli Marketing has exceeded my expectations on many fronts.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and founder of Mission Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We provide service, repair, maintenance, and installation for heating, cooling, and plumbing systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Meli Marketing?

I didn’t have the resources or time to manage my website’s SEO and overall digital presence, so I hired Meli Marketing to support those efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Meli Marketing handled my social media platforms and online presence. They worked on creating copy, creative, and forming a strategy to optimize the site. In addition, their team created a set of keywords relevant to my business to optimize the site. Currently, they’re working with me to launch an email marketing campaign.

What is the team composition?

My primary contact has been Melissa (Founder, Meli Marketing), but there are several others supporting the project.

How did you come to work with Meli Marketing?

A connection of mine had been vetting companies for a similar project and spoke highly of Meli Marketing. I reached out to their team and felt they were a great fit.

How much have you invested with them?

The project has cost around $170,000, so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in 2016 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our organic footprint has significantly expanded since starting the work with Meli Marketing, which has helped increase our sales and site traffic. Additionally, their support has saved me the time and effort of running the site alone.

How did Meli Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

There haven’t been any issues collaborating. We speak weekly to communicate any updates and progress for our ongoing projects. To approve new materials, we use email. They let me know about any strategy changes with a monthly package of information and we create plans together to move forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They offer large-company amenities while still making me feel valued and important. Their personality comes through and they don’t treat me like just another customer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they could improve on. Whenever we need them to change their approach or strategy, they do it effectively.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With any relationship, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open. Putting conscious effort into the engagement is important.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a law firm in Houston, Texas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Meli Marketing?

We’ve worked together for a long time. They handle my digital marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They do everything from input on my websites to site design. They handle my SEO, PPC, press releases, content, and graphic design, and they support us through all those processes. It’s a collaborative effort. I identify each project and they give me ideas on how to craft a good strategy.

They helped us create URLs and walked us through the procedures to craft content. They gave us key terms and would develop the first drafts of our content. We would edit it a little before doing a press release or a standalone website, then add content to our blogs or to our main site.

We’ve maintained a fairly steady strategy throughout our relationship, but have tweaked some things to keep up with search engines and other environmental changes. We continue to adapt following their guidance.

They do a lot of our social media marketing, including our presence on Google Places, Google Maps, Facebook, and Twitter. We send them a wish list of things we’d like to do and build contracts based on those action items.

What is the team composition?

Meli (Founder, Meli Marketing) is my main point of contact, and we’ve worked together for a long time. She communicates with me directly, but I speak with other members of her team for more granular projects.

How did you come to work with Meli Marketing?

She was recommended to me by my paralegal.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a little over $200,000 throughout our time with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2009 or 2010, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've definitely seen positive impacts from their work. When we run a project with Meli, we almost always get instant gratification.

How did Meli Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They are great project managers and are always quick to adjust whenever anything changes. We have to be prepared for crises, so we often need to move with very little notice. We’re in a competitive market, and we need to strike fast. They always accommodate us.

My staff uses some project management tools, but I tend to speak with Meli directly via phone or email. We also share some information through Google Drive or other sharing channels.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their energy and attitude are fantastic. They do a lot of good for my business, and I really enjoy working with them. They’re always positive, knowledgeable, and upbeat, and they get results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The industry has a lot of turnover, but that’s the nature of the beast. Meli handles it all very well, and we never have any hiccups during transition periods. If there were anything I would improve, it would be the general turnover within the vertical.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Most firms in this market will overpromise and underdeliver and are eager to convince you to take on projects you don’t understand. Meli never does that. She makes everything understandable, and her deliverables are verifiable. I’ve worked with several other firms, but I keep coming back to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of Tobio Sushi. We specialize in higher-end sushi.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Meli Marketing?

As we were a new enterprise, we needed to get our name out to locals via online advertising. We wanted a partner to help us because we were busy with our operations and understood how important marketing was to success.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Meli Marketing launched our brand, including our website and social media presence. Initially, they came to our location to learn our business and vision and create a first wave of ideas. We had no existing content, so they implemented facts about our sushi and uploaded photos of our food. They also compiled a backstory for our chef (his background, his tools) to get people excited about our restaurant.

In addition to digital work, they developed a public relations strategy and launch program for us and helped with our grand opening. Currently, they're responsible for local search and website management. They also connect us to local events and take pictures, which they then send out via social media. Finally, they reach out to social media influencers and set up parties to raise awareness.

What is the team composition?

Meli (Founder, Meli Marketing) is our main contact, but we’ve been in touch with the rest of their team as well.

How did you come to work with Meli Marketing?

We did a bit of research in our local area, asking around at local businesses, and Meli’s name popped up a lot. She came up with a strategy immediately, so it was a no-brainer for us. We knew she’d start our business the right way. So much of what she talked about we hadn’t even though of, like what demographics we needed to target and what keywords we were using.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $15,000–$20,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Meli has taught us that it’s not enough to have good food and service. Marketing is an entirely other world that we wouldn’t be able to succeed in without her. The data she’s shown us regarding our growth, what people are looking for, and what our key demographics are have been outstanding. Running the operational side, I wouldn’t have time to gather and analyze this information without her. Specifically, she identified the search term “rolls” as driving significant traffic to our site. When we added more rolls to our menu, our business grew by 10–15%.

How did Meli Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They're really good in this respect, and we’ve worked well together. They’re organized with their plan of attack, and they do whatever the project needs. Communication is key with anything, and they’re good about it.

I meet them at their office for large projects, and they come to our restaurant if the work requires it. Meli will even come in to eat and see if we need anything. We’ve built a relationship that’s closer to family than business. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Meli communicates very well and gets the job done, no excuses. I’m a fairly exacting client, but Meli is extremely patient and works with me to build my business. Even though we’re well established at this point, Meli continues to find ways for us to improve or keep us from falling into complacency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at this point. We’ve had our struggles, like with any collaboration, but we’ve worked through them. We compromise when we don’t see eye to eye.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should tell her what they want, work with her, and trust her. Communication is key, and nothing should be assumed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a part owner and the president of Zoner’s Restaurant Group, Inc. It’s a restaurant chain with multiple entities. We have two locations in Texas, and we wanted to develop marketing strategies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have two established restaurants in Houston, and we wanted to develop a digital marketing campaign to promote the locations. Ultimately, we were looking to implement the strategies across our other corporate locations, and finally, the entire licensed and franchised chain.

What were your goals for this project?

In further developing our national chain’s brand, we wanted to increase sales and market awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Several people recommended working with Meli Marketing. Their sales representative reached out and expressed interest in working with us. We didn’t plan on engaging them initially, but after I reviewed their team’s portfolio, I knew they’d make the perfect partner.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Though it’s still early in the engagement, we’ve already put together a collection of guidelines for each location that detail various digital marketing and SEO efforts. We’ve also created social media marketing packages for both restaurants that contain creative content, reputation management strategies, advertising materials, and more.

What was the team composition?

Meli Marketing’s team has depth. There’s a specialist for every component of our objectives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve already made noticeable progress toward all of our goals. Total sales have increased, as well as online sales and sales for specific products and items. Our brand awareness has markedly improved. We’re planning future events, and I have confidence that we’ll continue to experience positive results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It’s been very efficient—we follow a strictly defined workflow. Meli Marketing integrated into our project management approach seamlessly. We use a shared Google Drive to distribute information among everyone involved in the project, and a calendar for scheduling. If there are ever delays, it’s usually my fault. Their team has taken a special interest in our project, dedicating hours and hours each week to help us achieve our goals.

Additionally, Meli Marketing has been great about keeping me involved in all of their processes. I have some background in both print and digital marketing, and their team consistently listens to my input. Rather than get annoyed by my persistent involvement, they welcome the collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was initially drawn to them for their industry knowledge eager attitude. I’d been looking for a marketing team for a long time, but I was never really impressed with any of the vendors I considered. Because of my experience in the field, I was a hard sell.

That said, Meli Marketing made a great first impression. As soon as I shared the concept for the project, they started brainstorming solutions on the spot. Their immediate excitement remained constant. The entire team routinely suggests great ideas that generate impressive results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can’t think of anything at this time. So far, my experience has been great across the board.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the president of USA Ninja Challenge Katy. We run an obstacle course training program for children ages 4 through 17.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

As the first USA Ninja Challenge franchise in Texas, we wanted to raise awareness of our offerings and promote the overall brand.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to draw new customers through promotional campaigns.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted an introductory phone call before meeting with the principals. We gave them some background information on our franchise, on ourselves, and our mission statement. They understood us and our values matched.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We wanted to plan and advertise our grand opening. They executed a social media campaign on Facebook and Instagram. They also ran a full digital marketing campaign including SEO. We now have daily social media posts highlighting our programs.

What was the team composition?

We worked with about four people in total, including the firm’s principals and an account lead with whom we communicate frequently.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had over 300 attendees for our grand opening, which was close to our capacity. We sold out birthday party bookings for two months thanks in part to this publicity. We now have the most Instagram followers of any franchise of USA Ninja Challenge.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We shared proofs, ideas, and pictures through a shared Google Drive.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They understood our mission of helping children get active in a sport.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Additional feedback on our social media engagement would be great.