Pen & Mug

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Digital Innovation and Technology of Appalachian Voices

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Environmental nonprofit that brings people together to protect the land, air and water of Central and Southern Appalachia and advance a just transition to a generative and equitable clean energy economy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Create a new design for our website
• Build the site on a new Wordpress installation to remove outdated proprietary code
• Improve back-end functionality for the team's end users

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Appalachian Voices website was outdated in more ways than one. First of all, the design had not been updated in many years, and was in need of a total refresh. Secondly, the site was hosted on an outdated version of WordPress and MySQL, but due to some proprietary custom code, it was impossible to update those without breaking the website. And thirdly, the custom code meant that the visual editor had to be turned off, requiring the staff to edit HTML each time they needed to add a post or a page. And the website in question was massive - at the start of the project we had over 670 pages and nearly 6,500 posts.

Our key deliverables included:

• Two updated designs (one for our main organization and one for our news publication) that would appeal to a wide range of supporters and visitors, from all ages and backgrounds, and designs would keep content front and center
• Rebuilding the site on a fresh Wordpress installation
• Installing a robust visual editor to make it easier for organizational staff to update content
• Design a series of modular components to make it easier to maintain consistency in design while allowing for some latitude in page design for our staff

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Pen & Mug delivered two completed and beautiful designs for our website, one for our main organization and one for our news publication. Both designs fit our desire to be forward-thinking but also accessible to our rural followers and supporters. 
They migrated over and designed 335 total pages (after we trimmed out a bunch of old content!), and a final total of over 6,700 posts. They installed Beaver Builder as our visual editor, and trained our 6 Communications team members in how to use it. They created dozens of templated modules within Beaver Builder for us to use to keep our design consistent, from full page layouts to individual row modules.

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

Austin, Jeremy and Rachel at Pen & Mug were an absolute joy to work with. Rachel did a great job keeping the meetings and project on track, and Jeremy and Austin were very responsive to questions and feedback. The overall project took us longer than expected, but that was due to holdups on our end and not Pen & Mug's, and also due to the massive size of our website and myriad and complicated automations we asked for. 100% satisfied!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I could say so much about Pen & Mug and how easy they were to work with as they went to the mat to bring us the perfect solution to our needs. Their open, collaborative work style, the way our teams meshed to become one cohesive unit working together toward our common goal, their breadth of knowledge and skills, their warm and friendly attitudes that made working on the project much more enjoyable. 
P&M's combined talent easily matches the offerings of much larger companies, and their genuine appreciation and enthusiasm for their clients shines through. They honestly care about their clients and yearn for the success of their projects. We will 100% be working with them on other projects!

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

I honestly can't think of anything right now - their work ethic is excellent, their talent is voluminous, and they showed great patience in dealing with OUR scheduling challenges. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director of the organization

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a nonprofit bringing personal development education to students in high school in the Los Angeles area!

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Complete Our Website
• Create Consistent Branding and a Unique Tone
• Create content pieces to use in other areas

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We engaged a qualified and experienced web development agency to design, develop, and launch a new website for our organization. The purpose of the project was to create an engaging and user-friendly website that accurately represented our mission, programs, and impact, while also incorporating a fresh and dynamic branding strategy. The primary objectives of the project were as follows: 

• Develop a visually appealing and intuitive website that effectively communicated our mission, programs, and impact. 
• Create a cohesive and modern branding strategy that reflected the values and goals of our company. 
• Enhance the user experience by improving website navigation, accessibility, and responsiveness. 
• Optimize the website for search engines to increase visibility and reach. 
• Integrate social media platforms to facilitate engagement and communication with our target audience. 
• Provide training and support to our staff to ensure efficient content management and website maintenance. 

The selected agency was responsible for the following deliverables: 

• Website Design: Developed a visually appealing and modern website design that aligned with our branding guidelines and incorporated user-friendly features. 
• Branding Strategy: Developed a comprehensive branding approach across the website and icons that can be used beyond the website for consistency. 
• Training and Support: Provided training to our staff on website management, content updates, and basic troubleshooting. 
• Quality Assurance and Testing: Conducted thorough testing to ensure the website functioned properly across various devices and browsers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Completion of website Completion of training Completion of branding items Completion of multiple newsletters branded in line with website

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

They did an incredible job! They delivered in a timely manner and were all-star partners!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their actual designs were really remarkable - or team does not have designers on it, so getting someone who could bring our culture into the branding without our ability to verbalize what we needed was exceptional. I would also say that their company culture was amazing - they were truly wonderful to work with, made the experience easy, and made every encounter wonderful.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

No! They did great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Associate Pastor of Worship of a non-profit company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an active body of believers that exist to share the gospel

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Modernize our public visibility
• Give us a suite of graphic and tools
• Provide a fresh perspective on how we present ourselves to the public

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

When we found Pen & Mug we were in the early stages of deciding what we needed to do . We knew we needed to change how we presented ourselves to the public, but were torn between refreshing our existing graphics suite or moving forward with a complete overhaul. P&M began the process by helping us clarify our goals through a simple series of tasks that were thought provoking and enlightening. 

Through our conversations we quickly realized that a new logo and graphics suite were warranted. Their research and discovery process ended up being critical to the success of the project as a whole. During the initial phases of the project P&M discovered a powerful image on our social media site that was regionally synonymous with our church. Their team was able to graft that picture into a simple, recognizable image that truly represents who we are. 

They surrounded it with various configurations and animations giving us a suite of graphics that were the culmination of our desires and their expertise. They furthermore enhanced the package with a strong color palette, audio samples, and more. Their team was responsive to our thoughts while providing feedback and guidance. They were extremely patient and professional throughout the process

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Congregational response- we presented our new logo as part of our vision during the sermon on 1/7/23. The image our graphic was born from has a deep connection in the recent life of our church and our community as a whole as it was a singular sign of hope during a recent regional tragedy. Though we were internally excited about the new direction there is always a concern when presenting new, bold ideas to a diverse group of 250+. 

There was a slight audible gasp when the new image was shown in conjunction with the social media picture it was made to reflect. People connected with the new imaging in a real, personal way. When the service was completed people of all ages and backgrounds were excited and supportive of the new direction.

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

Pen & Mug was always on top of the project. In fact, their patience with us may have been one of their most impressive attributes. During our project we had multiple factors that set us back significantly. This project could've easily been done within 3 months, but P&M remained patient and professional throughout the process. They were prompt when responding to concerns or questions and always seemed to be working to give us what we wanted. 10 out of 10 in service!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their insight into who we were and what we needed could almost be described as intuitive. We sought out professional assistance because we knew we needed help, but were candidly skeptical how well a company that specialized in the public marketplace would be able to help a church. They were on point from the first presentation. VERY impressive!

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.
I am the VP Marketing of Solutions by Text

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
B2B software: Messaging and payments for consumer lending

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Create brand experience for major customer event
• Develop brand experience for all customer-facing collateral
• Design ad creative for targeted ABM campaigns

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?
Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• High quality output

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?
2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
Developed our entire visual identity for major customer conference -- from physical signage to business cards to agendas to keynote presentations to name badges. Pen + Mug also acts as our full design partner -- they design all collateral and ad creative that our internal team creates. They have designed white papers, one pagers, email headers, and multiple ad campaigns.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Consistent branding across market-facing materials - approvals and compliments from rest of internal team 
2. Elevated visual experience at our major customer event - many comments about how our branding made us look like a bigger company than we really are (that was our goal). From customers to CEO, many compliments about polished yet human look and feel.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
Excellent project management. Always clear and concise. Extremely responsive via project tool and email alike. All deadlines met and all work high quality. When last-minute requests came in, quick to help us re-prioritize work to get the most urgent needs filled first.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

1. Extremely high quality work 
2. Reasonable turnarounds and adherence to timeline commits 
3. Great people to work with

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?
We are very happy with this relationship. No notes.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive at True South Puzzle Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We design and distribute jigsaw puzzles - B2B and B2C

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Our initial game plan was to create your visual brand identity redesign and packaging redesign. From there we’ve added on the website revamp, copywriting, socials and more!

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

• Visual brand identity redesign 
• Company tagline and copywriting for web + socials 
• Packaging redesign 
• New and improved website design + dev 
• Product photography 
• Ongoing creative partnership to produce consistent social media content 
• Other miscellaneous graphic design and branding needs

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've had very positive feedback from our wholesale customers on the new packaging and logo. We've noticed an uptick in our social media presence and have had more engagement from users on the platforms we use (Instagram and Facebook)

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

Austin and his team were very responsive for the duration of our project (brand/logo refresh & packaging) They've exceeded our expectations; we love the finished product!

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

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

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

We were so impressed with Pen & Mug's handling of our brand refresh that we hired them to create our new website and content/copywrite for our social media outlets. We meet with them every other week via Zoom and they always have a professional presentation of the creative content they have been working on.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

Honestly, no! They far exceeded our needs and expectations!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of KP Financial Consulting

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a fractional CFO company that helps small businesses solve their financial problems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Logo Design
• Design for social media profile images + banners and post graphics
• Apply brand styles to existing website

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

I requested a logo that could be used as a banner and badge, as well as graphics for social media, and a website revamp to reflect my new branding.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prior to obtaining all of my graphics, I didn't feel like my business was "official." Now that I have a cohesive brand (including a logo, socials, website, business cards, letterhead, etc.), I feel more confident in saying "I am a business owner and here's how I can assist you." I have had many clients and personal contacts positively comment on the look of the logo.

They (and I) think the logo is very professional and approachable, which are the two words I continued to stress to the team at Pen and Mug. I am thrilled that I now have a brand that I am confident I will be able to use for years to come!

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

Austin (Director) was great to work with! Once we got started, I had all of my deliverables within a week! I was so impressed and felt like I was a priority to the team.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

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

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

I was impressed with the number of options I received in the initial brand meeting. The team gave me a questionnaire to get a feel for what type of brand I wanted. Once this was filled out, they had many designs for me to review. We then worked together to figure out which one made the most sense for me and my business.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President and Director of Operations of Operation Andrew Group.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We seek to unite the Body of Christ as we partner with the local church to love God and our neighbors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

Website redesign and consolidation of 3 existing entities and 1 new initiative into one cohesive website experience that represents Operation Andrew Group well and can grow forward as the organization does. Something the team can be proud of!

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Website redesign and development for operationandrew.org, united4hope.org, and oakprojectmentorship.org into one consolidated and cohesive website to present as more of a unified organization and to simplify website management and maintenance. 
• Create pages for the new initiative United4Pastors, as well. 
• Branded email signatures and other graphic design support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have heard nothing but great feedback from everyone. Our team has gained new momentum and is excited to point people to the MUCH-improved website!

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

Austin and the team (Rachel, Jeremy, and Kyle) were always on schedule and demonstrated the most flexibility and professionalism of any team anywhere! No matter what we threw at them, they responded with enthusiasm.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They were willing to tackle anything, and their dispositions were so warm and welcoming. I never once heard negativity or complaining.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

NO!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Knitting in the Good

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We equip knitters & crocheters with premium supplies, classes, and community events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Brand identity design
• Packaging design

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

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

How many teammates from Pen & Mug were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Design an original visual brand identity (primary logo + multiple variations) 
• Brand Guidelines (overview of guidelines for logo usage, decorative elements, colors, and fonts) 
• Digital profile + banner graphics for all social media platforms 
• Design a template for product packaging bands

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My vision for Knitting in the Good evolved from a vision to a real live brand! I now have a Brand Book with all elements documented - logos, fonts, colors, etc. as well as templates in Canva. I've been able to effortlessly create marketing materials that look amazing and consistent!

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

Items were delivered in a timely manner, often quicker than expected. They were very receptive to feedback and addressed any questions and concerns.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

Virtual Meeting

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

They go the extra mile with attention to detail. Their creativity, talent, customer service, and expertise are top-notch!

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

I really can't think of anything! Keep up the great work!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of a software company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a software consultancy that helps our clients leverage technology to digitize operations, modernize legacy systems, and enable enterprise workflows.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• Create visual assets for our homepage redesign, including an animated header illustration and a set of custom icons

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

What was the size of Pen & Mug’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

We were redesigning our company's homepage in an effort to improve engagement on our website. As part of this redesign, we asked Pen & Mug to create:

• an original, animated illustration to appear at the top of the page and provide an at-a-glance first impression of our company
• a set of icons to represent our company's services.
• All deliverables needed to be created in alignment with our brand guidelines.

We originally asked for a still illustration, but in conversation with Pen & Mug decided that an animated illustration would provide additional visual interest.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Following the launch of our new homepage, we compared engagement metrics to those we measured with the previous homepage. Comparing the month prior launch to the month post launch, our bounce rate decreased by 7.5%, time on page increased by 10.4%, and for visitors landing on the home page, pages per session increased by 9%. We're very pleased with these initial metrics. We're also looking at qualitative feedback through a series of user interviews, which are going on now.

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

Pen & Mug are so easy to work with. They're proactive about communicating timeline and providing updates as the work is being completed. They met every deadline, responded quickly and clearly to my questions, and even walked me through the steps of adding the new animated illustration to my homepage. One thing I particularly appreciate about Pen & Mug's project management is the way they deliver their files.

At the end of the engagement, they provided me a clean set of files in several different file types (including the art files) and everything was clearly named and organized in folders. This is a small part of the overall project, but it makes such a difference to have a vendor who makes the handoff so clean -- I don't have to deal with confusing, incomplete files or dig through my email to find different file versions, which is an experience I've had with other vendors.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

Ability to understand our brand style and adapt their work to it flawlessly; clear, easy communication; dependability

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

No areas for improvement. They do a great job and I will definitely work with them again the next time I have a design need.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Simply Golden Events

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a Nashville-based event planning company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Pen & Mug to accomplish?

• We needed an overhaul of our website—including content and branding.

SOLUTION

How did you find Pen & Mug?

Referral

Why did you select Pen & Mug over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Pen & Mug’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

The team at Pen&Mug was tasked with redesigning our website. This included the overall look and feel of the website in addition to the copy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• We had a hard deadline due to our current website expiring. Our biggest measurable was having the website completed by March 1.

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

The team was punctual, if not early, with all of their deliverables. They listened to our feedback and had a quick turnaround time for revisions.

What was your primary form of communication with Pen & Mug?

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

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

The team was super easy and fun to work with. Each conversation we had with their team felt like we were talking to old friends. We felt as though their team was an extension of our team, which is what you want in a design partner. We left the project feeling like the Pen&Mug team cared just as much about our company's success as we did.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Pen & Mug could have done differently?

The meetings we had with the team were thorough and efficient. They were always punctual with deadlines and respectful of our opinions! We couldn't have asked for a better creative partner.