Perfect Afternoon

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of a manufacturing company. We’re three companies together. Cotterman builds industrial steel and aluminum ladders. Conveyor Components Company builds conveyor safety equipment and material. Material Control’s an offshoot of conveyor components.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trademark Productions?

We wanted to update our website from our outdated look. One firm started on the project, but we weren’t happy with their services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Trademark Productions worked with existing code to update one of our WordPress websites. We then had them build an e-commerce site based in WordPress, which they did from scratch. While they focused on development, their team worked on the design too. Our team provided mockups and approved any changes but also asked Trademark Productions about best practices because of their team’s experience. We trusted their judgment.

Their team built another website that looks nice but wasn’t expensive to create. We wanted a basic WordPress website because the original platform was essentially a PDF stuck up on the web.

We have a maintenance program with Trademark Productions. Their team’s constantly working on an assignment for us.

What is the team composition?

There are usually 5–6 people involved in our projects. Our main point of contact’s Danielle (Account Manager) but we talked to everyone including Tyler (Creative Director), Miranda (Account Manager), and Dwight (Founder).

How did you come to work with Trademark Productions?

Our project manager searched for web developers in Michigan. Trademark Productions kept popping up. We read about them and liked what they said. For example, they talked about how they help people who poured money into an ineffective website. We were interested in that message and talked with them. We liked their critiques of our website because we were critical of it too. They seemed to be the right fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Trademark Productions in September 2018 and the engagement's ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In less than a year, the e-commerce site that Trademark Productions built made close to $80,000. We get a lot of compliments about our site’s look and feel and how well it works. The e-commerce site’s been quite successful.

Our web presence is far better than what we had before our engagement. That’s part of my objective, but at the same time, they’re a good partner in helping make that happen. The engagement works out well.

How did Trademark Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email and have monthly meetings via phone or onsite. Their communication and ability to meet deadlines are awesome. They're persistent with us to give them what they need. When they say they’ll have a product, they’ll have it. If they don’t, they’ll tell us why and when it will be ready. In my opinion, they’re exactly what you want from a web development firm. At this point, I wouldn't work with anyone else.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team spends a significant amount of time with us and gives us ideas. They’re helpful and do what they’re supposed to do. I would certainly recommend them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really, no. I’ve been completely satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be willing to communicate and listen to their ideas. Their advice is valuable, so listen to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a membership site for speech pathologists which provides materials for lessons.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trademark Productions?

I wanted to add a case management system within the site. I originally developed the site on my own, so it was very simple and didn’t have many features. I wanted to scale up the site so that it could have more advanced capabilities. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I initially started working with a different vendor, but they could not deliver on what was promised. The site was a mess, so Trademark Productions worked with me to fix it and provide necessary updates. 

Recently, we decided that we wanted to develop a new, more sophisticated site. The new site will be able to support more features, including a case management system. This system will allow members to manage their appointments and track their students’ progress. 

Their team also does SEO and social media marketing work on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with a total of 6-8. However, I have two primary points of contact that remained constant throughout the engagement: Danielle (Account Manager, Trademark Productions) and Scott (Former Developer, Trademark Productions). 

How did you come to work with Trademark Productions? 

I wanted to find a vendor who I would be able to meet with in-person. I did a Google search for local web developers and I found Trademark Productions. We scheduled a phone call to discuss the project and I felt comfortable working with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

In total, I’ve probably spent over $80,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in November 2018 and is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since I began working with them, my membership has doubled. I get good feedback from users about how much they love the site and its features. It’s making their lives much easier. 

How did Trademark Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They have amazing communication and regularly respond to my emails within a couple of hours. The team is kind and helpful, especially when troubleshooting technical issues. They’ve worked with me through it all. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They genuinely seemed to care about my site. It wasn’t just a project for them or a source of income. They always had ideas for how to make it better. They put their hearts into their work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been very happy with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to them and trust their advice. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing of MJS Packaging, a 135-year-old packaging distributor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trademark Productions?

I was looking for a new agency of record. The first project we did together was creating our e-commerce website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Trademark Productions built our website on Magento 2. Our IT team worked with their developers to build a custom interface between our site and our in-house ERP. They’ve done a lot for us since then. They create our blog and social posts, troubleshoot for all three of our websites and manage our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. They also provide analytics on a monthly basis and brainstorm different ideas for our business, such as marketing our 135th-year anniversary.

What is the team composition?

I typically interface with 2–3 people, but I’ve worked with other team members in the past. It depends on our needs at any given time. For instance, I worked directly with their lead developer during our website build, but now my requests regarding the site go to their product management team.

How did you come to work with Trademark Productions?

I was looking for a local agency so we would have the opportunity for face-to-face meetings. I narrowed it down to two agencies, and after some interviews with their team along with recommendations and referrals, I chose Trademark Productions. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the fall of 2017. We still work together on a monthly retainer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re pleased with the results. Trademark Productions’ team and I recognize that the website is a living, breathing thing that requires constant updates. I’ve had challenges working with Magento, and having their guidance as we updated from Magento 1 to 2 has been very helpful. My top priority for our MJS Packaging website is to generate leads. I believe the quality of leads has improved over the years since we started working together, and I’m very happy with that.

How did Trademark Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

Danielle (Account Manager, Trademark Productions), who I interface with daily, is good at giving me timely responses. For the most part, the projects are completed on time. The times that it doesn’t happen, they typically communicate why. We almost entirely communicate via email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

One project we did together was to create and lead a presentation for our sales team on how to bolster their LinkedIn profiles and general usage. It was fun and rewarding, and we received great feedback from our salespeople. They thought it was a very practical session.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Whenever there’s a lag in the project and they can’t deliver something on time, I’d rather know immediately when possible.

Any advice for potential customers?

Definitely go to their office in person from time to time. It helps to be there in their environment and see everyone there. I’ve worked with Tyler (Creative Director, Trademark Productions) and Dwight (Founder, Trademark Productions) fairly extensively, and it’s been really helpful to get to know them. They’re a really great group of people on a human level, and I enjoy working with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Executive Assistant at Northcreek Mezzanine, which is a mezzanine lending firm in downtown Cincinnati that provides mezzanine debt and equity to the lower middle market across the U.S.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Trademark Productions?

We hired them to redo our website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a clear, clean website that is easy to navigate.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were referred to us.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We really appreciated working with Trademark Productions. After experiencing a very unprofessional agency, Trademark's organization and process was a breath of fresh air. We liked how they were able to provide a design that we loved on the first round because they took the time to ask the right questions about what we wanted. They also have extensive programming experience, so they are able to make the website load faster than we've seen from other agencies.

What was the team composition?

There was one project manager and one developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Overall, we were impressed with their thoughtfulness and the quality of their work.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We completed the project within the proposed timeline and budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed with the organization and how their programming knowledge provided us with a fast-loading website.

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, which is a service organization that represents members of law enforcement in disciplinary matters and collective bargaining discussions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trademark Productions?

We operate in every county in Michigan, and much of what we do is affected by current events and different forms of legislation. Because of that, we needed a more effective tool that allowed us to inform our members across the state as quickly as possible. To do so, we engaged Trademark Productions to redesign our website and manage our social media presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve relied on Trademark Productions to modernize the layout and graphics of our website, which had been quite primitive. We hoped to turn our website into a valuable tool for our members and non-members alike—a tool that could provide answers to questions that people would previously have to call our office to resolve. Now, all of our organization’s information is available at all times. We now also have an enhanced social media strategy for Twitter and Facebook. Additionally, we’ve asked Trademark Productions to fulfill some marketing tasks for us over the years.

The most significant development from our engagement is that Trademark Productions has provided me with a private email address to communicate with their team directly. With that address, I send them pictures or updates that I need to be shared online, and that content is posted on the website or social media as soon as possible. This process is a tremendous asset for us because it allows us to communicate with everybody across the state at one time.

What is the team composition?

Dwight (Founder, Trademark Productions) and Tyler (Creative Director, Trademark Productions) are our primary contacts, but we work with about four people in all.

How did you come to work with Trademark Productions?

I met Dwight at a business meeting in Detroit and was impressed with him as a person. I learned that his company provided services similar to what I had been putting off for a while, so I figured that this was the time to address our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend approximately $25,000–$35,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with Trademark Productions since 2008.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re proud of our online presence now. Our members and non-members rely on our website because it’s so current and newsworthy, and they’re able to find what they need because it’s easy to navigate. Our engagement metrics signify that our website is a known entity, but my primary measure of success is how often I’ve received positive feedback from the people that we serve.

How did Trademark Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been magnificent. They take detailed notes in all meetings, and their thoroughness is evident in their work. With their creativity, the finished products have always been better than what I hoped for.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our organization doesn’t sell a product, but we offer something that has to be current, and I’ve always felt like Trademark Productions is working with our account at all times. I appreciate that level of dedication. They are swift to respond to all of my messages.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, Trademark Productions has been fantastic at making adjustments and improvements whenever they are necessary. For example, over the past few years, it’s become increasingly important for me to understand more of our metrics, and I wasn’t able to sufficiently understand some of the reports that their team produced. I requested in-person meetings, and now we meet once a month to discuss what’s happening and what we hope to happen next.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I decided to trust them and let them do their job, and my organization has benefitted from that. This project necessitated more of their expertise and less of mine. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager for an electrical contractor.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trademark Productions?

We needed to update all of our websites. That included our main site and those of each of our subsidiaries because they were dated and static.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They upgraded our site to a WordPress website, and have also done some SEO work. We started off with our main site, for which they took care of the design, layout, navigation, and backend development. I worked on the frontend and the content.

We agreed to schedules for reviewing work. There were some hiccups, but they were resolved. Once we got the main website up and running, we then started work on each of the subsidiaries.

What is the team composition?

We began with a project manager and creative director. After that the project manager left, some other people were involved. I currently work with three people and still communicate with the owner. They take good care of me.

How did you come to work with Trademark Productions?

We asked some of our customers for recommendations, and I also used my industry contacts. We had called in five different service providers to present their ideas and processes to us. We narrowed it down to two, then chose Trademark Productions because we liked what they had to say and their people.

How much have you invested in them?

We have invested between $100,000–$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2016 and have an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received really positive feedback, both from our customers and our employees. People are able to find the information they need, so they’re happy with the sites. One of the things I was adamant to include, which wasn’t on our old site, was a search box. As simple as that is, it’s a huge thing.

I’m currently working with Trademark because WordPress launched WordPress 5.0 and there were some concerns and issues. We’ve had a number of discussions about that and they have something for me to review.

How did Trademark Productions perform from a project management standpoint?

The team has been awesome; very responsive and always keeping me informed. They are accessible and personable, and I have nothing but good things to say about their project managers. We exchange emails at least once a week and sometimes more. For example, they’ve fixed some of our issues within half an hour.

We recently set up a conference call at the beginning of every month to allow us to catch up with each other. It means that everyone knows what’s going on and can prepare.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is impressive. They’re always pleasant, and never make us feel like we’re imposing. Whether we send an email or give them a phone call, they seem happy to hear from us and willing to help. It’s refreshing, especially in this day and age when everyone is so pressed for time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish there was better and cheaper parking by their office, but that’s a small thing. The only other stumbling block we had earlier on was because they had assigned a copywriter to our team. I’d told them that it was my forte, but we let her do a couple of things. She didn’t get our company, so we asked that she not be part of the team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you don’t know what you don’t know, just ask them. They’re very good at explaining things. They’re also very willing to answer questions, but you can’t expect them to read your mind, so just ask if something is confusing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a marketing specialist for a manufacturer. We are an integration partner for the design, development, installation, and maintenance of innovative material handling solutions in the automotive industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Perfect Afternoon?

We needed help with website development and maintenance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Perfect Afternoon has developed our website and maintains its functionality and viewability. The team has implemented forms for prospective employees and requests for quotes.

What is the team composition?

We work with over two teammates from Perfect Afternoon.

How did you come to work with Perfect Afternoon?

Perfect Afternoon has been working with us for years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2023, and engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website is easier to read and navigate.

How did Perfect Afternoon perform from a project management standpoint?

Perfect Afternoon is on time and easy to work with. We communicate via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm impressed with their versatility.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a Director of West Michigan Works!

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Leading workforce development strategy and resource alignment in West Michigan by understanding the talent needs of employers and employment needs of job seekers and connecting them to solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Perfect Afternoon to accomplish?

• Build a new website

SOLUTION

How did you find Perfect Afternoon?

Bid process

Why did you select Perfect Afternoon over others?

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

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

Build a new website to mirror a previous version, with new architecture and navigation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A complete, functional and user friendly website.

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

They were responsive and professional, and the project was completed on time.

What was your primary form of communication with Perfect Afternoon?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their focus on our priorities, zero disruption of service, and a quality product.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Perfect Afternoon could have done differently?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Manufacturers' Sales Rep of C.S Trojan & Associates, Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an independent manufacturers' sales representative company that represents manufacturers with vehicle based products in public safety and public utility.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Trademark Productions to accomplish?

• Develop a company website

SOLUTION

How did you find Trademark Productions?

Referral

Why did you select Trademark Productions over others?

Close to my geographic location, Good value for cost, Referred to me, Company values aligned

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

Trademark Productions developed our company website. They consulted and coached us through the content development. Trademark produced a Beta website for tweeking before we went live.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Website engagement

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

Items were delivered on time. There are open communication channels.

What was your primary form of communication with Trademark Productions?

Virtual Meeting

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

They provided us with professional website development.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Trademark Productions could have done differently?

N/A