RainCastle Communications, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and president of Cape and Islands Engineering, a civil engineering, land surveying, and environmental permitting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We were going through a merger, so I hired RainCastle to help us design a new website and provide us with consulting on how to spread the message about our merger.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle has helped us build a new website on WordPress, to which they’ve added our business information and a contact form. They’ve also offered maintenance services for the website, but we decided to do maintenance on our own. Since then, they’ve provided us with consulting services on how to run ads to get the message about our merger out.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around five teammates from RainCastle, including Jill (Director of Client Strategy), who acts as the project manager.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

RainCastle had done another website for a different company in our industry — that was how we knew about them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2022, and RainCastle delivered the website in January 2023. Still, our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

RainCastle has done a really good job for us. We really like them; that’s why we wanted to leave positive comments about them.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

RainCastle’s project management is great — Jill has done a really good job in that regard. She used a basic project management tool to create a Gantt chart for the website development project. Additionally, we communicate via Zoom and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

RainCastle has good people on their team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would have been great if we had gotten more guidance regarding choosing the pictures for the site. We felt that there wasn’t a lot of effort put into that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communicate clearly with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing at Centage, a B2B SaaS company. We provide financial planning and analytics software to small and medium-sized organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We were looking to revamp our go-to-market messaging and value proposition for our target audience. We also wanted to build and design a new WordPress website that reflects our new messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start off the project, RainCastle Communications, Inc. spent a lot of time and effort in getting a better understanding of our business, customers, and partners. In doing so, they conducted interviews with several key stakeholders and did a competitive analysis. From there, they used all the information they gathered to come up with a new messaging framework, value proposition, and positioning.

Additionally, their team developed, designed, and deployed a new WordPress website for us from scratch. They worked on the content, created new templates, and incorporated our new messaging. They also helped us optimize our site for SEO.

What is the team composition?

We worked with several people from their side, including Paul (President & Creative Director), Jill (Director of Client Strategy), Andy (Copywriter & Brand Strategist), Ji (Senior Graphic Designer), and Donato (Senior Web Developer).

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We found them through a Google search. We came across several positive reviews, so we decided to reach out to them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from May–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the website recently, and we’re very happy with its design. We also noticed that user engagement has improved, and visitors are staying on the site longer, leading to a decrease in our bounce rate.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They worked in an incredibly organized manner, never missed a deadline, stayed on budget, and communicated openly with us. Moreover, they updated us at every stage of the project, so we always knew the progress of each task. They also took feedback from us really well and made sure to incorporate them into the deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their ability to synthesize the information we gave them and come up with a fresh new concept based on it. Also, they didn’t just reuse or take our direction; they pushed us creatively to come up with a concept that’s entirely unique and encapsulates our personality as an organization.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

I honestly can’t think of anything that RainCastle Communications, Inc. could’ve improved on. We had a streamlined and seamless experience from start to finish. Needless to say, we’d gladly work with them again on future projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of global marketing for Sengenics, a life science tools company that provides products for the discovery of autoantibody biomarkers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We needed someone to upgrade our website because it wasn’t making it clear to our customers what we do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle Communications helped build our WordPress website from scratch and organized and helped develop the content within it, so our customers could easily understand what we do and find information about our services and products.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Jill (Director of Client Service), Andy (Copywriter), Ji (Sr. Graphic Designer), and Paul (Owner).

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We were searching for companies around the Boston area and after narrowing down the list decided on RainCastle. I went with them because they were the most impressive and responsive out of all the companies we interviewed.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2021–March 2022. We will continue to work with the on maintenance and ad hoc projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website hasn’t been live long enough for us to get any meaningful metrics, but the internal and external feedback is very positive.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

I was blown away by the way they managed the project.  They were highly organized and gave us a realistic view of the scope of the project there was never a question about when something was going to be done as the entire process was laid out clearly.  The website was completed and launched on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their organizational methods made such a huge impact on our ability to ensure we were on track from our side and to finish the project on time. I also worked closely with the copywriter, and he did an amazing job of translating really technical subject matter in a creative and digestible way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they need to improve on because we’re very happy with the final product they delivered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Fount Bio, a life sciences company located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

For early-stage companies like ours, it is important to have a website tailored to our needs. We required a site where people could learn about us and what our company did at a very high level while conveying some of the excitement about it. It would be mostly directed to future employees and other potential stakeholders, serving as a landing page.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle developed our website from scratch. On it, we have job descriptions and ways for applicants to connect with us. It is also artistic but simple, which helps us convey the presence of an early-stage life sciences company.

First, we had a call to convey what our company was about and why we were different. We also asked them to describe our technology without disclosing too much information — they were great at doing that.

Then, RainCastle came back with logos, font options, and color schemes. After that, they designed some simple graphics and an animated GIF, as well as the site’s pages, which included some imagery, stock photos, and creative transitions.

After the design phase, RainCastle brought a team that developed the wireframes and the metadata information for our descriptors, and they also integrated a Google Analytics functionality. The job was done very quickly and with minimum iteration.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Paul (Owner), who did a lot of the artwork and wireframing and brought great ideas to the table. During the execution phase, we also worked with a program manager, a copywriter, and a graphic designer. Additionally, we worked with IT people who were in charge of setting everything up for our launch.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

I’d worked with RainCastle for two other companies before. Paul always demonstrated that he knew the early-stage life science companies' space very well. They also accustomed me to their quick turnaround times. After I spoke to them about this project, a proposal was in front of me within two days. I then signed it, and we were ready to start collaborating.

How much have you invested with them?

I can only tell that their price was very fair.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started discussing the project around December 2021, and the site went live in February 2022. In the future, we will work with them to update the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We didn’t want an over-the-top site nor to spend a lot of money on it. RainCastle understood our needs very well and delivered what we wanted: a presentable, clear, and artistic website that presents our company in a simple way. Our internal team liked it a lot.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

RainCastle’s project management was exceptional. We had really productive and pleasant back and forth conversations with them. The good thing about them is that they didn’t go over unnecessary details that I was not an expert in, which made our engagement very smooth. We communicated via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

RainCastle was very artistic, empathetic, and an excellent listener.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

On these types of projects, the client is required to gather and learn about a lot of information to make the process more efficient. It would also be helpful to become knowledgeable about the different elements of web development. However, RainCastle is great at walking clients through the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and CEO of a biotechnology company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We'd gone through a significant business evolution and wanted to redesign our website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle designed and developed our website using a basic framework we provided. Their team completely redesigned the look and feel of the site. Our focus was on how the content was presented, so the RainCastle team ensured the design was very contemporary and represented our business. They developed new color palettes and visual and content elements as part of the process.  

After we finalized the design, RainCastle developed the wireframes and the site itself. 

What is the team composition?

The head of the company was heavily involved in the project, along with the project manager and the web developers and designers. 

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We were referred to RainCastle from our PR firm. We reviewed five companies for the project and selected RainCastle because they were the most suitable. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$50,000 with RainCastle.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project with RainCastle was from May–October 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't have any site usage metrics since we didn't complete an extensive relaunch after the redesign. However, we've gotten positive feedback from users on the new content and utility of the site. 

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

RainCastle's project manager was very detail- and process-oriented. They focused on keeping both parties on track and set realistic development deadlines. They delivered on time and occasionally ahead of schedule. RainCastle's resource allocation on both sides of the project was good — we worked collaboratively and RainCastle ensured we were integrated into their planning. The entire project went seamlessly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

RainCastle's design skills were exemplary. We went through several design cycles where we tested each design out, but in the end, we usually went with RainCastle's initial design recommendation. We know our brand and our company mission best, but RainCastle always made strong design decisions. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

RainCastle are great collaborators and very responsive — I have nothing for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise customers to go into the design process with an open mind — customers know their branding well, but RainCastle can contribute a wealth of design expertise. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief medical officer of a medical research company. We focus on breast and prostate cancer treatment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We wanted to create a website that’d appeal to potential investors and generate interest in the research and academic clinical community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle Communications, Inc. redeveloped and redesigned our website starting from a product they created for me in the past. In terms of functionalities, the new site explains scientific concepts in a way that users can easily understand, including text and images.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five members of their team, including Paul (CEO), Jill (Director), a copywriter, a content creator, and a developer.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

Our CEO worked with them in the past, and their name came up when we started seeking developers, so their name came up.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $25,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We all loved their work! The website they created attracted a big pharmaceutical company to reach out to us to start doing business. Also, people have looked at our site and said that it looks great.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They were superb; Jill was fantastic and kept the project and their team going. Additionally, she was great at solving issues immediately through a responsive approach — she was terrific! 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They fulfilled our expectations; their whole team solved our questions in a friendly and timely manner and was very patient with me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d suggest looking for Jill and ensuring that she’s the one running your project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager of an organization that services life science companies with products and services for separating chiral enantiomers.

We have five entities around the world that are considered part of Chiral Technologies — US, Europe, India, Japan, and China.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We wanted them to rebrand our website — and basically everything else — so we could showcase our products and services in the best way possible. We were also trying to make our site more global, but we didn’t know how to do it because we had many different names and offices around the world.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially had a meeting with our whole marketing team, president, and VP to give them an understanding of our company and what we were trying to achieve.

RainCastle Communications, Inc. (RainCastle) worked with us through our rebranding and helped us figure out what we should do and how we should move forward with our new name. We ended up rebranding ourselves as Daicel Chiral Technologies, and they redesigned the whole look of the website.

They’ve finished the website but we’re working with them on all of our other collateral. They’re designing a lot of other templates and application notes.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Jill (Director of Client Strategy).

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We were looking for companies that had worked with life sciences before. We went online, found them, and had a phone call with Paul (President & Creative Director). We had a great conversation with him, and we just knew with that phone call that we wanted to work with them. They understood exactly what we were trying to do, and they gave us great examples of the work they’d already done.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started with them back in December 2020, and we’re still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is new, and we’re working with some SEO and SEM analytics, but we haven’t really gone into metrics.

On the other hand, the general feedback has been great. I just received an email from a colleague in China saying that she was looking at the website and wanted to use one of the pictures that RainCastle designed for the main homepage. Overall, the feedback from Chiral Technologies Global has been very positive.

Also, we’ve heard from a few customers that it’s much easier to find things and they really like the website.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

For the website, I met with Jill on a weekly basis to touch base and make sure that everything was on track and we were hitting all our deadlines. They kept us on target and it never felt like they were pushing us.

Right now, we’re communicating with emails just when it’s needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understood everything we were looking for. We had many pages on our old website, and they didn’t have to rewrite a lot of it. They were able to look at what we had and be intuitive about what we could get rid of and what needed to be grouped together. Everything was just seamless and prompt.

Also, we had them create an application note based on the look of the new website. It usually takes a lot of explaining for designers to understand what we’re trying to accomplish with our application notes, but they pulled it off on the first try. We were very surprised and happy about it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this point, we haven’t had any problems. It’s really easy to work with them, and we’ve been really happy.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would absolutely recommend them to anyone that was looking for an upgrade to their website or just collateral for their company. They’re just very easy to work with, and honestly, their pricing is great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing communications at BsotonSight. We manufacture scleral contact lenses, which are oversized contacts for patients with ocular surface diseases.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

Our previous website didn’t provide a good user journey. It was cluttered with the same information on multiple pages. It was also difficult to navigate the menu. We wanted to clean it up, refresh the brand colors, and create a simpler, easier experience for doctors who want to learn about our product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our new site on WordPress. We wanted some interactivity, so we asked them to create some motion graphics. They also migrated a practitioner search feature from our old site that lists every practitioner that uses our product for patient convenience.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Jill (Director, Client Services).

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

I was at another company a few years ago, and I was working with a web vendor out of Washington DC. We were having a lot of trouble, and the project was taking way too long. I happened to see a website that I really liked, and I saw at the bottom that it was created by RainCastle. It had the style I wanted, so I gave them a call.

Paul (Owner) spent about two hours for free talking to me about the issues I was having. He gave me a lot of information I needed to get the project done. When I moved to a new position and needed to build another site, I knew I wanted to work with RainCastle because of their customer service; it’s a quality that seems to be lacking in a lot of web companies. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2021, and we wrapped up in March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve noticed that our PDF documents are getting downloaded on our site. We also used the new site to launch a new product; those product sales have done even better than our forecast.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was managed well with constant communication. I knew what was happening every step of the way. Jill was really top-notch. The fact that we easily met our deadline says a lot about their work. We used a shared Google Doc and Marksheet to manage the project. We also used Go ToMeeting calls for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We struggled a bit at first at getting the design tone of the website correct. Paul had a vision that didn’t exactly match ours. Even though we disagreed on that, they really listened to us, and we got to a place where we were thrilled with the results. They spent a lot of time providing options that were more in line with what we were looking for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. I’ve worked with 5–6 web vendors over the last six years. This was the least stressful web project I’ve ever worked on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear vision of the look and color palette that you want. Find examples of existing sites so that it’s easier to convey your idea to the team.                             

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO and a managing partner of a financial services organization. We mainly work with accounting and law firms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We wanted to rebrand with the primary goal of establishing a new website. Before that, we had a very outdated site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For the website, they used WordPress and started from scratch. It is what we refer to as a validation site, which means that our clients will check the credentials of our team to make sure the services they need are available and see our industry knowledge.

As part of the site initiative, we thought the timing was good also to redesign our logo. They’ve also created marketing materials for us.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a couple of different people. Jill (Director of Client Strategy) oversaw the entire project, but we also worked quite a bit with Paul (President & Creative Director) on the logo design. On the copy side, we worked with Andy (Copywriter & Brand Strategist).

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

A firm that we do a lot of business with had used them for their website. We spoke to them a few years ago, and they said that they had a positive experience.

When we spoke to RainCastle during the vetting process, they seemed easy to work with. We also liked that they were a smaller firm like us. Their work product also seemed top-notch.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000–$40,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project with them started in September 2020, and we should be wrapped up soon. We keep adding different projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re measuring the success based on the timing and delivery of what they’re providing to us. We’re also looking at the overall project management and the final outputs. They’ve definitely hit upon all of those metrics, exceeding our expectations.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they’ve been excellent. In the beginning, they laid out a timeline. If there were changes, they would update us. Sometimes, it was on our end, which they were flexible with.

Overall, I found that their communication, timing, and expectations for deadlines were extremely clear. If something was getting out of line with the scope, they let us know right away if we need to expand the scope.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team was able to sit and talk with us about what we want as a firm and then translate that to copy for our website. I felt that spending all of that time with them was key. They surpassed our expectations in terms of capturing who we are. Our materials tell our potential clients exactly who we are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really don’t have anything. Their responsive team works well together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you’re asking for as you go into the process. Try and look at the bigger picture of what they’re doing. We added components throughout the project, but I think if we had gone into the project with everything identified, we would’ve ordered them a bit differently. That would help everything be mapped out effectively.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of a medical device company. We manufacture, sell, and market orthopedic devices for the pediatric population.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

We have a brand new surgical procedure for kids with scoliosis and we needed a digital presence to help physicians, patients, and families understand and become more educated on the procedure, as well as ways for them to get in contact with the appropriate individuals to learn more.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First and foremost, we started with the positioning and messaging of the new procedure because we were just entering the US market. The deliverable for this was a messaging document that included interviews with key stakeholders. We had RainCastle Communications, Inc. interview possible surgeons, patients, and family members and all of that fed into the final messaging and positioning document.

Phase two was to redesign our website. Our website was very outdated, so they did a full redesign, provided copy, layout, and imagery. After the redesign, they did the development on WordPress and launched the website. Currently, they maintain the website on a monthly basis and are responsible for making any adjustments.

What is the team composition?

Jill (Director of Client Services) is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications, Inc.?

They were recommended to us by someone we knew who had a really good experience with them. What made them stand out during the evaluation process was the examples of their work, the clarity in terms of their approach, the deliverables, the budget associated with it, and the proposed timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested less than $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on the site from October 2020–February 2021; however, we engaged them again for the website, as well as another project, and that is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gotten really great feedback from basically everyone including internal folks and customers.  I’ve recommended them to work with our parent company and now they’re engaged with them as well.

How did RainCastle Communications, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

In the early days of the project we had weekly meetings but then as we got into the groove where we were handling a lot, we utilized email. When we need to address something over the phone, those are more ad hoc conversations. They’re able to remain on time and on budget.

They use Smartsheet to lay out all of the deliverables and how they interact or are contingent upon one another. We use that to get an idea of when to expect things and when the turnaround time is. Jill keeps us on task in terms of any deliverables that are required moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their general acceptance of feedback and their adjustment and flexibility throughout the project is great. As things evolve, they’re able to project their willingness to adapt and roll with the changes we make along the process.

I’ve worked with a number of website vendors at previous companies and they were one of the first vendors that really owned the copy. Others seemed as though no one ever wanted to own that. I’m pleasantly surprised by that aspect and their willingness to proofread both theirs and mine, which helps tremendously in terms of freeing up my time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an open mind when it comes to copy because they have a different position.