RainCastle Communications, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.         

I’m the founder and CEO at Coretelligent, a managed IT Solutions provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had a couple of challenges we successfully addressed with the help of RainCastle. The largest being a content refresh on how we market our solutions and the way we treated our value propositions. This project transformed into our website engagement with RainCastle. Before this engagement, the last time our website was updated was in 2012. Needless to say, it needed some attention.

By updating our perspective and content, we were able to modernize the way our potential customers look at our website and our solutions. Our goal was to have them identify with our go-to-market and identify the value that we bring, while also simplifying the buying process as much as possible.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We turned to RainCastle to help clarify our go-to-market strategy, our content, and update the graphical presence of our website. They brought a holistic approach to solving our needs, which incorporated SEO and digital marketing. This addressed all of our concerns as part of our initial RFP. 

To begin, they ran us through a very comprehensive project process, that was tightly managed. We established milestones on both ends and we had a clear understanding of what each party needed to do in order to hit the deadline we had set collaboratively. Their deliverables were detailed, and outlined each step of the process. Overall, their efforts led us to launch in a timely manner, with an end product we were truly proud of.

During our engagement, our company completed an acquisition which resulted in our initial scope of work to be expanded. They were flexible with our new change, worked with us to include those changes and update our project accordingly. Now, they are our exclusive partner for all of our graphic design, content, and web presence.

What is the team composition?

Our team was working with 4-6 members of their team, ranging from SEOs to graphic designers.

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

Our relationship with RainCastle initiated from an RFP. We met with  RainCastle, along with a couple of other firms in the RFP process. We did a “bake-off”, comparing their services with other firms. We had good meetings with several companies, but RainCastle was by far the superior choice.

We liked the way they asked probing questions around our business model, strategy, client interactions, and current site feedback. A very natural collaboration ensued and we felt they were the right vendor for us to partner with, so we decided to move forward.

How much have you invested with them?

Although I’m not directly connected to the financial side of this engagement, our initial contract was more than $50,000. However, since we expanded our relationship significantly, we’ve probably doubled that amount.

What is the status of this engagement?

The brand refresher lasted 4 months. We began in February 2019 and wrapped up in May 2019.

We did have some roadblocks on our end with our acquisition that expanded the timeline, but that was our choice, not theirs. They handled our setbacks in a professional manner and were able to complete all of the deliverables, including additions, in a reasonable time frame.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our web traffic, web traffic capture, and SEO footprint have all improved exponentially. Our lead generation through web-based visitors has improved as well. It has been a complete success story from soup to nuts, so we can’t say enough positive things about the experience and the finished product.

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

They did an excellent job. They were very sticky on the project side, and they held us to deadlines. They kept us on track in a professional way and were partnership-oriented. They were persistent when they needed to be and were understanding when we lagged behind on some of our deliverables because of other business initiatives. All in all, the project fostered a good, dynamic relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their consistency was excellent. They showed great quality and professionalism throughout the engagement, which we appreciated. Everything was managed in a high caliber way, from the initial engagement to the final execution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there are none that I can think of at this time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Each person’s approach to a project for a business is going to be unique. My main advice is to be prepared. If you’re committing to a large-scale project with RainCastle, like we did, ensuring your organization is prepared and ready to deliver on their end of the commitment is crucial.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm president of a pharmaceutical startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to construct the first website for our startup company. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

RainCastle Communications, Inc. started by gathering information about our company. We sent them a corporate slide deck and told them what we were looking for. Next, they interviewed us about our goals and what we want the site to do.

They sent us different designs to look at and made recommendations. We chose one and then they constructed a prototype WordPress website. We worked on the content together and then they put up a test website on their server. Once that looked good, we launched the site at our web address. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with one main contact and 1–2 developers. 

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

I did a search on Google for web developers in our area. They were the only firm I spoke to. Once I got them on the phone, I felt confident that they could get the job done. 

How much have you invested with them? 

We spent around $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work began in the middle of July 2019, and the site was up and running on August 30.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're quite happy with their work. We're a tiny startup company and it's our first website. We don't expect a lot of feedback on it, but it’s up to our standards. We were very clear on our expectations. RainCastle Communications, Inc. did a good job of understanding our goals.

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

RainCastle Communications, Inc. was so responsive and professional. They were very clear on what the process was in terms of what we could expect and what they needed. Communication wasn't on a regular cadence; it went in spurts as needed. Sometimes we spoke once a week, and other times we spoke multiple times per week. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Their ability to gather information and incorporate it into our website was most impressive. RainCastle Communications, Inc. were so knowledgeable and really seemed to know what they were doing. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No. They offered us multiple options, which met our expectations. At this point, I don't think there's anything we would have done any differently or anything that was missing. Nothing fell short of our expectations or hopes in any way. It's a very basic website, but it’s what we need at this time. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Everything was clear. We're happy with the time it took to get the website up and running, as well as with our interaction with their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a managing partner at Ecast Productions. We're a video production company in Boston.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications?

Our website was about six years old, so  we wanted to completely redesign it and make it faster.  We needed a vendor to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we discussed our challenges and the things we wanted to change. We also identified other websites that had elements we wanted to incorporate into our new WordPress site. Then, RainCastle came back to us with several different concepts for redesign. We worked with them to refine the design that we liked the most. Once we agreed on an overall site design, they created mockups for all of the individual pages. We provided our feedback, and they made all the changes we asked of them.

Then, we moved into the development phase. Again, we would provide feedback along the way to make sure that all of the features were exactly what we wanted. Finally, they helped us launch the website, taking care of web hosting and domain management. They also designed a logo for us.

What is the team composition?

We mostly worked with three members of their team, but there were more people working on our project at various stages.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications?

They built our old website. At that point, we selected them because of the referrals. They did a great job, and we got to trust them. Since they already knew our company and understood our brand, we decided to reach out to them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from July 2018–January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website has been live for only a few weeks, but we've received fantastic feedback from our clients who have seen it. The website looks amazing and really highlights our work. 

How did RainCastle Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

We usually talked to them twice a week, and communication was always very clear. We had a dedicated project manager who was available throughout the entire process and was very responsive. Even though she didn't always have an answer to our question (for example, if it was a very technical question), she was very good at engaging the correct resources to address the question or resolve the problem.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They managed to create a seamless experience and simplify the process for us, despite the fact that we're in a very technical field. There may have been a lot of technical work happening on the backend, but they were very clear about what input they needed from us. They also provided a very clear guidance and insightful suggestions from the design perspective.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you're considering starting a project with them, bring them in early. They can certainly deliver even if you come to them with a lot of preconceived ideas, but they’ll provide a lot of valuable insight if you engage them early.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner, founder, and CEO of Upbeat Cycling. Our small boutique indoor cycling and fitness studio in Arlington, Massachusetts has been open for just over a year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I was looking for a company to provide web and logo design for my cycling studio. As a brand-new startup, we didn’t have a website at all yet.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Raincastle Communications, Inc. created our first website from scratch. Instead of diving in and handing over a final product, they began with a series of conversations to discover the meaning and intent of our brand. They asked the right questions to elicit useful information and define the user experience. 

Following best practice, they translated the wireframe and basic menu structures I provided into three design options. We discussed each one over a call or in a meeting and worked together to finalize the site design and build the architecture. 

They integrated the website into the backend of our point-of-sale and reservation system, which another vendor manages. Before we launched, they created an initial basic WordPress landing page I could direct users to for more information about what we had coming.

Once I decided on a direction, they refined the logo I picked and eliminated the other versions. We considered color schemes to go with it. After a few rounds of minor adjustments and modifications, we arrived at the final logo. The process ended smoothly; they provided me with a final product in a ZIP file. It included versions of the logo and artwork I would need in different situations, from white, black, and color to CMYK and Pantone. 

What is the team composition?

Paul (Owner, RainCastle Communications, Inc.) was my point person. One of his designers worked on the actual designs under his direction. I also worked with the web director.

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

I had worked with RainCastle Communications, Inc. previously in my corporate career. When I was the head of product development at an investment management company, I hired them for a large rebranding project. I reached out to them again when I started my own company.

How much have you invested in them?

I have invested around $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2016–2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People make positive comments all the time about how much they love the logo RainCastle Communications, Inc. designed for us. As a fitness business, we feature it on cycling shorts, t-shirts, water bottles, and hats. Our project focused heavily on creating a logo with many different purposes in mind. The blue and green combination we selected looks good in print, on literature, and on signage. 

We’ve been able to do some really fun things with our logo. I’ve given the artwork to other designers for inspiration to put it onto a hoodie or different gear. It has worked fabulously elsewhere in my brand, the colors look great, and people love it. 

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

The team is very skilled at project management. We didn’t have a set schedule for communication, but I had access to the team whenever I needed their input, I was all over the place as a client, but they kept me on track with our timeline in a friendly way. 

In the beginning, we drafted a letter of agreement to lay out the design process, including how many rounds there should be, the timeline, and the selection process. Documenting these guidelines ensured we didn’t have any unpleasant surprises later on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve had a standing relationship with RainCastle Communications, Inc. that’s lasted a decade, and they always keep moving ahead. They've never procrastinated or fallen behind. 

When I first met them, they were doing some web design, some branding, and they kept up with the times, they know the latest and were able to give me great advice in setting up a temporary WordPress site, and what design was going to work. I have seen their business continue to evolve. RainCastle Communications, Inc. stays on the cutting edge of what the latest people are doing in the design space.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any areas to improve. I feel so lucky that they said yes to my smaller startup project because I’d had such a good experience working with them on the prior corporate engagement. 

The owner is very hands-on. He also knows how to delegate tasks to his team while staying involved, even with a small project like mine. I love the design and aesthetic they produced, and I know I can always contact them when I need.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I encourage potential customers to hire them. They're a great company to infuse your brand with new designs or even help you figure out your brand, to begin with. They excel at capturing the words of your brand in visuals.  If you don’t have everything locked in already, they will help you better understand your brand and messaging.
 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chairman and CEO of a biotech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications?

At the time of the engagement, our website was quite antiquated. We wanted to create a new website that included the new messaging and style of our rebrand efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve worked with RainCastle Communications in the past, so I was comfortable sharing our challenges and letting them demonstrate their creative skill. Together, we evaluated our existing website and discussed all of the pain points and inconsistencies with our positioning. Their team collected samples of other websites that featured elements that they thought would be useful for us. It was a quick exercise to determine what resonated the most with us.

Our preferences from that activity became the basis for RainCastle Communications to develop prototypes for our website. They presented us with three different design concepts. I could have picked any one of them because they all looked incredible and were better than what we had to start with. Once we made our decision, RainCastle Communications developed it further, and it’s been a matter of fine-tuning since then.

RainCastle Communications also suggested that we choose custom photography instead of stock photography for the website. I was reluctant because that can be an expensive proposition, but they were confident it would make a substantive difference. I selected one of their recommended firms, and we’ve used their photography on the website and in various locations around our office.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of about six people.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications?

I was familiar with their ability after working with them for a number of graphic design projects at my last company.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together for several months in 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the site’s launch, we’ve benefitted from greater social media engagement and increased readership of our online articles.

How did RainCastle Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent in every way. It was an iterative process, and we had several in-person and conference calls to coordinate the project. They did not start the project aimlessly. They started by listening and getting a sense of what we needed. They executed brilliantly, and I’ve been thrilled by the work they’ve done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made a concerted effort to understand our industry and our company so that they could learn how we wanted to position ourselves relative to others. They were capable of translating that into the visual execution across mediums. They found the right words to tell a story, and they got it right because they were paying attention.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love if they offered other marketing services. I think they could be a very talented public relations firm as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It will pay dividends if you take the time in the beginning to share your insights and your challenges.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at a small institute based within a university.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle?

Our previous website—built in Drupal—was about seven years old and was long overdue for a refresh. We had also just researched and developed new brand positioning that we wanted to implement on a new site. RainCastle helped us create a WordPress website to reflect our new branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first performed user research and one-on-one user testing with RainCastle’s UX person. We tested concepts in the page flow, headlines, and the site’s functionality that their team developed. The results of this phase allowed us to move from wireframes to full page designs. RainCastle then helped us create the copy, graphics, and photography on those pages. The copy required several reviews and close collaboration with our product marketing team, as well as other groups within our organization.

I worked closely with Paul (Owner, RainCastle) to determine the best way to display photography on the homepage and subsequent pages. After we expressed our dissatisfaction with stock options, RainCastle helped us organize a photo shoot. Together, we selected the models and decided on the background’s appearance. Paul gave us the idea to use motion photography and give our photos a blurred effect. We loved this style; it lets us show people without specifically revealing their face or identity, and we can demonstrate that we work with clientele from around the world. The photo shoot yielded a high-quality photo library that we can use on the website and our other marketing materials.

RainCastle then built the WordPress website and the templates for each page using Stylus. We can add pages later as needed using these templates. Their SEO person worked with us to maximize our visibility for target keywords and search terms. They integrated SEO strategies into our copywriting as well. Once the copy design was finished, each page underwent UI/UX proofreading and rounds of testing. Some users were confused when they looked at specific pages, so we wanted to fix that. 

We then performed final stage proofreading, testing each page and link and ensuring all content loaded. RainCastle loaded one type of each content piece, and we loaded all of the subsequent pages and content. During this stage, our team learned how each of the templates worked and could ask RainCastle questions. We also decided that we wanted animated videos as well, which RainCastle then did for us.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a variety of team members, including Paul, a UX specialist, and an SEO specialist.

How did you come to work with RainCastle?

We launched a request for proposal (RFP) and spoke to several vendors for a few hours each. We looked at their approach to our project and our team. RainCastle stood out from the competition; they showed diligence in how they researched our specific needs and offered creative ideas to meet our challenges.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received great reviews from clients and prospects. Users compliment the compelling yet straightforward visuals and headlines. Clients like the depth of content and research. It encourages them to interact with our site and invest in our services. Our sales team loves the fresh new look that is still compatible with our brand refresh.

Paul did an excellent job working with our creative director to fully understand our brand guidelines; there are areas where we have leeway and other areas where we do not. The site ultimately abided by our brand rules, which we were pleased to see.

We’re now working on lead generation program. Our general traffic has stayed the same, but we’ve seen an increase in the number of pages that viewers visit and the length of their visit time.

How did RainCastle perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was keen to meet our original schedule, which we appreciated. However, we eventually found that timeline to be overaggressive and slowed it down. RainCastle helped us revise our project plan as needed. We sometimes had to rework our content and presentation to match our transitioning brand. They accommodated our changes with ease and kept us focused on getting the site done in a timely fashion. 

RainCastle had a collaborative approach. They were highly responsive and frequently sought input from others to make sure they were meeting our needs outlined in the original UX testing. We had weekly check-in calls. At various stages of the project, we spoke 2–3 times a week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

RainCastle fully understood our market, our target audience, and how we wanted to frame our voice and position. Everyone from the owner to the project manager to the UX designer to the writer internalized our core business. Their work—particularly their iconography and photography—was fresh to us; it fits our new brand voice while aligning with our brand guidelines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When RainCastle started designing our pages, the primary point person may have had some other projects going on and therefore didn’t finish work as quickly as we would’ve liked. This was only a matter of days, however. We were overall thrilled with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Supply them with lots of background, information, and recent information. RainCastle will process it and come back to you with ideas that will definitely reflect what you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the senior manager of corporate communications for Novanta, which develops components and subsystems used for medical and industrial applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We engaged RainCastle for branding help, including a redesign of our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle spent time with our new leadership team to learn about our unique challenges, and then started to develop our graphic identity from there. They created branding materials, including business cards, stationery, and trade show materials. They also redesigned our website from scratch. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with a team of four to five people. Initially, we connected on a daily basis, but we now touch base every one to two weeks.

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

I wasn't involved in the selection process because we were already working with them when I came onboard. 

How much have you invested with them?

I don't know off the top of my head, but we've invested a considerable amount.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since 2016 and launched the new site in August 2017. They continue to work on small projects as needed. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

RainCastle significantly helped the company establish brand unity and a strong image in the market. 

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

They've been great about meeting deadlines and being responsive in communications.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design capabilities are very impressive. They've been a great partner, providing invaluable feedback and suggestions throughout the process. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be a little bit more flexible when it comes to letting the client evolve the brand identity as needed, but they generally understood our vision overall. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as possible about project goals and the brand's vision, but also be open to RainCastle's suggestions. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the operations manager for a small biotech startup. We’re developing molecules to treat neurodegeneration through specific pathways in cellular clearance and healthy cells.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle?

As an early-stage startup, we wanted to create a web presence to build legitimacy and excitement around our business. We engaged RainCastle to design and develop a WordPress website within an extremely tight timeline.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In our initial kick-off meeting, Jill (Director of Client Strategy, RainCastle) introduced us to the team. We then discussed our needs, vision, and desired content for the site. Thanks to their experience with creating websites for small biotech companies, they got exactly what we were looking for right away.

After that meeting, RainCastle began working right away. For each stage, the team provided design options and asked for feedback. We could choose a complete option or a mixture of each option. Once we made a decision, they translated that into a deliverable that we then approved. They provided copyedited content and asked us to provide materials such as images for the site. We chose to use original imagery instead of stock photos.

What is the team composition?

Jill served as our project manager. We also worked with Donato (Senior Web Developer, RainCastle), Ji Lee (Senior Graphic Designer, RainCastle) and Garrett (Web Designer and Client Manager, Compete Now). 

How did you come to work with RainCastle?

We looked at a variety of onshore vendors. My conversation with Paul (President and Creative Director, RainCastle) impressed me. RainCastle offered a quote on the lower end of other vendors’ offers. They also had experience working with companies like ours, which made it more likely that they would meet our tight timeline. We ultimately decided that they were the best match to meet our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in mid-November 2018. RainCastle finished the site by the end of December.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

RainCastle did not promise to make our timeline, but they delivered on time, which deeply impressed us. After final checks, the site was launched in mid-January. Our board praised its clean design, and our team is happy with its usability and easily expandable functionality. RainCastle taught me how to use WordPress so I can make updates and edits as needed with little outside help.

How did RainCastle perform from a project management standpoint?

We interfaced weekly via phone calls and email to meet our timeline. Jill made sure both sides stayed on top of tasks from start to finish by creating hard deadlines. The team was highly responsive and diligent throughout the entire project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

RainCastle communicated well and often from start to finish. They acted like a partner in this project, which we appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of.

Any advice for potential customers?

Hire them. Reach out to Jill or Paul; they’ll get back to you quickly with a proposal and a quote. I have no qualms about recommending their services or engaging them in future projects.
 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Digital Marketing Manager for VMRay. We are a cybersecurity company and a malware sandbox.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle Communications?

Our initial scope involved website development, but we later added additional branding projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle Communications held calls with our founders and our stakeholders on the sales and marketing sides to better determine our message and target audience. The website development included building a WordPress site with a more modern design and a new tagline, which has made us stand out and give customers a better sense of what we do.

They coordinated our branding projects in parallel with the website development. These tasks included social media content, graphics, email templates, data sheets, and white paper templates. Further, they slightly enhanced our SEO efforts, which we continue to utilize.

What is the team composition?

Our team consisted of the founder and creative director, Paul; the director of client strategy, Jill; and a copywriter, Andy. They had a development team as well.

How did you come to work with RainCastle Communications?

A colleague of mine referred RainCastle Communications to me. We had an incumbent vendor at the time, and we sent an RFP to RainCastle and a number of other firms. RainCastle was the most attentive of them all. They called twice to get more clarity and understand who we are targeting and what we’re trying to accomplish.

How much have you invested with them?

The project finished around $42,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February until June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Among the many changes, we now have a tab more prominently displayed on our site for visitors to request a trial, and since our launch, we have seen a steady increase in the number of customers taking that option. We’ve seen about a 15% increase in our organic search, as well.

As for the branding, our materials and graphics mirror the content available on our site, which has increased our visibility and engagement at trade shows.

How did RainCastle Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

They are very organized. They kept everybody on track and provided revisions in a timely manner. They are flexible, and we appreciate them for driving this project forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We didn’t want to piece together several vendors to each focus on one aspect. We were looking for a do-it-all agency, and that’s what we found. We quickly built a healthy working relationship. They exceeded our expectations in how they strategized, designed, and implemented each stage of our project.

Any advice for potential customers?

There are inherent challenges with any development project, so it’s best to be flexible and keep the lines of communication open.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Mass Golf, which is technically known as Women’s Golf Association Massachusetts, is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on supporting amateur golf through handicap computation services, event organization, and overall services for member clubs and individual golfers in Massachusetts. I am the director of communication for the organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with RainCastle?

We were undergoing a complete website redesign. We wanted to create a more user-friendly version of a very complex site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

RainCastle redesigned our website and integrated its backend CMS. They had also created our first website, which used HTML.

We worked with another company for the rebranding effort. The company we’ve used for the rebranding has more experience in the golfing industry. We went to them because we needed to finish the site on an aggressive timeline. We connected RainCastle with that team to ensure that they would be comfortable working together. This was an essential consideration for the project. 

The next step was involving RainCastle in the rebranding process. They were not responsible for the logo creation and other branding activities, but they participated in all our calls and provided insights into our brand positioning and design elements. The rebranding agency came up with a logo suite and style guide. Based on those, RainCastle quickly came up with website design concepts for us to review. Once we decided on a specific design, they built our WordPress platform.

We also went through a website architecture review process. They outlined all the variations for our site’s pages, and came up with unique solutions for our problems. One of those was managing a huge volume of archived data from the previous site.

They also came up with a solution for our backend member login portal, which is managed by another company. Their work elevated the aesthetic of that website, which had been quite poor before. A data management company is not a design company, so their product was not very appealing. RainCastle created an overlay page for that company’s system. They came up with the design and functionalities of that page, and integrated it into a subdomain to eliminate any technical issues. Now users don’t realize that they’re going from one website to another.

We have a “Find a Club” link that takes users out of our main mask-all server and into a subdomain run by a third party. RainCastle designed all those pages and gave the partner company everything they needed.

They also designed an icon section for registered members, which replaced the previous text version. RainCastle invented an extensive suite of unique icons for all layers of data provided by our organization.

We did not request advertising services from them, but we did ask for a complete SEO analysis. We had never done that before, so their team educated us. Given the old-school nature of our site, we hadn't used SEO for many years. They emphasized the importance of SEO, explained why and how we should implement it, and created a sitemap. We analyzed that document page by page and added the suggestions to the site.

They also worked on the redirect links from our old site, making sure that there wouldn’t be any dead links.

The company we’ve used for the rebranding has more experience in the golfing industry. We went to them because we needed to finish the site on an aggressive timeline.

RainCastle did work on our “Brand Story” page. We had an idea of how we wanted it to look, but they helped us integrate a video and generally make it more interactive.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with RainCastle’s vice president and their owner for many years. Both were present for every call we’ve had from the start of the project. John was in charge of helping with site architecture and backend solution, while Paul was involved with the branding and overall design layout.

Once we got into the development phase, I worked closely with their senior web developer from November until launch. I also worked with two SEO specialists from their team.

How did you come to work with RainCastle?

We had an existing relationship with them, which was a key factor in the decision. We didn’t want that to be the only reason for our choice, so we went through an extensive vetting process. Our original goal was to find one company for the rebranding and website development, as that seemed most efficient. However, RainCastle convinced us that they would have no problem working with another company. They had a good history of working with other groups bring projects together. They were willing to serve as project managers and alter their original proposal. That, along with their proposed solutions for our technology platforms, set them apart.

They also had a good knowledge of how we operate. John has taken a lot of interest over the years in learning what our business is all about. The fact that he could hit the ground running and understand our method of working with golf clubs and individual golfers—along with the structure of our backend data—was a huge benefit.

We looked at different companies, with the original goal of selecting a single partner. The rebranding company could have done the job of the web developer, but RainCastle established itself as our web development partner since they could work with another group and stick to an extremely aggressive timeline around the holiday season.

How much have you invested with them?

The cost of their work was $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The rebranding process started in May 2017, but we onboarded RainCastle in August and began development in November. The site was launched in January 2018.

We brought them in later because we first needed to come up with a new name, mission, and logo for our organization. We had to do a lot of work before RainCastle could start developing the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Anecdotally, the website has been well received. We’ve launched it successfully and there’ve been no issues or complaints. We have received outside compliments and calls from different organizations in and outside of our industry, congratulating us on producing such a great site and product. We are currently creating benchmark reports to track the website.

We attribute this to a combination of the new brand and website. Its user experience is completely seamless. Our golf clubs are thrilled with the new visual benefits of the site. We will be tracking traffic to the site, but the overall response—among everyone from our board of directors to individual golfers and sponsors—has been overwhelmingly positive.

Even though they weren’t contracted for our rebranding, RainCastle was hugely helpful throughout the process. Their solution saved us countless hours of data input during the migration from a static website to a CMS.

Our member login page is currently hosted on a subdomain run and managed by a third party. RainCastle developed it to solve our previous browser and cache issues. They created a frame with CSS files for the other company to use and place on our subdomain.

The design style, icons, and colors match each other fully on our member page. The experience is truly seamless. It’s a more complex site than it immediately appears, but RainCastle gave its frontend a smooth and simple appearance.

The templates they created helped us save money and hone in on what we wanted to post on the site. Creating pages ourselves saved us money on web development. We have actually posted most of those pages. RainCastle reviewed our work and made sure that all the secondary pages we needed were in place.

How did RainCastle perform from a project management standpoint?

Our rebranding was necessary because of a merger, which was going to become legally official on January 1. We needed to have the site live and fully functional on that date. RainCastle delivered, despite getting some information from our end later than originally planned. We hit all our deadlines and they remained totally available, even during the holidays. We needed and appreciated that.

During the rebranding phase, we got in touch once or twice per week. Once we began website design and development, we spoke numerous times per week, including after work hours.

What they did in a short time was incredible. Much of that was attributable to RainCastle’s ability to come up with three design concepts that lined up with our thinking. Even though we made a lot of changes, we didn’t have to go back to the drawing board. Their knowledge and involvement sped up the development process and allowed us to keep to our timetable.

They delivered everything they said they would. I had a lot of pushback from my board, saying that they didn’t think that two companies could work together. RainCastle provided exceptional web development services while managing another company's team alongside their own. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stood out because of the solutions they devised for unique problems. Not too many companies have the same technical setup as ours, so I was impressed with their ability to come up with solutions and work with other companies. RainCastle also had a good knowledge of our space and a willingness to learn more about it. They understood our audience and our goals.

They helped us in areas that they weren’t asked to focus on and told us when messages didn’t seem right from an outside perspective. This input was very helpful as we developed our new brand. I can’t imagine a company delivering as well as RainCastle on this type of project. For a client looking to work on multiple projects, their company is a good choice.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Everyone has different needs, so there aren’t any one-company-fits-all solutions, but I would definitely encourage anyone looking for a rebranding partner to listen to RainCastle. They should be allowed to provide solutions, or at least be in the consideration. They were the perfect fit for us, and I would imagine that would be the same for many other groups.

We made the conscious decision to have a very simple site for many years. RainCastle understood that we didn’t have a large budget. They came up with economical solutions that allowed us to keep the previous site running until the rebranding. I truly appreciated their ability to scale down their offer. Once we could invest in a new brand, they stepped up and delivered a tremendous product. That shows the scale of their offerings.