Rep Cap

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the interim CMO for Sharpen, a AI contact center solution for an anywhere workplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Rep Cap?

Our website and brand were outdated and didn't represent the contemporary solution that the company offered.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I had worked with the repcap team previously, I knew their messaging ability, design thinking, and their high output model. I trusted them to deliver on time and on budget. Also, their team is super professional and friendly to collaborate with.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We needed fresh messaging that reflected their modern low code no code solution. We did 3 things in parallel, messaging, brand /new logo, and creating new content on the site.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with the client director, web director, and design team approx 5 people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We built a new modern website, aligned to organic search terms has grown visitors, reduced bounce rate, and grown visitor time on the page.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The client success manager was awesome, professional, proactive, and organized. We made decisions on the client side quickly which made a huge difference.

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

What I find the most impressive about the repcap team is their messaging ability. Then align all the assets, website, etc around the agreed-upon messaging strategy. I also think they are an agency focused on outcomes and deliverables.

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

Once they hired a dedicated customer success manager it made the process easier - prior to the CEO who was the lead which made scheduling difficult.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing director for PreCheck. We’re a background screening firm that exclusively serves the healthcare industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Rep Cap?

We engaged Rep Cap to help us lead our first original research study from start to finish and then produce a whitepaper based on the results.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to produce a research study with valid questions to serve as a valuable and relevant resource for our audience.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’d already worked with Rep Cap for two years prior; they produced monthly content for our company blog. We trusted their team to do quality work, so selecting them for this project was easy.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Rep Cap helped us design the study, optimize the research questions, and configure the survey in SurveyMonkey. After we collected the data and performed the outreach, Rep Cap worked with us to analyze the data. They were responsible for writing the final whitepaper.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Mary Ellen (CEO, Rep Cap), who served as a project manager and helped with the survey design; and Lee (Content Marketing Consultant, Rep Cap), who consulted on the survey. They contracted a freelancer to write the whitepaper.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The overall study and ensuing campaign generated over 300 leads in two years. We’re highly pleased with these results, and we’ve continued our partnership with Rep Cap for other projects.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project ran smoothly from start to finish. Rep Cap analyzed the data and delivered their products with diligence and efficiency. All delays came from our side. We primarily communicated via email, but we also scheduled conference calls as needed. Those calls focused on next steps and follow-up decisions.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They reliably delivered high-quality content for every service we’ve engaged them for, from our blogs to our final whitepaper.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Director of Public Affairs for the Louisiana Housing Corporation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rep Cap?

We contracted with Rep Cap for brand messaging and marketing from a strategic perspective. Our agency has been facing a lack of visual branding and message awareness. People in our community didn't understand who we are and what we do. Our agency is very complex because we have different audiences, and each of those messages has to be very specific. Rep Cap was hired to refine our message and better project how we impact each community we're trying to serve.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a very specific focus on one of our programs, but it quickly became evident we needed an overhaul of our entire message. Rep Cap interviewed our five program directors and several of our key partners in the industry to learn about how we need to be presented and how we need to move forward. They utilized a methodical plan to help us develop a new brand identity. Our projects included a new logo, a redesigned website with enhanced web copy, and a narrowed focus for each program underneath one organizational umbrella.

What is the team composition?

We work heavily with Mary Ellen, the owner, along with a brand strategist.

How did you come to work with Rep Cap?

We went through an extensive RFP process and spoke with several of the applicants, but Rep Cap’s proposal was what we were looking for because it centered on strategic content marketing. Additionally, I knew Mary Ellen from several entrepreneurial and community events. She and her team have a sound understanding of how government works in Louisiana.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we’ve spent between $20,000–$25,000, but our contract is for $50,000. We anticipate spending close to $60,000, however.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had some tough critics in the form of employees who did not believe we needed a rebranding. They considered our current messaging practices to be sufficient. Once we unveiled our new logo and brand strategy, we won over a lot of skeptics in our office. We believe we are now reflected as the industry leader for affordable housing resources in Louisiana.

How did Rep Cap perform from a project management standpoint?

We operate out of Basecamp and through emails on the occasions that we do not meet in person. Mary Ellen balances a busy schedule of her own to give our project ample attention. We appreciate her accessibility and her dedication to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are committed to quality customer service and helping us achieve our vision. Rep Cap makes sure that if their name is associated with a project, it will be thorough and complete.

Any advice for potential customers?

If you're considering someone for anything that's marketing specific, Rep Cap is the best choice. Also, it’s best to be forthcoming and truthful to get the best results. You have to be honest about what your key challenges are.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior communication specialist at a national dental benefits provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rep Cap?

We already had a blog, but we wanted to establish a content marketing program that focused on a set of productive keywords to help us increase conversion rates and revenue for our business and our individual franchises.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rep Cap produces all of the content for our marketing programs that promote both our individual businesses and our larger enterprise. They help with broad-focused content as well as pieces for specific elements within our offered health and financial services.

Over the course of our engagement, Red Cap has provided a variety of services to support our content marketing program. Mainly, they act as a sounding board. Generally, I come up with ideas and share them with Rep Cap, who provides feedback and makes suggestions. Once we agree, their team produces the content. They help implement innovative strategies that focus on boosting our company’s revenue. Additionally, they’ve done graphic design, created an e-book, and worked on other various tasks. We’ve also been able to leverage their content in a series of promotional videos that have been used throughout our entire company.

Currently, we’re between production cycles so I’m working on new materials. Soon, I’ll share them with Red Cap and we’ll discuss strategies for implementation. Now, there’s a pipeline of about ten pieces ready for review and production.

What is the team composition?

We work mostly with the CEO and the content marketing consultant. I speak with them several times a week.

How did you come to work with Rep Cap?

Because I had a background in marketing, my company asked me to manage the new content marketing program. I looked to Rep Cap for assistance.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2017 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve experienced significant increases in revenue due, in part, to Rep Cap’s marketing assistance. We’ve exceeded our quarterly revenue from the end of 2016 by 70%, which is a little under $700,000. Additionally, we’ve received over 150,000 total views on the videos we produced using Rep Cap’s content.

How did Rep Cap perform from a project management standpoint?

The workflow between our teams is flawless. We communicate mainly through email and phone calls and the Rep Cap team is very responsive. If there is ever a delay, it stems from internal obstacles on our end. They require minimal management because they make it a priority to fully understand our goals for each project and we’re confident that they can deliver the appropriate solutions. They leverage their command over journalistic writing and style to consistently produce professional content.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciate their team’s dedication. They don’t focus on the tasks we assign them, but rather our goals as a whole. With that level of understanding, they can deliver the most productive and profitable services and solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There aren’t any areas from my perspective, but I’m sure they have things to work on internally. In my experience so far, they are on target in terms of their services and deliverables.

Any advice for potential customers?

I recommend clients clearly define their goals before engaging and then thoroughly describe them to the Rep Cap team. Then, give them the freedom to suggest their own ideas and take advantage of their consulting expertise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former senior marketing manager for an online education platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rep Cap?

We hired Rep Cap to lead our content marketing strategy and produce relevant advertising materials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rep Cap created a variety of deliverables for us like white papers, e-books, blog posts, infographics, and social media content. To start the creative process, I’d come up with a theme that we’d tailor our enterprise marketing materials towards for the length of a fiscal quarter. Themes could range from upscaling people who need extra development to planning future developments. We’d discuss our general ideas with Rep Cap and they’d pitch possible headlines. After agreeing on a theme, we’d collaborate to plan out deliverables for the quarter.

Rep Cap would suggest who they wanted to interview and pitch the angle they’d approach the piece from. Then, they’d submit an outline of the article for approval. Once approved, they’d dive into the project and produce the content required for our purposes.

What is the team composition?

Their owner was our primary point of contact, but I also interacted with a project manager and a writer/editor. They had designers and other resources working on the project as well, but I never spoke to them.

How did you come to work with Rep Cap?

We initially considered another vendor but found out they’d worked for most of our competitors. We wanted a fresh perspective, so I searched online for B2B content companies that specialize in enterprise marketing. We discovered Rep Cap and appreciated the strong journalistic background that several members of their staff possess. Because of that experience, we were comfortable with them interviewing high-ranking education officials on our behalf. They also had experience working within the HR and education development industries, so we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Rep Cap worked for us from January 2017–January 2018. After that, a new marketing manager took over the project and hired his own team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Rep Cap team wrote the single most clicked-on piece of content available on the platform.

How did Rep Cap perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a standing weekly phone call that’d they never canceled. Even if there was nothing of importance to discuss, we’d get on the phone for five minutes and briefly go over the project just to stay in the routine of that call. This demonstrates their commitment and willingness to follow-through on tasks. I could tell everyone on their team liked working there and could communicate seamlessly with each other.

They also send regular emails and reply quickly. Since they work several hours ahead of me, I’d often wake up with things to review and would send my feedback. The whole process just clicked. I kept in touch with their owner via social media and assured her I’d bring Rep Cap with me wherever I went.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They work with a lot of Fortune 500 companies, but I never felt like they were too busy to handle our project adequately. They may have struggled to do so, but their professionalism kept that information away from me. They’d ask for several dates when scheduling a meeting, but always found a time that worked.

I hope to have Rep Cap working with my current company very soon. I absolutely love working with them and have recommended the company to five different colleagues. The writer/editor I work with is extremely talented and can churn out content quickly. She even went on maternity leave during our initial engagement, but Rep Cap structured their workload so effectively that we never felt her absence. Their team has fun working together and that helps cultivate a positive experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The owner attends a lot of conferences and has her finger on the pulse of the HR and education development industries. Give them the option to pitch ideas based on their experiences and expertise. I find their wealth of knowledge invaluable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m Creative Director at Aon. I work within the company’s HR business line, which specializes in consulting and technology services. I oversee content creation and brand compliance across marketing and product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rep Cap?

Content generation for our marketing group had been thought leader-driven and not market leader refined. Initially, we hired Rep Cap for their consulting services. We needed their help because our intellectual content was too esoteric for its audience. We wanted to be better marketers by following the buyer journey to more accessible thought leadership content with ROI attached.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since we don’t have the budget for a full campaign, Rep Cap does select projects with high ROI potential. Our team does social media generation while they focus on projects such as thought leadership case studies. For that project, Rep Cap transcribed interviews with clients and account executives to produce the final deliverable. The team has also supplemented internal design resources to do infographics and content generation layout. The team has also done infographics for our blog, which our internal initiatives such as e-mail blasts and social media marketing on LinkedIn and Twitter. We use Uberflip to market curated content; it’s hosted on our website.

Recently, they helped us with our annual global employee engagement trends report, which was our priority for the first five months. The online white paper is our anchor piece and gets approximately 10,000 downloads every year. This year’s report was tricky because we received corporate funding, which increased the number of international company stakeholders involved in the remote project; the white paper is generated in the Midwest, I’m in California, and we have colleagues in Europe and Asia Pacific countries. The team consulted on messaging and did infographics, design, and editing, but not foundational writing.

What is the team composition?

I work primarily with Mary Ellen (Account Executive and Partner, Rep Cap). She’ll put me in direct contact with team members when necessary.

How did you come to work with Rep Cap?

I found them through a referral when I was at a small startup that Aon later acquired. My marketing leader considered other companies after getting the recommendation, but Rep Cap was the most approachable and their off-site team met our needs. When I joined Aon via the acquisition, I saw the problem with thought leadership content and referred Rep Cap. Aon didn’t have very good vendors; those partners had shotgun approaches to content generation. Aon needed an agency that could bring everything together and guide them through a uniform process. Based on our previous experience, I knew Rep Cap excelled at working with a company’s brand guidelines and tone—only doing brand stretch when requested.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000 in the first year. But more Aon business lines have engaged them and we now spend between $75,000–$100,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The white paper was our number-one download on Uberflip four months after its publication. Since we launched Uberflip only shortly before the paper, we had to drive traffic to the document. We had lost a key player and the team helped us stopgap that loss. As a result, marketing and communication were key, and Rep Cap stepped up to complete the project successfully.

How did Rep Cap perform from a project management standpoint?

Mary Ellen is our “handler” because she intakes our feedback and delivers it to the writers and designers. However, we interact with writers directly on thought leader case studies. We field the writers’ questions and edit their work. We also work directly with designers on page layout. Since I’m a creative director, Mary Ellen is comfortable putting me in direct contact when appropriate, instead of filtering our feedback. Direct communication is more efficient and Mary Ellen balances both approaches well.

Since I juggling numerous daily requests, I appreciate when Rep Cap checks in if they haven’t gotten feedback yet. The messages are always friendly and timely without being incessant. Even though I manage the project, they are proactive enough to lessen that burden. I initiate meetings and tasks, but they’ll make sure everything is completed on time. Overall, the team is very fair and doesn’t favor larger clients over smaller ones.

We use Google Docs and PDFs in Dropbox to share edits and documentation, although Aon’s security measures often require workarounds for the former. Our teams communicate via email, phone, and Microsoft’s business version of Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Rep Cap is no-nonsense. Other vendors charge a premium to tell a client what they want to hear. The team has a collaborative approach to success and will give honest feedback that’s frank without being aggressive or condescending. We’re excited to get their feedback because it keeps us agile in a constantly changing world. What’s more, they’re team players, which we need because Aon is built around people living and working everywhere. We need collaborative teamwork to get things done.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had communication breakdowns a couple times when I didn’t get the return I had expected. After I gave them feedback on not digging deeper, the team processed it and reversed engineered to the original goal. Looking back, both sides could have been clearer with communication; it was a learning experience for everyone. I also appreciated Rep Cap’s ability to take feedback. If a partner can take feedback and we can grow together, I have no problem with the situation.

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to foster a creative environment in which everyone can grow. Approach the project with an open mind and collaborative spirit. Clients could do a snap poll or non-traditional approaches to written content. Have a set of concrete expectations, but be flexible because vendors can’t display all of their strengths at every moment. It’s beneficial that Rep Cap works with so many different companies because they see what works across a wide spectrum.