Sayenko Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Skyline Communications, a low-voltage systems integrator. We design and install communication and security systems. As for security, we focus on electronic access control and video surveillance systems. As for communications, we do structured fiber and cat six cablings and implement wireless solutions, including emergency responder radio coverage and indoor cellphone coverage.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

We needed to refresh our website so that it better reflected what we did. Most of our customers are IT people, and they mainly determine who to work with based on online research. Thus, we also wanted to have higher visibility so that potential customers could find us when searching for companies in our industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sayenko first understood who we were trying to reach with our website. Then, they did a competitor analysis and looked at different websites of companies in the same industry and other tangential industries. After that, they proposed an outline for our website based on the best features they saw on our competitors, and finally, they developed our website on WordPress.

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people from Sayenko.

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

We had used some lower-end designers in the past, but we didn’t get as professional of a project as we wanted, and we didn’t get the regular maintenance we needed. Thus, we started looking for a new company, but we still wanted to find a boutique and small company to get a personal service.

We found Sayenko and discovered that they were very professional. Additionally, they had good processes for a company of their size.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$25,000 on the website redesign. However, the ongoing maintenance cost is minimal.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2020–January 2021, but they still provide maintenance services to our site. We expect to have this site up and running for at least five more years. Although we would try to fix any important issues immediately, we don’t want to do another total refresh for five years if we can help it.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website’s adaptability to different devices and platforms is really good compared to how it was before. It looks great whether our customers access it from an iPhone, an Android device, a tablet, or a computer. Before this redesign, our website had some adaptability issues.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Sayenko’s project management was professional and structured. We had weekly updates throughout the project, so we never experienced a time where we didn’t know what was happening.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sayenko’s process was great. They knew what they were doing at every step of the way, and they had a great process in place, from competitor research to launching the site.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that when Sayenko asks questions, you put a good amount of effort into answering them. For example, if they want to know more about your competitors, spend some time thinking who they are so that you can point them in the right direction. Likewise, when talking about what you offer, make sure that you give them good information.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing and development supervisor of Therapeutic Health Services, so I oversee our website, Google advertising, and social media channels. We provide addiction treatment and mental health services in the Seattle area, as well as counseling and other means of support for both adults and youths to help them with their behavioral health. Additionally, we’re one of the leading providers of medication-assisted treatments in Seattle for people suffering from opioid or prescription painkillers addiction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

We had a website that worked really well for us in terms of SEO, but we wanted to get a refreshed visual design, improved navigation, a better loading speed, and a better look and feel overall.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we set up a meeting with Sayenko to discuss what we were looking for from our site. We completed a questionnaire of 12–20 pages to describe what we wanted, list sites that we liked and disliked, and specify the elements that we were hoping to get.

Then, we met again with them to go over our answers, and we started meeting with their team to discuss our content optimization. Sayenko completed a keyword analysis and gave us some ideas while we provided them with some main keywords related to our focus.

After that, we started with the content migration. They gave us a form on Google Docs, where we pasted the content from our existing site in plain text form so that they could copy it to the new site later. From there, Sayenko went into the production phase and started creating the site.

Throughout the process, they showed us the wireframes, and we gave them our feedback. After 1–2 weeks, they came back and showed us the designs of some of the main pages and the complete design of the home page, with color and everything.

We then had another round of feedback. However, we didn’t do many iterations because we just offered our comments, and they either made the changes or gave us recommendations to proceed in a different way.

After that, Sayenko gave us training on using the site, and I proceeded to fill in the remaining pages with content. The site went live without any hiccup, and it was a very smooth process.

What is the team composition?

We first worked with Mike (Owner & Chief Designer), who walked us through the contract and bidding process and explained how the whole process would look like. Then, we worked with Nick (Digital Marketing Supervisor & SEO Specialist), who talked to us about keyword optimization and the content of our site.

After that, Kyle (Web Developer) was the person with whom we worked the most. He handled the construction of our site and coordinated with us for changes. He was also the one who showed us the wireframes and provided us with training.

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

I searched for local design firms and looked at referrals from other friends who work in this field. Then, we went through a bidding process, and we reviewed all the bids that we got with our team. Sayenko had the most competitive bid; it was in our price range and included the services that we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost of this project was around $24,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2021, and Sayenko launched our site at the end of August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of our greatest success metrics was meeting the deadline. Our goal was to launch this site before the end of August, and Sayenko achieved that. Additionally, I had gone through a site redesign process before, and I’m sure that this project was the smoothest of the two. It was clear that Sayenko’s team did this kind of work all the time.

In terms of actual success due to the project, we haven’t seen any significant results so far because we've just launched it. From now on, we will measure the increase in our page views, organic conversions, and other similar metrics.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Sayenko, without a doubt, was a fantastic group to work with, and Kyle was fantastic as well. They were communicative and very responsive to our requests, and we were very impressed with their ability to deliver and meet our expectations. Additionally, they always had good recommendations for us.

In the beginning, we had a breakdown in our communication, but we managed to move past that without facing any real issues. Sayenko also set some internal deadlines that they wanted to meet, but we ended up missing a couple of them by a few days. However, this had no impact on our project’s success at all.

Despite those initial challenges and once we moved to the actual development, it was smooth sailing. Overall, their project management was great.

We used a really intuitive project management tool, but I don’t remember its name. On it, we had our active project, and we could share files, track tasks, set goals and deadlines, and communicate. Sayenko trained me to use that tool very quickly, and once I was up and running, it was very helpful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The visual design skills and knowledge that Sayenko brought to the table were impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be good if Sayenko were a little more patient with their clients at the beginning of the process. However, this wasn’t an issue for us because we’re a small, lean organization, and we were able to move really quickly. Other than that, everything was fantastic, and they offered excellent communication.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you know what you want from the project and what you’re looking for from your site. Also, be ready to put in this project the time necessary for it to be successful.

They’re the designers, so they will do the heavy lifting. However, they don’t know your company nor your content as well as you do, so make sure that you spend some time preparing your content and yourself for the project. This way, once they start working with you, they’ll do it in a timely manner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide online training and mentorship to nonprofits regarding their communication and marketing programs. I’m the COO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

We needed help redesigning our website. We had two WordPress sites. One for our regular website and one for our blog. We wanted to combine them into one and do a complete redesign and logo refresh.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sayenko Design consolidated our WordPress sites into one platform. They gave us 2–3 design choices, which was helpful.  The team did some coding on the backend to make sure that our training materials and blog posts pop up on our home page.

They also redesigned our logo. They spent a lot of time learning who we were as a company, which we really appreciated.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Mike (Owner & Chief Designer), Nik (Web Strategist & SEO Specialist), and Kyle (Web Developer).

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

I went on Clutch and found another company and we didn’t gel. They recommended Sayenko Design and we decided to take a meeting with them. We got along really well and decided to work together.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $33,000–$34,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2020, and we went live in February 2021. We’re still working together on small updates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new site helps us feature our trainings and blog posts in a better way. We’ve recieved a lot of great feedback about the site’s aesthetics. Users say it’s great and much easier to navigate than other websites. Our newsletter subscribers and our number of leads are up, too. We’ve had no complaints so far.

They’re very responsive. A lot of companies say they’re going to be your partner but end up doing things their way. Sayekno Design actually listened to our needs and adjusted our backend to match what we were saying.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was all very organized. The team was very clear on what we needed to provide.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was very responsive. They were very quick to get in touch with us when we had any questions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It was sometimes confusing as to where we were supposed to post questions, but that’s very minor.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an idea of what you want, first and foremost. Take some time to go in and find websites that you want and show them that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of sales and marketing at the corporate level for a nonprofit. We have five verticals in the senior living industry — predominantly housing, community-based services, affordable technology, philanthropy, and business services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

We needed a new corporate website that would better reflect our brand and the direction we were headed in. Additionally, we’d grown significantly since our original website was created, so we wanted to unite all of our affiliates under one URL. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Sayenko Design created our corporate website, uniting our affiliates under one URL. It was a bit complex in that regard because we had to port in or migrate about 20 URLs under one domain. As a result, we wanted to make sure we had a clean UX to navigate between all of our communities.

Their team developed a search tool that allowed users to move between each of our 15 communities based on various criteria (e.g., level of care). When a user navigated to a community website from our corporate page, they were actually going to an individual page for that community, complete with its own look and feel. However, there was still a simple navigational feature at the top of the page that would allow users to go back to the corporate site.

The project itself was built on WordPress, and we moved all of the sites from GoDaddy to SiteGround. Our IT director took care of the SSL tasks.

What is the team composition? 

It was a small team. Mike (Seattle Web Designer) was our project manager until the development started. Then, Kyle (WordPress Developer) took over since he was our main developer.

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

We found Sayenko Design while searching on Google for a local development team. Other companies undercut the budget, putting in inexpensive bids that were ridiculously too low because they didn’t understand the whole scope of the project. In contrast, Mike’s team had a good grasp of our needs, and his technical savvy during his initial presentation was far superior to everyone else. That was exactly what we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

It was originally $60,000, but there were some add-ons throughout that totaled about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from January–December 2020. It was supposed to be a four-month project, but we saw several delays due to COVID-19. We had to populate all of the content ourselves, but I couldn’t get to all of that because I was too busy fighting COVID-19-related fires.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our IT director came in after the project was completed, and he noted that Sayenko Design built a really clean site. It loaded faster and even had video. 

What I liked about the site was that the content blocks were all customizable, which made it easy for us to manipulate them on the backend by ourselves. These became templates for communities that wanted to join our network but didn’t have a great website of their own — all they had to do was choose one of our content blocks and populate it.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They excelled at project management. Mike did a great job of taking our creative feedback and kept the project on task. If it wasn’t for him nudging us forward, I’d end up putting off the site because I’d be too overwhelmed with something COVID-19-related. 

The team used a separate project management system that we weren’t in love with, but that could also be because I worked in five other systems on a daily basis and didn’t want to learn another one.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sayenko Design is definitely a development agency. In the past, I’d worked with an ad agency to develop a site, but what I got was a pretty site that wasn’t high-performing on the backend. Sayenko Design wasn’t like that — they’re developers, which meant we got a really high-quality product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you go into development, you need to realize that the project is pretty set at that stage. That’s why it helps to make your edits and really rally your team before you start developing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of a nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

Our website hadn’t been updated in at least a decade, so we wanted to completely revamp it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the first phase of the project, we talked through our objectives and what we were trying to achieve by redesigning our WordPress website. We also gave them a lot of information about our organization, what our values were, and who we were trying to reach through our website.

Then they designed the site, chose a color scheme, planned the layout, and created wireframes. They worked closely with my team to make sure that their designs met our needs.

We also needed to rewrite a lot of content, so they gave us advice on what would be effective and how we could use it to improve our SEO.

Then we worked with their developer. Once they completed the development, we fine-tuned some things, made sure everything worked properly. The links worked, the menus and submenus were functional, and we had all the content we needed. They taught us how to use the admin side of the website so we felt comfortable using the site on our own.

As we went through that, we asked them to do a few more things to improve the site even further before launching it. Now we’re beginning a new phase and are planning to build an e-commerce site.  

What is the team composition?

First, I worked with Mike (Web Designer) to discuss our strategy. He stayed involved throughout the project and I felt like I could reach out to him whenever I needed to. Then I worked with a designer on the wireframes and homepage. Once that was set, we worked with the developer.

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

I did an online search and narrowed it down to a few web design companies. Their reviews on Clutch were a major factor in my decision-making process. I reached out to them and asked them to submit a proposal, so we selected them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $16,000–$18,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2020 and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We recently launched the site, but we’ve already received positive comments about how elegant the site looks and how easy it is to navigate. Even our board members have commented on what an improvement it is. We think it will have a big impact on our organization.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was one of their strong suits. They laid out the whole process and provided a timeline for us. Then they used a project management tool to remind me what needed to be done. It was easy for me to go into their portal and see their progress. I was also able to upload documents and comment on their work through that portal. Overall, it was a very effective tool. They really helped keep us on schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

First, they were very strategic about our design and helped us think about what we were trying to achieve.

Second, they had amazing project management skills. They were flexible and responsive no matter when we reached out to them.

Third, their entire team was awesome to work with. Overall, they were skilled, knowledgeable, and insightful. Their developer was amazing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think they need to improve anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

New clients should be prepared to work closely with them. I didn’t realize how much time we would have to dedicate to the project on our side.

They should also leverage all the talent Sayenko Design has because they’re very skilled and insightful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a nonprofit foster care placement agency that operates group homes for young foster men as well as licenses and places youth in foster homes. I’m the administrative manager, so I handle grants, community engagement, and development. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

When I took over, I inherited website maintenance responsibilities. It’s been a desire of ours for the last few years to upgrade the website, so I volunteered to take that project on. We hired them for a full website redesign.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with our existing site, they examined our platform and delivered a list of steps for updating and improving the site. Their recommendations encompassed updating messaging as well as creating a UI that led to an easier path to action. They were responsible for brainstorming and coming up with key ideas for the final site design.  

What is the team composition?

There was a team of people that I interacted with at the start of the project, but as the development progressed, I worked mostly with one developer.  

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

They had very good reviews. We wanted to work with a local company, so we were only searching for partners in the Seattle area. I did a Google search and saw that they’d done some work with nonprofits, which encouraged us to reach out to them as well as a few other businesses. They put together a very nice pitch and were the fastest with response times, so we hired them.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere between $15,000–$18,000.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since around September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched yet, but it’s been a wonderful engagement so far. I’m not a very tech-savvy person, so I didn’t always know what to ask for from them. They were great at being intuitively prepared for each step of the process. Even when I couldn’t articulate something I needed very well, they were able to deliver. It was like having someone working inside my brain. They did a great job of getting everything we wanted across in the final website.  

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent with meeting deadlines, using a seamless project management program that made it easy to track their progress on tasks. We were able to stay on top of the work that way. We sometimes held tasks up on our end, but they kept things moving.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Despite their expertise in tech, they never sounded condescending or talked down to us at any point. They communicated in a clear, helpful way. I really liked their communication style. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It was sometimes easy to miss an email or update through the project management system if there were many tasks being worked on at once. However, they did a great job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Respect their timeline by putting your own time aside to engage with the materials they provide for you. They sent very thoughtful ideas for content and helpful information. They’re always communicating, so your engagement is important. Putting some time aside every day to devote to the project will give you the best possible results.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired them to design and develop our website. After that, we expected them to give us best practice guidance on how to optimize the site for search.

What is the status of this engagement?

Sayenko completed their work in October and provided files for our team to stand up the site on our server. The team at Sayenko was very helpful and responsive when our developer had questions or challenges and made sure that our site was deployed correctly (even though they were not hosting it).  When we had questions or the site needed a few tweaks a couple months after launch and they were very responsive.

When our original review was posted, the owner and head of Sayenko (Mike) reached out to us immediately to get further clarification and see how they could help rectify any areas of the project or final product for which we were not completely satisfied.

After discussion it was clear that there was simply some miscommunication and a few open items, which they immediately resolved. It wasn’t because of the review, it was clear that the Sayenko team was genuinely concerned about making sure that we (as their client) were happy with the work they did for us and that the relationship at the end of the project was in a good place.

I respect how persistent they were in following up and making sure that we were satisfied and ended on a positive note.

(Note: They never asked us to update our review. I was so impressed with how determined they were to rectify the situation that I couldn’t leave the review how it was originally posted.)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

Our relationship evolved because Sayenko followed up to make sure that we were pleased with every aspect of the project. They provided extra support after they handed over the project files and remain responsive to questions.

How did Sayenko Design address the challenges that arose?

We didn’t have any big challenges, just some minor bumps. I respect the fact that Mike reached out directly to truly understand the challenges and offered appropriate solutions to resolve any issues or miscommunication that occurred.

He never made excuses but took ownership when appropriate and found ways to resolve everything to ensure we were happy in the end.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

We increased the # of visitors to our site by over 400%.

How was project management handled?

They have a good project management platform in place to help centralize all communications, deliverables and timelines.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

(Beyond what was written previously…)

Their focus on customer satisfaction is admirable.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

If you have any questions or concerns during your engagement with Sayenko, feel free to reach out directly to the team. They are open to feedback and striving to deliver a good experience.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on Dec. 1, 2020

CMO, Education Company

Education

11-50 Employees

Charlotte, North Carolina 

$10,000 to $49,999

July - Oct. 2020

Project summary: 

Sayenko Design was hired to design and develop a website for an educational software development company. They were also expected to optimize our site for SEO and host the platform.

Feedback summary: 

Although they created a strong backend, Sayenko Design delivered WordPress templates that didn’t meet the client’s expectations. Unfortunately, the project scope was not well-defined, leading to some communication issues. On top of that, they generally were disconnected from the client.

This review includes the vendor's response.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of an educational software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

We were rebranding, creating a new logo and color scheme, and launching new product lines, so we needed to update our online presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired them to design and develop our website. After that, we expected them to optimize our platform.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Mike (Web Designer) and a developer.

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

We searched online and looked at several referrals to narrow it down to a number of different firms. Then we conducted initial screening interviews and asked for a proposal.  

At the time when we spoke to Mike; he seemed to have some good ideas. We thought he was very SEO-savvy and would be able to optimize our site.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July and completed the project in October 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They delivered web templates. We expected a fully complete website with all of our content uploaded on it already, but we had to upload all of our content.

We also expected them to optimize the site, but that didn’t really happen. We originally planned to have them host our site as well, but we decided to go in a different direction because there were hidden expenses.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We did have a couple of video conferencing when we first started, but they prefer that all communication goes through their project management tool. We largely communicated via email and didn’t have a lot of face-to-face contact unless we requested it. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our developer was customer service-oriented and easy to work with. He did his best to make the project successful.

He was experienced and knew how to build a solid backend and WordPress theme. He even suggested some best practices and made sure our site was consistent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a few times when communication slipped so we asked to get together on a teleconference to go over things.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend that customers carefully go over the contract and consider how things are worded. That will help them understand what services are included and what’s not.

Ratings

Overall rating: 3.5

Quality: 4

Schedule: 4

Cost: 3

Willing to refer: 0

The vendor responded on December 7, 2020.

Thank you — we greatly value your feedback! Our company prides itself on delivering high-quality work, and we make sure that if we do mess up, that we make things right. From a project delivery standpoint, we delivered the technical and on-site SEO as outlined in the proposal – Sitemap, SEO keyword analysis, SEO homepage copywriting, and 301 re-directs. The website is ranking better than ever after going live with the new website. 
 
Beyond this, we provided additional website training and design mockups above and beyond the scoped work. We made sure to follow up along the project with calls and messages, and we called after the site was launched on the client’s server to help fine-tune a few more items. 
 
As far as content uploading, this is something the client didn't select in the proposal "add-ons." We didn't add this to the project because of the client's budget constraints. We really wanted to deliver as much of the heavy lifting for them as possible — SEO, UX design, WordPress development — and leave the content uploading to the client, as it's the easy stuff where you can save some money doing it yourself. 
 
Lastly, our contracts clearly outline the hosting & maintenance as just one simple fee with a table of services provided and annual value that may have been mistaken for hidden fees.
 
We value transparency and, above all, want to make our clients happy. We look forward to seeing this company continue to grow and disrupt the remote teaching and learning space.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former marketing and communications director at a boys and girls club. Recently, I left the position in December 2020.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

We had an existing website that was no longer relevant to our goals and vision. The site was supposed to generate leads and content. We wanted the design to be more dynamic and needed a knowledgeable team to handle WordPress redesign. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prior to our engagement, our website was rather static. They kept our existing site but made substantial updates to the platform.

Their team first helped us update the site with image carousels, a content calendar, intuitive links, and accessible sign up pages. They were helpful in creating a path for leads on our website in the redesign of the site. 

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Mike (Web Designer) and a few developers. 

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

The previous marketing director selected them as the vendor. I believe they were connected through a recommendation. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since January 2020 to add features and functionality to the website they built.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They listen to customer needs, crafting our vision while keeping the user journey in mind at the same time. We were very happy with them. 

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were quick to respond to questions and emails. Additionally, they integrated a project management tracking system that was easy to us. If a bug or issue popped up, they were there to support me. They addressed issues very quickly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re on top of the game with their response times, clarity in communication, and transparency. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be helpful for them to provide a bit more context in their communications. Understanding the vernacular across industries would help us gain more insight from them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want and build out a detailed RFP. That will help them be the experts you need them to be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re the master association for a city. We own and maintain 21 parks, and we put on the majority of community events, such as concerts and movies in the park and different holiday events. I am the recreation director, so I oversee the events that we put on, as well as field allocations for our sports user groups. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

Our former website was really outdated. One of the things our board president wanted to do during his term was to develop a new website. He wanted it to be more modern and easily accessible. He also wanted the site to feature FAQs and highlight the great things that we do.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sayenko Design designed a completely new WordPress website for us from scratch. They continue to maintain the site, so they help if any bugs or issues come up.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a couple of people, but most of the communication was done through Mike (Web Designer). On our side, a couple of our board members, our general manager, and I were involved.

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

We went out to bid on different website companies. Our board president at the time was actually in the tech industry himself, so he provided a few companies to reach out to. Sayenko Design was one of the recommended companies, so that’s how we initially reached out. We chose them based on their organization and willingness to work with us. It seemed like a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000–$25,000. The monthly maintenance fee is $100.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in September 2019. We went live with the website in June 2020. Now, we pay a monthly maintenance fee.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been able to make information more easily accessible and available for our staff and residents. For instance, we added more electronic forms, so things that had to be downloaded and filled out before are on our site now. Our ‘contact us’ is a lot easier. 

In general, things are clearer and better laid out on the website. We’re getting fewer calls and questions because most things can be answered on the website now; it’s all right there.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

I thought it was organized and well done. From the beginning, it was easy. When we started out with the bidding, they had their proposal and PowerPoint ready. We had that first proposal meeting, and then once we decided to go with them, we had meetings where they got our input and ideas on things. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their process. It was organized, and we were able to provide our input. They listened to our needs and adjusted things as needed. We have a fairly unique business, and I don’t think they’d created websites for any community associations. This was a new challenge for them, but the end project turned out really well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not necessarily. There were a few hiccups because this project was new to everyone, including on my end — I don’t have a background in web design.

Any advice for potential customers?

Knowing what you’re looking for is really beneficial. They were open to listening to us and what we thought would be best. Then, they made it happen.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have a consulting software development and training and support business that focuses on project scheduling and support.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sayenko Design?

I’ve had three web sites over the last four years. I developed each one using a variety of different tactics. I’ve worked with graphic designers who then off-loaded the project to offshore developers. As a result, my sites were very unstructured and didn’t have a deliberate message or theme.

I decided to reach out to US-based web developers that would take a more holistic approach to web development. I wanted them to create a theme, and work on marketing and branding the site.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They analyzed my competitors’ websites and looked at SEO rankings for certain keywords. Using that information, they tried to find the right messaging for my site, based on the gaps in my competitors’ messaging and opportunities to rank for keywords.

The message wasn’t too detailed or technical, but captures the interest of three ideal buyer personas. The branding appeals to a beginner in the industry, and intermediate person, and higher-level decision-makers. They took a very structured approach to my branding.

What is the team composition?

I interacted with two people— Nik (web Strategist/SEO) and Mike (Owner and Chief Designer).

How did you come to work with Sayenko Design?

It was a referral. I reached out to a few different companies that specialized in web design. I did a consultation with one company, but they were out of my price range. When I explained what my budget was, their owners pointed us to Sayenko designs. Their owners worked with Mike on other projects in the past.

They specialized in WordPress design and offered everything I was looking for within my budget. I brought them on because they focused on the site’s message, and not just the design.

How much have you invested with them?

It was roughly $17,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2020. The site is done, but I continue to work with them on maintenance and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before this project, I didn’t like to share links to my site on LinkedIn or in an industry group because I wasn’t happy with the site. Since the project ended, I started posting content that links back to my site, including blogs, social media, and a webinar.

It has completely shifted my business mindset. I can proudly bring people to my site. It feels more like a company instead of just a one-man show.  

I was very concerned about how they were going to tailor content for my niche market. I was definitely amazed by how well they learned about my industry and competitors. As a result, all of the messaging is clear and appropriate for the industry.

How did Sayenko Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They used a project management tool for tracking tasks. It was a one-stop-shop kind of portal for content and back-and-forth messages. We also shared screens a few times to review content together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There were certain things I wanted on the site, and they accommodated that. There was never a point when I felt like something was a no-go. They would try to steer me in the right direction when needed. Most importantly, the messaging was on-point.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. I was very happy with our engagement, and I plan to keep working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s definitely a team effort. They have their portion of the responsibilities, but as you do as well. For example, I had to write my own content for certain pages. They’re phenomenal, though, and will guide you through the whole thing. They walked me through sentence structure, how many lines it needed to be, and things like that. I had to put a lot of time and energy into the project as well.