SmartBug Media

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Director, Marketing and Communication of QUODD

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

QUODD meets the needs of our financial institution clients at any stage of their market data journey​. Cloud-based technology underpins the scalable delivery of timely, accurate and reliable data. Institutions source tailor-made products in formats of their choice, anytime, anywhere or build their own applications from our comprehensive content catalog. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartBug Media to accomplish?

• HubSpot Migration
• Website Overhaul
• Continued Support

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartBug Media?

Referral

Why did you select SmartBug Media over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from SmartBug Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

1. SmartBug was an integral support lever in migrating from Marketo and Pardot into HubSpot
2. They also helped us to stand up a new website within Hubspot (combining an acquired company's web functionality into the new instance)
3. We. have continued to work with them for support each year - they are friendly, knowledgable and one of my top vendors

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Successful integration/sync of HubSpot into Salesforce (for Sales Operations).
2. Fast and accurate support solutions.

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

SmartBug has become an indispensible extension of our one-man marketing/communnications team. They handle technical HubSpot and CMS work that would otherwise slow us down. They do it with a level of expertise and consistency that I really appreciate. It's rare. What I find most valuable is their transparency around timelines, their willingness to act as a sounding board and I guess a good way to put it would be they don't just act on your wishes, they think alongside you. 
The team is friendly, knowledgable and responsive - I find that to be tough to find in vendors. In the rare moments that they hit a wall, they bring it back to socialize with their colleagues and return with ideas/solutions. For a small team like mine -working to juggle website management, CRM strategy and more without getting hung up on technical complexities - SmartBug is an excellent partner. Highlighly recommend.

What was your primary form of communication with SmartBug Media?

Virtual Meeting

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

Responsiveness, execution, personality - It's a great team. 

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

Nothing that gives me pause. Every relationship has its ups and downs - so rather than note any hiccups over the years I will say that I know that I've had vendor research conversations with people evaluating SmartBug - so if you're reviewing multiple vendors, know that's something you could ask for. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of Oxymax

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a distributor of industrial and welding products

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartBug Media to accomplish?

• Implant CRM - HubSpot
• Training
• Sales strategies & automations with CRM

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartBug Media?

Referral

Why did you select SmartBug Media over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me

How many teammates from SmartBug Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Scope of Work & Key Deliverables.

SmartBug Media supported us in the implementation and optimization of our CRM system using HubSpot. Their mandate covered both the strategic and operational aspects of the project, ensuring a smooth adoption across our organization.

The scope of work included CRM setup and customization aligned with our business processes, as well as comprehensive training for our team to ensure proper usage and long-term autonomy. They also worked on optimizing our existing workflows, identifying opportunities to streamline operations and improve efficiency.

In addition, SmartBug developed and implemented automation strategies to support our sales and marketing efforts, helping us reduce manual tasks and improve follow-ups. Their approach was highly tailored, providing hands-on guidance and ongoing support adapted to our specific needs. 

Key deliverables included:

• Full implementation and configuration of HubSpot CRM
• Team training sessions and onboarding support
• Workflow optimization and process improvement
• Marketing and sales automation setup
• Strategic advisory and personalized support throughout the project

Overall, their contribution significantly improved our internal processes, team alignment, and ability to leverage the CRM effectively. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Measurable Outcomes The collaboration with SmartBug Media delivered clear and measurable improvements across our sales operations.

Each sales representative now saves approximately 5 hours per week on email management, thanks to automation and better structuring within HubSpot. This time savings allows our team to focus more on client relationships and revenue-generating activities.

We also experienced a noticeable improvement in team communication and workflow efficiency. Processes are now more structured, follow-ups are consistent, and responsibilities are clearly defined within the CRM. This has led to better collaboration across the team and increased accountability.

Overall, the project helped streamline our operations, reduce manual workload, and create a more efficient and scalable sales environment.

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

SmartBug Media delivered on time and maintained a clear, structured approch thoughout the projet.  They were responsavie and attentive to our need, and we were able to adapt and pivot as the projet evolved.  Their flexibility and proactive commuynication made the collaboration smooth and effective

What was your primary form of communication with SmartBug Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

what stood out the most was their strong level of compentency combined with a truly humain approach.  They not only demonstrated deep expertise but also took the time to understand our reality and adapt to our needs. On top od that, the qualité of their service was exceptional, attentive, and genuinely focused on delivering value.

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

I do not have anything to add on improvement at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of a cosmetic surgery clinic.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Ours is a cosmetic surgery, medical aesthetics and health optimization clinic focusing on natural-looking results. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartBug Media to accomplish?

• Redesign the way we are using Hubspot to be following best practises
• Get accurate ROI for our leads

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartBug Media?

Online Search

Why did you select SmartBug Media over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from SmartBug Media were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Romain oversaw the audit and redesign of the customer lead journey by aligning lifecycle stages, cleaning up data structures, and rebuilding workflows to ensure consistency and scalability. He helped to map the ideal journey, implement automated workflows for lead progression and routing, and standardize key properties to improve data integrity. His deliverables included a documented lead journey framework, redesigned workflows in HubSpot, a structured data model, and customized reporting dashboards that provide accurate attribution and funnel visibility, along with QA, training materials, and an optimization roadmap to support ongoing performance improvements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

met all project milestones 

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

Romain was always very responsive and had great communication and organization of the many moving peices of this extensive project

What was your primary form of communication with SmartBug Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Romain and the SmartBug Media team were consistently able to find creative solutions to our potential roadblocks

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

Nothing comes to mind

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Creative Director of HumanGood

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

HumanGood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the best lives for older adults through our life plan and affordable housing communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartBug Media to accomplish?

• Launch of a reimagined company website
• Create an engaging website interface that tells the HumanGood story and philosophy
• Ensure that the website is fully functional on mobile platforms

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartBug Media?

Existing ongoing collaboration.

Why did you select SmartBug Media over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from SmartBug Media were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

HumanGood worked with Smartbug to build a reimagined company website from the ground up. Considerations included mobile optimization, integration of video and other motion enhancements and storytelling. Close collaboration was conducted in all phases of website development between Smartbug and the HumanGood marketing and brand strategy teams.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The production schedule was met with defined milestones and approvals at each stage. Final deadline met.

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

Smartbug's project management kept the process moving along within the expected timelines, achieving the clearly defined goals. As creative director for HumanGood, I found the response to design changes was done efficiently with close collaboration with the Smartbug design and development teams. Our project manager was always on top of all aspects of the project.

What was your primary form of communication with SmartBug Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Smartbug understands the collaborative process: how to work hand in hand with clients to achieve goals. While guiding the process through experience, Smartbug knows that every client is different and took the time to learn how we communicate as clients and to understand how to interpret communication effectively to achieve efficient, accurate results.

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

Although Smartbug uses industry standards, the industry must find a better way of reviewing website concepting and development.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at HumanGood, a nonprofit organization. We’re one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of senior living, serving over 13,000 residents across 122 life plan and affordable housing communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartBug Media to accomplish for anGood?

We use SmartBug Media to manage and optimize our entire digital presence, including our websites, paid digital advertising, content marketing, SEO, AI optimization, and email marketing. They’re tasked with helping us achieve leads and continually optimize our cost per lead.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve had an ongoing retainer relationship with SmartBug Media for eight years. They’re intimately embedded as an extension of our marketing team. SmartBug Media has built our websites and optimizes them for SEO. They completely run our content marketing engine by proposing and writing a steady cadence of educational blog posts and resource guides to drive organic search results. They also manage all of our paid digital advertising, from media buying to content placement.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with dozens of teammates from SmartBug Media over the course of 8 years. We have a day-in, day-out core team of 4-6 people we work with and other expertise is pulled in as needed.

How did you come to work with SmartBug Media?

Someone in my professional network referred SmartBug Media to me. We chose them over other marketing agencies because they were a great culture fit and had good value for the cost.

How much have you invested with them?

We have an ongoing retainer relationship with SmartBug in the high six figures annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2017, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With SmartBug Media’s help, lead generation and sales at anGood have grown year-over-year for the past four years without any notable increase in marketing spending. Our organic website traffic has also increased.

How did SmartBug Media perform from a project management standpoint?

SmartBug Media’s strength is the quality of their team members. They’re uniformly accomplished, professional, organized, and on time with deliverables. SmartBug Media is both a strategic partner and a well-oiled executional machine. Moreover, they’re all very easy and pleasant to work with. We communicate through virtual meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed by their level of care for our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Over the 8+ years I have worked with SmartBug they have grown their size and capabilities considerably and sought feedback on how to improve. As my needs have changed, they have been able to evolve with me.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the lead developer of TestMonitor, an intuitive test management platform that streamlines quality assurance by managing test cases, test runs, and results. We also provide real-time insights to improve software testing and decision-making.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartBug Media to accomplish for TestMonitor?

We hired SmartBug Media to set up and scale up an international inbound marketing strategy for our SaaS app, TestMonitor.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Following an extensive discovery process that defined our buyer personas, tone of voice, and buyer’s journey, SmartBug Media moved into execution across a wide range of deliverables—from blog articles and downloadable assets to comprehensive pillar pages. 
They also spearheaded our full website revamp. Their team provides expert writers and copywriters who refine our content and paid media, while their analytics and tools offer deep insights into lead and user behavior.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–5 teammates from SmartBug Media.

How did you come to work with SmartBug Media?

SmartBug Media was listed as the best HubSpot agency on several sites. We chose them because they had high ratings, and their company values aligned with ours.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SmartBug Media since March 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Over the years, our website traffic has more than doubled and lead generation has increased substantially. We’ve also seen a surge in subscriptions, particularly as we’ve successfully scaled our footprint in the North American and international markets.

How did SmartBug Media perform from a project management standpoint?

SmartBug Media offers a perfect blend of structured project management and creative flexibility. They have excellent tools in place, and we find virtual meetings to be an effective primary communication channel.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SmartBug Media is a highly creative partner that is always up for a challenge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The sheer volume of ideas and initiatives can sometimes make general planning a bit difficult.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at 101 Mobility. We’re a franchise business that provides medical equipment for patients with mobility issues in the greater Toronto area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chair 10 Marketing?

We needed help with our lead generation strategy. Our business partners and users usually search the Internet to find their possible service provider or vendor. We wanted to ensure we were well-represented and generate as many leads as possible.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial discovery call with Chair 10 Marketing to discuss their services and costs. Our franchisor had already negotiated the project’s budget, so we just had to discuss the project’s details and requirements. 

Chair 10 Marketing then sent us a standard document they use to discover the project’s objectives, budget, and requirements. After that, Chair 10 Marketing started managing our PPC lead generation campaigns in Google Ads. 

Overall, Chair 10 Marketing creates and manages our PPC strategy. They’re responsible for designing and posting the ads, managing our budget, and optimizing our campaigns. We have a major lead generation campaign that Chair 10 Marketing has created since we started working together, and that campaign has different products within. The leads come as a result of the campaigns via web form. 

What is the team composition?

Our first contact was with Chair 10 Marketing’s VP; since then, we’ve worked with different account managers. We’ve recently worked closely with Becca (Digital Marketing Specialist).

How did you come to work with Chair 10 Marketing?

Our franchisor recommended Chair 10 Marketing to us since they had already worked with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Chair 10 Marketing in September 2020, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The lead generation campaigns created by Chair 10 Marketing have been successful and helped us in our first years of business. We generate hundreds of leads every month. We also have a good click-through rate (CTR), and our cost per click (CPC) has decreased by 40%. More recently, our leads increased by 20% over a year ago.

Chair 10 Marketing is constantly looking for ways to optimize our campaigns. They’re creative with their graphic design. 

How did Chair 10 Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a monthly Zoom call about the campaign results with Becca, where we talk about any required changes to optimize our campaign’s budget. We have a collaborative relationship with Chair 10 Marketing. 

Budget control has never been an issue since we have a set monthly budget, and Chair 10 Marketing has never exceeded it. For project management, we use a web-based platform where we can see our campaign’s results and costs. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Chair 10 Marketing’s knowledge about keywords and search terms that will perform optimally since the Google algorithm changes constantly. Chair 10 Marketing stays on top of it and always tries to maximize our revenue. 

Overall, Chair 10 Marketing is good at monitoring the campaign’s performance and doing A/B testing to see which ads get better results. They’re always looking for creative approaches to optimize our budget. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only constructive criticism I can think of for Chair 10 Marketing is that at some point during our engagement, our account manager changed more often than we’d like to. We started working with one account manager for a long time and would’ve liked that continuity.

Other than that, I can’t think of anything for Chair 10 Marketing to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to ask Chair 10 Marketing questions about the things you don’t understand. They’re very good at explaining things and are experts in digital marketing. Business owners are usually not marketing experts; the more you understand about your, the better outcome you’ll get. Chair 10 Marketing is patient and will walk you through the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing advisor for a national real estate brokerage. I provide marketing services and strategies to 1,200 real estate agents in the Seattle region.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chair 10 Marketing?

We engaged Chair 10 Marketing to help us with a pilot program for digital ads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we met with the Chair 10 Marketing team to share our goals and objectives for the project and introduce the team to our agents. After learning more about our company, the team conducted A/B testing. Then, they developed and implemented a digital marketing strategy for our Facebook and Instagram ads. 

The team was responsible for creating the ad content and building landing pages so that we could collect information from viewers. They also built dashboards for each of our clients that displayed viewer data in a digestible way. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with two team members from Chair 10 Marketing, including Katie (Director of Digital Marketing) and Ardeley (Digital Marketing Specialist). 

How did you come to work with Chair 10 Marketing?

I inherited the project from another supervisor, so I’m unsure how we found Chair 10 initially. They’re local to us, so we probably found them through a Google search or referral. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $20,000–$30,000 in the partnership with Chair 10 Marketing. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Chair 10 from January–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Chair 10 Marketing provided us with an excellent digital marketing strategy. They created awesome content for our ads and did a great job building the landing pages. The dashboards they developed were also immensely helpful, and our clients were very grateful for their work. 

Additionally, we were impressed by their comprehensive A/B testing efforts. Thanks to Chair 10 Marketing, we found that our ads with houses outperformed our branded ads by 2,000%. We used this new information to revamp our messaging to effectively target potential customers. 

We had a limited time frame and ad set, so I prioritized the tactical aspects of the project, such as timing and raw viewer data. Through our partnership, we found that re-marketing our ads to the same viewers helped us gain traction. As a result, re-marketing has become one of our most important KPIs, and we’ve been able to better advise our agents on the best duration of their ads to optimize success.

How did Chair 10 Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Chair 10 Marketing was very organized and always a step ahead of the project. They were excellent collaborators and I learned a lot from them. They took the initiative to update our ads regularly; I never had to reach out because they were so proactive. We barely even had to send them images because they took them from our website at the beginning of the project. We communicated via phone and email and met via Zoom.

The team was also very accommodating when it came to invoices. We had a backward set-up, and Chair 10 modified their invoicing structure to fit our needs, which was helpful. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Chair 10 Marketing is more than capable in their field, but their communication and organizational skills set them apart from their competitors. They approached our project with a collaborative spirit and really encouraged me to explore. I really appreciated their willingness to explain the technical aspects of their advertising pursuits in a digestible way. Ardeley and Katie went far beyond providing good service; they offered excellent advice. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing Chair 10 Media could improve on; they were very accommodating partners. I’d encourage them to do what they can to keep Ardeley and Katie on board. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise you to be open to Chair 10 Marketing’s advice and expertise. Also, give them the tools to access your digital assets to they can run the project with minimal interference.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director of a self-storage business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Chair 10 Marketing?

We were trying to get now potential renters of our storage facilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did digital marketing and ran a paid advertising campaign using SEO services like Google Ads and other paid methods, like Facebook. They also developed landing pages and provided results of how many people clicked on the ads, came to our website, and called us to rent from us.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Megan (Digital Marketing Manager), who ran our monthly reviews. We also communicated with a business developer and their principal.

How did you come to work with Chair 10 Marketing?

We were using a different digital marketing services provider, but we needed someone who could do a better job with our budget. I interviewed a few agencies, and I liked Chair 10 Marketing in terms of their approaches, their experience with small businesses, their understanding of digital marketing, and how they were accountable for their results.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $ 40,000–$50,000 a year with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked from July 2019–March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The number of leads and the cost per lead are headed in the right direction. For the metrics, we mainly focused on the cost per click, the raking for the paid search, the number of phone calls we received, and other kinds of leads that were generated. We had a good result overall in terms of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our advertising.

How did Chair 10 Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They were good at meeting deadlines and overall communication; they were also quick. We had monthly reviews on how our advertising was going. At first, they were more involved in setting everything up, and then we went to communicate a couple of times every month to set up budgets, have regular follow-up sessions, or if something came up just to keep track of what was happening.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail, their customer service, and their knowledge of digital advertising distinguish them from others.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can improve at the attribution and understanding of the ins and outs of digital marketing. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront, set your goals with the project, and have a clear approach for tackling problems together.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an online company that sells Tunisian sweets in the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Worth eCommerce?

We’re an e-commerce company, so email marketing is a big part of what we do. As a result, Worth eCommerce was hired to help us with email marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They fully manage our email services — from the flows, campaigns, designs, copywriting, and more. They also set up strategies to collect our emails.

What is the team composition?

I’ve met four people from Worth eCommerce, but there’s a project manager serving as a point of contact. The project manager talks to everyone else on the team and organizes their work.

How did you come to work with  Worth eCommerce?

I interviewed Worth eCommerce and I thought that they were good, so I started working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2021, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I love working with Worth eCommerce. They’ve improved our workflow and our revenue has increased from 30% to 45%.

How did Worth eCommerce perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been very smooth. The team is organized, and they know what they’re doing. We mainly communicate through email and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re specialists when it comes to email marketing. That’s mainly why I hired their services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t think of anything that they can improve since they’ve been very professional.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re just starting, invest time to really get to know the Worth eCommerce team. Share your experiences with them so that they can learn more about your brand. Above all, trust them with everything else.