SmartSites

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of a lighting and electric company. We sell LED lighting to contractors and building managers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartSites?

While my partner and I have been in the industry for a long time, we wanted to utilize an online platform to sell products to a niche market. Therefore, we needed to hire a web development firm to create a Magento site for e-commerce.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SmartSites agreed to design and develop our Magento platform while delivering nonstandard features. For example, we wanted our products to be easily searchable within the site and appear in a column format. We also requested that they build a dynamic pricing feature. Additionally, we wanted the shopping cart to include a specific functionality that sends information to partners while they make purchases. We recently signed off on their proposed design, so the custom development process is scheduled to begin soon.

What is the team composition?

Ryan (Senior Account Manager, SmartSites) functioned as our sales contact during the initial discussions with them. Once the contracts were signed, they assigned Anita (Account Manager, SmartSites) to lead the project.

How did you come to work with SmartSites?

We searched for companies in the local area and considered three candidates. After a thorough evaluation, SmartSites demonstrated the qualities we looked for in a development partner. Most importantly, their team consists of experienced Magento developers. We had four or five meetings together and Ryan’s expertise solidified our decision to hire them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We started the project after producing some PowerPoint mock-ups internally. Once SmartSites took over the design process, the iteration stage lasted longer than we expected. However, that’s because they were flexible and let us make changes to the UI/UX as we gained a better understanding of the platform. Overall, the experience has been excellent thus far. Their designs are exceptional.

How did SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a weekly call with Anita and she always comes prepared. We communicate well with her, so tasks and assignments are quickly understood. That’s important considering she sends our requests to their design and development team overseas. While the turnaround time is incredible, we never interact with their designers.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ryan and Anita are highly valuable resources. They’re confident, professional, and able guide us through the project when necessary. We appreciate SmartSites for their design capabilities and quick deliveries.

Are there any areas they could improve?

After working with them for 45 days, I have little to complain about. However, the project could benefit from having face-to-face interactions with their offshore team. Also, the design deliverables could be more creative; however, I recognize they’re somewhat limited by what the platform allows.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be willing to interact with SmartSites on a regular basis. Whether it’s for status updates or additional information, we communicate with Anita frequently. That collaboration is key to a successful project. We’ve had to compromise on some features, but they’ve also suggested new functionalities that we’d never considered.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of an award-winning skin and laser center called Studio Esthetique. We offer the latest cosmetic skin and laser treatments at our locations in the Bronx, Westchester, and New York City.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SmartSites?

After getting poor results with a previous agency, we engaged SmartSites to manage our PPC. We've since quickly expanded their role to include social media marketing, SEO, and site updates.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase our leads while decreasing the cost per lead.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We’d already heard about SmartSites’ reputation online, but our print marketing vendor formally introduced us.

Describe the project in detail.

Initially, we assigned a few ad groups within our current Google Ads campaign to gauge their performance. SmartSites’s improved ad groups did far better than we anticipated, so we quickly gave them the whole account to manage. Shortly after, they took on our Facebook ads.

Now, SmartSites is our go-to for everything digital, from PPC and SEO to site improvements. They’ve updated our site to make it faster and more conversion-driven, and they’ve written content for us to rank organically on search engines.

What was the team composition?

We talk directly with our project manager, but there have been other resources who specialized in specific tasks. This includes a PPC analyst, an SEO analyst, a designer, a developer, and a content lead.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

Compared to our previous vendor, we’ve seen consistently improving results with SmartSites. Our cost per lead has decreased by over 50%.

How did the SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication is excellent. We receive live updates as they complete work, and they also give us weekly recap calls. Everything is transparent.

What impresses you about the SmartSites?

They constantly produce high-quality work. I’ve worked with many marketing individuals and agencies who are able to do a good job for a single deliverable. However, SmartSites continues to produce strong work across various services.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, none that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the publications manager at Gimme Credit Publications. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartSites?

We needed to build a new marketing website and actually launch a whole new marketing campaign. Our old website was outdated. We had been primarily used it for research purposes. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Once I came on board to lead the project, I provided an overview of the exact steps for each stage of our development from concept to launch. SmartSites built our new site on WordPress. After we laid out the essential things we needed to reach our target audience, the team described what they thought would be the best fit for our requirements. 

As we worked on the marketing campaign, we held numerous phone conversations with the director of project management. She went over the services, websites, and marketing tools SmartSites had to offer. We specifically requested a template to send out to our research investment advisors. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked directly with Anita (Director of Project Management, SmartSites). 

How did you come to work with SmartSites?

Our CEO originally reached out to SmartSites. I'm not sure how he chose them. He might have found them through a referral or Google search. Once they discussed pricing and strategy and he decided to hire them, I joined the engagement.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we've spent about $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2018 and have an ongoing contract. The site launched in June 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we launched the new website, we've had a dramatic increase in sales and user traffic. The marketing campaigns have helped us identify additional marketing trends and possible contacts, as well. 

How did SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

SmartSites managed the project superbly. They’ve absolutely met or exceeded all of our expectations. In the beginning, we communicated several times a week. As the project progressed, we didn't need to speak as often. I still reach out with questions and for additional insight. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by SmartSites' availability. Anita is very hands on and always makes herself accessible when we have questions or concerns. Whenever we need to hop on a call, she schedules a meeting to go over suggestions and recommendations. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there are not.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely recommend SmartSites. Even though the hiring decision had already been made when I first joined the project, I personally researched the websites and products they'd built for past clients. Anyone who is interested in developing a new website or launching a marketing campaign should utilize SmartSites. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Robert's & Son is a wholesale retail supplier of electrical parts for industrial vehicles and equipment. We specialize in starters, alternators, motors, and vehicle safety lighting. I'm the primary product manager and purchasing agent. My responsibilities also include website administration and development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SmartSites?

We hired them to maintain our website infrastructure and functionality and perform some SEO.

What were your goals for this project?

Our biggest challenge is showcasing the depth of our inventory. We have not only a starter for your backhoe, but also a battery for your grocery-getter and all the tools to properly test and install those parts. Our goals were simply to improve our website and to enhance customer knowledge of our deep inventory. We felt this formula would improve sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We wanted a local vendor. In an industry where you may never put a face to a partner, it's better to do things the old-fashioned way. We wanted to sit with them and discuss our project.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Our website was already live, but we'd gone as far as we could with our past developer. We were happy with the customer functionality, but needed more backend flexibility for content input, brand logo placement, and product display. After an almost catastrophic hack, we also migrated our hosting services to SmartSites from one of the big box vendors. 

What was the team composition?

Our project manager is the first person to get a frantic e-mail from me when something goes wrong. She manages the specialists behind the scenes, who always get the job done despite my layman's terminology. Other teams seamlessly guided us through the server migration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

SmartSites quickly gave us the tools to display as many brand logos and products as we wished. Our customers always know which products are available, and our customer service team has immediate access to the descriptions and pricing of over 12,000 SKUs.

Switching hosts was our best move.  Our web presence now reaches more markets in the U.S. and abroad. Its speed and reliability, on both desktop and mobile, has vastly improved. I can relax knowing that we have such a reliable web maintenance and hosting service.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their project management is effective. On their active collaboration portal, we track our progress, see who is working on our project, and chime in when needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm impressed by their availability, accountability, and professionalism. They obviously take pride in their work, and it shows in their product. They aren't faceless cyborgs reading from a customer service script or flowchart. They patiently guide us through issues, understanding that we may not understand how things work.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They could send messages about new products, services, or technologies that I would find useful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the vice president of Long Island Carpet Cleaners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartSites?

We were looking for someone to provide strategy and budgeting advice for Google AdWords. Our account was originally overseen in-house when I took over managing it, but it wasn't being handled effectively and we wanted to hire someone new. After our first third-party consultant got pulled away from us, we researched other options and found the SmartSites team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We're trying to come up with different strategies to tweak our AdWords presence and maximize every dollar that we're spending, and they’ve also helped us with our SEO. It's been challenging, not because of SmartSites, but just because it's a competitive market.

What is the team dynamic?

They assigned a project manager who they thought would work well with us, and that's who we deal with directly, though they have other team members who occasionally assist.

How did you come to work with SmartSites?

My wife has a decade of agency experience and is familiar with the digital side, so I enlisted her to do some research. She found that they were one of several Google-trusted vendors in our area, so I interviewed those companies and came away feeling the most comfortable with the SmartSites team.

I really liked that they were humble about their expertise and were willing to bring in additional personnel to handle SEO, for example, instead of having the AdWords person try to manage it. That wasn't the model I saw at some of the other organizations we interviewed. We're a small business, so we needed reliable customer service with a hands-on approach, but a large organization was beyond our price range, and many of the small "one-stop shops" came across as disingenuous about their capabilities. SmartSites struck a good balance of expertise and drawing upon different resources to meet our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

Their services cost us about $500 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2016 and they're still working with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest benefit to me has been an unexpected one because we use the AdWords Click-to-Call feature, which automatically records any calls we get. I've been able to do a huge amount of business training with my staff as a result of that and it's impacted our ROI when we close sales. The ability to monitor calls daily instead of monthly helped me manage my team better and we've seen a huge impact.

Related to that, we've seen an increase in conversion rates and referral traffic. We're also getting more targeted calls. There are fewer, but the quality of them is better, which is more cost-effective for me because my staff isn't wasting their time fielding unnecessary calls.

My sales have also been improving, and we're moving in the right direction, but the results currently aren't as high as I'd like to see.

How did SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

We spoke much more often in the first few months, but once things were up and running we communicated a bit less. Now that we're approaching my slow season, I can spend a lot more time tweaking things and working with them to revamp our strategy so we're ready to go when we up our spending for our busy season.

I'm in touch with them probably every other week right now, and we mostly communicate via email. They do well enough, but I think they're spread a little thin at the moment. I don't know that I'm necessarily getting the full amount of attention that I'd prefer at this point.

As far as deadlines, they’re pretty good. I gave them one big, challenging request several weeks ago that I’m still waiting on, but I knew that might be difficult given their limited resources and my limited budget as a client.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I went to a conference that they hosted a few weeks ago, and I was really impressed by some of the projects that they've implemented for some of their other clients. They had one particular client with a similar business model to ours, and they did an amazing job at getting them off the ground. Now, their budget is 10 times larger than ours, so I understand why they allocated so many more resources to it, but I was very impressed with their ability to mobilize and solve this client's problem so quickly.

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

Like many businesses, they're going to be more responsive to a large project than a much smaller one, so if you're only spending a few hundred dollars a month it might be challenging.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner/president/CEO of South Florida Distillers, a craft rum distillery that also contracts liquor manufacturing for private brands. I’m also the proprietor, so I sign all the tax documents for the business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartSites?

We initially needed to drive attention to our website and let people know that we are physically in our area. It wasn’t so much about data gathering in the beginning, but about local awareness. We needed to associate our name with local restaurants using SEO. 

The website needs an exact purpose, and I had an idea of what I wanted to achieve. I had a narrow-minded goal for the website at the beginning because of the laws our industry has to abide by.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matt Prepis [Project Manager, SmartSites] talked with us about our goals and theme, which was nautical. I found websites I liked and showed those to them to initiate design, and then there was a collaborative effort between Matt and I. Afterwards, he had developers and graphic designers put together three samples which I selected from, and then they started development.

They obtained rights for images on a website I chose that made sense for our company, and then uploaded everything, including the content we wrote, onto the WordPress site. It took 6-8 weeks to develop.

They also associated the brand name of our rum, FWAYGO, with liquor so that when you search on Google, we come up. I’m now starting to add information to the site for contract manufacturing, and SmartSites continues to implement other things, like downloading pictures.

Were there certain features you asked for?

On the left side of WordPress, they made a cocktail section that allows me to load in simple recipes. They made it very easy to input this information, and created pop-ups on a certain page which has been very helpful for SEO. When you type in our name, you get cocktail pictures on our website, and then people want to see what they can make with our product.

What is the team dynamic?

I’m not sure, because I wasn’t in direct communication with the developers or graphic designers.

How did you come to work with SmartSites?

I called one of the guys from SmartSites who I met in college and asked him to do the website. I didn’t contact many people because I just didn’t have time. I do have a local friend who makes websites, but I always thought SmartSites’ were better.

I like and trust SmartSites, and they had built a website for a business I sold. The current website took the same amount of time as that one, and they delivered on my expectations, so I stuck with them.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent between $12,000-$13,00 total. I already had hosting for them, but that got the WordPress site live.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May or June 2014, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have 3,500 unique visitors per month, and every time someone visits, we ask how they found us, and it’s always because of the website. I don’t advertise at all other than on social media, and we don’t do sales through the website. Yet, we still have a lot of traffic and it’s performed well in terms of SEO. SmartSites delivers in an appropriate amount of time, and when they spec it, it doesn’t change design paradigms before they’re finished.

There’s only one company that ranks higher than us due to keyword phrases because they had the first license in the state, and they’re old. There are 30 distilleries in Florida, but because our name is South Florida Distillers, it helps with SEO. The rest of the success is because of the website.

Having people visit the website is important to me because we operate a production facility, and I don’t have a tasting room yet. However, people from all over the country still visit us, take tours of the facility, and purchase our products to take back to someone who loves our rum. Between Facebook and our website, our visitors know all about us.

How did SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

A lot of the work was done through a bug/development tracking system. My point of contact was Matt and he took care of everything. We communicated via Skype and it was easy to have constant communication. The first several weeks, I talked to him every day. After that, they were working on getting it done, and then, towards the end, we were refining the site and making changes.

They did a great job, and I would use them for my next website. You should always have someone else do your website for you, especially if you’re not familiar with the business, because you’ll miss out on factors important to SEO. I haven’t used anyone else besides SmartSites because they’ve done well by me every time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their speed is a huge plus. Right now, they’re supplying content, including images and articles, and they’re always open to feedback while maintaining a quick turnaround.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Knowing more of the team would be useful and make you feel more committed, because their team is big from what I understand.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Promo Printing Group

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Promotional Printing Company specializes in scratch-off promotions and interactive promotions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartSites to accomplish?

• Help with and manage Adwords
• Create a great landing page
• Monitor and provide feeback

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartSites?

Online Search

Why did you select SmartSites over others?

High ratings

How many teammates from SmartSites were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Rewrote and optimized our Adwords campaigns. Created a stellar landing page! 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increased conversions, phone calls and leads

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

Partnering with SmartSites has been an absolute game-changer for my business. Their team has demonstrated a level of professionalism, responsiveness, and digital marketing expertise that is incredibly hard to find in this industry. I want to give a massive shoutout to Ashley, who was instrumental throughout the process, especially in building a truly impressive landing page! She didn’t just execute a strategy—she took the time to understand my business goals truly. Ashley was incredibly patient, broke down complex digital concepts into clear, actionable steps, and was always available whenever I needed guidance. It is rare to find someone who genuinely invests themselves in your growth the way she does, making what could have been an overwhelming process completely seamless. Thank you again, Ashley. If you are looking for a reliable, elite marketing company that actually delivers, look no further than SmartSites. And if you get the chance to work with Ashley, know that your business is in the best possible hands!

What was your primary form of communication with SmartSites?

Virtual Meeting

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

That they came up #1 in my AI search! 

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Roadrunner Auto Appraisals

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Total loss and diminshed value claims.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartSites to accomplish?

• Increase conversions
• Increase spend efficiency

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartSites?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select SmartSites over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from SmartSites were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Seting up google ads tag manager and correctly tracking conversioins.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

More consistent conversions and lead generation. slight increase to efficiency.

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

weekly updates and meetings. 

What was your primary form of communication with SmartSites?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their communication, availability, and experience are impressive.

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

Lack of any guaruntee for results.  Its been a short time since starting with SmartSites but signing up with them was easy. What sold me on starting with SmartSites was Ben. Ben had experience near my area of service and has proven to be a expert in google ads, continues to try new things, great communication and I feel I have a great ads partner in going for the top.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Director of a moving and logistics company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Residential Moving - Corporate & Government Agency Relocation - Logistics

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartSites to accomplish?

• Build a new highly-specialized website to promote customer trust and provide educational resources that facilitate decision making.

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartSites?

Other

Why did you select SmartSites over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

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

It's no small feat to design three websites with the specific detailed methodology we chose. Our chosen site details included highly tailored wireframes and elements to achieve outstanding market recognition, and provide a customer-centric experience to build trust and provide education. SmartSites nailed it. It was nerve-racking at first, but thanks to the energy, determination, management, and knowledge of David, we have built remarkable sites that truly reflect our business, our value, and our industry expertise. Thank you to David and SmartSites for your focus and collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The sites are brand new, so these remain to be seen and measured.

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

Once our relationship was solidified, David was very responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with SmartSites?

Virtual Meeting

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

What I appreciate most about working with David and SmartSite is their communication. David and I meet weekly, and his team jumps right on the issues that require fixes. This builds trust. I know that when I see an issue, I can trust that it will be addressed quickly.

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

I would like to see SmartSites consider using a platform like Monday.com to provide dashboards and task progress visibility for their customers. Yes, we can use Google sheets and other tools, but we need a One-Stop Shop for universal visibility into everything that's going on. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are travel and tours safari company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire SmartSites to accomplish?

• SEO Marketing
• PPC Marketing

SOLUTION

How did you find SmartSites?

Online Search

Why did you select SmartSites over others?

• High ratings
• Other

How many teammates from SmartSites were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

1. SEO
2. PPM

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increased in traffic and also visibility online

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

Execcelent communication and very timely as well

What was your primary form of communication with SmartSites?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their efficiency stands out.

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

Accept whatsapp in their channels of communications.