SmartSites

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-owner of Air Duct Brothers, which is a dryer vent and air duct cleaning company. I run the business with my brother.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartSites?

We hired them to help with our web positioning. We did an advertisement with magazine that is mailed to people around New Jersey, but we didn’t find it very satisfying. Because of this, we decided to hire someone to take care of SEO and web positioning for us. Being on any page other than the first would mean we weren’t going to get a lot of business, so we needed to work on that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SmartSites liked our existing website, so they just changed several things in order to help us be recognized on Google. They also managed our PPC and Google Ads efforts, focusing on how it would affect the positioning of our website. 

Also, we’d inherited our name from another business, and SmartSites suggested we should change it in order to be more air duct-cleaning oriented, and have that term included in the name of the business. Additionally, they helped design our trucks based on what they thought would be more effective. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from their team altogether. I was in contact with Michael (Co-CEO and COO, SmartSites) and Anita (Director of Project Management, SmartSites). She kept an eye on everything. Over the years, there’ve been other people from their team who provide input on our positioning strategy. 

How did you come to work with SmartSites?

I wasn’t involved in finding them, so I can’t comment on that process. However, we had a meeting with them, and they explained what they were capable of in the short and long term. They asked us about our goals and where we saw ourselves in 1–2 years, then started elaborating on what kinds of services they provide, how they tacked them, what projects they’d worked on, and so on.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend around $80,000 per year with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with SmartSites in January 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been continuously receiving great feedback from clients. Our web positioning has improved so much that people find us when searching for local companies and call us. Even though we’re a small business, SmartSites has tackled our web positioning in such a way that, when someone looks for air duct cleaning in Clifton or Paramus, New Jersey, for example, we will automatically appear locally.  

This visibility has definitely been a game-changer for us. As soon as SmartSites implemented their techniques, we noticed a huge spike in our calls and in the number of deals we closed.

How did SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

They take care of everything, from our web positioning to the website management. We don’t need to do anything to manage the workload. They have full control over the management of our website. We meet with them in person as frequently as we can—I’d say it happens every other month. On a weekly basis, we stay in touch with them via email, and we call their office if we need them immediately.

What did you find most impressive about them?

SmartSites is a great company, and we feel comfortable with them. We’ve never had a problem communicating with Mike. All of our requests are answered right away. As far as communication goes, they’re top-notch. 

They’ve done a great deal of work for us. Our business is improving, and their positioning tactics are doing wonders. Michael is very hands-on. He’s there to answer any questions we may have. That attribute is something that we like because they always hear our feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I think they could improve is their accounts payable. Every time we submit a payment, there seems to be a certain misunderstanding. Sometimes we’re charged too little, and other times it’s a bit more. We always correct these mistakes within a day or two, but it’s an annoying thing to have to stay on top of and make sure we’re squared away.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should keep an eye on how much money they’re paying SmartSites. Because they have full access to our cards, they usually charge us whatever amount we’ve agreed upon, but there is sometimes miscommunication with those in charge of their finances. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're printing organization, and I'm a VP.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SmartSites?

We partnered with SmartSites to bring our companies onto the web. SmartSites helped us with every aspect: website design, advertising, analytics, e-commerce, and more.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to bring our companies online and to generate traffic and revenue. We had a poor online presence before we teamed up with SmartSites. SmartSites helped us create a professional web presence and generate more leads.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We chose them from a referral.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We gave SmartSites our domain names and scoped out a plan of action before they started our project. They designed our website and created an e-commerce platform for one of our companies. Then we began advertising and analytics. SmartSite continues to monitor all our websites and advertising dollars.

What was the team composition?

The project team had four people, each covering a specific role or area of the process. Three years later, we're still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We began our partnership with zero online presence or knowledge. Today, our online presence has increased our leads, sales revenue, and paid and organic traffic. We have high expectations, and they meet them.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Communication is key, and they nail it. We started with one point of contact, who laid out the project and brought the designated staff on board. The transition was smooth because they learned our process and product. They help us understand the process and choose the best approach. SmartSites uses an online tool that allowed us to communicate with every team member at the click of a button.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most impressive thing is their communication. Since 90% of their work is remote, we're lucky to have a partner with the right tools. SmartSites has learned our product and suggested how we could make a difference. We gave them our vision, and they brought it to life. We're comfortable giving them free range with our online presence. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

This company is impressive, and they're going in the right direction. I don't see an area of their team that shows weakness.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Coordinator for a Residential Real Estate firm in Northern New Jersey.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SmartSites?

Paid Advertising via Facebook, LinkedIn & Google as well as some small site optimizations

What were your goals for this project?

Increase lead count and grow our company to help our agents reach more local homebuyers and sellers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Research of local firms throughout the tri-state area.

Describe the project in detail.

We started off with meetings to identify our goals and what we wanted SmartSites help with. They identified an opportunity to grow our leads through Paid search on Facebook, LinkedIn & Google. Within a few weeks we were rolling on these sites getting a good amount of leads per week. Small site optimizations made it easier for potential clients to scroll through our listings and contact us easier.

What was the team composition?

There were 3-4 people involved from the vendor. Helping us during the sales process and then 1-2 helping us when it came down to doing the site optimizations and advertising.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw Site Traffic increase as well as lead count by about 50% within the first 2 months. We wanted growth by about 20-25% with their help, so they exceeded our expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent, I mainly communicated with them through Skype & Email. We also had bi-weekly calls to understand the results of our campaigns and to identify potential opportunities to improve

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're great communicators that really care for their clients. We are a small company, but we still got a ton of attention. The results were better than what we ever expected

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope. I hope to work with SmartSites for years to come

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the manager at a pond construction and supplies company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmartSites?

We wanted to upgrade our basic website and promote it through SEO and digital marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SmartSites redesigned our WordPress website and provides ongoing SEO and some paid advertising services, including Google AdWords. They also built a second e-commerce website for us from scratch on WordPress as well.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Anita (Director of Project Management, SmartSites), as well as a few others.

How did you come to work with SmartSites?

We found SmartSites through an online search and, even though other companies reached out to us, we liked that SmartSites was local and could meet with us one-on-one to present their ideas. We felt they were very knowledgeable and had the right expertise for our needs.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around July 2016 and launched the first website by that December, but the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

SmartSites helped us significantly boost our organic search rankings for our top keywords, increasing overall traffic to the site dramatically. We've gained quite a bit of business from our improved online presence, so it's been a great experience overall.

How did SmartSites perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very attentive and responsive to any questions we have. They stay in constant communication with us; any hold ups in timelines are usually a result of our own team not responding quickly enough.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very accessible and responsive despite the larger size of their company. Since they're local, we feel like we get a lot more personal attention than we would have had we gone with a different vendor.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd just recommend working with them. They offer the whole package.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We’re a truck body/trailer manufacturing company. I oversee the e-commerce side of things.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire SmartSites?

We hired them to help improve the look and function of our e-commerce site.

What were your goals for this project?

To draw more traffic and business to our site and increase sales as a result.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Through research and professional contacts.

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

We have a wide variety of parts that we sell through our e-commerce site. Due to that range, we face a lot of challenges in the appearance. SmartSites worked on the design to make it more suitable.

What was the team composition?

We communicate with multiple team members. Anita (Director of Project Management, SmartSites) has been our main contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work has made our site much more customer friendly.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They’ve been very quick to implement any changes we’ve needed, and they met all deadlines. Our project manager handled our project and the team very well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication is impressive.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

There is always room for improvement, but all in all, they’re great to deal with.

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.