Social Driver

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the associate director of digital communications at an education policy and advocacy organization. Our national headquarters are in DC, but we have regional locations in California, Michigan, New York, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

We’ve been partnering with Social Driver for more than six years for web development projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I joined the company in 2014, it had been more than a decade since we’d redone our site. We brought them onto the team to migrate from Drupal to WordPress, which is much more user-friendly for our in-house content management team. That process took about a year. During that time, they updated the platform using mobile responsiveness and SEO best practices.

After that process was complete, we kept them on a monthly retainer to continue to maintain software and updates. We’ve also called upon them to build new functionalities into the site as we’ve needed them. They’ve worked with web tools and data visualization.

What is the team composition?

There have been about 15 people that we’ve been in touch with over the years. We work primarily with their lead developer and director of strategy. They have the institutional knowledge within their company and with ours because they’ve been working with us since the start of our engagement. Over the years, we’ve worked with multiple account managers, the UX team, and the design team.  

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

The organization signed a contract with them just before I started. I wasn’t part of the RFP process. However, my colleagues were considering three different firms. Social Driver’s energy and technical knowledge made us feel confident that they were the right fit for the project.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the years, we’ve spent between $250,000–$500,000 on their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since April 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Even though they completed the redesign six years ago, we still get compliments on the visual quality of the site. Users always enjoy the web tools that they’ve created. If I was moving to another organization, they’d definitely be a team that I’d reach out to for similar projects.  

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a monthly meeting to review the maintenance items my team is requesting. There, I like to get details on bug fixes and overall progress against tasks. In addition to that check-in, we coordinate projects through Asana. Most of our communication occurs in threaded conversations within Asana. They were great about responding to ad hoc requests as well.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re great about talking through the UX and translating that to code. Their technical expertise is impressive. I’m confident in their ability to keep up with the latest trends, and their work is high-quality. If there’s something wrong with a tool, they’re always willing to address it. We’ve found an equivalent commitment to quality in our work with them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve improved on their project management skills over the years, in their switch from Basecamp to Asana. When they were scaling, their project management skills dropped off a bit. After communicating with them about it, I’ve seen them make significant efforts to improve their customer service skills. I think they’re doing a great job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re great about committing to best practices, which aren’t always attainable on a nonprofit budget. They are willing to work with me to find options that fit our budget and reach as close to industry best practices as possible. They’ve been responsive in making these conversations a general practice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and president of Max Insulation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

I was looking for an agency to handle my website and outbound marketing presence. I didn’t know anything about social media, so I needed an outside resource.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I initially filled out a questionnaire that was kind of a strategy doc with goals, targets, markets, price points, and other things. Then I came in for a team meeting in Social Driver’s office, where I thought I would have to explain a lot to them, but they were always one step ahead of me which is pretty cool.

From there, the team got to work building and designing the website, adding content and copy along the way. I was also assigned a social media contact, who worked to boost my search engine listings, focusing on Yelp.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Anthony (Co-Founder) and Thomas (Co-Founder). There must have been five people on my team even though I was a startup company..

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

I was connected to Social Driver through a networking group I’m part of. I chose them because they had a team that was willing to commit to the project rather than just giving me one person. I was really impressed with that. The level of energy and enthusiasm was really high.

How much have you invested in them?

It is probably between $3,000–$7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I founded the company in April 2014, and I immediately brought in Social Driver in May or June 2014. Our partnership lasted for a year, after which I felt our rankings were high enough that I didn’t need their services anymore.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In four years, I think we did one tweak on the website, which was hugely successful. The design was great, and the speed at which they were getting the work done was remarkable. There were no loose ends, which we appreciated. 

We received great feedback from users on the website, and also saw our conversion rate increase to 80%. Also, along the way, Social Driver came up with new ideas and suggestions that weren’t part of the original scope. To watch them add to the project was really cool. They never disappointed.

In terms of the social media work, we generated over 100 five-star reviews on Yelp, and we were getting three, four, or five leads a day. I had more business than I could handle, and we ended up getting bought out by a bigger company in 2018. 

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well. They were always available. Social Driver always had an agenda prepared for our meetings, and someone would always send me an email letting me know what they were working on, what they were testing, what was being built, and what was completed.

Their customer service was excellent. I could always get someone on the phone, and if I emailed, I would get a response back within the day. I also appreciated they had designated project leadership, but I knew everyone on my team and I could reach out to whoever I needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

It felt like there was really well-coordinated talent from Social Driver.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have zero complaints and I was never left to feel or wonder if they were working on the project or if it was moving forward. I don’t have any comments to share on what they could have done to improve. The entire project was very professional. I was wowed by Social Driver.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think it is all about knowing what your goals are and where you want to go, and Social Driver will figure out the rest. They will narrow it down to the market, niches, the go-to strategies, and digital assets.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications for National Health Law Program. We’re a nonprofit that litigates, advocates, and educates on behalf of low income people and their right to healthcare.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

We’ve worked with Social Driver on a number of projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Originally, we contracted Social Driver to build a new website to replace our old one. Along the way, they added several features and functionalities, including an updated and strong search feature. The site is built on WordPress. 

Later on, we were awarded a large grant for an administrative advocacy project to engage regular people in administrative commentary. Together with Social Driver, we worked on our messaging as well as building out a microsite campaign. We’re currently in phase two of that project, wherein they’re helping us with digital community building.

What is the team composition?

At this point, we’ve worked with several of their team members. We’ve had a handful of wonderful product directors. 

One of the great things about Social Driver is that they introduced us to each member of their team who was going to impact our project. We had experts we could reach out to during each part of each project rather than just one singular touchpoint. 

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

I worked with Social Driver at a previous company and got to know the organization well. When I moved over to this company and we were putting out our RFP, I threw Social Driver’s name in the ring because I’d had such a good experience working with them in the past. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The website build started in January 2018 and went live in October of that year. We’re currently working on the microsite campaign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen a 100% year-over-year increase in web traffic, and their work has made the job of my communications team so much easier. The website’s search functionality is better for our advocates who rely on it, and the user experience is lightyears ahead of where the old website was. Across the board, Social Driver’s work was a huge success. 

Beyond comparisons to the other site, though, Social Driver did a really great job of interviewing stakeholders to find out who our audience was and what they needed. They did a phenomenal job helping us source that powerful search functionality and incorporate that into our website, and it works really well. 

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is probably their single strongest asset. They do a great job. They run everything through Asana, and they even did Asana training for us. The team is phenomenal at scheduling meetings: during the high point of a project, we have weekly check-ins. 

There are unique challenges for nonprofits, but Social Driver worked with us really well. They kept us on track without making us feel like they were pulling teeth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Working with Social Driver, we could trust there wouldn’t be any issues around diversity and representation. We do a lot of work centered on equity, inclusion, and diversity. The fact that they’re a certified LGBTQ-owned business is really reflected in their staff, and they were able to create a site that really spoke to our work in a respectful way. 

Outside of that, we also got a fantastic product at the end.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only minor issue we’ve ever come across is the final price sometimes being more than expected. We’ve had a couple experiences where things change late in the project, but other than that, it’s only been positive.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As you’re building up your internal team that’s going to work with Social Driver, make sure you have both people who can speak to the policy work you do as well as creative people who can push for new ideas.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time we did this project with Social Driver, I was president of William Jewell College. Jewell is a small liberal arts college in Liberty, Missouri.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Social Driver?

We engaged Social Driver to provide social media marketing workshops and advice for the departments on campus which were involved in social media marketing, such as alumni, athletics, and advancement.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to raise the level of knowledge and have all departmental social media staff use a common language at a common level of knowledge.

SOLUTION

How did you select Social Driver?

We knew one of the founders very well because he is a graduate of Jewell. We had maintained contact with him over the years since he graduated so we were familiar with their services.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Social Driver provided 8-10 hours of workshop for all appropriate staff and follow-up conversations to support their work.

What was the team composition?

Social Driver's team consisted of two members, one was a principal in the firm and one was the senior social media marketing leader.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our social media work improved significantly and the level of sophistication among the team increased greatly.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Social Driver's staff was very easy to communicate with both in the workshop and follow-up conversations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Social Driver has very strong technical skills. They also demonstrate a very high level of insight for applications of social media that go far beyond technical insights into human insights. This part of their work is extremely valuable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP and chair of programming at a national chapter of a PR society.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

We needed help with our events.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Social Driver helps to market our events through email, social media, and word of mouth. We also rely on Anthony (Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer) to provide some of the programs for our events. They have led workshops on writing, social media strategy, and digital marketing among other topics.

What is the team composition?

Anthony is my main point of contact, and then we’ve typically worked with three people per event.

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

Anthony did a few events before I came on as the chair of programming, and I noticed that the crowd responded well to him. He was always a fan favorite. My predecessor highly recommended working with him and his team. 

How much have you invested with them?

Apart from the pro bono work, a typical event costs about $6,000–$7,000 for a week of events. We do about 4–5 events with them per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

I began working with them in 2014. We’re planning to do more workshops in 2021. We don’t have them on retainer, but we reach out to them whenever we have events.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Social Driver’s marketing, complemented with our own marketing, maximized how many people we got to attend our evens. The events were ticketed, sometimes priced at $200–$300, so it was a big revenue generator for the organization. 

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via phone, but I also usually send Anthony an email when we have project work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Social Driver is very responsive. I’ve worked with a lot of agencies that get back to you the next day, but this team treats us like we’re their only customer. I appreciate their immediate, quick responses and their punctuality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront with them about your goals. Their work is only as good as the information you give them. You don’t need to know your exact campaign because they will do that for you, but if you give them a goal, Social Driver will find the most creative and innovative way to achieve it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for an organization called LearnServe International. We train high school students in the Washington, DC area in entrepreneurial and change-making skills.

Young people are often told that they have to wait to be the leaders of tomorrow, or even that they’re part of the problem, and we try to  tear down both of those ideas by bringing together individuals from a very diverse range of backgrounds to give them the skills to be leaders today.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

They created a video for us to help us feature our students and their stories to get more people involved with our work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handled the creative process of the video from scratch, working with us to plan, and script the project and then providing both shoot management and post-production editing services. From there, we posted the final product to our YouTube and our social media channels, as well as using it in outreach to partner organizations and schools who might be interested in the program.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact for the work was Victor (Creative Director), and he helped with the interviewing and editing himself as well as with a small team for the editing process.

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

We have a very longstanding partnership with Social Driver. They are one of our corporate donors, their employees serve as mentors to our students, and they help us to pilot programs such as our Boardroom Champions project that brings students to pitch to company boardrooms across Washington. This project was pro bono to help us get more people inspired to help out in our organization.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first event that they filmed was in February, and our events since then have been canceled due to the pandemic but we continued to work with them through June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video tool that they created for us has been incredibly useful in connecting with people, especially small grassroots nonprofit organizations. Having a very professional face to your organization that you can send out into the world in a way that raises your profile and grabs your audience has been incredibly important to us. I really think we will continue to see greater and greater tangible effects of that product down the line.

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very communicative with u throughout all of the work, primarily over email and phone. They even invited us to a couple of workshops geared towards helping mission-driven folks and organizations understand how to use the virtual/digital space to their advantage. That was incredibly helpful for our own professional development and really spoke to their willingness to meet us where we were at and deliver whatever we needed to do our best work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think their responsiveness was the biggest asset to our collaboration. Every person I’ve worked with at Social Driver actually looks at what we’re doing and provides relevant input and support based on what they see, and that’s really important in a vendor for a small nonprofit. We needed a partner who was flexible and responsive to the challenges we were facing, and they were able to provide completely to make sure that we had what we needed to be sustainable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only regret we have is that we haven’t been able to grow the scope of our work with them yet, but we fully plan to in the future and are excited about that prospect.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just be totally upfront about what you need. Don’t worry if it seems like too much, or if it’s the right way to look at things. They will be able to tell you in an honest conversation what you can and can’t accomplish, but you shouldn’t limit what you might be able to accomplish.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the market president and publisher of the Washington Business Journal.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

At the time when we hired Social Driver, we were hosting our largest event of the year. It was very early in the era of social media and we wanted to show our leadership in that area. We partnered with them to introduce the idea of Twitter to the larger Washington business community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Most recently, I engaged them to help us with our Twitter strategy to see how we were implementing it across our whole platform of 44 business journals. We wanted them to help us develop some best practices across our entire company. For part of the engagement, they actually implemented some of the best practices and did some of the work with us, as well. 

What is the team composition?

Across the projects, we’ve consistently worked with Anthony (Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder) and Thomas (CEO & Co-Founder). 

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

We met them through common relationships within the community. I was introduced to them by someone on my staff who intersected with them at the local LBGT Chamber of Commerce.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked together since December 2011 and our last engagement wrapped up in August 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work was first class. In the most recent project, they were able to provide actionable results to maximize our social media efforts, which I really liked. 

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

We typically communicated via text, call, or email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

As an organization, they were leading edge. They understood changes in the social media sector and knew how it would impact us. They were able to bring that level of thinking to our business. Comparing our first engagement 10 years ago to our most recent one, it’s clear they evolved with the industry and with our business as we evolved. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s not much. If anything, they could help us think bigger. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to just use them and trust their experience. The people I’ve referred to them have been those who are skeptical about the impact of social media on their business and Anthony and Thomas do a really great job explaining why it’s important. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our organization advances smart, actionable and evidence-based energy and climate solutions through research, education and dialogue.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Social Driver?

We hired Social Driver to complete a video and social media campaign for the launch of the Guide to Chinese Climate Policy 2019.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to engage people interested in the impacts of climate change in China, and to promote the guide as a resource that provides a history of China's climate policies and discusses China's principal climate policies today.

SOLUTION

How did you select Social Driver?

We selected Social Driver through a competitive contracting process. We considered a range of factors and companies and ultimately selected Social Driver because of their unique expertise creating integrated communications campaigns across websites, social media, branding and marketing.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Once we selected Social Driver, we worked with them to understand our organization, our existing video portfolio and specific goals and ideas for the Guide to Chinese Climate Policy.

We completed a creative intake process where they reviewed the University's brand standards, videos and social media campaigns we admired, and also where they met directly with the researcher to better understand the research and goals behind the research.

The vendor managed scripting, story board and design and video editing. They also designed social media graphics to accompany the video rollout.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Social Driver has an extensive and detailed project management system, using project management software that supports communication between the teams and helps us manage deadlines. We set specific project milestones, including mapping out time for the University's review and approval process which includes multiple levels of review.

We were supported by subject matter experts in videography, design, branding and social media marketing, as well as a project manager who coordinates the schedule and review process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Ultimately, the campaign was very successful. We saw an increase of more than 5,000 visitors to the Guide's web page on the first day of the launch. The video and social media campaign garnered thousands of views and engagement on social media.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communications, scheduling and project management were seamless, using project management software like ASANA to keep track of key tasks and milestones.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I find their creativity to be the most impressive - they were able to take a very complex subject, distill the most important ideas, and package that into a video that was interesting and timely for social media.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of communications for the LGBTQ Victory Fund. We’re the only national organization that works to elect LGBTQ people to public office. We endorse and support LGBTQ candidates from school board members all the way up to the U.S. Senate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

We engaged Social Driver for web development services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a very outdated website. Not only did it need an aesthetic update, it was also presenting a lot of challenges, because it didn’t really work with our database. It needed to be able to present candidate information from our database, which Social Driver was able to accomplish. 

We also worked with Social Driver to display our 800 LGBTQ elected officials nationwide on an interactive map. As we add features to our map and website, they continue to help us build those. The website is run on WordPress — Social Driver put a lot of effort into making WordPress work for us, using our database and other third-party tools such as Algolia. 

What is the team composition?

During the development projects, we worked primarily with three people, though there were more working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

We put out an RFP, and they responded. Social Driver’s mission aligned with ours, and they were able to provide solutions well-beyond others offering the same price.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $150,000 or so over the last three and a half years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2017. They’re currently working on ongoing maintenance, and have been involved with several projects throughout the years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Recently, another organization reached out to us because they saw the map Social Driver created and were really impressed with it. It’s not uncommon for us to get compliments on the map.

They’re very creative. When we have money to do something big, Social Driver thinks outside the box. When money’s tighter, they’re also really good about figuring out how to make solutions that work for us.

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Asana, which has been really helpful when it comes to organization. We also can send emails for anything more urgent, but generally speaking, they’re pretty responsive on Asana.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Social Driver is very solutions-oriented, and they have a great ability to carry out a vision. We’ll come to them with ideas, with no idea about the technology behind it, and they’re really good at coming up with solutions. We also appreciate how they’ve been able to work with various budgets. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind that needs to be improved. They’re responsive, and if something goes wrong, they fix it. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come to them with a detailed idea of what you need, but don’t bother with focusing on the technology solutions. Let them use their expertise to figure that segment out for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former deputy director of an LGBTQ military and veteran service organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Social Driver?

We hired them to support a rebranding as we were merging with another military partner association.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were dealing with two opinionated boards that often conflicted but took bits and pieces from both sides to put together a brand product. They helped us come up with a name and logo, along with a branding package, including a color scheme and things like that. 

What is the team composition?

There was a core group of three people working with us, but a larger team of 5–7 were pulled in at different times. 

How did you come to work with Social Driver?

A board member, who is no longer on the board, recommended Social Driver. At the time, I was reviewing proposals from four different agencies. We decided to go with Social Driver because of their reputation for working with other organizations and the comprehensive report they submitted during the proposal. I thought if they did this much work before having the contract, they’d do even more work once they got the contract.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent in the range of $50,000–$100,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2018–May 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A lot of people really enjoyed the new logo. They appreciated how certain elements showed progression and incorporated different military components into it. It was also versatile, so we could use it for branding specific projects and have that universal feel. The contemporary and simple look was also appreciated since in the past the logos had been convoluted and busy. They helped us pull everything under the same umbrella to have a united front. They helped us achieve a simplistic brand that represented us clearing up the craziness in the community, too. 

How did Social Driver perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Asana and they were able to assign things to us so we knew what was going on. They always got back to us at least 24 hours before a deadline, which was wonderful. They were good at reminding us about deadlines which we could sometimes forget with everything else going on. 

They were really easy to work with. For example, there was one instance where the board just didn’t like one of the options and Social Driver was good about changing the timeline a little bit but still ensuring all products were delivered by the right date before the merger was announced. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciated all of the options they provided. Since the boards we were bringing together wanted their brands to shine through in the new merger, Social Driver was able to provide options that appealed to both boards and showed how strong they’d be by coming together. They made my job a lot easier by showing why specific components should be incorporated and what it would mean to the community. I was really pleased with them and have recommended them to other organizations, too. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing off the top of my head. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just trust the process. A lot of my board members thought they’d have to provide their own advice and direction, but just allowing Social Driver to move through the process and seeing what they come up with made it fun to do, which rebranding usually isn’t.