Solid Digital

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide a clinical collaboration and communication platform for healthcare organizations from large enterprise acute care to ambulatory physician practices to long-term care facilities. I am the Chief Design Officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Solid Digital, and what were your goals?

We hired Solid Digital (SD) to provide support and guidance for the more technical issues we were having with our website that was in WordPress using Beaver Builder.

SOLUTION

How did you select Solid Digital and what were the deciding factors?

We heard about Solid Digital from an acquaintance so we interviewed them. Jesse, Derek, and Jessica jumped on a call with us and we loved their attitude and knowledge - they understood the needs and got everything that was important to me. Jesse got what was important to talk about. I loved how Derek jumped into the weeds on tools (such as Elementor) and got into details of strategy, etc. on early calls. This is what sold us on them.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The scope of work was basically a support contract with us because we weren't ready to redesign the site yet and they were a bit pricey to do that, so we just hired them to be there when we needed help. We also had some specific needs right away such as fixing backend issues and conflicts with custom code from a previous developer.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Here's a rundown of who worked with us. Amber, a great project manager (replaced eventually by Mackenzie). Derek early on as Creative Director for strategy things. Chelsea early on. Jessica set things up and passing us off to Amber. Peter and Michael helped with code things.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

They did a very good job in project management (something I see lacking in some of our other vendors who tend to be less expensive and use up fewer hours, but don't list things out well and therefore miss things - gets haphazard). PM was great for the most part. The work was usually what we expected and done well. There were a couple of little things that we had to go back to them on that weren't right, but that was minimal.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Basecamp was great. Their project management was really top-notch. I always felt we communicated well and the process was good. They hit timelines.

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

The knowledge, attitude, and listening skills of Jesse and Derek along with their aesthetic sensibilities and ability to understand what was needed and how to address that is what was most impressive at the start and what sold us on Solid Digital. Amber's project management, professionalism, attitude, and hitting deadlines were unique and impressive as well.

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

Their price was a bit high. They also seemed to really blow through hours too quickly for projects that seemed not to need that much time. We planned on them maintaining the site (which might have been a communication breakdown between us), but we had to ask them to update plugins, etc.

Understandable miscommunication because they thought they were just doing things when we requested things. But, we are used to maintenance from website vendors where as part of $150 or $200 per month, they keep everything updated and give an hour of support, etc.

When we asked them to update plugins, I think it was about 8 hours of work (at $150 per hour). I might be wrong on the details, but something like that. It was surprising and gave insight into how we were burning through hours so quickly. We ended up moving to another vendor with who we have a relationship for other stuff so it made sense and costs less and uses fewer hours to do things like that. So I think it played into our decision some. Though I would definitely consider using Solid Digital again.

Overall, I was happy with them. Also, towards the end of our support hours, I think they had kind of forgotten about us. Amber was getting busy on other things and passed us to Mackenzie who didn't check in much, but we were on support hours, so understandable. Might wanna check-in with customers more often though just to keep that relationship going.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior marketing manager at a B2B wholesale food products distributor. We don’t sell finished food products; rather, we sell the ingredients that manufacturers use to make consumer food products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

Before I even joined the team at St. Charles Trading, it was immediately apparent to me that the website wasn’t functioning the way it should’ve been. While interviewing for my current position, I had trouble learning about the company online. 

As I got more involved in marketing, I wanted to take that experience and use it as an opportunity to help the organization communicate our brand and core values to customers. I knew that if I — as someone with a vested interest — had trouble getting in touch with the organization, people less invested never stood a chance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve launched two websites with Solid Digital within the last year. We had a preexisting relationship with them, so the most recent project was quick and easy. Every project we do with them starts with a discovery phase. They have a concise set of questions that cut to the heart of whatever we want to get to. Following that, they do their own research and deep dive.

Their deliverables vary job-by-job, but generally speaking, they deliver a fully functioning, published website. For our most recent website, that happened in a matter of seven weeks. They built our website using WordPress and an Elementor plug-in. Elementor is a UI overlay that takes WordPress and turns it into a drag-and-drop platform, making it that much easier to edit.

At the end of every project, Solid Digital leads a CMS training. They show us how to use the page-builder and continue to maintain our site. Being able to have somebody on our team dedicated to updating the website, rather than having to constantly reach back out to a developer, has been a big value for us.

The initial projects are completed, and the sites are available to the public. We now have a service and support agreement with Solid Digital, so they help maintain our sites and hosting. They send pretty detailed reporting about up-time and WordPress updates, amongst other things.

If a website is static and unchanging, it can only do so much. For that reason, we’re constantly in talks with Solid Digital to make additions and changes to the site. We’re also participating in Solid Digital’s Digital Growth program, which has been a huge asset to us as an organization.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with Rachel (Project Manager), and she’s an incredible project manager. For our most recent project, she kept us on track the whole time; in fact, she did such a good job managing the project that we were able to do a soft launch ahead of schedule, despite a really expedited timeline to begin with.

I had close contact with everybody on the team — they were all willing to help out and answer questions. Rachel kept everybody on the same page and made sure we were on the right track to launching on time.

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

I spent 2–3 months researching and trying to find the right developer. I previously did a lot of digital work, so I knew the value of a good partner in the web design and development arena. First, we did an internal discovery and spent some time putting together an extensive list of websites that impressed us. Then, we figured out who developed those websites. We ended up considering three companies, and the conversations quickly turned to the kind of relationship we expected to have with the people in the organization — that was a big factor for us.

We had a meeting with Jesse (Partner & CEO) and Derek (VP & Creative Director), and it was immediately apparent that Jesse ran a tight ship, and that he wasn’t going to sell anything that he didn’t believe in or that wouldn’t help us. In that first meeting, I brought up a few ideas that I was excited about, such as track functionality. He recommended that we get the website published and then start building a case for implementing other tools. I respected that — it would’ve been an easy opportunity for him to sell more services and really expand the project. I know a lot of other companies would’ve jumped at that opportunity, so Jesse’s careful and methodical approach has been really valuable to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $90,000–$120,000. The second project was smaller, so it cost a little over half the price of the first one.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first conversation with them was in February 2020, and we started working on our first project together in late March. We did our second project in less than half the time of the first one. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

On our old website, the only way for us to get leads was if people chose to email or call us. Our new website has several contact forms. We’re able to track who’s reaching out and why because copies of those contact forms are sent to our marketing email. Then, we can process that data. 

Being able to track marketing qualified leads — people who were previously customers who have now inquired about a product — has been a huge asset. I’m sure there are other ways to build out that functionality within an organization, but it’s so simple to have a copy of the email sent to our marketing team. I wouldn’t have thought to ask for that, but Solid Digital offered it. The little touches like that have been incredibly valuable.

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great communicators. Rachel in particular is great about keeping things on track. We ended up pushing back the deadline a little bit on our first project, part of which was due to having such a small internal marketing team. We developed all of the content in-house, including the copywriting and photography, save a few stock images. Since we’d never tackled that as a team before, developing the content was a huge task for our first website. The first project had a few delays, but Rachel was always very clear about how delays would affect the overall deadline for launch.

Then, our second project was ahead of schedule, and Rachel helped facilitate that. We went right from our first project to the second one. My team had three weeks to create and upload content. We got that done on time, and Rachel found time in the review process to accelerate their QA and crosschecking of the website's functionality. We were able to soft launch the website almost a week ahead of time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their organizational mentality sets them apart from other companies. Jesse cares more about the business relationship than the sale, and that’s been very clear throughout the process. I’ve worked closely with Jesse at the start of both projects, and we’re in conversations now about a third project. The way that he structures their organization to focus on customer service and addressing unique customer needs without getting out of hand in regard to sales has really set them apart. 

Beyond that, their Digital Growth program is very valuable, and I wouldn’t expect any other web developer to provide services like it. One of the things that makes Solid Digital unique is that they’ve done a lot of websites in different industries, but they always produce good work. I’ve come across a lot of companies that do web design en masse, and that’s how they make a dollar. Solid Digital is in a sweet spot of not being too expensive but also being very professional and doing a great job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One challenging area has been trying to work with some of their more technically knowledgeable people for implementation with separate systems. For instance, I had to have several conversations with some of their technical staff and developers to configure domain name system (DNS) settings properly. That ballooned to involving our IT contractor. 

It would be helpful if they had some kind of cheat sheet that explains common problems or changes that need to be made so that people with less experience in the technical realm can quickly and easily understand what needs to change and why.

Any advice for potential customers?

The most important thing for any future clients of Solid Digital is to be very honest about what they need. Solid Digital can get it done. Also, don’t be afraid to challenge your own assumptions about what you need to get the results you want. Trust that the team at Solid digital will provide sound counsel regarding a lot of the ideas people have for their own websites. They could even step back the scope of the project and get the same results that you expected.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a membership-based nonprofit that focuses on R&D for developing manufacturing technologies. Much like a consortium, we bring together smaller manufacturers, pair them with multi-billion-dollar companies, and help them develop projects that digitize and streamline their manufacturing processes.

I’m a communications and design associate at the organization. I also serve as the main point of contact for managing our relationship with Solid Digital.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

We recently went through a heavy rebranding process in 2019. The vendor that was referred to us did it in two parts: first the rebrand and then the website. 

The rebrand went well, however, the website was a little more challenging. We faced missed deadlines that pushed back the launch date twice, and there were a lot of turnovers. They also couldn’t provide the level of security that we required.

Eventually, we turned to Solid Digital to redo our site on WordPress.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Solid Digital was tasked with completing our WordPress website, helping to build out our security infrastructure and providing hosting services on AWS. They did a great job adapting our original site considering that they didn’t write the initial code. 

Now, they stay on for general maintenance. If there’s a bug, we just send them a quick message, and they help us figure it out. We’re also open to building out the relationship for future design work and more.

What is the team composition? 

During the coding process, I got to speak to the COO a couple of times, which I thought was pretty impressive. From there, we’ve had a couple of different points of contact. There’s an engagement manager who handles our month-to-month invoicing, a project manager who is the point person for everything, and the director of technology. 

Touching base with the tech director helps us make sure that everything is working smoothly. If there are any high-level questions, they’ll address them.

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

When it came time to start researching different vendors, we tried to keep it local. I found Solid Digital and scheduled calls with them along with some other vendors. 

In the end, we went with them after speaking to several people on their team. I liked that we weren’t siloed to one spokesperson and were given opportunities to really flesh out what we needed from their services. At the end of each call, our engagement manager would have an action plan to schedule meetings with the COO to get a better feel of their offerings, or I could speak with their developers.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve paid just under $30,000. They work on a bank of hours, meaning we buy a certain amount of time per month that’s dedicated to servicing the website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first spoke with them in March 2020, and we’ve hired them full-time as our web developer and hosting service. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It goes back to how personable they are. Before one of our meetings, I’d mentioned to our engagement manager that I’d just gotten engaged, and then out of nowhere, I received a package from Solid Digital congratulating me! It had little trinkets like candles and a board that counted down the days to the wedding.

That gesture was really telling of their service overall. It showed that they were thoughtful, generous, and all-encompassing good listeners.

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been good, so far. We have standing monthly meetings where we discuss whatever projects are going on at the time. They’re also always available via Basecamp and are pretty responsive, especially when it comes to addressing a bug. If there’s anything urgent, they handle it right away.

One thing that I want to emphasize is their level of expertise. There’s a lot of comfort, at least with me, in knowing that they know what they’re doing. With our last agency, they only supplied the bare minimum. We were often met with an “I don’t know” when we had questions about security bugs. 

But that’s not the case with Solid Digital. No matter the issue, we can bring something to them and not only know that they’ll handle it, but also that they’ll do so in an appropriate amount of time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As I mentioned before, they’re really good listeners. I remember during all of our meetings before we signed our contract, it was very easy to feel like they knew exactly what we needed and where we were coming from.

The COO was very attentive, as was the rest of his team. They didn’t act like we didn’t know what we needed and instead helped us define our requirements and how they could fit into that. That was really beneficial because it meant that our priorities became their priorities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The communication between us and their project managers could be improved just a bit. For example, in our first month, we bought 40 hours of bug fixes. They handled it, but about two weeks later, they told us that they went through all 40 hours. If I had a warning that we were nearing the end of our monthly bank, I would’ve probably prioritized things a bit differently.  

We’ve since straightened out that communication, so we’re extremely happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest about what you need with Solid Digital because they’re more than accommodating. If there’s anything that they can’t provide, they’ll tell you. It’s also clear that they just want what’s best for their clients. I don’t feel like just another number because they put in the effort to understand us and our needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the research administrator for a research development and deployment startup company dedicated to improving the internet.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

We needed a web presence dedicated to highlighting the research aspect of our business. We hired Solid Digital to design a website with a strong aesthetic appeal and roll it out for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They used JavaScript and CSS to build the site completely from scratch. Focusing on the site’s architecture, they ensured that the site was easy to navigate. When we upload a publication, we can tag the researchers who participated in that publication. Then users will be able to find those publications when they visit each researcher’s profile.

They worked on the design and layout of the platform. For example, they prevented clutter by determining how many categories to have in the top scroll bar. Then they implemented drop-down menus when a user’s mouse hovers over different categories.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a manager and two people who managed the technical content.

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

One of our design leads found them. Based on their portfolio and our conversations, we felt confident that they would be able to deliver a top-notch product in a short time frame.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in November 2019 and wrapped it up about a month later in December.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were very pleasant to work with. They let us make the decisions on the project, but they used their expertise to guide us. They were good at articulating what they thought about certain aspects of the project. As a result, we were able to carefully consider their input and determine if there could be a better way to do things.

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. We used email and messaging platforms to communicate regularly and held calls on Zoom and Google Meets. The entire team was enjoyable to work with. They were accessible and responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They stuck to our timelines and provided accurate estimations of when we could expect deliverables. They also communicated well. I doubt another company could do better.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there was anything they needed to improve. We’ve added new features and made a few changes here and there, but we were focused on rolling out an MVP quickly when we were working on the project. In that regard, they delivered as well as we could have expected.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want and what you’re willing to have their input on. It’s also important for your in-house team to involved with the process. You’ll need people who understand the technical and design aspects of the project to ensure you get the product you want. Finally, whoever will maintain the website after the project ends should be a part of the development. process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing strategy at Intelligent Medical Objects (IMO). I’ve been here for coming up on two years. My team runs all things performance marketing: events, campaigns, digital advertising, webinars, and performance reporting.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

When we first engaged Solid, I was new to IMO, and the company was in desperate need of not only a website overhaul but also a complete rebrand. We set out to find an agency that could meet our needs in a very fast timeline. 

While we were looking to rebrand and launch that brand via a new website, we were rationalizing what was an excessively large product portfolio at the same time. There were a lot of work streams moving simultaneously when we first engaged Solid Digital.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, our primary focus was to rebrand the company and apply that brand to the website. The company name wasn’t changing. In working with Solid Digital, we also determined that we weren’t going to change the logo. The scope became new fonts, color palettes, image directions, and things like that. We worked with Solid to identify what that looked like. 

We came in thinking that we really wanted a Drupal site, but Solid pushed back on that based on what our needs were, how we were going to manage content on the site, and how big we envisioned the site getting. They proposed WordPress as being a better solution for our needs, and it has worked out really well. Solid built a WordPress website that uses the Elementor plug-in.

We now use them for Digital Growth, their proprietary program that supports SEO. We have a monthly engagement on that end of things to ensure that we’re continuing to drive people to the website and keep them engaged. They’re helping us prioritize objectives and create key milestones and tasks to help us achieve those objectives.

What is the team composition?

We’ve had a project manager on Solid Digital’s side from the beginning who helps wrangle all of the troops on both our sides. We essentially have access to their whole team, up to the CEO, who’s on some of the projects. Depending on where we are in the engagement, their creative director may get involved. We have calls with technical people from top to bottom. I and one of my counterparts are the main points of contact from IMO.

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

When we started out the search, our best-case scenario was to get a local agency in Chicago —someone whom we could meet in-person. This isn’t always important, but it was this time. I believe we found Solid Digital on a list of top-rated agencies in Chicago.

We reached out to a lot of agencies, and Solid Digital was super responsive. They were quick to get on a call to assess what our needs were and understand the urgency in our timeline. They put together what was by far the most thoughtful proposal that we received, and it was also cost-effective and right within our budget. Solid is a smaller agency, but they definitely have the capabilities and brainpower. They had the cultural fit that we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested at least $150,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Solid Digital in June 2019, and we launched the website in mid-August of that year. There was ongoing work and optimization on the website after that, and we continue to work with Solid Digital on SEO. The engagement will continue through 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Solid Digital is bright and talented. They’re good designers and really thoughtful about the products they provide us and the ways that they approach our requests. They don’t stop thinking there, though. Solid Digital looks at the big picture and how it’s ultimately going to drive results — not just vanity metrics, but real results that are important to us and our business. 

They recognize that every business is unique in what they look at and what’s important to them. The Solid team spends time getting to know us and our personalities, and they want us to have a meaningful partnership. Solid Digital has been a fabulous partner for us.

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a good job. I’m probably more flexible on this part in that I recognize that we’re not their only client, so they won’t drop everything at our request. Solid Digital is responsive and accommodating, and the project management team that they have on our account has been lovely and really great to work with. There’s been a bit of turnover there, but the people we’ve had have always been delightful and good at their jobs. They keep us on task and on deadline, and I’m super appreciative of that on our end. We use Basecamp to track the project, submit requests, and receive updates.

We initially looked at our relationship with Solid as a partnership that was going to move forward into the future, well beyond the launch of the new brand and website. They’ve really been a solid partner in that regard. They don’t just take our requests and ideas and implement them directly; rather, they provide feedback, challenge us appropriately, and provide guidance and insights where needed. This ensures that not only are we getting what we want, but that we’re also going to end up with a product that drives results.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their Digital Growth Program is somewhat unique to them. They have a proprietary formula and approach to quantifying a web presence, which they coined and built out for their clients. They apply it to their own business as well, so it’s not just something they’re selling us. They’re continuously making tweaks and modifications to the process, so we benefit from what they’re learning while going through the same process as us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could stand to push us a little harder on some things, to do more and be better. I think that we could stand a bit more pressure.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The advice I’d give to any agency is for the client to be honest and direct and share what’s going on in their business, to the extent that they can and that’s appropriate. The more information Solid Digital has, and the better understanding they have on what our goals are for the year or longer, the better able they’ll be to build out a plan and ultimately results in direct support of those business goals. Clients should look at Solid Digital as a partner, and, in that partnership, each party should be equally informed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a technical manager for Arnowitz Culture, which is a management consulting company. We have several different applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

Solid Digital has been our business partner for 5–6 years. We initially hired them for their development services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our partnership with them has a large scope that includes small web projects such as startup websites and larger projects. Their team provides end-to-end support — from backend engineering to frontend UI design. They also help with integrations such as AWS for hosting. Currently, Solid Digital’s working on a long-term SaaS community project. It’s essentially an internal social community.

What is the team composition?

We have a project manager who’s our primary point of contact and work with a development lead. Depending on the project, we scale the team up or down.  

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

The beginning of the relationship predates my work at Arnowitz Culture. My CTO formed a relationship with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $200,000–$1,000,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our company initially hired them around 2010, and we’ve grown that partnership over the years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their leadership team is one of the reasons that we’ve maintained our partnership throughout the past ten years. They’ve grown with the times and been flexible with us. We’ve had a range of projects with them over the years, so they don’t do just one thing. Their team’s always looking for new ventures and opportunities with us.

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project manager is great, and their team’s well organized. They have a great system in place for delivering and meeting expectations. Their team provides environments for testing and specifying projects. They’re open to setting up systems for us to have the freedom that we want with feature development and product releases.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Solid Digital is flexible and open. They’re not a singularly focused shop. Their team’s been able to keep up with all of the different requirements that we’ve needed over the years.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They do a great job and match well with us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand that they’re flexible and adaptable. Know what you want and communicate that to them. If you can do that, you’ll get great work out of Solid Digital.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the office manager of a law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

We brought them on for SEO services and to maintain our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created landing pages as well as posted content on our website. If something didn’t work on our end, they assisted us with updating the website, pages, and plug-ins. Our platform is on WordPress.

What is the team composition?

We worked with numerous people over the years. As people moved on, they assigned new individuals to us.

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

We were with another company that merged with Solid Digital.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement was from January 2015–April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They completed the landing pages in about a month's timeframe. We worked well together, and they were receptive to feedback.

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They utilized a project management tool to communicate with us and tell us how soon a task would be done. We always knew the status of the project as well as who was working on what. They really took care of our needs. We communicated through a portal, and our rep would correspond with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were always willing to work with our partners who were very specific about what they wanted. Solid Digital tried to figure out a better way to help us and give us feedback on how certain things may look or fit. Likewise, they were receptive to our feedback and it was always professionally handled. If something wasn’t to our satisfaction, they made sure we were happy with the product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Part of the reason we’re no longer with them is that we were looking to get more information on updating and possibly revamping our website. Our firm partners weren’t satisfied with the response to our questions directed at Solid Digital. Additionally, there was a lack of knowledge about law firms. We wanted a website that met our vision. Our partners were looking for something different. It wasn’t anything Solid Digital did wrong.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work in sales and marketing for a company that creates SQL management software to help people query their data platforms and manages their SQL.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital?

We were doing a new product launch. That required that their team assisted with product design, a complete website redesign, and copywriting to accompany that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They ended up designing two products for us. First, we met together as a team to discuss our plans for taking our new product to market. They worked with us to quickly determine the status of our current product, taking in our feedback and requests for a modernized redesign. We wanted to make the product clean and easier to use.

From there, they guided the product through an in-house improvement framework before returning to us with recommendations on how to elevate the product. They also sat in during product review sessions, where were began showing their designs to users in the field. Having them hear user feedback directly streamlined the process and allowed them to quickly implement changes into the design to benefit user web flow.

For the website refresh project, we provided them with design direction and a few brands that we were inspired by. We came together collaboratively to make the website personable and showcase the real people behind the company. Branding ourselves as a company with people to support and listen to customers in addition to a great product became key to our design plan.

They asked for deliverables and documentation from us before implementing necessary information into the site design. There, they married our work with product design with our bold aims for the site design. 

We used Invision, Sketch, and WordPress for our work with them, but they were open to using any of our preferred technologies. It was important to us that they were able to provide a WordPress framework that would be sustainable for the long-term. They even set up some additional backend processes to further support.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–3 developers, a lead designer, and a project manager. Additionally, an executive would check in on us every once in a while to make sure the project was running smoothly. Their CEO took a pretty active role in each of our projects. There was a project coordinator that helped move tasks forward as well. 

How did you come to work with Solid Digital?

We were looking for a team was local to the majority of our team. As a Chicago-based firm, we thought they could be a good fit. Our company cultures really lined up. In the interview process, they made a point to inform us of their interest in our project. They were also brutally honest with us, even in our early meetings. Their up-front nature was encouraging.   

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from about May 2018–November 2019. The project lasted about 18 months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still using their designs and products today. We often return to work they created for us several years ago. They always came up with fresh ideas and remained open to iterations and feedback from our team. Having design options along the way was hugely helpful for us.

We get great feedback on the product from our customers and users. Anecdotally, they praise the clean design and our implementation work.  

They completed the work on time and gave us great recommendations, encouraging us to think critically about the metrics we wished to track once the product went to market. Soon after we launched, we were impressed and encouraged by the number of downloads we were receiving from customers. As they used the product, customers were also able to provide continuous feedback on the product, which was helpful. 

How did Solid Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re brilliant communicators, always sharing the next steps and warning us about potential delays in advance. If there were delays, they always had a reason as to why. We gave them some challenging deadlines, and I can’t recall a major deadline that they missed. They manage their team well and deliver on expectations. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They excel in thought leadership, applying it with care to our brand. It felt like they were an internal part of our team. They provide great reasoning for their processes and decision-making. Their honesty, cohesiveness, and commitment pushed us in the right direction.

While they didn’t have a ton of experience in our space, they were clear and committed to our success in taking our product to market. I’d love to work with them again and would recommend them to anyone looking for similar work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d work with them again any day and can’t think of anything for them to improve upon.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust their knowledge and ask questions for context on why they’re making certain design choices. I’d recommend allowing them to be a thought leader. Once they get up to speed on your industry, they operationalize very fast.

Be open to letting them speak to your end-users as well. That helped us move quickly and iterate fast.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the growth marketing lead at Tillable. I was the first employee. We’re a startup out of Chicago. We now have about 30 employees. We help landowners find farmers to farm their land, and we help farmers find new land to farm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital, LLC?

They helped us build a new website. Our marketing team wasn’t able to make any edits to our existing website without going through the development team, so we needed a complete CMS platform to manage our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Solid Digital designed our website and helped us put together a look and feel that was easy for an older audience to read and take in information from. We tore down our old website, so they were basically starting from scratch. They helped us get onto WordPress so that we can easily make updates and changes ourselves. 

They built out every page and form on our site. They also helped with tracking and reporting, and just the overall site architecture and page layout. They matched our brand to the website.

As a marketplace with a dual audience, we have to talk to two people at once, and Solid Digital helped us strategize what actually went on the website and how that customer journey would go. Also, as a startup, it’s important that we continue to build new web pages and offer new opportunities, so they implemented a drag-and-drop page builder called Elementor. They taught us how to use it.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about seven people in total. We had a project manager, account manager, creative director, junior art director, and then programmers who helped build the forms.

How did you come to work with Solid Digital, LLC?

A friend recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $50,000–$60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in May 2019, and we’re still on a maintenance plan with them. They delivered the website within 2–3 months in August 2019, which was a month ahead of schedule.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our page speed is much better. We saw 50% more website traffic. We were also able to do A/B testing on the website and capture more leads. We went from 40 to 200 leads a month, which is probably more directly tied to advertising.

How did Solid Digital, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. We were on a very strict schedule, and we got everything done a month before we were scheduled to. They went out of their way to make sure that we got everything on time and that we were happy.

They used Basecamp to provide us with updates on the design direction and everything like that. Now that we’re on the maintenance plan, they’re quick to answer any requests that we have.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creative work sets them apart. They really got a feel for who we were, and they were able to make a website that reflects our brand. We get tons of compliments on the way our website looks, especially in the somewhat antiquated industry of agriculture. We were able to make a nice, clean website that is running very smoothly.

In my previous job, I built websites, and I never got a website finished on time. Solid Digital was able to work quickly and exceed expectations for deliverability, which almost never happens.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Any advice for potential customers?

You’re in good hands, so go with their advice on web trends. Definitely do the Elementor training so that you can make edits yourself after they’ve built the website. Just trust their creative instincts.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Municipal Marking Distributors (MMD) and Flat Can Recycling. MMD is a construction supply company and we specialize in the paint that marks underground utilities and also the little sticks of wood that land surveyors and excavators pound into the ground for infrastructure development. Flat Can Recycling recycles spray paint.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solid Digital, LLC?

We’re a very small group of companies and we knew that we wouldn’t be good at marketing because it's not our area of expertise. We were looking for a marketing company that could teach and guide us on the best way to achieve our marketing goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought them on as consultants for both of my companies. They also helped us with design work, direct mail, and SEO. 

We’ve done a lot of paid advertising together. After our first paid advertising project wasn't very successful, we've identified new markets and have made changes. Since then, we've continued to work on paid advertising for niche products.

They thrust me into the world of social media. We’ve written a ton of blogs and things like that. They pushed me into writing blogs and I wrote about the company and the culture that we have here. We put it on our website and on LinkedIn.

What is the team composition?

I got really lucky because the president of Solid Digital, LLC was able to come to my office to meet with me the first time. I felt that was really special. It was also nice, at the time, pre-pandemic, that he could come and see our space, our warehouse, and get a vibe about who we are and what we do.

I also worked with Jessica (Engagement Manager), Marla (Digital Marketing Strategist),  and Diana (Director of Experiences). 

How did you come to work with Solid Digital, LLC?

I was hesitant to work with a marketing agency because they’re often really expensive. I found them through a small business owner, who referred them to me.

We wanted somebody who would be with us for the long haul. We like to create long-lasting relationships and were also looking for a good culture fit. I also wanted to make sure that all of our work was measurable. We would give them the problem and they’d come up with a solution. Solid Digital, LLC proved that they could do that for us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2019 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've met several success metrics. Solid Digital, LLC helped portray our brand in a way that matches who we are internally. There are no blurred lines between what we do within the office, our attitude towards each other, and how we represent ourselves to customers, vendors, and the outside world.

When I met with them, our sister company, Flat Can Recycling, was just like a pipedream, but they were able to help us turn it into an actual corporation. That’s huge.

We do get new customers from it and get conversations going. That is a huge success in my mind. It’s opening the door. As a small company, having over 300 views of our blog is big.

Getting the conversation going on social media has been a huge success. They formed a system of how we track of different types of customers and how engaged they are. I’m really not doing them justice; they’ve done so much for us.

How did Solid Digital, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

Our process involves outlining an action together that covers about a three month time period. Then we each have action steps to ensure it gets done. Overall, the system works very well for us.

They have a dedicated group of people managing the project and they lead a team of people. It’s almost like they made our project the center of everything and they work around that. 

Jessica managed all of our digital growth reporting and she facilitated between my questions and the rest of the group. She kept things moving and organized, but I still had a lot of interaction with the rest of the team. They all have very specific roles, but they’re all informed on what's going on, which is really amazing. They clearly communicate well internally. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of everything they do — from how they contact you to the strategy and digital measurements they conduct — is really impressive. Their whole digital growth program, which is how they measure the marketing strategies that they provide, totally sets them apart. I’ve talked to other people and nobody has even heard of it.

The other part of it is they’re such a humble company. They’re so professional but they laugh and joke and roll with the punches. It’s a perfect blend of strategy, intellect, and laughter.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know their trajectory. I don’t know if they want more small businesses like mine. I don’t know where they’re headed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down and have a conversation with them. I’d think a new customer would need to know the direction they’re heading. They don’t need to know all the details, but they should have an idea about the kind of goals they want to set for their business. Be prepared to talk about that and be open-minded.