Suffolk Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an independent consultant. I partner with my clients to help them with their digital and social media strategies and SEO campaigns.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Milestone Media?

I needed help managing paid social media advertising such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Milestone Media managed the account for two of my clients. They operated the ads according to the budget we provided every month. In addition, they did some work to update the content on the website; it mainly was optimization. Initially, they did an audit of the site and flagged some areas that would be challenging to run social media ads. I worked closely with them on SEO. I gave them keyword guidance, especially for the US market. However, we worked as partners; they made suggestions, I’d provide them with direction, and then they’d make the changes. 

Moreover, Milestone Media guided us on how much money to spend and where to spend it. They obviously dealt with the algorithms’ backend to ensure the ads were optimized.

What is the team composition?

I only had contact with three members of their team.

How did you come to work with Milestone Media?

Initially, I was introduced to them through one of my clients who was already working with them. I came on board to work with my client and then took over the relationship. Since I had a good experience with them, I introduced them to a second client.

How much have you invested in them?

My clients paid, but it was probably close to $50,000 for both clients over the past year.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them from August 2021–March 2022. Milestone Media isn’t doing work for my clients at the moment. The client’s needs changed, but I’d definitely work with them again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of the work was excellent. We looked at the ads' ROI and got anywhere from 3%–5% ROI on the ads. Moreover, I had a good experience working with them. The team was always responsive, and they offered a very personal service. We texted each other through the busy seasons and made quick updates to our ad campaigns. For example, Milestone Media was very helpful in generating a solid Black Friday campaign for one of my clients. Based on their suggestions and budget recommendations, we had extraordinary sales results.

Also, they always gave honest feedback. It felt like a partnership instead of a sold service.

How did Milestone Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. We were in constant communication. Also, they always seemed to act on time and make changes quickly.

We typically communicated via video chat. We had weekly catchup calls with the team’s milestones; they’d share metrics and run through the ads’ performance. After discussing the performance, they made changes, whether it was to the budget, stopping or starting a campaign, or updating the copy. We constantly communicated about the campaigns’ performance and made suggestions based on our business needs or the results they were seeing. Also, they sent PowerPoint presentations showing the ad campaigns and their overall performance so we could see an annual overview.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their working relationship and sense of partnership were outstanding. I really enjoyed working with them, and I’d definitely recommend them. Many agencies offer SEO and digital management services, but Milestone Media excelled in their personalities and how they treated us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There wasn’t anything they needed to improve on. I felt satisfied with their service and the results they got.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Push for close communication, whether a weekly discussion or a connection where you can pick up the phone and call them. From my experience with ad agencies, you have to drive the direction, so I’d suggest going for constant communication for the best results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Head of global Marketing at Learning People. We have over 40,000 students worldwide providing online education in tech, for career changers, starters and those looking to up-skill.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media , and what were your goals?

Our primary goal is to increase lead volume and lead quality through our paid media channels. We have managed the Facebook ads internally up to this point, but wanted to bring in an expert team to not only scale the accounts but improve our lead quality and contact rate.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

They came to us highly recommended. We were highly impressed with the audit they conducted on our accounts, which gave us a lot of confidence that they knew how to help us achieve our objectives.

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

They have laid out a plan to achieve our goals, which has got off to a fantastic start. They will also be getting us live onto other platforms like Tiktok for the first time.

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

So far we have dealt entirely with the founders.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In a very short space of time they have been able to reduce our cost per lead, and increase lead quality. We also have a number of new creative strategies in the pipeline that we're very excited to test.

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

They're honest, down-to-earth, and very easy to do business with. They speak with experience and conviction, and explain everything very clearly. Their approach is organised and measured.

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

That they have achieved exactly what they said they would in the initial period, we're completely assured that we made a great decision in partnering with them.

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

No suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of SOS Care, Inc a nonprofit organization in South Carolina that provides services and supports for people with autism and intellectual disabilities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media ?

We needed assistance with our social media campaign to promote Palmetto Giving Day an online giving day in Georgetown County SC.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We needed to increase our brand awareness and contact pool, and wanted to use Facebook ads to do that. We hadn't ran campaigns before, and Milestone Media came highly recommended to us. .

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We told them what they needed, and they provided us with a comprehensive, actionable plan that was very clear, and gave us a lot of confidence. Scope of work: They handled everything brilliantly, from the campaign strategy, to copywriting and creative assets that we'd need.

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

We dealt with both the founders, and one of their copywriters.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The campaigns worked as intended, and allowed us to achieve our goals beyond our expectations. Our organization is now the top fundraisers for Palmetto Giving Day out of 62 nonprofit organizations. We also won nonprofit of the year in Myrtle Beach, SC.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They really took time to understand our business, and seemed just as concerned about the success of the project as we are. They backed this up with their actions.

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

They were far more confident and assertive than other agencies we'd dealt with, they knew what they were doing but took care to explain all their thoughts and actions so we know what the objective was behind each step, and the outcomes that we were aiming for, and what would be done based on those outcomes. Everything was very process-driven and calculated.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a courier company who are involved with recruitment drives across the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media ?

We have huge demands for recruitment at certain times of the year, and have found that paid media channels can be more effective than traditional channels (like Indeed or other job boards). We had been doing the paid media ourselves, but wanted to get an expert in to refin the campaigns and scale them effectively as we were running into challenge

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We found them online and liked both their communication style, and their performance-based terms. After speaking with them we were confident they were the right people to help us.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They have revamped our campaign structure, and improved our copywriting and creative strategy, leading to the volumes that we need.

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

We have mostly dealt with Shaun, one of the founders, but have also had support form 2 other team members, and their graphics team have contributed also.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've been able to generate massive volumes which helps us meet our demands and reduce our reliance on more expensive channels.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly responsive, they know what they're talking about and have a high focus on data and results.

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

The results have been excellent, and they adapted to our business and our ever changing requirements quickly and easily.

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

No suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We develop and manufacture innovative performance cleaning and hygiene chemicals for the Industrial, Retail, Healthcare, Institutional, Automotive, Janitorial, Leisure and Specialist industries throughout the UK and Europe. I was head of sales at the time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media , and what were your goals?

We were developing and launching 2 new B2C brands, and we needed help with both branding, and building the websites for them. We also needed a digital marketing strategy for both.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I was recommended to them by a family member. Upon meeting them we were very happy with their plans and the proposals they put in front of us. Their concepts were exactly what we were looking for.

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

- Brand themes and logos - Website design and development (Shopify) - Marketing plans for PPC and Paid Social

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

We worked with one of the founders, one of the designers, and one of the media buyers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The websites delivered were of a very high standard that we were very happy with as a business, there was a lot of additional functionality they included that we hadn't considered, like abandoned cart retargeting.

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

The team was very agile and responsive and took great care to understand our business and market. They felt like a part of the company very quickly. Timelines were extended, but that wasn't their fault.

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

The websites they developed made the brands look and feel like established businesses.

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

Not at all we were very happy.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Hertford media is a creative digital marketing agency for premium luxury lifestyle brands

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media , and what were your goals?

We needed an expert in paid social and E-commerce to run campaigns for our fashion brands, we wanted to increase sales and bring in new customers at a profitable ROAS.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

They were recommended to us by a trusted friend, and we got on very well with them.

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

We needed support on paid media for a number of brands, from digital strategy through to campaign management and optimisation

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

We dealt with both the founders, and someone from the graphics team

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We always liked how honest and direct they are, they’re very responsive and get back to you right away. They’re clear and very knowledgable.

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

We always liked how honest and direct they are, they’re very responsive and get back to you right away. They’re clear and very knowledgable.

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

Their experience showed in the way they would always know what to do next and were able to tackle problems easily.

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

They could perhaps do more to make their reports more aesthetic, as presentation is just as important as data in our eyes

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Partner at a London-based accountancy firm

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media , and what were your goals?

We wanted to increase our number of enquires through digital sources, as most of our business comes from word of mouth.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We chose Milestone because they were recommended to us by someone else in the financial services space, and we got on very well with them.

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

They did keyword research for us and our competitors, provided us with a 12-month SEO content plan, made a number of on-site and off-site SEO changes, made changes to our GMB profile, got us on to google search console, set up analytics, and also set up social retargeting campaigns for us. Goal of all this was to increase traffic, improve rankings in Google, and generate more leads for the business.

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

We worked directly with the 2 founders, they had support from one of their SEO team and someone that did graphics as well, so 4 people total.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were extremely happy with our increase in rankings, traffic, inquiries, and the service we received as a whole.

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

Direct, easy to understand, friendly. They presented everything in a way that not only made it easy for us to digest, but we were also very clear on why we were doing things a certain way, and what to expect. All timelines were either met on time or ahead of schedule.

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

Their knowledge and experience, we've dealt with other agencies in the past but this is the first time we've felt like we've dealt with actual experts that care about the work they're doing.

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

If I had to pick one thing, I would say that we probably could have gotten started sooner, the planning and research stage seemed to take a while, but it was very clear and measured, so not a bad thing necessarily.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Makani, an international subscription based platform, operating in the creative market, we currently have 200,000 users across 34 countries

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media ?

We hired Mile ads strategy for Makani, including Fb/Ig ads, Google ads and SEO.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Milestone media, actually through a paid ad they were running themselves on facebook. We had a couple of meetings and agreed to work on a project together which was succesful. 6 years later, we've worked on 3 business together and they've serviced 8 friends / clients with us

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

With Makani, we worked on a paid ads strategy to expand into europe, and increase our brand presence in London. We liked the "no bullshit" approach to working together, as we were able to be open and honest about what our business required and we received honest and real advice back.

We worked on the creative, and Milestone went to work setting up the paid ads. we achieved customer acquisition for under $0.60 in Europe, results so good we grew our platform to nearly 200,000 users. We used the ads as an example in our Series A funding round to show to investors how easy it was for us to grow.

We still work with Milestone to this day, they are an integral part of our business and the only outside agency we actively recommend to other people.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the two founders, Shaun and Dan.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

when starting with Makani, we had $15,000 in revenue with 300 customers. We have now reached 200,000 users on our platform and looking to 10X growth in the next 2 years.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Milestone are great at communicating quickly, and efficiently

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Really the approach to discussing marketing. They have a deep understanding of marketing, paid ads, and psychology. My own background is marketing, so it was easy for me to identify how knowledgeable they were

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

No nothing!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Head of Customer Acquisition

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media , and what were your goals?

Lead strategy and delivering of multi-channel PPC campaigns working towards a target CPA

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Compact team with agile processes. No juniors. Quick actions and clear communications.

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

Creating and delivering PPC strategy for venture backed grocery delivery app. Test and learn across channels, introducing a reporting framework. City based targeting at high volumes.

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

4 teammates:

• Senior strategist x 2
• Google Ads Specialist
• Paid Social Specialist

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

MoM Reduction in CPA for a series of months, taking us well under target at certain points in the year. Coming off the back of COVID there were external factors influencing demand that made target periods hard to gauge. The team always responded well.

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

Miles ahead of most agencies. They have a compact and action-focused account team where each member is a true expert in their respective field. There are very few agencies that have this level of focus on results and back this with a high level of agility and understanding of our internal challenges.

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

Totally aligned to our objectives, and willing to extend help above and beyond to drive success for the business. Although retainer was PPC focused, the team often assisted with nurture funnels, creative and other areas of our activity to ensure integration and best results.

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

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the operations manager for a claims management company in the uk - primarily focused on financial mis-selling

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Milestone Media ?

We needed somebody to drive up our online leads through social channels

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

After viewing their stack and proposal, we were impressed with their attention to detail and hands-on personal nature. Excellent communication.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They set up and managed our entire social funnels. From account and page setups, to strategy and creatives. Month on month we increased budget due to the impressive performance.

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

Our account was managed by the founding partners, and we also received support from their creative team

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our allocate budget went from £30k per month, to £1m+ over the course of 9 months due the impressive conversions and lead costs. Our social leads went on to make up 60% of all revenue.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We would have weekly meetings to run through performance summaries and next steps. We would receive detailed daily reports direct as requested along with what seemed like 24/7 support.

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

We were impressed with the high quality of leads and their ability to constantly work within our CPL targets, even with huge growth.

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

Nothing to note