Tesori Digital Marketing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO at Chernoff Diamond. We’re a national consultancy that specializes in B2B financial services. We work with clients ranging in size from mid-market to Fortune 500, helping them better manage their benefits costs and portfolio of potential risks. We also offer B2C services in the form of wealth management. In total, the company has about 125 consultants serving our country-wide client base.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tesori Digital Marketing?

We wanted to grow our marketing department to increase our market share and drive more business. I looked for a vendor who could look at our entire brand and analyze it against the competitive landscape, make necessary improvements, then support our growth. We needed a strategic partner capable of maintaining our marketing efforts on an ongoing basis.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before partnering with Tesori Digital Marketing, our company relied on a referral-based business development model. We didn’t use traditional marketing channels, only a basic website, and a corporate brochure.

Over the years, their team has helped us with a variety of marketing efforts. They analyzed the existing architecture and design of our website and recommended we migrate it from a custom HTML environment to a WordPress platform. Whenever we want to change or adjust the site, they’ll find a way to do it. Currently, Tesori Digital Marketing’s primary focus is SEO. They’ve implemented both on-page and integrated campaigns and continue to maintain them.

Back in 2015, they optimized our website for “Mobilegeddon”, the first Google algorithm to consider mobile-friendliness in search rankings. Their work was instrumental in getting our online products recognized under that condition.

They’ve also helped with our traditional marketing needs. The team has designed multiple tradeshow booths and a variety of print collateral like stationary, business cards, and letterheads. On occasion, they also helped us create promotional incentive items. Across every marketing component, both traditional and digital, they assure that we present a cohesive brand identity to our clients.

What is the team composition?

Don (President, Tesori Digital Marketing) is my main point of contact, but I’ve dealt with other staff when necessary. Generally, Don handles all of my requests, but if something requires additional technical insight, he’ll refer me to the appropriate team member.

How did you come to work with Tesori Digital Marketing?

After working with a different agency on a small marketing project, we realized we needed to find a new firm with a more expansive skill set. I considered several vendors, one being Tesori Digital Marketing. I’d worked with them at a previous job, and they were responsive and helpful. I reviewed each candidate’s business model and their past work. Ultimately, Tesori Digital Marketing seemed to be the best option.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the last six years, we’ve spent between $300,000–$400,000 on their services. We pay project by project, and the cost is always fair.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2012, and it’s an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This is one of the longest professional relationships I’ve ever had. Tesori Digital Marketing’s most beneficial attributes are their knowledge and accessibility. They discuss strategies and alternate solutions to implement as our marketing efforts evolve.

The team excels in special projects. For example, we needed to find innovative ways to incorporate Obamacare in our interactions with clients. Tesori Digital Marketing planned to develop a separate site and landing page to act as a resource for funneling leads based on search type. The system became a major resource for us, leading to improved online conversion rates nation-wide. Our clients also praise the website themselves.

Given our name, the public generally thinks we’re a jewelry store. The Tesori Digital Marketing team is developing new strategies to help us overcome that perception. The team is always looking ahead, trying to find new ways to improve our page rankings and reduce our bounce rate. We’re considering a restructuring initiative where we’d make separate landing pages for each of our practices. We plan to continue the collaboration well into the future.

How did Tesori Digital Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Don completely manages our collaboration. He is very communicative and provides consistent updates on our progress. I never have to chase him down. His proactivity is excellent. He asks all of the right questions before putting a strategy in place. I also appreciate his push back; he’s not one to simply take orders. If he has a different idea or a concern, he’ll call me right away. He’s patient, always considering alternative plans. He knows the business well, and I fully trust him.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They think out of the box. In their eyes, every detail is significant, and no question is a stupid one. I also appreciate their business acumen and their customer service. They consistently deliver above and beyond our expectations in terms of value and quality. I’m proud to share their work with our partners. I have confidence in their work, and I can tell they have the company’s best interests in mind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t spend enough time in their office to get a sense of their workflow. From our perspective, they’re great.

Any advice for potential customers?

Listen to Don and his team. Ask questions, because they will always have an answer.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of University Study Inc. We are a student recruitment company that assists international students to continue their education in the US, Canada, the UK, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tesori Digital Marketing?

We needed multiple platforms developed. The first was a public website targeted at international students, universities, and parents. We also needed three separate extranet systems.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team began by developing the site on WordPress and implemented features to attract a diverse set of audiences. They then created one of the admin sites for processing over 4,000 student applications a year. The second and third extranets were built for our international partners and for university administrators, respectively. They continue to host and manage these platforms.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Don (Founder, Tesori Digital Marketing). They also provide a database management specialist from their team.

How did you come to work with Tesori Digital Marketing?

We followed a recommendation from a contact who had previously worked with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $40,000 between the development and maintenance. Though it’s costly, the ROI is worth it.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in 2011 and they continue to support us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The systems serve all the necessary functions. The platforms work well and have never gone offline. We’ve been able to store over 20,000 student records in the admin extranet, so it’s fulfilling its purpose.

How did Tesori Digital Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

We talk on the phone at least once a week, email frequently, and have Skype sessions. Every time, they’ve responded to all of our inquiries within a few hours at most. Whenever we need something updated, they are available for same-day service. They’ve managed the project very efficiently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is very attuned to our needs and find solutions that fit our situation. Though their knowledge in our industry is limited, they are adept at composing a quality system that earns results. They never cease to amaze me with their ability to meet our expectations fully.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is nothing negative about them that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure your needs and goals are defined and articulated at the beginning of the project. They emphasize that planning the project as detailed as possible is the best move.  

BACKGROUND

I’m the operations sales manager for a construction related company. We sell building materials for projects such as drywall installation. In my position, I handle sales, purchasing, and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tesori Digital Marketing?

Because a lot of customers search for products online, it’s imperative to establish a strong digital presence. Our previous website wasn’t getting the visibility that we needed, so we engaged Tesori Digital Marketing to set up a new site and improve our organic search rankings. They’ve since updated our site a few times to keep up with trends.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They initially created a WordPress site, building embedded landing pages for each of our products. This allowed us to better target specific customers while still giving each item its own spotlight. The team had a photographer come in and take pictures of our warehouse and shops and also embedded our Instagram feed in the home page.

We’re now experimenting with paid advertising; if our tests work, then we’ll explore more PPC options. They’ve set up our Google Analytics account and provide reports summarizing our performance. We check our metrics every week and make changes as necessary. Beyond PPC, we’re also planning to create videos to talk about our products. Tesori Digital Marketing is advising us on this front, helping us set up a mini studio and camera.

What is the team composition?

I generally work with Don (Owner, Tesori Digital Marketing).

How did you come to work with Tesori Digital Marketing?

Don is local to the area, so we’ve known about him and his company for a long time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $25,000–$50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2011.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new site and marketing tactics have definitely increased our reach because anyone can contact us via our site. We’ve even gotten oversea requests, which I initially thought was impossible. In the end, we completed those orders and made a profit.

The site itself works great; it features a responsive design, displaying well on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices. In fact, other businesses within our building have seen our site and noticed our growing success. They requested Tesori Digital Marketing to develop their sites, too.

How did Tesori Digital Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Don is on point on all aspects. He takes a proactive approach to digital marketing, keeping us up to date about Google algorithm changes and security issues. His team monitors the site and responds immediately to our inquiries. Once, I noticed that the site was running a bit slow and messaged them. They jumped on the case and resolved the issue quickly.

In terms of timelines, there are only delays when we don’t provide them with the necessary content to move forward. Despite this, they adapt well, learning about our business to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only do they know how to make a great looking site, they understand how to drive our marketing efficiently. They’re able to look at the competition, identify where we’re making money, and help us secure a good organic listing or implement a PPC campaign.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room for improvement, but I’m happy with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Advise them on your competitors so that they have a better idea of your competitive landscape. In addition, stay on top of your content and give him the necessary materials to work with.