Trajectory Web Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder & CCO of Agency672. We assist other advertising agencies and in-house marketing departments with their out-of-home media planning and buying, such as billboards, sides of buses, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

We needed our website to be redone, so we hired their team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I showed them some examples from other sites that appealed to me. From there, they gave me a comprehensive questionnaire for design elements, flow, font, color, and other features, to get an understanding of what I was looking to get. 

Based on this, they revamped the entire website. The logo stayed the same, but they did a new design and built the website. Trajectory Web Design used Craft for the platform and taught me how to make copy changes.

What is the team composition?

Josh (Principal, Creative Director) was my direct contact. I believe the team working with him was less than 10 people.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

I searched online and may have found them on Clutch. I liked the personable and quick response I received, compared with other agencies I reached out to. 

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost $9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback from our clients and vendors has been very positive. I’m proud to direct people to the website and very happy with the results of the work done by this team.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

I was impressed by their project management. They had an Excel document outlining each phase of the project, including parameters for me to work within regarding approvals, etc. The estimated launch date was changeable. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were excellent at communicating, following up, and paying attention to every detail. They had great customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there is anything to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them do what they do; they’ve come up with a great way to lead clients through the process. Don’t take too long to give approvals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Strategic Development at REV1 Engineering, a company that designs and develops complex interventional medical devices.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

We needed a new website. We needed a foundational upgrade on our platform so that we could improve the efficacy of our online marketing campaigns. We occupy a very niche space, so we’ve found it very challenging to find a marketing company that has the necessary vernacular to communicate the details of our business effectively.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed our new website. I’m not a technical person, so I’m not sure I’d be able to provide more detail. We did give them copy to include in the new site.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with one teammate, which was great.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

I spoke to the 6 different companies that I found through google. While we spoke with a top-notch agency based in NYC, their top-tier service was neutralized by their sky-high pricing. We compared Josh’s team to them and found that the former delivered the same level of quality at a much more reasonable price point.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $14,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2019, and the project wrapped up in January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a fantastic job for us; our website traffic is up by 75% compared to last year. The polish and professionalism of the website reflect the quality of our company. Since we’re a high-tech company, we wanted to have a look as equally sophisticated. They also configured the backend so that I could easily make updates and adjustments without calling anybody.

We liked working with them so much that we engaged them again to design a new, targeted LinkedIn ad campaign for us.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Josh took an exceptionally detailed approach to project management. We’re also detail-oriented, (you have to be when you’re developing a medical device that’ll be poking around in somebody’s beating heart) so we appreciated this alignment in our values. I got an update every week so that I knew exactly where we were in the project, against what I was spending. They were amazingly transparent about their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’d highlight their responsiveness. Just last week, I reached out to Josh to make an adjustment, and he implemented the change within two hours. He also didn’t charge me for it. Their ongoing support and responsiveness have really made a difference; I get the sense that they really care about our success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’m thoroughly happy with the experience I’ve had, so I don’t have any suggestions for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to Josh. The rationale behind his decisions is always fleshed-out and reliable.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of operations of Seequelle. We are a human capital management consulting group. We are primarily focused on the technology side of the business, whether it be software implementation, project management, or production support type activities that we conduct with our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

We were looking to revamp our website. We wanted to make it a little more modern and reflect our culture and how we want to be perceived in the market.

We had very little marketing activities, and given that our business comes from our channels, we wanted to ensure that the website made a good first impression. It is usually the first place recommendations or referrals go to. We wanted to ensure that the website looked up to date and provided some insight to who we are as an organization, and what we do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website was built on WordPress, using standard plugins, but Josh [Owner and Creative Director] and his team did a bit of customization for us as well. We wanted a clean design, and didn’t ask for too many customizations at the technical level. Most of the effort was where Josh’s team tweaked it the way that we asked them to. They did a bit of marketing and SEO ensuring all the necessary tags were in place so that we would be ranked highly on those search engines.

The initial phase was more around requirement gathering where he took the time to get to know us and understand what we were looking to achieve with the website. We provided him with some verbiage into our company and what we wanted to be displayed, as well as all the different sections we were looking to have within the website itself.

After the initial phase was completed, we went into wireframing. We had static pages that gave us insight to the build-out process. Once we went through several iterations of the wireframes, at least for the landing page to get a sense of the look and feel, he then wireframed the rest of the site again as static pages. Once we approved those wireframes, Josh and his team started to build out the interactivity of the site where the navigation components were being introduced and the links starting to work. We went through several cycles of that, and once we got into a more functional website, I involved additional members of my team to get the input incorporated into the site itself. At that point, once it got to a junction where it looked good, we signed off and moved onto the subsequent phase of setting it up for production.

Once it was at the point where it was ready to be published, he walked my technical resource through what was going on underneath the hood, in the event that we had to modify it or update some of the verbiage. Once that knowledge transfer occurred, and we were comfortable with how to maintain the site, we gave them the green light to deploy it onto our servers.

What is the team dynamic?

From my knowledge, there were at least 2 people involved in our project at the time. We worked with primarily with Josh. He was the point person in terms of communication. He also had a marketing person involved or someone that would make the tone of the verbiage consistent across the site. We spoke with Josh weekly over the course of the project.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

We went the traditional route of searching through Google to see the different potential options available. I was looking at 3 other companies at the time. I found Trajectory, and it appealed to me that they were small. We were a small company at the time, and continue to be small. In my mind, if there is a smaller team, there is more of a personal touch to the service. It was an easy process, and very systematic. His methodology and the approach he took is a process we take with our clients. There was similarity with the different phases the project was conducted. They were also local to us at the time, as I was based out of Atlanta. I wanted to ensure, if required, I would be able to meet up with Josh and work through things face-to-face. This never came to fruition, but I wanted to have that option in case.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent around $7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Trajectory in November or December 2016, and the website launched in February.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We typically receive at least 1 inquiry every week, or leads that come from the site. Most of the leads we get are from referrals or people pointing in our direction, they go to the website, and the fact they are entering their information on that form is always a good thing.

The website definitely looks and navigates better than it did previously. The design of the website is what we use on our marketing material as well when we go to conferences.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Trajectory performed very well. Josh always gave me updates, and we communicated through emails and phone calls. The fact that we communicated weekly always gave me a sense that he was on top of things, and I always knew what stage the project was at or when a decision point was acquired.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The communication was impressive. For any type of project, being able to know where things are at, at any given time, gives me a sense that there is proactive management happening on the engagement. Whenever I had questions for Josh, or had ideas that popped up, the turnaround time was quick. He was also receptive to them and would always provide his feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our project was pretty cut and dry. We already had a sense of the requirements we wanted, and completed the pre-project homework. It was more a matter of giving him the content and getting him to grasp what we were looking to achieve, and Josh just ran with it. I was aligned in terms of how things were done. The fact that he did the wireframes, and we were able to see the actual evolution of the website really made it conducive to getting the end product wanted.  

Do you have any advice for potential clients of Trajectory Web Design?

For someone potentially looking to build a website, the only advice I have is to really do your homework. Know who you are, and document the high-level content you want on your pages. You have to be able to define your organization first, prior to jumping into this endeavor because it is your company. You can’t go into these projects with a blank slate with regards to content at least. Once you have your content and an idea of your structure, it is easy to work with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of communications and marketing for the Georgia State Golf Association.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory?

We had two websites that were nearly eight years old, so we decided it was time for a complete redesign. The improved sites needed to be more dynamic and visually appealing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Trajectory assessed our original sites and provided ideas for improvement. We sat down to fine-tune our goals, and they created a development strategy and a timeline with clearly defined phases.

The first site was completed last year, and they host the page and provide ongoing maintenance.

What is the team dynamic?

My main point of contact is Josh [Worden, Owner and Creative Director, Trajectory], who manages his own in-house team.

How did you come to work with Trajectory?

While we had an existing relationship with another developer, they were based on the other side of the country, creating a logistical challenge. We decided to search for local vendors who could also provide a fresh approach.

We considered a handful of candidates, but Trajectory had impressive references and offered a competitive pricing structure.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested just under $30,000 on the current project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first site launched at the end of last year and they’re currently redesigning the second.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s too early for analytics, but we have received compliments from users. The look and function of the completed site has improved 100%.

How did Trajectory perform from a project management standpoint?

Josh and I talk at least once a week to keep each other updated. He's done very well, delivering everything on time and on budget. We’re in the final stages of development for the second site, and plan to launch by January.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They maintain an open line of communication. They keep you informed of any issues that arise and are always available to answer any questions. Overall, it’s been great working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really, no.

Advice for potential customers?

If you're in that exploratory phase, have an open conversation about your goals and they’ll provide honest, constructive suggestions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and community relations manager of St. John’s County cultural events division. We own and operate the St. Augustine Amphitheatre and the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. We also organize the Sing Out Loud Music Festival.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory?

We were building a brand-new website for our music festival. We had 9 dates and over 200 artists playing, so we needed to condense that information and make everything easy to reference. Often, there were changes in the schedule and band member lineup, so we had to be able to update that quickly. The festival is free so there would be no transactions on our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first thing Josh [Owner and Creative Director, Trajectory Web Design] did was create an artwork image for us. In the second year, we needed a grid system so that people could see who was playing and at what time. He included links to hotels, sponsors, social media, artist images on the front page, and other relevant sites. Our needs were simple—the most complicated thing we’ve asked for was the grid system, and he was able to create that quickly.

What is the team dynamic?

Josh is my only contact, so I don’t know how many other people are helping him. I spoke to him once every 2 weeks after the grid system was created.

How did you come to work with Trajectory?

Someone else on our team found them. I joined the team during the second year of Trajectory’s work, so I came in after we understood what needed to be done. Previously, we had worked with a different vendor for our other 2 venues.

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent less than $10,000. We are billed on an hourly basis.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March or April 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I would say that his biggest strength is aesthetic graphics, and he does a great job of making things stand out visually. Thanks to his work, we are able to synthesize a lot of information very quickly.

We never talked about search engine optimization, so I don’t know how good he is in this area. I just trust that Josh has set us up with great keywords.

How did Trajectory perform from a project management standpoint?

Josh is methodical about getting things done, often delivering ahead of time. He is always responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

He is very pleasant to work with and always willing to help us out. He’s got a great eye for art and design, which is extremely helpful for businesses. As Trajectory grows, they will become a major asset to businesses that need a highly responsive agency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think there could have been more fancy hyperlinks, but he provided exactly what we needed. I also want Josh to add more people to his staff. There were times when we needed things done urgently, but he politely told us that there were other things he was working on first.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

It would be good to have a questionnaire at the beginning to find out the goals of the project and prioritize them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder of DKG Entertainment, which encapsulates comedyfitness.com. We are a comedy and fitness entertainment company with internet content that mostly includes podcasts, but we are branching off into video and other things.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

I wanted a professional and visually appealing website that was easy to navigate. I needed it to function well as a platform for getting my podcasts online. I was also aiming for more impact on social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Trajectory pretty much built the website. They were able to help me with a lot of the specific features I wanted: podcast integration, an e-commerce section, a newsletter, and the capability of gathering contact info from site visitors.  

They gave me a nice, detailed outline of what they were working on and updated me as things progressed. I signed off on all the colors, design layout, and all the features I wanted. I gave them some autonomy because I wanted it to be done right.

From there, we launched the site. The build itself took about two weeks from start to finish.

Trajectory then assisted me with putting together a social media platform to introduce the podcasts, They did some marketing work and helped me get on SoundCloud and iTunes. They helped with advertising for the podcast and providing people access to it without having to go to SoundCloud and iTunes. I also send the podcasts to Josh [Owner, Trajectory Web Design] and he acts as a kind of producer.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked with Josh as well as the person who designed my logo, but I had access to the whole team.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

I did a Google search here in Atlanta and eliminated a lot online. I physically met with five companies, because I wanted to be able to meet the developer in person.

This project is a big chunk of my business and my current business focus. I looked at my research and reading reviews as an investment, because I wanted to go with a company I was sure that I liked.

I met with Josh personally, let him know what my goals were, and decided to go with them.

How much have you invested in them?

I have spent approximately $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016, and the website launched in June 2016. I am currently speaking with them about doing more marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As far as getting the podcast out, they’ve been solid. I’ve been really happy with the marketing. We are working on monetizing the website and gaining more interest. I am trying to get more sponsors and embed more ads in the website and podcast, as well as add more products. I’m in the process of building more capital so I can do these things correctly.

Trajectory was very good at social media, which was a big help. They made the process surprisingly easy, and I was happier than I thought I would be.

I’ve had several websites, but Trajectory is the first firm I used for a professional one, and I have been very happy with it. It definitely exceeded my expectations.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were fantastic and very helpful. Everything was delivered on time within my budget, and there have been no surprises. That’s a big deal to me; I don’t want hidden costs or fees. Josh has been very upfront with everything.

Josh is very responsive, and he and I communicated a few times a week. When I would email him, he would get back to me within minutes. Even at inconvenient times like night and weekends, he would always respond very quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive things were their speed and Josh as the point man. He's handled everything I have needed to accomplish. Not only did he get back to me quickly, but he didn’t mind silly questions. He has been great. This has been the most positive interaction I've ever had with a development firm.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, their prices are competitive, and you get what you pay for. They have been close to perfect, and it has been a fantastic experience. I plan to keep working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My only advice is to go for it. They were perfect for me, and they can help your business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a broker and the owner of Mountain Country Real Estate in North Georgia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

I wanted a new website built, in order to draw more clients in. I had a website before but wasn’t happy with it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Trajectory built me a site from scratch, and it was a very easy process with them. They listened to everything that I wanted from the website, then sent me a presentation outlining what they could do, as well as the timeline they could do it in.

They integrated our entire Northeast Georgia MLS [Multiple Listing Service] and included specifics that I wanted my clients to be able to find, such as price ranges, vacation homes, and certain areas in the Northeast Georgia counties that we specialize in. They were able to pinpoint the exact things that we wanted in our MLS search. 

They also did some SEO work for us, as well as PPC work, and have helped me out with our social media, giving me tools and ideas on how to build that up.

What is the team dynamic?

I have only worked with Josh [Owner, Trajectory Web Design]. They have a team of about four or five people that worked on my project, but I only spoke with Josh.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

I Googled some firms locally, and two or three repeatedly came up. Trajectory was one of those, so I contacted them. I received three other quotes, but Trajectory were my favorite: personality-wise, in terms of price, and in what was presented to me.

How much have you invested in them?

I have spent around $6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working together since October 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website has paid for itself several times over from the business I have received from leads through it.

This is my third real estate website and is by far the easiest to navigate and process. Josh is very easy to work with because he really listens to you. I had an experience in the past where my developer wouldn’t listen to my ideas and didn’t give me what I wanted. I was spending a lot and yet my website never performed properly or brought me leads.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was delivered on time and within my budget. Trajectory listens to what you want and delivers exactly what you ask them for. I communicate by email with Josh monthly and he updates me on how the website is performing on search engines. If he thinks there is something additional the site could have, he will send me an email with suggestions, and vice versa.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing would be Trajectory’s response time, and their ability to give you exactly what you are looking for. There were no hidden agendas nor surprises in the website build, from the colors to the easy navigation, it was exactly what I wanted. Anytime I need them to fix or change something, they make sure it is done immediately.

Are there any areas they could improve?

None at all. They have done great. I have nothing negative to say whatsoever about the whole process and what they currently do for me.  

My only advice would be to definitely use them. I have told several of my fellow realtors about their team and their services, and to get involved with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The business is Hound Playground, a dog daycare and boarding facility.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

We're a startup business that needed a web presence.  We had two main goals. One, we wanted to encourage prospective customers to sign up for our online temperament test. The temperament test helps us understand their dog's behaviors and compatibility with other dogs. The other goal was to have a seamless, live webcam viewing capability.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I filled out an introductory form to discuss what my goals for the site were. From there, there were different stages of the project that were laid out pretty clearly. The first stage was designing the home page and determining the look of the landing page. We would talk back and forth just to make the pages unique to my company.  Once we perfected the landing page, they started building out all the other pages. After a deliverable, we would talk daily and sometimes weekly while we hit project benchmarks. 

On the backend, they developed a login with their username and password that they create on their temperament test day and then that links them to our software.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

It just happened to be a stroke of luck. I live a block and a half from Josh [Founder, Trajectory Web Design] and we ran into each other. Being in that close vicinity, we became acquaintances. It happened that he designs websites, and that's what I needed. I looked at his previous work and it all looked pretty good to me.

What is the team dynamic?

Josh was the main point of contact. There was a content manager to whom I sent photos and text. They had someone else to do coding; I believe they had 4 people total. 

How much have you invested with them?

$7,420. He's also done flyers for me and other print marketing materials. 

What is the status of this engagement?

September of 2016. The website launched two months later.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Many of our competitors have been around for many years, yet our web presence is much superior; their websites have not been updated in years. Customers find us online, and tell us they like our online presence.

Another compliment that we've received is from Google's representatives because we are performing pay-per-click advertising. The told us they love how fast the website loads and that it's a good website.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They did really well. They came up with the schedule for benchmarks and timeline. They delivered on what they said they were going to do. I have no complaints.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The website. Everybody has loved it, including myself. It looks great, functions well, and never has errors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any areas for improvement. I was fully satisfied.

Do you have any advice for potential clients of Trajectory Web Design?

I recommend looking at their casework. If you find a style that suits you, reach out to them. If you have something completely different in mind, reach out to them and see if they can accommodate.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Building Knowledge is a consulting firm. Toccoa House Properties is a real estate investment firm that builds and manages vacation properties.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

I shopped around for inspection software in the early 2000s. I bought some software, went to a training program to learn how to use it, and was very unhappy with it. I contacted Trajectory for helping me program what I already had as a format. We wanted fewer clicks, automated processes, and revenue generating information for both companies. This type of program may have been available but not in a customized way. I knew what I wanted and rather than having different sources provide that independent services, I wanted it all integrated into one platform. As far as I know, there’s still no software available like we need.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project started with my ideas of what I thought I wanted. I bounced my ideas off of Josh and he told me what could and couldn’t be done. Sometimes the ideas I had were not cost effective so we didn’t do it. There’s a lot of little pieces that have been in process for a long time.

What they did for Building Knowledge was program the inspection software and then they continued to automate the process such that now if you want to schedule an inspection with us, you can go to our website and in real-time, read the bio of one of our team members, see what’s available, and schedule that on our website. Whatever information you enter is automatically put into our database which means there are fewer clicks for us. We also have a contact program where, at key points in time, clients are sent an email automatically about the process with us. They also built our website and tweak it on a weekly basis.

The work they did for Toccoa House was to set up a booking platform. Users can look for a cabin, find real-time availability, enter their information, get confirmation from us, and receive automated emails about the process. There are also automated follow up emails.

Both companies have revenue generators. I can set whatever parameters I want to and it’ll give me financial reports. I also wanted it to be clear and attractive visually.

Of course, I also wanted it to be clear and attractive visually.

What is the team dynamic?

I’ve mostly worked with Josh, the owner and creative director. He’s had some people behind the scenes working on parts of it particularly when working on the websites. He had someone do logo design.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

Someone referred them to me. The process was simple. I’m very happy with the work they’ve done the last 15 years. We never had an IT department, so we consider them our IT department. The reason we chose them was because of their ability to write code and their understanding of workflow. They knew how to integrate various parts of what we wanted.

How much have you invested with Trajectory Web Design?

We have spent around $50,000 over the course of 15 years for the work they did for both companies. I hoped that it wouldn’t cost so much, but I understood that you get what you pay for.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them for 15 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve been approached by other people in our field about purchasing the software we have, but I’ve rejected those offers. We don’t have the resources and Trajectory doesn’t have the resources to support the software for someone else. We have a real-time online scheduling tool, and someone told me today from the Atlanta Real Estate market that they’re unaware of any of our competitors that have a real-time online scheduling tool like ours. We’re in the inspection business and we have 500 competitors, but that’s one thing that sets us apart. Real estate agents don’t have to pick up the phone and call and find out who’s available and when and then try to coordinate it with the schedule of all the other people involved in the process. With our website, they look at the schedule together even if they’re in different parts of the world and see real-time who’s available and when. That is probably the most effective money I’ve ever spent.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were good. They estimate the length of time that something’s going to take, and it usually comes in under the estimate. We communicated mostly through emails but occasionally phone calls as well. We also had some face-to-face meetings when we were trying to revamp the websites.  

What did you find most impressive about Trajectory Web Design?

There’s a lot of people that can build nice looking websites from a marketing standpoint. Trajectory certainly has the best designers, but it’s so much bigger than the design. Websites are designed to get clients, but our website is designed to help clients interface easy for them and us. The automation process we have is very easy.

I had a firm in the 90s and had four secretaries answering the phone. I don’t have anybody now other than a bookkeeper, and that’s because of automation. That’s an example of heavy top-end admin to very light top-end admin because of the internet and what Trajectory has done for us from an automation standpoint. It’s never been about a sexy website; it’s always been about a nice website that works.

Are there any areas Trajectory Web Design could improve?

We do have emergencies from time to time. Just because they are smallish, they can’t respond as quickly as maybe a Fortune 500 web company could. I think they’re somewhat limited by their lack of staff, size, and admin. They’ve gotten more expensive. They started out very economical but now they’ve gone up in price. I turned down some ideas I had just because it’s not affordable. I asked for something the other day in terms of syncing our vacation cabin calendars with HomeAway and Airbnb. It was going to be 12 to 14 hours, $100 an hour, which isn’t worth it. I realize that’s the nature of the business. Our consulting fees are not cheap, but we don’t want to be cheap; we want to be good.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Trajectory Web Design?

Be clear about what the goals are. If a client wants web design, they need to understand that Trajectory has way more capacity to make it useful than just looking good. They need to tap into that if possible. I’m guessing any business would like automation which leads to less labor and less time. I would recommend to anybody looking at them to do web stuff to think about what kind of automation they can get out of the project as well as attracting clients.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a co-founder of Equal Parts Consulting, an outsourced HR consulting firm. We provide HR solutions — from resolving general day-to-day issues all the way to acting as a company’s chief human resources officer. Our company focuses on culture and organizational structure. We work with small and middle-market companies with 25–300 employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Trajectory Web Design?

Our challenge was market awareness and visibility. We needed to create a web presence that was professional and spoke to our brand. We wanted the look and feel of the site to align with the culture of our company. Much of what we do is to help companies design and implement their own cultures, so we felt that we needed to be purposeful about coming up with our own story. We really wanted to highlight the “About Us” section on our site. As a service-based company, it’s important that we shone through as professionals. Previously, we engaged another marketing and branding company to help with some of the content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Trajectory created a sharable Google Doc that we tweaked and revised. Their content editor already had a lot of material to work with — our previous company did a good job of making our site web friendly. There were some revisions done on our homepage with our approval. They gave us access to site mock-ups along the way, and we provided feedback based on the updates they made. We went back and forth 4–5 times during this process. Our focus was getting the message out about our company culture.

I had communication with Josh [Owner, Trajectory Web Design] and Trajectory’s product manager, but there was also a designer in charge of the look and feel of the site. I don’t know if the team size changed during the project.

How did you come to work with Trajectory Web Design?

We found them through a referral from my brother, who had used Trajectory for his business. I trusted my brother’s opinion since he is a hard guy to impress. Josh presented himself very well; he was eloquent, clear and concise. He asked us about our goals and what we were looking to make happen. We also completed a detailed questionnaire that provided baseline information for about the project. After our initial call, I was sure Trajectory could do a good job for us.

How much have you invested with Trajectory Web Design?

The cost of their work has been around $6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Trajectory in September 2016. We haven’t made too many changes since the launch, but there were some.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The site turned out better than we could’ve imagined. Building the site has put us on the map in the startup business. It was something we had to do in order to be seen as a viable solution in a competitive market in California. The company has reached its goals in terms of growing an online presence. Our goals will always be changing, but Trajectory has definitely helped us reach the immediate ones: build a brand, get an online presence, and have some referred clients check us out. We didn’t hire Trajectory thinking that we would get leads from the site. This is not how our business works, so it’s hard for me to mention quantifiable results. Based on Google Analytics, we have more traffic on the site, but I don’t have a comparison since this was also our first site.

How did Trajectory Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been very responsive. Everything is delivered on time and within budget.

What did you find most impressive about Trajectory Web Design?

Trajectory is good about taking the vision we had for the site and making recommendations without making it feel like we are being told what to do.

Are there any areas Trajectory Web Design could improve?

No, it is an easy process.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Trajectory Web Design?

Review their client testimonials, which I find to be true. People’s opinions about their own experiences are a good predictor of future ones.