Unfussy

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Administrative Officer of Town of Bentley

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Municipal Government

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Unfussy to accomplish?

• Marketing
• Branding
• Website Development

SOLUTION

How did you find Unfussy?

competitive RFP

Why did you select Unfussy over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Unfussy were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Unfussy was hired to help The Town of Bentley to redevelop the website to a modern platform. In addition to leading a rebranding of the town to help market Bentley as the Place to Be. To encourage investment and grow tax base.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

To develop a timeless modern brand that will allow the community's continued marketing for years to come. This was achieved with input from a community working group. Success was measured through community feedback and buy in to the brand, which was loved by the community. In addition a new website was developed along with content. It was completed on time and on budget

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes the project was delivered on time and on budget. They're incredibly responsive and deliver what's committed from beginning to end.

What was your primary form of communication with Unfussy?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Their ability to adapt to community feedback, political influence and their creativity to develop a unique Brand for Bentley that can be used on multiple platforms to market multiple aspects of the Town.

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

No they did an awesome job with the project, listened to and incorporated feedback accurately and to the benefit of the client

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and CEO of a co-working and made better makerspace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Unfussy for brand , website and marketing development. We are a start up with a large vision that we needed to refine and present.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our first google search revealed many marketing firms out there but what set Unfussy apart was it's brand first approach. We loved their name and personal marketing. Digging in a little deeper into their portfolio, we saw that each company had their own fun and unique style that felt personal at the same time. We loved that there was room for cheeky and cleverness in everything they did.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Unfussy has a unique, in depth process to really get to the root of who we are as a company. We had multiple, in person interviews to truly understand our goals, purpose and nature. They did market research, questionnaires, surveys and more before coming back with ideas and options for us. From there, the refined our brand story, our tag lines, colour schemes, graphics, the list goes on.

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

We worked with both co-owners who are brand strategy and marketing strategy .

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As our doors just recently opened, we are just getting started. What we do know is that everything from our website to graphics on our tvs to promotional messaging all has a very professional, consistent feeling. This has provided a level of confidence and pride that we have been able to carry with us in these beginning stages.

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

Unfussy had a clearly laid out, well defined path on paper. We moved through our meetings with purpose. We had open communications through email, text, call and skype to hash out details or tweak items as needed. They were clear with their deadlines and delivered as promised. Any of the delays were on our side.

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

Corey and Cynthia are awesome. They are extremely down-to-earth, honest and approachable. They truly see our business as a reflection of them and took this challenge to heart. They were okay to let us know if there was something we were wanting to do that wasn't in the best interest of the company or brand and presented us with reasons why and other options. They weren't just a "yes" company. They care.

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

I'm sure there's always room for improvement but, at this time, there's nothing notable to mention.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a counselor with the town of Calmar. We’re a 2,300-person community southwest of Edmonton.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

We engaged them to do a review of our communications strategy. Part of the process was that they recommended we do a communications strategy for our staff, as well as a branding exercise with a new logo, website, and strategic vision for our community. They identified for us that there were some gaps that were missing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Unfussy developed all the content of the website, and we provided input into what the site would look like.

They’re currently running our social media for us as a contracted service. As part of the communication strategy, Unfussy’s team provided templating and messaging around our brand and the activities that we’re promoting on our Facebook page to ensure it has a cohesive feel.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Corey (Partner) and Cynthia (Partner) and a third resource, who primarily drove the policy work around the strategic vision. Corey and Cynthia together did the visual work, with Cynthia leading the website design and development. Corey handled the brand identity and the related language work.

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

We put out an RFP and received responses from around 25 companies. We ultimately chose Unfussy because of the scope of the work and what they thought they could provide. They heard what we were saying we wanted, but they also suggested other services that would round out what we could offer to our residents.

How much have you invested with them?

The work was originally contracted for $60,000 CAD (approximately $47,000 USD), including the website design, the strategic vision, and the communications framework. We’ve been doing more consulting work post the creation of all this to start implementing some of those results, and I’ not sure of the continued cost.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since May 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen an increase in website usage and functionality. Anecdotally, our website is much more engaging now. We’ve also seen much more engagement on our social media platforms. The brand and logo have received positive reviews as well.

Residents say that they really like the brand work, and that the brand story really speaks to people in particular. They say the story feels like who they are, that it represents them and the community well. Unfussy did a great job of capturing the emotional feelings of our community.

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. We had regular check-in meetings and hit all of our project milestones. As far as I know, they haven’t gone over on the finances either.

We have regular Zoom meetings. Our staff didn’t have any kind of internal communication tool, so that was part of their work. Otherwise, we spoke through email and Google Drive as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We told them our pain points, but we also said that we didn’t know what we were looking for. Unfussy advised us to do a branding exercise so that we all knew what we were trying to accomplish as we communicated with each other, rather than focusing just on how we communicate. This was very valuable for us as an organization, because we gained more clarity about what the bigger picture of Calmar is and what the town means to our residents. This will help us solve problems and talk to people better.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We worked on this project through COVID-19, which caused a few challenges regarding engagement and working together, but I can’t imagine they could have done better with those constraints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a consulting business that supports nonprofits.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

Starting my own business is something I never imagined I would do. When it came to branding and making people more aware of what I was doing, I had no clue where to start.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a logo and color palette for me, as well as a whole branding story. The team developed a lot of language I can use when I need to use it. Once they understood what I wanted to do, they also did a market analysis to see who was doing that work around the country. That helped me know how much to charge.

I use my logo for LinkedIn, letterhead, and invoices. Unfussy allowed it to be an iterative process and came up with lots of options based on my research and our conversations.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Corey (Partner, Brand Strategy) and Cynthia (Partner, Marketing Strategy).

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

When I was working at a nonprofit, they did another project for me relating to domestic violence. They did such a superb job and were so easy to work with that I decided to approach them for advice. They ended up helping me out from there.

How much have you invested with them?

They helped me out at no cost. The team did all the work pro bono. They told me that they saw how I supported families for many years in the community because I believed in those families; Unfussy wanted to do the same for me because they believed in me.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and we wrapped up in March 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I felt very comfortable with them. They were able to capture what I was looking for in the first iterations without taking much back and forth. I love the new logo because it captures my business well. People who see my logo definitely see the work that I do in it. The market analysis was very validating and I was able to use that information straight away.

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. There were no lags in time, and the team managed everything well. They worked dynamically as a team. Cynthia’s graphic design and Corey’s storytelling worked seamlessly together. We met once face to face and also communicated via Zoom and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They don’t put on any airs. They really respect that the person they’re working for is the expert for their business. The team was very reassuring.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t lose sight that you’re the expert in your business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and president of Dear Dog Treats. We’re a dog treat company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

We were a small company just selling at farmer’s markets and trying to get our products into mainstream retail — grocery stores, pet stores, and pet boutiques. Our biggest obstacle at that time was rebranding. We wanted a new look and image to get out of the farmer’s market feel. However, we wanted to keep the farmer’s market feel and go forward with that and more.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided rebranding and design services for us. After meeting with them, they came up with a game plan to revamp our branding. We met in-person for an hour to brainstorm and do a meet and greet. Not long after, they came back with a plan comprising all of our ideas.

They redesigned our logo while incorporating details we wanted to keep. They revamped our story as well. I made custom live edge displays with their designs.

What is the team composition?

I work with Cynthia (Partner, Marketing Strategy) and Corey (Partner, Brand Strategy).

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

I was introduced to them through a friend of a friend.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in July 2018. Our original contract is over, but we enjoy working with them so much that we’ve continued the partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After our rebranding, we went from being in two shops to 20 by last year; and now we’re in 55 stores. We stand out so much that other reps constantly ask about our displays. Unfussy expanded on our ideas and made them so much more than we could’ve ever expected. They won a summit award for our total rebranding. It was a worldwide award for one of the best new brands in 2018.

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is bang on. They never miss a beat. Their team consistently delivers what they say they will in exactly the amount of time they commit to. There are no delays and they went over and above to deliver more than what was expected. We communicate through phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re the whole package. Cynthia and Corey make a great team, and I don’t have to go anywhere else. We get all of our online work, marketing, advertising, and more through them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t shy away when you hear the investment costs. You can spend way less money somewhere else and get a fraction of their service. When you’re paying for what Unfussy will produce for you, every penny is worth it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an administrator for Core Wellness & Chiropractic. We have chiropractors, physiotherapists, and massage therapists.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

Our marketing strategy didn’t have a specific direction and we wanted to freshen up our brand. We wanted to give a little bit of direction so patients know what to expect coming in. We wanted to rebrand so it reflects more about wellness.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They came in and spoke to all of our employees to get a better understanding of what we do. Then they explored what makes our clinic unique.

From there, they put together a brand package that reflects our philosophy. It details the color scheme, typography, business cards, letterhead, and posters. They even broke down our logo and explained why there are cracks on the left side, but it appears holistic at the end. Then they presented their description of our brand to us.  

They also redesigned and developed our website to reflect our brand and helped us with SEO. They were also able to integrate our website with our booking platform so patients can register online. They also rewrote our copy so it’s easy for users to find the information they need.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people who had different specialties. One person did design while the other wrote copy. They worked well together and were able to express what our company is trying to do.

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

Unfussy was working with the previous business owners so when we came on board, we decided to continue working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in June 2019 and we still rely on them for marketing services.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched our website in August and it’s fantastic. It’s functional and easy to use. Now we’re getting more traffic to our websites than ever before. Working with Unfussy was the best decision we could have made.

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

The process was great. They delivered on time and in budget. They also gave us a manual so we would be more comfortable making changes to the site ourselves. If we needed anything, we send them an email or give them a call and they always get back to us within 24 hours. They’re accessible all the time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re creative and great with content. The writer we worked with had a phenomenal writing style. He clearly put a lot of thought into our company description. It perfectly reflected our business and what we do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they did everything we asked them to do. They’re a great partner.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would recommend that new clients think about what they want to improve in their marketing strategy and present that to Unfussy. That will help them identify what would work well for the client.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of customer service for Tire Country. We are a division of Fountain Tire Limited and we are in the tire industry. Our retail network is the Fountain Tire arm that has retail stores across Canada. Our wholesale network is the Tire Country arm that distributes to independent automotive dealers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

Our company wanted promotional materials created for us with our branding in mind for our sales team to use on business calls. We also wanted a website designed for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Unfussy handles our graphic design needs. They do our print design requirements and they also developed our website on WordPress. Cynthia (Partner, Marketing Strategy) built a POS sell sheet and marketing materials that our sales team uses on calls to the independent dealers.

I just email Cynthia the ideas I have, what I’m looking for and the purpose of it and she just takes it from there. We’ve been working together for many years and it’s not really complex.

What is the team composition?

I work with Cynthia directly.

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

Cynthia worked with my predecessor and she has done a great job. She went independent and I followed her when she started her own company because she does such a great job.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested between $25,000–$50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Unfussy in May 2013 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Some of the POS print material that Unfussy provided has been impactful for us. We’ve gotten great feedback from clients and the sales team. Cynthia did a brochure that summarized all our product offerings and our sales team uses that on cold calls to look at new accounts and also to review our lineup with existing accounts.

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver on time and on budget and it has been fantastic. The communication is timely and Cynthia usually gets back to me within 24 hours. There has been a time or two over our working relationship where I need something right away and she delivered. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Unfussy’s creativity, timeliness, accountability, and organization are outstanding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think one thing that she could do better is to share some of her existing projects to see just in case if we may have a use for it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just pick up the phone and call Cynthia. She’s really great to work with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company I work for is called Connecting Care and I’m the marketing and communications manager. The organization is responsible for operating over 30 senior communities for a variety of partners. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

When I started, I didn't have somebody with an extensive marketing background. The company elevated my role when they hired me to take over, and our organization right now is growing substantially and continually expanding. Probably about three months before I started, our company went through a reorganization. Then, I quickly recognized that there was quite a broad range of challenges that I needed to address. 

It started with a few small design projects, print ads, a couple of brochures, and some digital content. I recognized that there was a much bigger need in our organization and I don’t have the ability to hire a full-time person in the current COVID-19 environment. As a result, I reached out to Unfussy and said I needed some support on brand evaluation for Connecting Care that would potentially lead to a revised version of identity and website rebuilding. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The work that we’re doing currently is the one-off design work which is mostly through Cynthia (Partner, Marketing Strategy) and me. I give her a rough layout and general suggestions on what I’m looking for. Then, she will come back with mockups and we’ll go back and forth.

For the bigger project that’s going to be starting right away, the process will be for me to meet their team, which is Cynthia and Corey (Partner, Brand Strategy), and we’ll discuss the process going forward over the next couple of months. That will involve developing some online questionnaire surveys. It's an opportunity for feedback that I will be sharing with our executive team to get their input on the current brand and where we want the brand to go.

Based on that feedback, I’ll be the point person with Unfussy and we’ll talk about the next steps, what the implications are based on the feedback from the executive team, and then go through an iterative process of recommendations and getting feedback on those recommendations.

Once we have that locked down, we’ll get into visual identity and eventually the website. The thinking at this point is that they will design the website in such a way that I or a future team member will be able to maintain the content, which is not the situation right now with the current website. In the end, we envision that they’ll be able to give us a platform that we can maintain going forward.

What is the team composition?

I work with Corey and Cynthia.

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

I’ve got a long history with Corey and Cynthia from previous work situations, so I knew the skillset that they had. I worked with both of them about six years ago, in September 2015 to be exact. I was an account director at that time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid them around $3,000 CAD (approximately $2,300), but our branding, visual identity, and website work contract is worth $25,000 CAD (approximately $19,300)

What is the status of this engagement?

The work started in March 2020, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfussy’s contribution has been quite substantial to the organization. Everything that I’ve worked with the team to this point — it’s like magic because people look at it and they compare it to what they’ve had in the past. The difference is really night and day when it comes to strategy and branding. In spite of the fact that we’re looking to evolve the brand and refresh the visual identity standards, they’re doing a great job with bits and pieces that we’re able to cobble together at this point. 

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a very good project management workflow. They’ve definitely delivered on time and within budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cynthia’s got a great design sense and really good solid skills in print and digital design. They have a depth of services that they’re able to leverage compared to other contractors I’ve used in the past. With their years of experience, they can come back to me and respond to my requests. Sometimes, they tell us that they can do what we want them to do, but at the same time, they’ll also give us options of other directions we can go to. Sometimes I agree with their recommendations, but other times I tell them that we can’t explore any other options. 

Overall, it’s just great to have the ability to collaborate on the right execution and the implications down the road. It also helps us to see if there are projects we should be combining to make sure we’re leveraging our efforts appropriately. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would suggest listening to them. They bring years of experience to the table and it’s not just at a whim that they know of what they speak. I would suggest to others who would bring them on board as a contractor to really listen to what they’re recommending and really consider it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a commercial property management and real estate services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Unfussy?

We’ve hired them for marketing and graphic design services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide support for our advertising efforts, including print campaigns, marketing collateral, and other outsourced production services. They’ve worked on websites, brochures, print ads, online ads, and internal communications. 

When they worked on a property-specific website, they produced static images and content, along with brand identity development for the property. They’ve produced all of the marketing assets for that property, too. 

What is the team composition?

Cynthia (Partner) is my primary point of contact, but Corey (Partner) is also involved. They’re involved in creative direction and graphic design. 

How did you come to work with Unfussy?

I’d known them for years, since Corey and Cynthia both used to work for me as my creative director and art director, respectively. When I planned to do this work, I’d always worked with Cynthia on outsourced projects so I chose them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent in the ballpark of $25,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since April 2019 and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their contributions to our other marketing programs have made them even better, certainly not hindering our efforts in any way. 

How did Unfussy perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been great. The team is always on time. We understand each other’s style and they can quickly get to the heart of what we’re trying to do. The fact that I’ve been working with them for many years and continue to use them is because we have really well-established communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

From a production point of view, their ability to turn things around quickly and produce quality materials with limited input from me is most impressive. Their consistency, attention to detail, and thoughtfulness are great. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As far as our work is concerned, I’m pretty happy which is why I continue bringing them to the table to work together. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If someone was looking to hire them, allow the Unfussy team to roll out their own processes and programs because they’re well thought out. It creates an environment of success for both them and their client’s project, as opposed to being very prescriptive about how you want them to do something. You need to let them do their job and remember you’re the one that’s hired them. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Operations of RAD Restore Assert Defend Network

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Restore, Assert, Defend Network is an Indigenous led network which shares stories, tools and capacity to enable abundance in support of conservation and land protection.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Unfussy to accomplish?

• Create a report for a vision gathering
• Copyedit the report
• Create graphics and images

SOLUTION

How did you find Unfussy?

Referral

Why did you select Unfussy over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Unfussy were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Create two reports: a background report that would have links to lots of other exiting work and would be virtual and a printed copy with the goals, agenda etc for the gathering.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We have a beautiful and clear report that exists electronically and we had an excellent printed copy.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They delivered on time in a very tight turn around time.

What was your primary form of communication with Unfussy?

Email or Messaging App

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

It was wonderful that Cynthia was Indigenous as our project is Indigenous led. She was able to understand and respond to the needs of the network so that it was reflected in the final documents. It was also wonderful that we were able to get design and copy editing all in one place

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

No they were wonderful and even created some changes to the document so that we could adjust it as a funders report after the fact.