VisualFizz

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of two barbershops and a hair products company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VisualFizz?

Our brands were very disconnected, so we needed more continuity. We also needed better imaging, PR, and SEO services to increase sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VisualFizz revamped our website, including all of the keywords that Google would look for. We worked closely on the keyword research. They’ve done different Google Ads campaigns for us, created a blog for us, and run our social media accounts. They work on our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

The engagement started with their team looking through our background and searching Google. They found areas that would be quick wins and others that would take more time. At the start, they made sure our phone numbers and hours were listed the same across all platforms. For the website revamp, they did a deep dive, adding images and content. Now, we’re looking at different marketing channels to target.

What is the team composition?

I’m in contact with three people every week. There are also two developers behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with VisualFizz?

I found them on Google while researching different local firms in Chicago. VisualFizz seemed like they were the perfect fit for our project size. They also seemed like they would be more hands-on. Right off the bat, they made me feel comfortable.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with VisualFizz started in September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their team has sent me detailed listings of conversions and visibility on Google. Every month I’ve been open since I’ve hired them has been a higher sales month than the previous.

How did VisualFizz perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate with a lot of emails. Every few weeks, we have a status call.

What did you find most impressive about them?

VisualFizz takes a hands-on approach. They have an expert for each area, so it’s not like one person is handling everything. Their team ensures that the best person that can speak to a certain problem or propose a possible solution is involved.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything on improvement. We’ve definitely done more status calls, which has helped on both sides. There have been a lot more regular updates and schedules.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be completely honest about where your brand is at. Have an open mind to listen to their ideas. Don’t assume because you’re the business owner that you know best.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a technology consulting company that builds software and provides consulting services to businesses. Our goal is to help our clients address business process problems through technical solutions. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VisualFizz?

We engaged VisualFizz to help potential customers find us more easily. We’ve outsourced all of our marketing activities to them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

VisualFizz oversees our marketing strategy and SEO/paid search efforts. They started by doing an analysis of our website content, looking at where we stood with our SEO and collecting search page analytics. Then, they gave us a report of their findings along with a set of recommendations to improve our current state.

Their team has since tuned up our site to basically improve all of the SEO on our existing copy. They’ve worked with us to think through who our audience is and how they best receive and process information. Using those findings, we’ve restructured our content to make it better suited to our audience's needs.

They’ve also brought on a writer, who is a subject matter expert (SME) in what we do, to rewrite our copy in a new voice. That’s been a great help because we’re technical consultants, not writers. For each piece of copy, they’ve optimized the content for organic and paid search on Google, and they’re now working on some new blog posts.

On the technical SEO side, they’ve restructured our site’s navigational architecture to be SEO-compliant and have recommended tools that will help people find us. We’re currently in the process of implementing a call to action (CTA) for site visitors to text us. 

What is the team composition? 

Everyone works as a cohesive team, but my main points of contact are Dan and Marissa (Co-Founders) as well as Sydney (Marketing Consultant).

How did you come to work with VisualFizz?

We found them on Clutch while looking for local partners that worked with small businesses. VisualFizz had a lot of reviews, and people seemed to like working with them.

They were very collaborative from the get-go. The team seemed excited to work with us and threw out ideas comfortably. I appreciate that they still come back to us with an idea whenever they see something that could help our business.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s a little tricky to judge our metrics because of COVID-19. Pre-pandemic, our pipelines were really healthy. We’d regularly get leads who’d found us through our targeted keywords. That’s become more of a hit-or-miss since the economy has shifted. We’ll still see a potential client reach out once a week or so.

When we were getting more prospects, we noticed that these leaders were looking for exactly what we did. A big part of that is because VisualFizz helped make our content less generic and more specific. We’re seeing people who know they need an API or who want help with legacy software.

How did VisualFizz perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a standing call every Thursday with Dan, Marissa, and Sydney unless they’re on vacation or are putting out a fire. It’s only a short span of time, but I really like getting everyone’s point of view. They each have their own strengths and bring different ideas to the table. 

Other than the call, there’s a monthly SEO and paid search report, and they email us every time they have a piece of content to review. We often end up being a bottleneck because we’re busy with our clients. They keep track of our process through a Google Doc, which everyone can refer to.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re a relatively small client, yet they make us feel as valued as their bigger clients. They take the time out of their week to meet with us to make sure we’re getting what we need. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re very open to constructive criticism. Anytime we’ve said that something hasn’t been going well, they’ve quickly responded to remedy the issue.

For example, our first writer did their best, but they were having a hard time communicating our highly specific and technical work. It was ended up putting more work on us to review the content and define the terms. VisualFizz actually found a second technical writer who used to work for Microsoft, and it’s been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re so open to helping you with anything — you just have to be a good communicator. Be straightforward with what you’re looking for, and you’ll have a great partnership.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time I was working for a global and national nonprofit working to build leadership skills for youth affected by poverty and building schools around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The charity needed a website refresh after falling stagnant around 5 years. Our goals were to update as mobile-responsive, to add in interactive features, and to drive faster conversion points to our key areas of community support and volunteerism.

SOLUTION

How did you select VisualFizz and what were the deciding factors?

Our team went through a lengthy RFP process. We started with a long-list of agencies, narrowed down to a shortlist of 5, then had in-person or phone interviews with our top 3. Deciding factors for Visual Fizz were responsiveness, communication, clear strategies, and a timeline of the deliverable.

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

1. Discovery
2. Draft of Wireframe
3. Review/tweaks of the wireframe
4. Production/coding
5. UAT, authentication
6. Last-minute review, tweaks
7. Release

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

About 4 to 5, ranging from owner to developer to project manager and everyone in between. A great team, solid.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The deliverable was beautiful, few things to tweak with the constant communication, and most importantly on time.

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

Superior project management leadership and I consider myself a strong PM at heart. They cut the clutter of too many comms tools and patch you right into their PM to limit the firehouse of extraneous messages. Again, they get to the point and effective.

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

Their humbleness, good-nature, willingness to collaborate always, technical skills, and creativity impressed us.

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

No, I'm excited to see where this company goes and who they continue to elevate in the digital landscape.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an online blog that does mattress and bedding reviews. I’m the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VisualFizz?

They do some of our SEO work, as well as things on the backend that I can’t do myself.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VisualFizz has helped develop our website’s backend to improve our SEO, site speed, and how our pages are being crawled by Google. They’ve implemented a few things specific to SEO needs. They use Google Analytics and several other platforms.

What is the team composition?

On average, we work with three people. I believe one of them is the owner, one does development, and one is an SEO strategist.

How did you come to work with VisualFizz?

I did a little research for SEO companies that I thought could handle the scope of work we were looking for. I spoke to them further and figured that they were the best match for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $30,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in June 2019, and it’s a continual project. They do monthly SEO for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've been very consistent in making improvements from the time we started until now. We've definitely seen upward trends with them. Our numbers have remained steady, if not increased. They have helped improve our site speed and made certain pages faster and more user-friendly. Overall, they’ve improved our site.

How did VisualFizz perform from a project management standpoint?

VisualFizz has done a great job. They’re very easy to communicate with, and they get back to us very quickly. They’re always on the ball with everything. They’re very customer-focused and make sure that the client is in the know. They also work around our work schedule, so they’re very accommodating and easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge is impressive. They have a very well-versed team of people in place. Their communication has also stood out to me. They always put the customer first, which goes a long way.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At this point, there’s nothing that I can think of.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d say that communication is key. When you’re looking for any SEO company, ensure that what they’re able to offer is what you really need and are looking for. Other than that, they’ve been a really good company to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

ReSource Point of Sale offers customizable, end-to-end point of sale and IT solutions. From network infrastructure to hardware procurement, software implementation, project management and installation to comprehensive support, maintenance and managed services, RPOS is an industry leader. My role with RPOS is as the Executive Assistant to the CEO and I am tasked with multiple coordination efforts company-wide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VisualFizz?

Website updates, social media coordination for Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn, content creation.

What were your goals for this project?

We have spent the past years expanding our product and service offerings, as well as investing in infrastructure that allows us to expand nationwide. We needed help reaching our target audience, raising awareness, and increasing our SEO.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

An exhaustive online search and outreach to companies that were highly rated. We went with VisualFizz because they responded to our initial inquiry with a customized proposal and were ready to go from the beginning.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They started by renovating our website to bring it up-to-date. Then we filmed a brand video with them that we have added to the website in both still and video form. They have written longer content pieces and increased our SEO. They have coordinated our social media messaging in Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

What was the team composition?

Dan, Marissa, and Ajay worked closely with us and were also able to bring in specific members of their teams for social media, website, and video.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've gotten many positive responses and new leads based on our new website and social media presence. We were also able to display our brand video at tradeshows.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were excellent at following up with us and keeping us on task as well as keeping us appraised of where they were in production stages.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was continuously impressed by their patience and tenacity. I also remain impressed by their reports and persistence in pushing us to be smarter about how we focus our efforts.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would have liked more suggestions from them during our video filming process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Drinking Code. We're an internet services company that helps people improve their health and lifestyle.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VisualFizz?

I was looking for a vendor to build a minimum viable product (MVP) website and digital marketing campaign for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VisualFizz helped me design and develop an e-commerce website and an initial digital marketing campaign. They used WordPress and integrated Stripe for online payments. In addition, helped me develop a digital marketing campaign, mainly focusing on Facebook and Instagram. It was a very collaborative process. 

What is the team composition? 

I regularly interacted with all 3 of the VisualFizz principals; however, one primarily acted as my day-to-day contact.

How did you come to work with VisualFizz?

I was looking for small digital marketing agencies in Chicago. I reached out to a few companies, and VisualFizz responded back immediately. They're very entrepreneurial, and they were willing to work with me, so I decided they'd be a great fit.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent about $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

I worked with them between April–August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

VisualFizz went above and beyond to give me everything I asked of them. They put a lot of effort into the project and stayed within my budget. The website is well-designed, professional, and contemporary, so it'll be easy to develop it further as my company grows.

How did VisualFizz perform from a project management standpoint? 

We had regular communication, and we used G Suite for collaboration. VisualFizz exceeded my expectations. Also, they're very patient and have a can-do attitude.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They gave me more personal attention than other companies of the same size would be able to give. Also, they're very professional and energetic. I felt like I was a valued partner rather than a client. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I had a very positive experience. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work collaboratively with them, and they'll help you develop and implement your vision. I'd definitely recommend VisualFizz to other similar-sized companies looking to grow their digital marketing presence.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the marketing coordinator at Rose Paving LLC, a parking lot maintenance company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VisualFizz?

We were looking for a full-service digital marketing company to work as an extension of our own team on an annual contract basis. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VisualFizz provides full-service digital marketing services, including brand strategy, email marketing, social media management, content development for blogs and newsletters, and marketing collateral designs. They've designed brochures, flyers, and ads as needed. They also manage Google Ads, PPC, and SEO, providing feedback for ways to improve our website and other initiatives. They do some PR and were instrumental in onboarding one of our new locations. In the next year, they'll be creating some video content for us as well. 

What is the team composition? 

I work with about 4–5 people, including Ajay (Senior Digital Project Manager, VisualFizz), Marissa (Co-founder, VisualFizz), and Dan (Founding Partner, VisualFizz). Jessica (Social Marketing Strategist, VisualFizz) has also been great at managing our social media calendar and creating newsletter content to send out to our clients. 

How did you come to work with VisualFizz?

We researched different vendors online and interviewed about five before choosing to work with VisualFizz. They seemed like the most capable of meeting all our needs and were more creative and innovative compared to other vendors we'd worked with in the past. They listened and understood our unique challenges and goals. They were also flexible, genuine, and took a strong interest in helping our company grow. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested between $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since January 2019 and look forward to renewing our contract with them on an annual basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

VisualFizz has significantly enhanced our brand overall, which in turn helps grow our business and capture more leads. The quality of their work has been great thus far and they've done a great job of understanding and adapting to the unique needs of each of our offices, taking their time to research each individual market. They also provide a lot of valuable insight and feedback, trying out new ideas to help improve our digital marketing strategy. 

How did VisualFizz perform from a project management standpoint?

They set up monthly calls with our sales directors from each office to get to know the teams and what their needs or challenges are. Taking the time to do that has helped develop a strong level of trust with our team, which has added a lot of value to the relationship. They're also quick to turn around deliverables and very responsive to our needs. They provide a lot of great insight and out-of-the-box ideas for ways to tackle new challenges. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They've hit the mark in all areas of what they've been contracted to do, from a brand strategy standpoint to help us elevate our website and other marketing initiatives. We look forward to what they'll bring to the table in the future to help us continue to differentiate our company and stand out as a market leader. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They continue to streamline processes as we feel out the best approach, but we're very happy with the routine they've implemented for now.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a manager at EMPDCC. We are a data center specializing in hosting and IT solutions services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VisualFizz?

Our company was in the process of expanding into a new solutions space to host classes for specific certifications. We engaged VisualFizz to help increase awareness of our new service in our market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We rely on VisualFizz for extensive marketing and content creation efforts. Their services include coordinating email blasts and creating landing pages. Overall, they always have ideas and solutions, which are detailed well in project plans that outline how they want to steer the marketing campaign.

What is the team composition?

I only communicate with the two co-owners and a project manager, but they have a larger team working behind the scenes, as well.

How did you come to work with VisualFizz?

We vetted 10–15 marketing companies, but we felt the most comfortable with VisualFizz because of their honest and genuine nature. VisualFizz wanted to ensure we had a healthy relationship instead of focusing only on the money.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in November 2018 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen significant increases in awareness, inquiries, and ticket sales as a result of their marketing campaigns. This project has been an incredible success.

How did VisualFizz perform from a project management standpoint?

They manage the project very well. They have a professional approach, which we appreciate. VisualFizz has been prompt and responsive—always willing to take our questions and discuss the campaign.

What did you find most impressive about them?

VisualFizz has demonstrated a tremendous work ethic throughout the project. They haven’t made our engagement about the transaction but rather about the relationship and the work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been nothing but great for us so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise future customers to work closely with them and follow their directions because a lot of experience backs their insight.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the social media specialist for Hu-Friedy Mfg., a dental instrument manufacturing company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VisualFizz?

We needed someone to help with our day-to-day social media tasks and consult on social media strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to streamline our social media content and develop a strategy that could be shared with internal stakeholders.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had several calls with different vendors to see who would be the right fit. The VisualFizz team was the easiest to talk to, the most cost-effective, and understood our needs the best. 

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They help develop monthly calendars for organic content featuring daily themes and consult on paid social budgets and strategy.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with a co-founder and an account manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For the first time in over a year, we were able to establish a monthly content calendar. They also introduced themes for every day so that of our business units would all have their fair share of content.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had some challenges establishing an effective workflow in the beginning. However, we developed a streamlined process after implementing third-party tools.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge of different areas of digital marketing and creative approach to strategy is outstanding.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There's always room for improvement when it comes to streamlining a process. However, I was very happy with their team. One of the things I liked most about working with them was that they were always open to feedback.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

One Hope United is a private, nonprofit human service organization that has invested in children and families for over 120 years. We offer a diverse array of early childhood education, prevention, intervention, and community-based programs. Our vision is for every child and family to enjoy life without limits. I am the Donor Relations Officer for Cook County, focusing on private fundraising in the Chicago area.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire VisualFizz?

Several years ago, One Hope United created a Wishbook tool to replace a large-scale toy drive that diminished our fundraising capacity during the holiday season. While the initial version of the Wishbook achieved moderate success, donations decreased between years one and two.

We decided to completely revamp the Wishbook as a fundraising tool. This included creating new content for the online portal where we would mostly interact with new prospects and donors. VisualFizz redesigned and developed new web content for the online Wishbook portal.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to increase donations, create a more personalized experience for the donor, attract new donors to One Hope United, and make the Wishbook a functional fundraising platform throughout the year rather than just during the holiday season.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected VisualFizz after several personal meetings. We gave their team information about our work and mission, shared background about the history of our gift-in-kind drive and the transition to Wishbook, and offered details about the direction we hoped to pursue for the next iteration of this tool.

VisualFizz team members attended a focus group during the initial planning phase. They were clearly prepared and well-versed in the information we had previously shared. Additionally, they shared several interesting, creative insights about how they could contribute to this project.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

VisualFizz was built the Wishbook landing page. They built an easy-to-navigate web page that features all our donation options, the OHU/Wishbook video, a Wishbook PDF download, and a contact form. The page was integrated with the Raiser’s Edge fundraising software and incorporated modern design and imagery with the proper branding, colors, and fonts.

The Wishbook, its landing page, and its online content were widely promoted on all One Hope's social media platforms. They were distributed to our entire donor database throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Florida.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Between 2016 and 2017, One Hope United more than doubled our online donations with the Wishbook tool. The campaign has extended beyond the holiday season, and we continue to receive online gifts. The success of this year's campaign was also clearly evident on Giving Tuesday. Again, One Hope United more than doubled what we raised last year.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very impressed that the VisualFizz team could develop a range of creative, compelling ideas and images to bring our donation options to life and connect both new and existing donors with One Hope United's mission and vision. They utilized several departments, platforms, and software with skill and enthusiasm. They were a great pleasure to work with, and we were tremendously happy with the results!