Visualize Communications Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a business improvement association, a collective of over 300 businesses that got together to create an association and it is run by board members who are volunteer business owners within our collective. I am the administrative coordinator and I run the office.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with smart collective inc.?

We wanted the businesses in our collective to know that we exist. Some of them aren’t aware that we're here to help. So we wanted to create a website that will feature and list all the businesses in our association since some of them are small and they don’t have the money or time to create their own website.

We also wanted a team that would not only update our website but could also handle our social media, too. We also wanted someone to create content for our site and social media like videos, photos, and graphics.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

smart collective inc. created our website and the business listing feature. They went around and introduced themselves to all the businesses. They got all their pertinent information, and then they had really good photographs taken of the stores and the inside of the stores so that we could have that on the website, too.

We also run a small promotion and events like a toy drive and scavenger hunt. smart collective inc. helps us in making the brochures and other collaterals for the events. They let businesses know that we are hosting these events. 

The team is taking care of our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts. They do a lot of videos, photos, and graphics for our social media, and these are also printed and handed out.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Salvun (Founder & Owner). I also work with Chris (Co-Founder & Creative Director) who helps with social media. There is also Mike who handles photography. I can’t remember all of them, but there is a group including professional photographers and videographers. I also work with a graphic designer.

How did you come to work with smart collective inc.?

We went looking for a social media content specialist online. We tallied 3–4 different companies, they were all pretty much the same price. But it came down to Salvun and how he was able to answer a lot of the questions that the board had. He made it clear that it is all about what the customer wants.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested at least $20,000 or more a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around June of 2016 and we are still currently working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It is personal and it’s not just about the numbers. Everyone is just happy and Salvun is very easy to work with. They also receive amazing feedback from the businesses from our association — they like them. They noted that smart collective inc. goes above and beyond, they are professionals, and they create amazing promotional materials. They are also polite.

How did smart collective inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Every couple of months they meet our board members to answer any questions they had. They send analytical reports every month. This includes how Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are doing. They also present analytics regarding website visits, engagement, and click-through rates. They keep everyone on par with what is happening.

They are very open in their communication and are willing to meet at any time. Deadlines are always met and we can tell that they are deadline-focused.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

What really impresses me is that the team is just very nice, polite, and easy to work with. They are open to criticism. They are always looking for input and are willing to change things if the client wants to. If Salvun doesn’t think it’s a good change, he will explain why, but he will always do what the board wants in the end. He is very open to input and collaboration.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think it is time to grow the team because they are getting busier and busier. They might not be as easy to get a hold of compared to two years ago.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just talk to them and tell them the truth. Tell them what you are looking for. Try to be as specific as possible, but a lot of people don’t know what they’re looking for.

They have a broad sense of what they're looking for with their business and branding, but they can't really narrow it down. That’s good, too, because they can come in with a few ideas and work together to narrow it down.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and owner of Safety Goals and Strategies for Defensive Driving. Our company offers classes to teach professional and personal drivers how to be safe on the road and help them if they get a speeding ticket or infraction. We also teach bus drivers how to get their defensive course so they can obtain their licenses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with smart collective inc.?

When I started my business, I didn’t know what to do. I knew that I had the talent to draw crowds and I was all about safety, but I didn’t know where to go next. I found smart collective inc. and let them know I didn’t know the first step. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, smart collective inc. went over a business plan with me and gave me steps, present goals, and future goals. Then they created my logo from scratch. We came up with the name Safety Goals and Strategies — SGS, which is actually my initials. They went out of their way to print my logo for me and delivered it to my home or my place of business. 

After the logo, we worked on social media, where they went over a plan of how I should post.

The next thing they did was create a 3D model of a city that I could show my students, which was also for hands-on demonstrations. They took pictures and turned them into diagrams that I could show my students to give them a better hands-on experience. 

They also designed my whole website. The main focus was a calendar for the students and a book, but they also created a form. They designed and printed t-shirts for me, as well. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people from smart collective inc. I worked with Salvin (Executive Director, smart collective inc), Chris (Creative Director, smart collective inc.), Mark (Photographer, smart collective inc.), and Bobby (Videographer, smart collective inc.) 

How did you come to work with smart collective inc.?

I found them on Facebook and contacted them after somebody mentioned they’ve worked with the team before.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested about $800–$1000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in October 2018 and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People love the logo and the website. I appreciate that smart collective inc. keeps me updated. Every month I get a reminder asking about what I want and don’t want for the site. They don’t just go ahead and do things; they ask me first even though I’m busy. The team asks for my input even though I’ve given them full control of the website. 

I also love that they incorporated my initials on the business name and logo. My kids can also take over because they have the same initials. It means a lot to me. 

They’re also great people; they’re not robotic. They have a heart and genuinely want to help people. 

How did smart collective inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Smart collective inc. hit the nail on the head and led the project every step of the way. I was comfortable because I can contact them at any point in the process. The only problem we experienced had something to do with the website, and it was because they were using a different developer for the calendar, but they found a solution. Everything else was done well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I find their passion impressive. They approached my company as if it was their own company. The team didn’t just do the bare minimum; they went above and beyond. For instance, they didn’t just give me the logo, they delivered the logo and asked me if I was happy with it. If I wasn’t, they would fix it. 

I also remember getting a text message from Salvin saying he was still working even though he should be in bed. I appreciated that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The work may get a bit overwhelming and they may need an extra hand. I’ve never heard them complain about it, but if it was me, I’d like to know that I have more people at work. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to what smart collective inc. is saying and don’t dismiss them. Don’t take it personally if they were to give you their opinion. If you were to work with them, don’t try to be the boss or be pushy. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a social enterprise recruitment company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with smart collective inc.?

We were trying to reach our target demographic by getting our brand into the minds and hands of as many youths as possible. That’s why we hired smart collective inc. to support our digital marketing efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

smart collective inc. did our marketing, branding, social posts, and event management. There were some small things here and there, but their main responsibilities circled around three big projects: our logo/website, a promotional video, and our digital marketing.

It started with fulfilling our basic graphic design needs around our logo, brand identity, color scheme, and website. In the second phase, smart collective inc. shot and organized a promotional video, targeted to the same demographic. Lastly, they did our marketing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Chris (Co-Founder & Creative Director) and Salvun (Founder & Owner) directly, and there were a few of their workers on the video shooting side.

How did you come to work with smart collective inc.?

They worked with me on a past venture, so I had an existing relationship with them. I knew the good work that they did, and that’s how I got in touch for these deliverables.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in February 2020 and finished in September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our biggest metric was if we could get candidates signed up for the program. On that front, we managed to commit 250 candidates to our program for next year. The second metric was if we could get some strategic partnerships as well. smart collective inc.’s work played a big part in getting us to a place where we could secure four partnerships.

How did smart collective inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. I’ve done a lot of work with these types of organizations, and one thing that smart collective inc. did differently was being more transparent throughout the process. 

From my experience, you kind of set the stage at the beginning, then people will go work and come back to you at the end. smart collective inc. was pretty involved throughout and were able to provide daily check-ins in terms of where things were. They also helped when some aspects of the project needed to be changed or altered — that way, it wasn’t a surprise if we found out at the end that we needed to do something that’s going to take a little bit of extra time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s their empathy and extreme level of professionalism across the board. From the start, they did a great job of differentiating themselves by being very personal, matching our values outside of just profit, and making sure that we understood where they stood in our relationship.

smart collective inc. really tried to understand our goals as an organization and our reason for existing. Their principles as an organization aligned closely with ours — they have strong values around community and customer success, which are important to us.

They also did a good job of making us feel like our business was their business. They did a very personal discovery session with us initially, which set a good foundation for all the work we were able to do since then. They were empathetic to our stage as a new company as well, and we were able to structure our agreements accordingly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They should put a little more clarity on all of the services that they offer upfront. One thing that was a little challenging for us was that we only discovered that they had so many other services that we could also benefit from after we started working with them

Just sharing more about the holistic solution that they have when it comes to digital marketing would be helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To get the most out of their engagement with smart collective inc., companies should really feel like they are in the hands of a trusted partner rather than just a consultant. That has really opened up the door for our relationship to flourish. There was a mutual trust that came from the deep discovery that we did together initially. You’re in good hands with smart collective inc., and they will treat your business like their business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the branch manager at The Annex Hotel, a high-tech yet low-touch hotel based in Toronto, Ontario. We’re struck by the technological approach to hospitality with a high emphasis on the locality of our hotel. We highlight local experiences within a city as a small boutique hotel. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with smart collective inc.?

We briefed smart collective to come up with a campaign that would showcase The Annex Hotel and the new way to experience hotels and Toronto as a whole. The project was to highlight the different aspects of the hotel and differentiate us from competitors through organic and cohesive storytelling. The main piece was video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After we briefed them, we worked with Chris(Co-Founder & Creative Director). We went from there on, planned it out, and brainstormed through a couple of ideas.

Since we wanted the campaign to have a lot of deliverables, we eventually agreed on a longer video that would convey our entire story. The deliverable could also be chopped up and used through other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads.

The project took a month to be completed and there were some revisions that needed to be edited. They were great to work with on the backend. Both Chris' team and our team suggested some edits for the end product. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Chris, he was our main contact and we had a great relationship with him. He would then relay the information to his team. We were then introduced to the rest of the team during the shoot.

How did you come to work with smart collective inc.?

Chris had helped us in the past. I met him through a mutual friend when we were younger and it was nice to get reconnected with him and his digital agency. I pitched him this idea and since we had a great relationship from before, we decided to work with him again. His ideas and smart collective’s ability to express themselves were impressive.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $6,000 CAD (approximately $5,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

We pitched them the idea in September 2020 and they delivered the outputs later in October. But we haven’t launched yet because we currently have roadblocks and technical issues on our end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We take a data-driven approach to everything we do. We had three main measures on the project’s success. The first one is creativity and the second is the actual traffic driven to our website. And lastly, its effectiveness in helping us become one of the leaders in direct hotel bookings is a big measure.

We have a very small team on our end, we took the deliverables and relayed them to our departments — the ownership team, mentoring group, management team, and so on — and their feedback was positive.

How did smart collective inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication was awesome. They were never shy, which is good because I don’t like doing business with a shy agency who can’t pick up the phone and ask us what they need or update us with problems. They called me whenever there was an issue or a question, big or small and that was what I would then relay to our end. They were the best in terms of communication.

In terms of deadlines, they were on it. The team smashed our deadlines. We briefed them on a short window and they showed their ability to adapt. They made the project work in a short window of time which was really impressive and beneficial to us. Our experience with them was not as formal as other agencies.

They had the ability to take ideas from people and convey that and make it run. The group gave valuable ideas and feedback. Their willingness to work with us and prioritize our specific needs separated them from other agencies.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity, drive, and ability to bring ideas to life were most impressive. They didn’t have a dictatorship-like work environment. When you're working with a creative agency, it’s important that you can market to their needs and bring ideas to life. They had that in their team and they were able to take our ideas and bring them back to us with great results.

Another thing that impressed us is how they worked well as a team during the shoots. There were around 6–7 shooting hours and they brought in all the crew.

What really got us was their ability to discuss and brainstorm on the spot then apply that to the shoot immediately. I value people who could think on their feet and they nailed that. They brought some key pieces to the puzzle on that day which ended up becoming highlight parts for the campaign.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No one is perfect, but I can’t think of any specifics for them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to believe in them because they can bring ideas to you that sometimes may seem a little out of pocket. It may seem out of left field but you can listen to them justify that because they bring you beneficial results.

They have the creativity and ability to deliver metric-driven results that are smart and hard. Connecting those two is tough and considering that they could do that already proves something. Listen to Chris and smart collective and let them run.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

RE/MAX Rouge Kabani Realty is a real estate brokerage with a strong focus on residential transactions in the Durham Region. I am the Owner and Broker of Record. I'm the face of the brokerage, responsible for the day to day operations and dealing with clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire smart collective inc.?

I hired smart collective inc. to handle the overall marketing and advertising for RE/MAX Rouge Kabani Realty. They do everything from 360 strategy, content creation, social media management, events, and advertising.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted to increase brand awareness across the Durham Region, increase my social following/influence, and generate consistent leads for the brokerage.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

When I was looking for a team to take over this role I reached out to friends working with a team and they recommended smart collective inc.. I had looked at a few different companies, but the level of communication and care shown by smart collective was what made me choose them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They did everything from planning, shooting, and distributing advertising campaigns... putting together an organic social media and content strategy... shooting that content... managing the social media channels... planning and hosting real estate events and more. They came up with a plan to cut my advertising costs by transitioning some of my spending to social media platforms such as; Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

They also came up with a strategy to leverage organic social to grow my following and social influence. My main role was to give my input on their strategy and let them know if the plan lines up with my vision for the company. Our monthly meetings help us discuss what's working, what's not, and how we can pivot to make it work.

What was the team composition?

The two main guys are Selvin and Chris who are the owners of the company. They are my main contacts and the ones that do most of the strategy and planning. They also have a creative team behind them that handles all the design, photos, video, writing, and advertising. The team I dealt with was consistent over time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Over the years of working with smart collective I've been able to close deals directly attributed to their marketing efforts and it has more than paid for their service. They drastically increased my social media following locally and organically - specifically, they were able to increase my Instagram following from roughly 400 followers to 11K followers.

Our 2019 April Fools' social media campaign had over 200,000 views, over 350,000 impressions, over 500 comments, and was picked up by Toronto based blogs like DailyHive. I got video messages of people mimicking actions I was doing in the music video and I constantly get asked about when the next one is coming out. Smart collective has over delivered for me every single time and what they do has fully surpassed my expectations. I know when I give them a project to take on, they will kill it and the results will follow.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

My business has changed over the years, however smart was always able to adapt between communicating with secretaries, assistants, realtors, and myself. We currently work one-on-one and use tools like Google drive and email to communicate and send files to one another.

We have monthly in person meetings where we go over analytics, areas of opportunity, and future plans. If something is urgent or pressing I can always reach either Selvin or Chris by phone or text. They have a very collaborative approach to work and actively look for my feedback to help them perfect their ideas.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are a young company, but they have incredible knowledge in what they do. They are willing to take risks that will make you stand out and can translate a consistent message while being innovative. Smart's resourcefulness is very impressive, I come to them with insane ideas and know they can find a way to get it done.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Whenever I felt something needed to be fixed or improved, I felt comfortable to bring it up to them and they were always address the issue.