Volume Nine

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Digital Marketing Director

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are a growing company and needed a thought leader in the SEO space to increase our organic presence and leads/traffic driven from that channel. Upon the first meeting, it was clear Volume Nine was substantially better than our previous agency. Meetings are focused, recommendations are concise, and we now have a guiding force helping to lead our SEO strategy.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I had previously worked with Volume Nine at another company and knew that they could help our business grow and be a leader in the Organic space.

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

Our Organic channel needed work as we had reached the peak of what our previous agency was able to assist with. Volume Nine came in and immediately got to work cleaning up a host of issues on our site that showed immediate traffic improvements. They have been a valuable asset in the launch of our new site, even helping guide our web development company through some issues prior to launch.

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

We work with one main POC but have multiple resources available to us based on our needs at the time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our traffic has steadily increased, as has our lead flow from Organic, and overall our presence in our competitive space is much stronger.

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

Every meeting is focused, concise, reports are thorough, and every recommendation has our best interests at heart. If something we suggest is a bad idea for our SEO authority they are honest with us about implications from it if we proceed.

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

They are true thought leaders in the SEO space and I would put their level of knowledge up against anyone I have worked with in this arena.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Asheville Adventure Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volume Nine?

We needed to invest in our SEO, web content, and web presence. We engaged Volume Nine to help guide our paid media efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Volume Nine helps us with Google Ads and manages our social media advertising efforts for Facebook and Instagram. They also manage a third-party advertising account. The team is responsible for our creative assets, and we collaborate on ongoing SEO and keyword research initiatives. They also take care of our web development needs and create blog content. 

Since working together, they’ve created a program for free climbing classes to help our top-of-sales funnel grow. The team has also been responsible for responding to social media comments.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Martin (Digital Marketing Director), Liza (Digital Marketing Coordinator), and two others. 

How did you come to work with Volume Nine?

I  found them through a nationwide search for digital marketing companies that partner with outdoor brands. Volume Nine did a great job understanding our brand and market niche and delivered a pitch that focused on creating great content, so we moved forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000–$100,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in January 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I attribute much of our success to Volume Nine’s web and advertising efforts. When we handed over our ads management, we had a 250% return on ad spend (ROAS), and they’ve since delivered a 500% ROAS. 

Since partnering with Volume Nine, we’ve been named one of the fastest-growing startups in Asheville for two years in a row. They’ve been responsible for a huge increase in our sales volume by almost 6x. At the climbing gym, we’ve seen a 50% increase in sales in just six months.

How did Volume Nine perform from a project management standpoint?

Volume Nine has been an outstanding partner with regard to project management. I can’t say enough positive things about Martin; he’s one of the best in the industry. Martin has excelled when it comes to account management, timeliness, and delivering results within our budget. The team is also responsive and available at all times via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Volume Nine’s biggest strength is their knowledgeable, technically-skilled team. Martin stays ahead of the curve in digital marketing trends and makes tremendously innovative recommendations. I know I can rely on his knowledge base when I need a rock-solid opinion of where the industry is headed. Their SEO knowledge is also outstanding. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We didn’t find as much value in their social media management, but managing social media remotely is challenging.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask for Martin. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

OfficeFeeder acts as a one point of contact for all of your corporate catering needs. We partner with great restaurants and caterers and help you set up your catering needs for the work place.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Volume Nine for SEO, Content on our website and advertising. We have tried a number of different marketing companies and our goals were to have a company that was proactive and communicative. We also wanted to drive traffic to our website through SEO.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I've known Natalie for a while and it sounded like they did great work but Volume Nine was always just out of our price point. We tried a number of cheaper options and we really got what we paid for. Less service and fewer results. As we were coming out of the pandemic we wanted to go with a higher quality firm.

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

We are just starting our PPC campaign but the work has just been SEO and website content.

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

2. An account manager and a marketing expert.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw a noticeable increase in web traffic as they got SEO going. We also signed up a few larger clients which I attribute to their efforts.

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

Hands on. They meet with us once a month and we can always get a hold of someone.

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

Their level of service. They really care about the project. If things are not right, they move quickly to fix them. We have seen that service is not something all marketing companies offer at this level so we are very happy.

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

They have been great and if something isn't work we feel like they do a great job to fix it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a soap and detergent manufacturer with sales in multiple channels. Charlie's Soap is the #1 Laundry Powder in the natural channel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Volume Nine?

I needed to push the envelope, to optimize the organic search, and drive customers not only to our website, but to retailers across the country, all the while shoving unfortunate reviews onto page 5.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We wanted small, nimble, cost effective. I wanted someone who could understand that I knew what I wanted, but that I had no idea of how to get there, and could subsequently get me there.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The project is ongoing. It is weekly SEO and social engagement (across multiple platforms) to broaden our search net and maximize clickthrough.

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

3: a project leader, an SEO specialist, and a copy editor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our engagement is now tops. We have more engagement per total number of followers on our facebook page than many of our competitors. They have shoved negative reviews down onto page 3 and below and elevated searches that we never knew were relevent.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Everything we ask, they consistently deliver. Truth be told, if I were more succinct in asking for what I wanted, I would probably have it even faster.

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

The personal nature combined with expertise. This is not an easy business, despite appearances. And to make the numbers sound like they have a human component.

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

We are aiming to work with them closely on strict measures of success, not just number of my off-the-wall projects that have been completed. They are not afraid to tell me, the customer, that in all things, I just might NOT know best. This is a huge plus for me.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Marketing for a short-term rental company in Breckenridge, Colorado.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Volume 9 because we had an influx of traffic to our website, but a decrease in conversions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had heard of Volume 9 from one of our partners and interviewed a few other companies before deciding. After communicating with Volume 9, getting helpful insight before we signed a contract, and seeing their pricing and offerings, we knew it would be a great investment.

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

Volume 9 took the reigns on diving into keyword and competitive research. From there, they made UI suggestions and funneled content suggestions we could take and run with.

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

We worked with two different people at Volume 9, but one of them was the main point of contact. They both worked together as a team and gave us a lot of different input and suggestions collaborating together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since implementation, we've seen a more engaged user base, we've ranked for many new keywords, and have seen an increase in conversions.

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

They were great at managing our expectations and the timeline. Amazing communicators that really went above and beyond to make sure we understood the changes we needed to make and the why behind it.

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

Their overall knowledge of SEO.

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

No! We will definitely work with them again.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the brand and content manager for ATB Ventures. We are a thesis-based innovation lab working to engineer the advancement of all humanity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Volume Nine?

We needed someone to manage our social media accounts including content creation and paid social management. Our goals were to increase our awareness and engagement on LinkedIn and Twitter.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were looking to change vendors and thus had a very good idea of what we were looking for - we shortlisted a few different vendors but it was clear based on conversations with Volume 9 that they were the right choice for us. We were looking for a collaborative partner who would be able to get us into a schedule around planning, posting, and analyzing.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We already had a strategy that we were excited about and so we worked with Volume 9 to dig into it, identify any weaknesses, become really clear on our goals, and the level of volume we were looking for. Initially we worked together very closely to craft the posts as we were working on the development of our tone of voice at the same time. Now the Volume 9 runs with content creation, engagement, boosting, and we just have final sign off within their easy to use management platform.

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

Our initial kick off was with Natalie (CEO), but she quickly introduced us to our working team: Barb (Director) and Rachel (Digital Marketing Strategist). We especially appreciate the quick intro to our team so we could see if we gelled right from the start of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since starting to work with Volume 9 we have seen a 450% increase in followers and engagement across LinkedIn and Twitter.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Volume 9 set up a great rhythm for us where we have monthly meetings to plan content for the following month and then we can go into their tool and review everything all at once. We also have monthly reflections on the previous month to review how we are pacing to our goals.

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

Volume 9 has done a spectacular job of collaborating with us. They take time to understand our quite complex business and then target quality engagements of people who care about ATB Ventures and what we're doing.

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

We have kept a lot of the design in-house as we have a brand look and feel that we want to keep very close to. That said, we are planning to transition this over to Volume 9, it's just going to be a bigger lift.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at an international continuing education institute for mental health professionals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volume Nine?

We needed their team’s expertise in social media marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Volume Nine’s work for us centers on optimizing our social media marketing efforts to help us get the word out about our organization, mainly through our Instagram and Facebook pages. They track most of our ad spend and efficiency through Facebook pixel and augment our online presence by creating graphic ads and other multimedia content for us.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with one account manager and another member that handled our development and social media analytics efforts.

How did you come to work with Volume Nine?

We found Volume Nine online after searching for potential local agencies to hire for this project. They quickly responded to our inquiry, and we then scheduled an initial meeting to discuss the particulars of the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $15,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in September 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Volume Nine has helped us accurately track our ad spend and determine if our ads are doing their job in promoting our business. More importantly, their team has driven an increase in our organic site traffic, which has resulted in our product sales boost. Overall, I can say that their services have led us to great results.

How did Volume Nine perform from a project management standpoint?

Volume Nine’s communicative nature makes our project easy to manage.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a great team to collaborate with, so we have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Organize your goals and ideas well before communicating these to Volume Nine’s team. They’re a reliable agency that can deliver the results you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing assistant and office manager at Factor Design Build, a design build firm for residential remodeling. We do everything from initial concept design all the way to construction and residential remodeling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volume Nine?

We hired them to increase our online visibility. We had a company doing digital marketing for us, but we weren’t pleased with them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Volume Nine helps us with Google Ads and SEO campaigns. They also do some continual website maintenance and content creation.

What is the team composition?

Xavier (Digital Marketing Strategist) and Barb (Director) serve as my account managers, but I’ve interacted with five teammates in total. As the project requires, they bring more people onto the team. 

How did you come to work with Volume Nine?

We interviewed and went through proposals with many companies, and Volume Nine was clearly the best one. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $35,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2020, and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their service is very high-quality. In the time that Volume Nine has worked for us, they’ve brought up our organic page views by 63%, our organic sessions up by 95%, our total impressions by 200%, and our clicks by more than 100%.

They’re efficient, prompt, and good at taking the information I give them and putting it together in the form of a project. Volume Nine has the skill sets, capabilities, and creativity to deliver good solutions that maybe we wouldn’t have thought of. They’re looking out for the best interest of the company in everything they do.

How did Volume Nine perform from a project management standpoint?

They get responses to me by the end of the day. They’re very thorough, so there’s never any miscommunication, and they’re great at following up. If I ever get busy, Volume Nine always circles back to make sure that nothing gets dropped. They’re both efficient and effective. The team is always on time, if not earlier. 

We have monthly check-ins and use a running spreadsheet that they built out to track the projects. I can see the status of what they’re working on, but I don’t ever really need to look at it because I know that they’re always going to meet the deadline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The people are great and fun to work with. I always feel like I can chat with them before meetings and that I have a partner. They know our company goals and have our best interests in mind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no criticism. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust Volume Nine to give them the information they need. The more insight you give them, the better off your life is going to be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior social media manager at RE/MAX, a real estate franchiser. I oversee the entire social media department team and our social channels, as well as our agencies and strategy for our executive social media. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volume Nine?

We hired them to help us with our brand social media presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Volume Nine manages our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn strategy across the board. They help with not only content, content curation, and post copy, but also community management and crisis response. 

The team carries a handful of posts for us every month, somewhere between seven and 10 pieces of content for a variety of our social channels. For community response, Volume Nine will go in and respond to questions and help identify any escalations for agent online behavior. 

They also help with our monthly social media analytics report, as well as quarterly social listening reports.

What is the team composition?

We put out an RFP saying we were looking for a social media agency. It was important for us to have a local company, and Volume Nine is located in Denver. They were also one of the top companies of all the options we looked at.

How did you come to work with Volume Nine?

We’ve consistently worked with about three people. Rachel (Senior Digital Marketing Specialist) is our team lead, so we work with her most exclusively. She helps with the weekly meetings, as well as just relaying information to the designer. 

Rachel has backup support from Megan (Digital Marketing Specialist), who helps with community response. Richard (Director) is our overall team lead with anything related to account management. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of the biggest efforts we’ve focused on this year is Instagram, and they’ve definitely helped increase not only our engagement year-over-year, but our impressions and comments as well. Our Facebook has also seen an increase across the board. 

Volume Nine has also been very helpful in educating the team. They’ve given us some actionable insights that we can take to increase our social media efforts, which has been excellent as well. 

How did Volume Nine perform from a project management standpoint?

Volume Nine has been extremely helpful. Compared to our previous vendor, it’s just night and day. The team takes feedback really well, they implement anything we ask, and the turn around is quick. We have a really great working relationship with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There’s an overall professionalism to Volume Nine’s work. As a larger brand company, we sometimes feel like we have to go with a larger ad agency to help some of the nitpicky things that happen with social media. To find a local ad agency that’s outperformed even the largest companies is amazing. 

They handle requests very professionally — we don’t have to fight them on things, they actually listen to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We did struggle at the beginning with onboarding them into matching their creative with our current look and feel. We went through a couple designers, but they handled it very graciously.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set up some planning sessions ahead of time before assets are ever delivered to set expectations. Hone in on your expectations for creative.