Aspire Digital Solutions

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder and CEO of a coaching and consulting firm. We work with companies, academic institutions, non-profits and individuals, mostly in the healthcare, science and technology fields.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions?

The project included the design, copywriting, development and launch of the first website for my business, to support its launch. Aspire also designed a unique logo representing my business name.

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

I did my own research and vetting of digital marketing firms and decided that Aspire was all around best staffed and suited for my business needs. Their local presence in Connecticut also made a difference to me.

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

After introductory meetings to align on the goals, we started with the business name and logo design. Aspire proposed 3-5 designs, and we narrowed it down from there and added colors and modern fonts. I had in-depth meetings with Aspire's copywriter to ensure the website's text and service offering were correct, strategically aligned and well crafted. Aspire did its own research to thoroughly understand my business. The next phase included wireframe layouts of the website's home and subpages, followed by a few rounds of revisions and minor tweaks prior to launch. The launch date was perfectly timed with my needs and worked very smoothly.

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

In total, I worked and directly interfaced with four members of Aspires team: President, overall project lead, President, web designer and technical lead, Logo designer, Copywriter

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

The website launch was timed perfectly with my needs and was executed carefully and without any major glitch. Any minor tuning needs were addressed rapidly. I have received numerous positive feedback from my network regarding the professional look of my website and the ease of navigation on PC and mobile device alike. I am highly satisfied with the outcome myself (regarding both look and content of the site) and will look to Aspire for further partnership and website development as my business needs expand.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow and meetings worked very well, all conveniently via Zoom. The introductory meetings with the president were very helpful to me, she provide important advice and feedback to me that I needed with respect to digital branding and design. The web design technical lead was very accommodating to my timing needs and technical questions. Meetings with the copywriter were conducted in a timely fashion and the communication with me was great. 1:1 meetings with logo designer added great value to making sure the final product met my needs not only for the website but also for other digital media.

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

I was very glad to have chosen Aspire for my digital marketing needs because they are a nimble, small firm that is very customer focused. I loved that I was able to interface directly with the experts in each area of the project and to build rapport. I saw it as a partnership from the beginning, not just a one-off product delivery, and I saw that mindset appreciated. Possibly the most impressive outcome is that the website just looks great! It's professional, functional, has a consistent brand image, and doesn't have any cookie-cutter feel. I wanted creativity to speak and it does!

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

At times I noticed that I made assumptions that what was discussed in 1:1 meetings with a team member would quickly filter through to all others on the project who had some part in its execution. That wasn't always the case, or perhaps just not as rapidly as I had anticipated in my own mind. In all cases, though, any intermittent confusion was resolved to my satisfaction.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a home-based healthcare provider.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

We needed their team’s branding expertise.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were looking to rebrand our business to expand our reach, so we engaged Aspire Digital Solutions to reenvision our logo and build our website. We had a brainstorming session to come up with new names for the company and finalize rebranding ideas.

Aspire Digital Solutions then built our website based on our design preferences and their creative structure. We particularly asked them to make it look sleek and simple, so their team integrated design solutions to suit that theme. After accomplishing this, their team also produced other branding materials, which we launched with the website and logo.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Bill (Director of Web Development) and Christine (President).

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

I found Aspire Digital Solutions on Clutch while looking for potential local agencies to onboard for this project. We chose them because they were a responsive group with the skill set we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our rebranding project with Aspire Digital Solutions ran from April–September 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve only recently launched our new website and logo, so there are no quantitative metrics to share at this point — however, I could confirm that Aspire Digital Solutions generated impressive branding solutions that mirrored our company vision and impressed our staff and customers.

We saw the marketability of their work, and we’re looking forward to securing higher revenue and traction through this. Overall, they were a skilled team that understood our needs, and we’d definitely consider hiring them again in the future.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Aspire Digital Solutions always went the extra mile to meet our requirements — they were flexible, and they hit our targets without any issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aspire Digital Solutions’ responsiveness was the driving force behind our project’s success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t encounter any areas that needed improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what your company needs to stand out in the industry, and trust Aspire Digital Solutions to help you achieve those.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Founder and CEO

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

Website design and development, copywrite service, logo development and customized integration with practice management website.

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

We searched online for web designers/developers. We short-listed three vendors. Our decision came down to a few key factors: (i) extent to which we felt the firm would truly listen to our needs and be patient/flexible, (ii) technical competency in web design/development/SEO (validated through reviewing other websites created and checking multiple references), and (iii) price.

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

Branding & identity (logo design, copywriting). Website design (research, design, wordpress theme development, testing, launch)

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

Four primarily: Co-Founder/CMO Co-Founder/Director of Web Development Copywriter Web Designer

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

Fantastic website that exceeded all of our expectations. Traffic to the site and clickthrough rates have been outstanding. Our business is thriving.

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

Frequent communication over email and regularly scheduled conference calls. Aspire did a terrific job at keeping us up to speed on their progress, including us in all key decisions, and executing on our vision.

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

Everyone we interacted with was passionate about making our project a success. They "owned" the project as if it were their own company's website.

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

I struggle to find areas of improvement. They really did an amazing job in all respects and I will continue to use them for all of our website needs.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the cofounder of a travel website.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

There are a lot of travel websites out there but we wanted to create one that was engaging that also had consumer support.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did everything for us. I’m not a digital expert by any stretch of the imagination. I came in with an idea, and Aspire Digital Solutions created our WordPress website from start to finish with Divvy. They also taught us how to use the site and build on it as well.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Christine (Co-founder & CMO) and Bill (Co-founder & Director of Web Development).

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

Christine is a friend of mine. When we were thinking of launching our new site, she was the first person I went to. I was impressed with the proposal she drafted and the samples of work they’ve done for other clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent approximately $2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and we launched in May 2021.

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

We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from consumers. Aspire Digital Solutions was very patient with us since we’re not technically inclined. The team was flexible and amenable. They did an incredible job.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an amazing job. Christine was really responsive even on the weekends and at night. We had an online webinar to learn how to use the site. Most of our collaboration was through email, phone, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re creative and professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was pleased with the outcome of everything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to go in with an idea and let them do their magic.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder. My company provides training, speaking and consulting services within the financial services industry.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

My website was outdated and needed to be redone. I hired Aspire to do all the heavy lifting.

How did you select Aspire Digital Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

I had heard about them from a business colleague. They were professional and the samples of their work looked amazing. I chose them based on referral, featured works, and pricing.

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

They helped me come up with the concept for my site, create a site map, write copy and finally creating the UI.

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

Three I think. Bill - Website developing Christine - marketing/ strategy One other person - copy writing (can't remember her name!)

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

My site looks great and accurately describes my business. that is exactly what I was going for! It's too early to tell about results but I think it'll be a great way for me to land new business.

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

Great responsiveness and communication. Timeline was a bit longer than expected, but that was probably because I was going slow on my end!

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

Quality of work is very high and very easy to work with. They really understood my vision.

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

Perhaps giving a more accurate outline of the timeline. I originally thought it would be up by January. But it didn't go live until March. Like I said though, probably because I was going slow on my side. Everything else was great.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Friends of Weir Farm National Historic Site. We’re a small nonprofit startup organization that supports a national park.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

We started a website about five years ago, when we were first founded. It wasn’t working for us in a number of ways, and so we decided to partner with Aspire Digital when we received a grant for a professionally developed website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Aspire Digital created a totally new website for us on WordPress. They requested several examples of websites we liked in terms of style, and once we’d done that, they started building. It has the functionality to be able to take donations, have people sign up for emails, and to contact us.

What is the team composition?

We were in contact with the two presidents of Aspire Digital. Behind the scenes, there was a copy editor and someone who did the technical work. 

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

We did some research locally about websites that people had used. We interviewed three or four different candidates, who gave examples of their website and work. We were impressed with what Aspire Digital offered, so we went with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was about $5,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September-December 2020. The site launched about two weeks ago.

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

I thought Aspire Digital was extremely responsive. They were very patient with us — our understanding of technology was limited, but they were firm in guiding us through the process. They kept us accountable to the schedule, which I think is why we were successful in launching the site in only two months. At the same time, the team was flexible enough to accommodate the changes we wanted, even if it meant not meeting deadlines. Aspire Digital was flexible, encouraging, supportive, friendly, and detailed in their explanation in a way that was accessible.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

We corresponded over email, and our meetings all took place over Zoom. In terms of deadlines, they performed extremely well. We used Google Calendar, and they balanced our initial aggressive deadline with the changes we wanted to make along the way. Their scheduling worked well, but it wasn’t so strict that we got frustrated with it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoyed interacting with them. They had lovely personalities. In terms of outcome, they exceeded our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of. We established a good working relationship, and if something came up, we felt comfortable talking about it. If we wanted to adjust the design, they were very responsive. 

The one suggestion I gave Aspire Digital was that if they’re working with a client that’s not particularly technologically sophisticated, working through the process before starting will be helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend working with Aspire Digital.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Real Estate University, and we are education providers in the real estate industry. We cover pre-licensing, post-licensing, and appraisal and investment classes.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

I don’t have any skills that are needed to build a website or any other things that go with that, so I hired them for that matter.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Aspire Digital Solutions completed the basic set up of the website and they currently maintain it. Using WordPress, they implemented interactive features, as well as design elements and plugins. The company executes any new ideas I have, as I need them to be done.

What is the team composition?

Bill (Director of Web Development) is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

Another business told me about them and so I checked out their site, which I really liked. Aspire Digital Solution’s creative types were so good compared to other companies I’ve seen. I was really looking for somebody that would work with me instead of against me because I’ve been with other people in the industry and they either have their own agenda or you can’t get ahold of them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $5,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018 and the work is still ongoing.

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

We get a lot of compliments on our website, which I think helps our business because we are the number one school for real estate in Connecticut. We really stand apart from other schools.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is great. I always know what they’re working on and they stick to timelines while staying communicative. If there are any issues, they’re always right on top of it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Aspire Digital Solutions makes me feel like a priority and that’s a really good feeling because other creative companies I work with were really slow. They always go above and beyond.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t gotten a breakdown of what they do hourly when paying them hourly, but I also never asked for it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to tell them what you want because they’re definitely experts and you want to listen to what they have to say. At the end of the day, it’s your business and your vision, so don’t be uncomfortable.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of clinical outreach and recovery coaching for Progressive Institute. We’re an intensive outpatient program for people suffering from substance abuse and mental health disorders. Our services include individual therapy, medically assisted treatment, and recovery coaching.

What challenge were you trying to address with Aspire Digital Solutions?

When I joined Progressive Institute, I noticed that our marketing was subpar. We only had a landing page, which is the digital equivalent of having a billboard covered in vines, and we weren’t doing any marketing. I reached out to Aspire Digital Solutions to support us on that front.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Aspire Digital Solutions is designing and developing a website for us to jumpstart our online presence. Rather than flipping everything on its head, they’ve given us a plan on how they’ll work in phases to achieve our goals. 

Their outline and assessment have been especially helpful because it lays out their approach in clear, concise ways. That might include focusing on our SEO presence, decoupling some of the pictures and copy on our site, and branching out into off-site SEO tactics.

They’ve actually advised us on going down the road with HubSpot to link our sales and marketing efforts. That’s been fantastic for setting up our outreach campaigns. We now have a better idea of how to start campaigns and put together a calendar.

What is the team composition? 

Christine and Bill (Co-Founders) are the two main people we communicate with. I’ll soon be working with one of their copywriters, too, for our recovery coaching program.

How did you come to work with Aspire Digital Solutions?

One of their past clients had referred me to them after having a good experience, so I went to their website to look at their services. What I liked about Aspire Digital Solutions was that they offered a la carte support. I could pick and choose what I needed them to do.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $2,000–$4,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in April 2020 and is ongoing.

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

We’ve received great feedback on our site’s new design recently, and they’ve done an amazing job with putting together the layout for the recovery coaching piece. 

As for the campaigns, we’re able to get a lot more insights thanks to HubSpot. Just last week, we sent an email blast to 600 referral contacts and generated a lot of interest. Our phones were ringing off the hook from people who wanted to know more about our services.

How did Aspire Digital Solutions perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re over-communicative and go above and beyond with turnaround time. Sometimes, our leadership might throw a quick deadline at them, but they’re fantastic at getting back with what we need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their a la carte service model works well for us because it shows that they’re willing to meet us where we’re at. I like that they give us suggestions on what they can do, but we have the final say on our direction. 

I’ll also add that the team understands that mental health marketing needs to be done with care — in this industry, you have to make sure you’re not doing any false advertisement. Even though they don’t have many clients in this space, they’re still able to instruct us on SEO best practices. They communicate marketing concepts using practical, everyday language.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not off the top of my head. They have a lot of integrity as a company, which makes it easy to trust them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to the suggestions that they present. If you take the time to hear them out, you’ll see that they’re not trying to switch everything out from under you.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a psychologist in private practice.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

They created a website for marketing of my practice.

How did you select Aspire Digital Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

I found them online and liked their portfolio and after speaking with them I liked their professionalism and thoroughness in explaining the process for web design and online marketing.

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

They asked questions about my goals, my services, and background. They then created a mock up of the website that showed various logos, layouts, etc.

A copywriter came up with content for the various web pages and I edited and gave suggestions for changes. There was a back and forth revision of the website for a few weeks before it went live.

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

There were three including the copywriter.

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

New patients are visiting my website and I have had positive comments about it from my patients. I feel this website is enhancing my marketing.

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

Christine was wonderful and available whenever I needed. She was very responsive to my communication and needs. The team was also very transparent about cost and timeline.

I felt they had much experience behind them as we went through the process and they made everything I requested happen.

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

I was most impressed by how thorough they were and how well they followed through on things they committed to doing. I was also impressed with the professionalism of the end product.

I had used a web designer before Aspire and stopped using them because they lacked in these important areas.

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

I cannot give any negative criticism. I would recommend Aspire to anyone looking for web design and online marketing.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the President and Head Coach at Cornucopia Coaching. As a life coach, I work to help people to make the most of their strengths, and provide the support they need to achieve long-lasting change.

For what projects/services did your company hire Aspire Digital Solutions, and what were your goals?

I started a new business and needed logo and website design.

How did you select Aspire Digital Solutions and what were the deciding factors?

I have a good friend who knows Christine Mullen and highly recommended her.

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

We had a meeting to discuss goals, objectives, and my vision for my logo and website design. Christine walked me through the entire process.

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

• Christine M., President
• Melissa A., Copywriter

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

My website has only just launched so I don't have any data and analytics to share. However, I went from struggling to create my own website and loads of stress, to having a beautiful and fully functioning website created for me with very minimal stress.

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

We used email and phone to effectively communicate. I had a completion date of September 1st requested, and they delivered ahead of schedule.

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

Christine's level of customer service was unparalleled. They were warm and receptive to our every question, comment, or suggestion. Any requested changes were made in an extremely timely manner. Melissa took my information and captured the very essence of what I was trying to communicate.

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

None. Well done, Aspire!!