Atlas Marketing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of an orthopedic startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlas Marketing?

Our initial challenge was formulating a website for our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Because we’re an early-stage company, we’re pre-commercial. Being pre-commercial means we don’t have products for sales, but since we’re public, we need a website. Working from scratch, their team constructed a site that would be easy to navigate for mobile and web. We compiled an investor deck that we had initially put together. Their team reviews and adds information to the deck. Occasionally, they also help with our press releases that come out once or twice a year.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Chris (President, Atlas Marketing) and his team.

How did you come to work with Atlas Marketing?

I received a referral from another early-stage startup that did similar work with them in the past. They were also in a related industry as well. Their team had a positive experience working with Chris and his team.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Atlas Marketing began in January 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since our nature is an early-stage business, we’re a unique animal. Other firms are a bit more mature and commercial than we are. We don’t have metrics to track, but I think Chris and his team do a fantastic job.

Atlas Marketing delivers quality work, responsively tackling requests. Since we’re a public company, information changes from quarter to quarter. Those situations need to be reflected in our website and investor deck, which they frequently update in a timely fashion.

How did Atlas Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team is good at meeting deadlines and following project compliance. We would meet weekly to review their work. The team at Atlas Marketing was consistently on top of it. They delivered on expectations. Overall, I thought their management was professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve been using Atlas Marketing for about four years now. While the nature of our business limits us, we continue to use their services in a maintenance capacity. Their team continues to perform support on our website, makes updates to investor decks, and assists with press releases.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re very pleased with Atlas Marketing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the COO of IT-CNS, Inc., a US subsidiary of a Czech Republic based IT company. We focus on cybersecurity and encrypted data transfers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlas Marketing? 

We've been building up our US presence for five years, and developing a software product for the US market for the past three years. Given that my business partner and I are non-native English speakers, we needed help moving from development to commercializing our product and acquiring new customers. We were looking for a PR and marketing company that would address all of our needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Atlas Marketing helps us with messaging and our overall PR strategy. In the first stage, they helped craft the message of what we offer to US customers in the cybersecurity world. They also helped translate the original marketing materials that we brought from Europe. 

Now they are working on the second stage, which will include media buys and additional marketing activities. They’re drafting press releases and connecting us with the right people in the media world. They've done some copywriting and editing of our blog posts that we will relaunch in September with a redesigned website. 

What is the team composition?

Our main contact is Chris (President, Atlas Marketing).

How did you come to work with Atlas Marketing? 

Our companies are both members of a technology council. A few years ago, I heard Chris speak about marketing at one of the events. He really impressed me, so I talked to him about our company and what we were doing. We had several informal meetings to discuss our focus. Based on my feelings and impression, I decided that they would be the right fit for us. I liked Chris’ ideas and his overall approach to us as a potential client. I was really impressed. 

We’d dealt with many marketing and PR agencies in the past where I simply wasn't satisfied. They tried to take advantage of the fact that we had no idea how the US market works. Chris is completely different. He’s honest and straightforward. 

How much have you invested with them?

We pay around $2,500 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

The first stage started in April 2018 and the engagement is ongoing. Our current agreement goes through the end of this year. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While it's too early to have metrics, I’m overall satisfied with the process to date. Chris has been working very closely with us on the messaging and the marketing strategy. He does a good job of focusing on the cybersecurity field, and it’s working out quite well. 

How did Atlas Marketing perform from a project management standpoint? 

The Atlas Marketing team keeps everything in line. They never miss a deadline or any date that we agree on. That’s been somewhat surprising because in software development it’s more common to fall behind. They’ve been really perfect. 

We schedule regular calls to discuss their progress. We also use Slack. We have a marketing channel that we use with the whole team, and then another channel that is just for our executives and Chris to discuss overall strategy. We also use email and hold in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

What’s really unique about Atlas Marketing is their personal approach. They’re completely different than other agencies we dealt with in the past. I’m absolutely satisfied with their work and I’ve already recommended them to our other business partners. We work with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in helping other Czech companies enter the US market. We recommend Atlas Marketing to those companies because we’re 100% sure that they will do the best job. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, nothing comes to mind at this point. I may feel different at the end of this year after we start to see some metrics of their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications lead for the International Aerospace Quality Group. We write aerospace standards and support trade associations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlas Marketing?

My company didn’t really have a communication strategy. We hired Atlas Marketing to help us tactically manage elements of communication.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Atlas Marketing developed our marketing strategy. First, they helped us understand who our key customers were and what our objectives were for communicating with those customers or stakeholders. They then developed a plan that would target specific areas and the mechanisms and channels through which we’d deliver those messages.

Atlas Marketing also creates videos for us, and they’re working on expanding our social media presence. They created brochures and newsletters for our company previous to the current contract.

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with the president and vice president of Atlas Marketing. They have support teams behind them as well.

How did you come to work with Atlas Marketing?

My company found Atlas Marketing through another supplier that had used their team before. We then did a competitive bid between them and another vendor, and Atlas Marketing won the bid.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The current project started in January 2019, and it’s ongoing. We previously engaged Atlas Marketing to do more tactical than strategic marketing work, such as creating brochures and newsletters.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s only been six months. However, we didn’t have any social media before this, and there’s a marked difference.

How did Atlas Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is one of their assets. We receive weekly progress updates, and they let us know if there are any issues. If my team is late in delivering something from our end, they’re quick to let us know that they can’t move forward without it, so that helps. Their reminders help us meet our deadlines. We communicate with their team via phone and electronically.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Atlas Marketing has a good service. If there’s anything that we have a question about, we get a response.

From my understanding, they’re a relatively small business. We’re also a small business, so they understand the uniqueness of what we do. However, they also have experience working with larger businesses, so they bring the big world to a more palatable, smaller format for us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Let them be the professionals. Sometimes, you think you know what you're doing, but you're hiring them as professionals. Ensure that you take their guidance and advice regarding engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of market development at Sharpsville Container Corporation. We are a metal fabricator with three distinct product lines: ASME pressure vessels and kegs, general containers, and high-pressure gas cylinders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlas Marketing?

We had a new product for the market—a stainless-steel cylinder for high-pressure reactive gas applications. It was new to the industry, and we were trying to supplant a different aluminum cylinder to some level. We believed our product was superior, and we used Atlas Marketing to develop an advertisement strategy to reflect that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had some budget constraints, so we purposely limited the scope of services. We asked Atlas Marketing to help us lay out a process and milestones from a big-picture perspective.

Chris (President, Atlas Marketing) helped us ensure that our white paper was grammatically correct. Further, he made sure the content was presented logically so that we could have a third-party expert review the product. We then posted the white paper on our website, and the strategy was to determine the channel through its market. Our internal designer has made some graphics that go hand-in-hand with the white paper.

We’re starting a second, more tactically oriented engagement with Atlas Marketing, in terms of setting up MailChimp email campaigns and similar initiatives. We asked Atlas Marketing to provide us with a menu of options for how we could brand and go to market with our new product. We had a pretty good idea of how to do it, but Atlas Marketing helped us refine our thinking. We eventually decided on strategies for social media campaigns and a print ad launch.  

A different company created an explainer video of the product, but we thought they missed the mark in terms of professionalism and audience targeting. Chris had several ideas to improve the video, and he helped us edit a second revision.

We’re relying on Atlas Marketing to upgrade our website in the coming weeks so that it is cleaner and does a better job of funneling customers to the product. The website improvements are the last step before we roll out all of these efforts. Chris has also researched trade shows and speaking opportunities for us to explore.

What is the team composition?

I interacted with Chris and his team.  

How did you come to work with Atlas Marketing?

Our president was familiar with Chris’ work and thought we’d benefit from working together to determine the product launch cycle. We needed somebody that could keep us between the guard rails and keep the project moving forward. I had mapped out a game plan for us, but Chris had great ideas for how to stay on track.   

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first stage was 45 days from April–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

 We’re about 40­–50% of the way through our work with Atlas Marketing. We’re in the process of engaging with customers and managing a PR campaign. Chris has given us a path, and we’re trying now to not deviate from it.

How did Atlas Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

I find Chris to be very professional and helpful. We have a healthy working relationship. When I need something, I bounce it off of him. When he needs something, he bounces it off of me. We work well together.

I have a full Gantt chart of the project, and everything so far has been completed as specified. The chart covers what’s been finished, what’s in the works, and what’s coming down the road.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Chris is hands-on and has a very good grasp on how to handle the project. They’ve lived up to every promise in the scope of work. The communication is businesslike but with a personal touch. They make sure things stay on track, and I’m very happy with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We asked Chris to put together a presentation for our board of directors. It was a bit on the simple side, but that was probably because we didn’t give him enough direction.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Make sure you utilize the service. Chris has some very good ideas. They didn’t always match ours, but he made strong cases and considered our opinions as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the communications director at KML Regional Council of Carpenters, a carpenters union based in Pittsburgh.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Atlas Marketing?

Our website was outdated, so we engaged Atlas to help revamp it from scratch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Atlas Marketing redesigned our website on WordPress, providing some assistance on wireframes. They merged another entity we acquired, made the site mobile-friendly, and then started helping us with our newsletter (print and digital). 

What is the team composition? 

I worked with 2–3 people at any given time.

How did you come to work with Atlas Marketing?

We met with Chris (President, Atlas Marketing) and liked his approach. They were also priced competitively compared to others we'd spoken to. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–March 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Atlas redesigned a site that drastically improved our online performance overall. A survey of users came back with an 80% positive rating, and we've been able to incorporate any suggested changes from user feedback as well. 

How did Atlas Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

We never had a problem communicating with their team. They were very reactive and accessible via email as needed, organizing project milestones on Google Sheets and Google Drive for the most part. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their rapid response time sets them apart. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Utilize the designers on their team as much as possible, because they're very talented.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Safety Director of a HVAC Company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

HVAC, Plumbing and Fire Protection

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Atlas Marketing to accomplish?

• Raise awareness of crisis and how to manage them

SOLUTION

How did you find Atlas Marketing?

roundtable

Why did you select Atlas Marketing over others?

Company values aligned

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

Presentation and facilitation of discussion on crisis management. Communications plan to assist any employee during a crisis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I am able to see the teams engagement and attention to the matter. Employees have provided feedback for trainings and our plan.

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

Yes. They promptly and professionally delivered all items and follow-ups.

What was your primary form of communication with Atlas Marketing?

In-Person Meeting

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

Great overall experience which was brought to our training.

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

None aided myself in improving our awareness around crisis's

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of IAQG

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sets the standard for quality across the world for aviation, space and defence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Atlas Marketing to accomplish?

• International exposure
• Online presence and communications

SOLUTION

How did you find Atlas Marketing?

Referral

Why did you select Atlas Marketing over others?

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

How many teammates from Atlas Marketing were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Brand new, fresh, award winning website. 
• LinkedIn account and marketing. 
• International press release to public and trade. 
• Logo and collateral rebrand. 
• Annual report publication. 
• Digital events management app and physical events management. 
• Marketing and Communications strategy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Peer design award. 
• Increased investor/company/individual applications to be involved or associated with the organization. 
• Internal and external increased satisfaction ratings. 
• Greater Brand awareness 
• Positive external press influencing statements.

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

Very capable and competent staff that are highly responsive, often exceeding deadlines.

What was your primary form of communication with Atlas Marketing?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They have a true desire to understand our wants and needs with impressive and talented solutions.

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

There's nothing they need to improve on.