Black Propeller

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and president of Helms Electric. It’s a residential electrical company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

We were trying to get more business. I tried Google Ads myself and wasn’t having a lot of success with it. I talked to Black Propeller and they were super nice.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed my website and explained in great detail what they’d be able to do for me. They handled my search optimization on Google and PPC. They make sure that people can message us through our website. They regularly provide analytics for us. They were able to tailor it for people searching in my area.

What is the team composition?

I just talk to John (Founder & CEO). If I have any questions, he answers right away and calls me back immediately. We have a good working relationship.

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

I did a Google search. Long story short, I’ve worked with several other web development agencies and have had issues in the past. When I spoke to John, he assured me that the website they designed would be ours, I’d control it, and I could have them manage it. He was very upfront, and that’s what I liked about him.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $800/ month (approximately $19,200 in total).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in August 2017 and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They came through with everything they said they could do. Once we started working with them, we got a lot more calls and business picked up a lot—we probably doubled our business.

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

I can just send an e-mail or text them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re super nice and they do what they say they’re going to do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend them. Doing it on your own can be tough, but they’re experts.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former marketing director at a surf camp. We have two hotels, multiple restaurants and surf shops.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

Our Google Ads account had been neglected for about a year, so our cost-per-click (CPC) was high, along with our overall spend. The account wasn’t being managed efficiently at all, so we hired Black Propeller.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start, they provided us with an outline of the goals they were going to aim for, including lowering our cost-per-conversion. They took over our Google Ads account, along with our Facebook Ad efforts targeted toward the US market. They also create landing pages and graphic design tasks for us. 

What is the team composition?

Annie (Senior Account Manager) is our main point of contact. A Facebook specialist and a graphic designer also support us. 

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

I did online research after I was tasked with managing our Google Ads account. I considered different ratings across Google and they were the most recommended and the price was right. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $1,200 per month. Although we’ve had to close the hotel for now because of COVID-19, they’ve comped the last two months and continue to work with us. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since June 2019 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve done an amazing job. They took a mess and turned it into a high-functioning Google Ads account which has been helpful for us. The contacts we were receiving from Google Ads went from 25% of our total leads to our biggest funnel for leads, surpassing our organic traffic. 

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

They set up a few tracking tools for us and send weekly reports that are easy to read. When we first started, we had weekly calls with Annie. Once it settled down, we reduced it to biweekly calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They provided us with goals at the beginning, which no other provider offers. They’ve met and surpassed all of the goals they set and are easy to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

If anything, they seem a little overwhelmed at some requests that are needed immediately, so we’d receive work a day later than when we asked for it. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you do the calls with them and know exactly what you want out of the relationship. Also, know what customers you’re trying to reach. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a luxury travel company that designs custom itineraries to 83 countries around the globe. I’m the director of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

We wanted to get more out of our ad spend with Google and Facebook.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were aiming to strengthen our presence on Google. However, after the global pandemic hit and we wanted to decrease our ad spend. They were able to help us pivot our focus to Facebook Ads and develop a plan to help us capture more emails. Their team identified the right market for our ads and aimed to lead people to the landing pages they developed.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Annie (Senior Account Manager), Kelsey (Account Manager), John (CEO), and Brad (Digital Designer).

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

We did an extensive search and reviewed the work of several agencies. Our team felt confident in their flexibility and commitment to us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $4,000 on their services.

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?

We ended up gaining more exposure, capturing more email addresses for our database and elevated our understanding of how we can advertise in different markets to attract different people. I’d like to see more qualified leads, but that’s not to say that they’re not deloping a strong strategy. The global pandemic has greatly affected the travel industry, but they’ve performed well. 

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

Their ability to work with us through changes has been very impressive. When I run into issues, they’re always available to talk. Otherwise, they set up a cadence of meetings that fit our comfort level. They often assisted with needs that were outside of their contract to make sure everything ran efficiently.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their focus on flexibility and customer service really helped us produce the best results. While travel was a new market for them, they were committed to our success. We could feel that through their customer service and willingness to go above and beyond.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like to see more qualified leads, but they’re doing a great job even given the circumstances.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start the engagement with a target or goal in mind. We didn’t do that, and it was our rookie mistake while deadline with a company of this nature. I’d recommend having a strict deliverable in mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a personal and commercial lines insurance broker that represents 35 insurance markets over six different states. I am the office manager and deal with our digital presence, including web advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

Insurance is a changing field currently moving from an old-school model to an internet-based one, and we wanted to get out in front of that change. We wanted a partner to help us get some exposure over social media in our local area.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Black Propeller team handles our Google SEO, including targeting specific keywords for our industry. They also provide social media marketing on Facebook and are moving into Instagram as well. We primarily collaborate around the strategy for those campaigns, but they do help us to develop some content for those as well.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Kelsey (Account Manager), but we have a person working on the ads and their president regularly in communication as well.

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

Their team was a client of ours, and when my bosses suggested we work on our online advertising, I suggested we reach out to them because they were local and would be a little bit more reactive to our needs because of our existing relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $2,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The campaign launched over a month ago in January 2020, and we are continuing to work together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re tracking click-throughs and calls into the office from the landing page that we’ve set up for all our ads, as well as the qualified leads that we are gaining from those. We have been very satisfied with the results we’ve seen in that regard because we are definitely getting new business and have been contacted by a lot of our existing clients, which shows that we have a lot of exposure in the marketplace.

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams stay in pretty frequent touch with one another. We have a phone conference every two weeks to align on progress and goals for the next two weeks, and then we email back and forth every day about the little things going on. If I have any idea or something that I’m thinking about, I can shoot them a message and get a response from my ad consultant right away.

Kelsey’s follow-up is really good, so we never have to chase them down about anything that we need done. I get feedback the same day that I request something, so I’m never worried about what they’re doing or whether it’s delivering value.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I love the fact that they’re local. They understand the cities and towns that we’re working in and can target the right people for us. The most important part of insurance is having a real relationship with the person you’re representing, so being able to deliver that feeling over the internet is a truly incredible capability and helps us be way more successful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are relatively new to the insurance industry, but they’ve been really good about asking questions and are constantly getting better so it’s not something I would say they really need to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just make the phone call. Learn about the service that they can provide, because no matter what industry you’re in, there’s a good chance they will be able to deliver a lot of value to you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a full-service digital agency and custom web development firm. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

We were expanding outside of traditional web development and needed a partner to help us grow our PPC business for Google and Bing ads.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the time, we were looking for a partner to handle one of our client accounts that wanted to expand into PPC work with us. Rather than refer them to another firm, we decided to create a partnership to assist in that effort. Our relationship grew from there. Once we started seeing results, we knew it was a scalable model, so they started evolving with us as our PPC partner. In our work together, they’ve really shined with our professional services clients like dental, HVAC, and home remodeling companies.  

With them, we’ve been able to build out this area to the point of hiring internally. However, we still work with them for overflow and consulting services. 

What is the team composition?

Initially, John (CEO, Black Propeller) was our primary contact. Now, we deal with 2–3 other team members on different pieces of our accounts.

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

We met on Craiglist after we posted the need for PPC help. They responded to that ad, and we had a conversation. In early conversations, they shared results from their past clients, which really impressed us. By demonstrating experience in that industry, we were able to feel comfortable in hiring them to drive results for our client.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a few hundred thousand dollars on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2013, and our team is still working with them for overflow clients.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We track conversions and ROI for our clients. When it comes to our standards that we’ve set for their team, ROI is far more important than foot traffic. Black Propeller was able to generate a significant amount of revenue for our clients and increase advertising spend. That helped both our company and our clients’ companies grow. 

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

I never had issues with their responsiveness or attention to detail. They turned around new quotes quickly and provided us with monthly reports on our clients’ performance. Project management was never an issue.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of work they provide paired with their willingness to hold themselves accountable for their work has impressed us. We could always count on them to drive results, and I knew that our goals were aligned. If there were problems, they came up with ways to strategize and solve problems. That proved to be invaluable for us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They do a phenomenal job. Unfortunately, their rates became less scalable for us over time. I can’t say enough good things about them and would collaborate with them as soon as we ran into bandwidth issues here. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When you have a sustainable model that’s scaling well, the only thing that will prevent growth is your uncertainty with budgeting. As long as you can handle the capacity, they can deliver volume. Trusting in their abilities is most important.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the IT manager of a flooring retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

We worked with a number of advertising agencies over the previous 3–4 years. Each time, they provided their own digital ad management services to mixed results. Our most recent agency before Black Propeller didn’t perform well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Black Propeller took over our digital ad campaigns via Google Ads and Bing Ads. Their team focuses on paid efforts. Whereas their team views the performance of campaigns through a Google Ads account, I monitor ads' performances using Google Analytics. They offered their own analytics, but we always track campaigns using our own tools. Their team still comments on efforts. Now, they’re making changes to our site.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact’s Annie (Senior Account Manager, Black Propeller). There are three other teammates from Black Propeller who work on this project.

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

A colleague who worked with Black Propeller recommended them. They had a good reputation, so we decided to give their team a shot after disconnecting with our previous provider.

How much have you invested with them?

I didn’t negotiate the fees but we invest 10% of our ad spend in their services. We’ve spent probably between $15,000–$20,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Black Propeller June 2019, and our engagement’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I focus on analytics data and the changes in the performance of our ads are significantly positive. In August, we brought in between 100–150 leads from our website. This month, we’re expecting 300. Their team at least doubled the number of leads that we receive through digital advertising with identical ad spend. Their team has done really well.

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

We have meetings via Google Hangouts or phone weekly. We also have in-person meetings monthly when Black Propeller comes to us. We exchange ideas and their team provides updates. They’re always there to listen well. Their team's open to our suggestions. Unlike with our past service providers, it’s been a pleasure to work with Black Propeller.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve done excellent work on our ad campaigns. For the same budget, their team gets better performances from our ads. It’s easy to communicate with them. Black Propeller's also a knowledgeable team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, not at this time. They’re doing well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They know what to do, so I don’t have any advice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a mortgage lender in the United States, and I am the vice president of the renovation lending platform for our US mortgages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

We hired Black Propeller to run our PPC campaign for our renovation lending products, which consisted entirely of Google Ads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created and operated our entire Google Ads campaign and monitored it and updated us to make sure we were meeting certain parameters as we went through the campaign.

What is the team composition?

There were two or three members of their team working with us at most times. One was an account manager and the rest were all responsible for SEO.

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

I researched PPC companies in Maryland on the internet and liked them the best.

How much have you invested with them?

I would say we’ve spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in February 2019 and are currently still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We track all the statistics on what we do, and we’ve seen a dramatic increase in leads. We’ve had an increase in both conversion rates and the number of loans getting to close, which represents the overall quality of the leads.

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done an excellent job with project management. We are always up to date on how things are going and what our next steps will be.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their experience with PPC campaigns is really impressive and explains how successful they have been already.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We would always like to have more leads, but I don’t think there’s anything in particular that they could do better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think if other organizations are looking at them to run their campaigns, I would suggest that they make sure they really clearly understand their end goals, who their clients are, and be able to establish those with Black Propeller ahead of time to make sure they have a really successful campaign.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the controller at Piedmont Door Solutions. We install and repair door and security systems for both new installations and for remodels. We are a commercial company with a nationwide footprint and home bases in five states.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Black Propeller?

We were looking to improve visibility in our industry and to refresh our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we initially hired Black Propeller, it was to update our website and PPC wasn’t a consideration. We didn’t believe it was common for people to pursue commercial construction leads through PPC. Generally, commercial construction is thought of as very regional and I believed it had to be developed exclusively through direct sales and long periods of time.

The team tore down our old site and built us a customized site on a WordPress backend. They made extensive CSS changes to make sure the site would best fit our needs.

During that process, John really helped show us that PPC would work for commercial clients. He built out an entire campaign and presentation for us as a sample – again I was skeptical, but his model and plan were really solid. He and our VP have a great working relationship and are both visionaries in their approach to marketing, they made a tremendous team and had the vision to push us into a new arena.

How did you come to work with Black Propeller?

I had worked with them previously at another company and they had helped update our old website, so when I needed to update this one, I knew who to turn to. There’s a fine line between a visually appealing website and one that fits for a commercial construction company, and I know they’d be able to walk it.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Black Propeller began in August 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything they’ve done for us has been great. They address challenges for us and help us sell these very specialized products. Black Propeller has improved our branding and the look and feel of our website.

How did Black Propeller perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated through email and phone calls. They’ve let us choose how we prefer to be in contact with them. Black Propeller always responds very quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I find their directness to be refreshing. They’re very honest when something isn’t possible or isn’t going to work.

Black Propeller never comes to us without a way to accomplish a goal. They never back down when something doesn’t work, instead, we readjust and move forward. Their availability, openness to criticism, and honesty are the things we like most about working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I want to provide some criticism because it makes things sound more realistic, but honestly no. Our teams address things in real-time for almost two and a half years. If there were still major things to improve, we wouldn’t be working together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Anytime you’re dealing with a vendor, I would always put things in writing. Always make sure you have contracts in place, which is just your standard due-diligence. Also, embrace an honest and transparent relationship—if you treat this as a partnership and you will be better off.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Blue marine

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sell electrical compontents to Marine, RV and Off-grid customers and installers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Black Propeller to accomplish?

• Grow sales
• Make PPC spend more efficient

SOLUTION

How did you find Black Propeller?

Online Search

Why did you select Black Propeller over others?

Based on research and the sales experience

How many teammates from Black Propeller were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired Black Propeller to manage our Google Spend. Our goals are to improve the efficiency of the spend while growing sales. We'd like to position bluemarine.com as the largest online seller in our industry.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Nick has managed out account very effectively and continue to meet or exceed out objectives. The project is ongoing and I like to think we are just getting started.

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

They always deliver on time and are very proactive in their communication.

What was your primary form of communication with Black Propeller?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Excellent upfront sales experience to help in selecting Black Propeller. Initially a poor account manager was assigned to our project but this was remedies quick and Nick was assigned to our account. He is fantastic and as good as any I have worked with in the past for PPC management.

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

I can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Forge Hardware Studio

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

E-commerce high-end cabinet hardware and other home improvement hardware. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Black Propeller to accomplish?

• Google ads management
• Sales growth through advertising

SOLUTION

How did you find Black Propeller?

Online Search

Why did you select Black Propeller over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Black Propeller were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Google ads account management 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Revenue growth

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

We're impressed with the excellent and timely support from a talented team

What was your primary form of communication with Black Propeller?

Virtual Meeting

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

Team is approachable and knowledgeable.

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

No