Blacksmith

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Founder of Village.Works

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

All-inclusive, regenerative slow travel to local villages around the globe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blacksmith to accomplish?

• One of our goals was to capture video and photo of the region in a way that captured some of our local vendors, accommodations and excursions in a compelling and authentic way.
• We needed a backend system that would allow us to book and manage clients.
• We needed a website that would convert visitors to customers and allow them to discover all the information they needed about our service in a structured way, without overwhelming them up front.
• Our primary goal was to build a brand that accurately communicated the authentic feeling of being immersed in the local villages and enticed foreign guests to book our services

SOLUTION

How did you find Blacksmith?

Referral

Why did you select Blacksmith over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• We felt they had a very strong portfolio

How many teammates from Blacksmith were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The scope of work was essentially comprehensive. Blacksmith provided full-stack services in every area of our business offering creative and art direction, building back-end CMS systems, brand identity design, messaging & copywriting, photography & imaging, documentary and advertisement video production, and web design & development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website and media contained therein was extremely well received by our customers, team and the entire local community. The brand they developed was incredibly well-aligned to our mission and vision, and had a strong impact on people understanding our offer. The backend systems they created worked flawlessly, and allowed us to manage bookings at a level that surpassed our expectations. Website views were consistent and the hype around the company had a large impact on our business.

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

Blacksmith's project management was impeccable. Not only did they deliver on time, but in some cases they delivered early. We have never worked with anyone so committed to excellence, nor with anyone who worked so tirelessly to bring the best product to the table so efficiently.

What was your primary form of communication with Blacksmith?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We were most impressed by their team's ability to capture the unique culture and atmosphere of the communities that we work with. When we began searching for branding companies, we did not have much faith that the true and authentic essence of our offer could be communicated digitally. We were proven completely wrong by the Blacksmith team.

Their ability to grasp and translate the abstract while maintaining a professional and commercially viable end result literally left us speechless. We were particularly impressed by the video portion of their work, which in and of itself was a boon to the local community's morale and helped us gain more valuable local partnerships than anything we had previously done.

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

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Leisurelust

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Apparel Company focused on mental health. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blacksmith to accomplish?

• Branding & Strategy
• Web design
• Product Photography
• Promotional materials

SOLUTION

How did you find Blacksmith?

Referral

Why did you select Blacksmith over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Excellent portfolio

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

The scope of work done for Leisurelust included: 

• Brand Strategy, 
• Brand Development,
• Brand Identity, 
• Art Direction, 
• Photography 
• Web Design. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was extremely rewarding to see our vision come to life. We've received numerous compliments on our visual aesthetics and the sophistication of our online store. People are genuinely excited about our unique concept and messaging. We’ve got a strong start and are growing steadily every day!

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

Their project management was flawless and timely. Their team was always attentive to our needs and responsive even at inconvenient times. They made sure that we were taken care of every step of the way and prioritized our satisfaction.

What was your primary form of communication with Blacksmith?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What I found unique about Blacksmith is their passion and attention to detail. They really love what they do and their work shows exactly that. They treated my company as if it was their own and I felt that I was treated like more than just another customer. They have a very unique style with timeless and tasteful design that helped us stand out in these highly competitive times.

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

I can't say that I have any complaints at all other than I wish I found them sooner.