Bloom

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a fintech startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Bloom conducted a brand strategy review and redesign, brand guidelines, built a landing page and oversaw social media strategy

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found 8 companies, primarily via Google. We submitted a similar brief to each and had calls + looked at RFPs from each company. We chose Bloom because they appeared to 'get' us better than anyone else in the pitches. They put more effort and gave opinions in their RFP doc about what they could do for us.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Initial brand strategy workshop to understand where we come from and what we stand for. Full brand strategy exercise, customer segmentation and overview of marketing strategy. Brand guidelines, logo redesign & brand visual identity. Social media strategy, management and ongoing content creation.

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

3: Founder, Marketing & Brand

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A clear, clean concise brand and clear identity. Excellent reception and impact of the new brand.

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

Mobilised incredibly quickly. Clear, structured approach. Lovely people. Collaborative use of Google docs to enable efficient working. They had flexible styles and were super friendly and knowledgeable. Very good at 'teaching' us the tools of the trade and explaining why certain advice was given.

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

Commitment to working with us, working style and friendliness.

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

During earlier work, clearer communication of deadlines, but this improved as time went on

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Co-Founder of an online marketplace connecting private pool owners with hiring swimmers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are a brand new company and as such we had lots of ideas about who we are and what we wanted to do, but no clear identity. We wanted to define and narrow our focus, creating an identity that reflected who we are and where we want to go both on a strategic level and in terms of our brand identity. For our brand identity in particular we wanted to stand out from the crowd.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We knew we wanted someone who specialised in start-ups as well as had a strong market presence. After some initial searching we found Bloom. We were immediately impressed with the way the represented themselves, and their strong catalogue of case studies. After the initial call with Steph we knew we had found the right partner for our branding/marketing endeavours.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

The first priority was to set out who we were and what we wanted to achieve from a strategic point of view, as well as get a better understanding of who our market was. We did this through a series of discussions/exercises led by Bloom getting into the nitty gritty of what we wanted to do and where we wanted the company to go. We also lay the foundations for the brand identity work to come.

Bloom then conducted their own market research and, using our discussions, put together a brand strategy for us to use as a blueprint moving forward. Then followed the brand identity work. There were two directions we explored.

The first step was outlining the visuals, logo, and colour palette. Next came the surrounding branding accents, fonts etc. The goal was to create a complete brand identity with all the assets necessary to clearly identify us moving forward.

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

We worked with Steph (Director), Lizzie (Marketing Manager) and Jess (Marketing Director)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We couldn't be happier with the results. The branding strategy they nailed first time, and the brand identity was a very enjoyable creative process that resulted in work better than we could have hoped for.

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

We had weekly meetings with Bloom as well as adhoc additional workshops for the strategy work. Communication was always clear, well organised, and we felt like we were always part of the creative process rather than just handing it off which we loved.

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

Their commitment and connection to what we wanted to achieve were lovely. It felt less like we were outsourcing the work but adding a key part of our team to the process who are on that journey with us.

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

Nothing that springs to mind. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and highly recommend.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the VP of marketing at a healthcare software company that works in developing countries. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bloom?

We hired Bloom to relaunch our website and create new marketing assets that accurately reflect our status as a company — we were gearing up for our Series B fundraising. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bloom overhauled our website in WordPress using our new marketing materials; they also migrated our old site’s content over to the new site. The new site’s design was completed in InVision, and we provided feedback on each design iteration. They also designed our UX/UI. Bloom integrated mobile screens and product screenshots into the design that explain how our products work and their value proposition. Bloom also edited a live-action product explainer video and created problem and solution animated videos to articulate our company goals. Once the website was complete, Bloom’s team worked with us to translate the site into four languages. 

Bloom also offered marketing and advertising services. They’ve created gifs for us to use to internally and externally promote the new website. We’ve used those gifs in our presentations to our board. Bloom also helped us announce the site’s launch on LinkedIn using the gif. 

What is the team composition?

We work with four teammates from Bloom, including Stephanie (Managing Director), Lizzie (Marketing Manager), a designer, and a developer. 

How did you come to work with Bloom?

I found Bloom through a personal recommendation. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $25,000 with Bloom. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Bloom began in December 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new website launched yesterday to great acclaim — our local teams have praised the site’s localization features and translations. Everyone has acknowledged that the new site reflects our company and our status. Bloom’s deliverables have completely exceeded our expectations. 

How did Bloom perform from a project management standpoint?

Bloom delivers on time, although we have gone over budget on a few items because my team requested additional edits. Typically, we communicate through Slack and the occasional Zoom meeting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bloom is a scale-up company, so they completely understand what challenges other scale-up companies face. To face our challenges, Bloom is agile, shifting tasks quickly and adapting to budget restrictions. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Bloom needs to invest in a project management tool or create a master project plan for their clients to use. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise customers to provide Bloom with as much information about their company as possible. The more information and project context customers can provide, the better the results of the partnership. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Research and development of a new consumer device, building a new brand in the wellness space

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a new brand, so needed brand discovery, naming, brand guideline creation, colour schemes, logo creation etc. And then social media management, video creation and production, and video launch!

SOLUTION

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

They had the best most professional vibe on their website. And then Steph, the founder, sold us immediately. Her enthusiasm is exactly what you need for your business when starting out.

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

We needed a new brand, so needed brand discovery, naming, brand guideline creation, colour schemes, logo creation etc. And then social media management, video creation and production, and video launch. Overall timeline was 6 months on retainer, with extra occasional projects.

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

The founder was with us throughout and also used marketing strategy experts and social media managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was very successful in regards to what we asked of Bloom - we have a great, cohesive brand, and we had a good social media strategy.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Steph was always available on the phone whenever needed - she adjusted to my wish to speak on the phone rather than email immediately, and her staff likewise.

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

The enthusiasm of Steph the founder, everything is doable, and you get the sense that they all work like they are a part of your company (in a great way!)

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

We had a bit of confusion over the exact costs. The "nothing is a problem" attitude was great and exactly what we needed, but we learned over time to clarify a bit more directly what that means from a financial perspective, especially with ad-hoc projects.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I worked as a product manager for a SaaS company in the online travel industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bloom?

We were looking for a company that could help us with the right strategy for a pitch deck and explainer that we could use in our sales conversations with potential customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I engaged a number of vendors that were recommended to us by a government agency. I very much liked the way that Bloom approached their initial conversation with us. They asked us really good questions to understand exactly what we were looking for (which we didn't know very well at the time) and in their proposal I could tell they really understood what we were looking for.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

When we began our initial conversations it became clear that we didn't have too much of a strategy in place with the direction of how we wanted to discuss our product. The bloom team organised a series of deep-dives & workshops with a number of stakeholders in our business to work out the strategy. They ran this in a very interactive manner with good listening skills and deep-diving into each of the comments we made. Based on this they presented back a plan which was a good mix of the Why, How & What and clear next steps. Based on that plan they worked to create a pitch deck for us to be able to best explain our product. Because our product is unique in the market it was really helpful to get that external perspective and input. The marketing plan has been created in a way where our own marketing team can follow the same brand standard which is great.

What was the team composition?

We worked mostly with Stephanie Melodia who is the Founder as well as Jessica Hall who is the Marketing Director.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Both our internal and external stakeholders have been very impressed so far with the quality of the new sales deck. As we only very recently introduced this we don't have much qualitative feedback yet but it is a very clear and concise with the right blend of inspiration & information.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent. As described above the workshops were hosted and were actually very fun to attend. The team communicate clearly and efficiently and they have been able to work well with out huge time difference.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really like how they listen very carefully and ask very good questions to make us think. The initial proposal they sent us really showed that from a short discovery call they captured exactly what we were looking for. Ultimately you want your pitch deck created by someone that also understands how to pitch for business themselves. It has been an absolute pleasure working with the team.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

Not that I can think of - very happy!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO & Co-Founder of Halo Solutions Ltd. Our company owns the Halo System, the UK Market Leading safety system that's won multiple awards for saving lives, saving time and saving money at some of the world's largest events and venues.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bloom?

Our background is policing. We can talk with depth, confidence and experience about public safety, counter terrorism, command and control, but when it comes to marketing and the more strategic elements of growing a brand, we needed help.

We outsourced to Bloom the creation of all our brand assets, brand guidelines and very much lean on them to give direction and leadership in this area of our business. They are, 100%, our trusted Chief Marketing Officers.

What were your goals for this project?

In 2018 when we came to market, there was nothing in our space. No single system available commercially that combined incident management and communications in a cloud based product that connected to a mobile app - designed to function the way ours does. We were up against processes and a culture that benefited from free of charge products like spreadsheets, WhatsApp groups etc.

We were quickly able to showcase the need for moving away from systems like that to new products like ours and over the last three years have continued to release new features, unique across the globe. So the goal was to confirm and continue the promotion of the Halo System as the market leading system and get our message across to our audience that we're here to help, we're the best at what we do, we're the system they can trust and we're a need to have, life saving platform.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bloom?

We reached out to our network and asked for suggestions and recommendations. We conducted some web based research. This yielded many options and we actually met with five different companies and robustly evaluated their credentials, pedigree, the quality of their work to date as well as their ethics and values.

It was important to us we got the best talent from the people we could work with most comfortably, to maximise the chances and likelihood of success. We had a head full of ideas and needed someone to distill those onto paper, frame them with their own expert advice and show us a vision. We took three companies to a final 'design stage' but it was very clear, pretty much from the outset, that Bloom were the best choice.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

This is a difficult one as, marketing is not my forte. I would however describe the scope as "All encompassing" It required strategic planning, the creation of assets for use on social media, press releases, co-ordination with our PR Team, the planning and buying of the highest impact marketing channels, based on research conducted on our product, from our clients and across our industry.

Analysis of our sales pipeline and procedures, to better streamline our processes and maximise the opportunities for swifter revenue and sales conclusion. My role was to answer questions, provide technical information about our products and our audiences needs, provide feedback on the assets created, commission the work for new assets.

What was the team composition?

From the Halo team, we allocated a team of six. This included our CEO, COO, CFO, Training Director Head of PR and PR content producer. We believed very strongly form the outset that if we don't have our top team fully buy into this project, in every sense, then it won't gain the traction it needs to achieve the best results. We also needed relevant and contextual operational inputs so the whole scope, breadth and depth of what we were trying to achieve was fed into the project.

From Bloom, we worked with a team of four. We had an allocated account manager who went through everything in a stunning level of depth and detail and brought to the project her personal experience and knowledge that was impressive in its relevance, insight and advice given. This was fed into a creative designer who was patient with us, creating new evolutions of work until we ended up with exactly what we were looking for.

All of this was overseen by one of the company directors who's passion for helping was clear from the outset and like all good leaders, gave her team the opportunity to shine and got the best out of all of us on both sides of the table!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I would categorise these as internal and external. Internally, we feel more confident, more secure in our brand, direction and positioning. We feel more like a 'real' business because of the image we project to the outer world. It's become "vital" to have the right assets to go with every LinkedIn post or good news story. We've bought into the fact ours is the "System you can trust" and this affects every decision we make about every aspect of the business on a daily basis.

The outcome and impact internally has been nothing short of profound. Accelerating our professionalism in every sense. Externally, we look smarter, more professional, we are easier to engage with, sales move through our pipeline much easier and you can tangibly measure the results of engaging with Bloom in terms of the speed of our pipeline shrinking and our turnover increasing more quickly as a result.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I can honestly say that Bloom's dedication to customer service and satisfaction is second to none. They have taught us much more than a thing or two about this and working alongside them has been very much like the experience one gets when playing their favourite sport, with their favourite athlete. We've been in awe, we've been inspired, we've been motivated and encouraged to do better.

From the first moment we asked them to quote, they used Calendly to book us in, they use any online meeting platform you want, they manage projects in Google Drive, they e-mail, WhatsApp, video-conference whenever you want. The workflow between us and Bloom has been so good, we try to make it as good between us and our clients!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The unique thing about Bloom, is their ability to inspire. I came to Bloom wanting to get some "cutting out and colouring in" done. Shame on me. There is something very, very special about the service Bloom offer, its educational, its packed full of really relevant industry know how, its razor sharp and a joy to behold.

When you're in their orbit, you feel like you're benefiting from the wisdom of people right at the top of their game and you realise its a privilege they let you work with them and not the other way around. I can honestly say our business is the better for having met them and we will work with them for as long as they'll have us. I would recommend them in a heartbeat.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Absolutely none.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a consultancy that supports businesses to become more streamlined and effective through process optimisation and the selection of considered software.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bloom?

We needed support to better understand our client persona and messaging

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had met Steph previously and knew I wanted to work with her.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

It was a collaborative process after an initial deep dive meeting to talk through our business vision and goals, Steph came back with a strategy that we worked through over a number of further sessions.

What was the team composition?

I worked closely with Steph through the process and also Jess from the team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have taken the strategy forward which supported a change to messaging within our outreach and on our website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was perfect for the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I am impressed with their dedication and flexibility to the project. Along with the passion to get to an outcome that everyone was happy with.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Owner

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bloom?

rebrand

What were your goals for this project?

rebrand

SOLUTION

How did you select Bloom?

Steph seemed great, very knowledgeable and honest.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Help rebranding us and getting more traction across multiple marketing avenues

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Steph and Bloom helped us really understand our brand and our go-to-market strategy. This was fundamental in creating a clear vision and showing us how to take The Admin Crowd to the next level.

She acted as a great coach. They helped us implement methods that energized the agency. I couldn't recommend Bloom highly enough!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great