Blue Polo Interactive

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Better Brows & Beauty, a permanent makeup studio that offers beauty services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Polo Interactive?

We had been working with a different company for our website, but that engagement went awry. This led us to hire Blue Polo Interactive to help rescue our site and take over. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team redesigned and redeveloped our WordPress website for us. One of the key features they implemented was a contact form and ensured it was connected to our Google Ads efforts. They helped us find a new hosting service, too. Currently, their team provides ongoing maintenance for the website. 

What is the team composition?

I work directly with my communication liaisons from their team, and they had several developers who worked on our site. 

How did you come to work with Blue Polo Interactive?

We found them through our personal networks. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $6,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2018, and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The traffic on our site has definitely increased, based on the Google Analytics tracking we’re looking at. 

How did Blue Polo Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication and availability have been great. I never have to wait for them to respond; they’re on top of everything. I hear back from them within the same day, most times. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to the previous company that worked with us, Blue Polo Interactive listens to what we need instead of just telling us their plan. They lay out all of the options for us, walk us through the pros and cons, and listen to our input. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing is directly coming to mind for them to improve. It could be better if they bring some suggestions about how to advance the website in the future, but that doesn’t work for all clients. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly describe your business and goals before asking them for their ideas. If they understand your market, they’ll have a better idea of how to approach the project and understand your needs. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an account executive at EGAMI Group, a consulting agency that connects brands to their multicultural audience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Polo Interactive?

We wanted to find organic micro-influencers with a strong following and engagement in certain markets that could deliver brand message for our clients, so we were looking for a company with expertise in digital marketing to help us with that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They presented a list of options when it comes to influencers and gave us a variety of creative content we could use to reach the audience we were looking for. Blue Polo provided a caliber of influencers: female and male, from high to low, and from diverse backgrounds, and then managed our relationship with them to ensure the awareness of the brand. 

What is the team dynamic? 

Our main point of contact was Michael [Michael Pomposello, Founder, Blue Polo Interactive]. He was in charge of everything - from the ideation stage to presenting the influencers and making contacts.

How did you come to work with them?

They were a recommendation from a colleague. I got in touch with Michael, who was very responsive. After discussing the turnaround options with him, we chose Blue Polo. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

The collaboration began in October 2016 and ended January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

By way of influencer engagement, they definitely increased the brand awareness, but I don't have the exact numbers.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They went above and beyond to ensure they met our needs and presented options for future programs. We mostly communicated via email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very genuine, care about the result, and pay attention to detail. When they presented a type of influencer program, they explained the reasons we should choose that program and what we should focus on. They've built a great rapport and showed that they cared about a win-win scenario for everyone.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as possible about your needs and give them all the details. Based on that, they'll present you with different options.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Moore Technology Consulting is a consulting company that caters to small to medium size businesses in the technology space. We manage the client environment, create projects, and maintain their day-to-day operations on a technology basis. I am the president and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Polo?

We wanted to expand our customer base and better communicate who we are as a business. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blue Polo produced a white list for me where they captured the core clientele that I am trying to gain. They gathered what I do for my current clients and put it all in a concise document for new clients to gain a clear understanding of what we do, what we are, and what we provide in three to four pages. 

They expressed the information in such a way that a potential customer, that may not know what it is they need or the right technical questions to ask, would see the potential in me helping them complete their project idea. The white list shows clients the skillset we can provide to them and how we can help them develop their technology needs.

They were also pivotal in designing a platform for my website that was user-friendly and mobile friendly. I’d had an HTML basic site for four to five years. They told me I needed a more visually effective site. After someone looks at the white list in paper form, it needs to be available online.

What is the team dynamic? 

I dealt with the two project managers who then dealt with their team.

How did you come to work with Blue Polo?

It was a referral from a close friend so they came highly recommended. Referral is always great because if someone has used them before, you know they had a great experience. After meeting them myself and seeing the clientele that they’ve worked with and the kind of work they’ve done in the past, I felt very comfortable to work with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

Around $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2015 until December 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve helped to visually illustrate my company in a way that is easy to show to people. In the technology space, if someone is not tech savvy and you start throwing jargon around, you can lose them. On the white list and on the website, Blue Polo explained what I do in laymen’s terms. When a client looks at that white paper, it’s concise, straightforward, easy on the eyes, and free-flowing.

They changed the feel and the look of my website. It’s led to me having conversations with clients and potentially winning their business.

How did Blue Polo perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. They gave me a timeline of when they would complete the work and they managed that expectation very well. They kept me up to date on the process that they were going through. 

In the final stages, they sent me multiple proofs and I made corrections. They were able to change it and we could go back and forth. They were very effective, clear, transparent, and very communicative throughout the whole process. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were great and I have nothing bad to say about them. They offered great customer service, which is what any client wants, and their communication was good. If they say they’re going to do something within a timeframe, they do it. If not, they communicate that and give the reasons why. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They met my expectations. I have no one to compare it with, but in my experience, they met all my needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of Hall Communications. We provide communications strategy and consulting to companies ranging from startups to Fortune 10 companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Polo Interactive?

We were working with a client that was trying to reach a broad audience of consumers, primarily women. They had an entertainment platform that would allow people to quickly and easily create homemade videos using their tool in a template. We were tasked with launching that technology, and we wanted to do it through a set of influencers. I partnered with Blue Polo because they had access to the right influencers and ways to bring them into the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Blue Polo are experts with social influencers so we wanted their suggestions and advice. They collaborated with me from the very start of the program. We worked closely on coming up with which influencers to work with, what they needed to deliver, and what we needed to do from a technical standpoint to help the influencers do their work. I relied on them to get back to me with who they felt the right influencers would be that would really move the needle.

As the project progressed, they discovered a lot of technical problems with the product, as well as a few problems with the tutorial. Blue Polo suggested we make sure the technology is foolproof, as if an influencer has a problem downloading the app, the consumer will have a problem with it too. Under their guidance, I had to make my clients understand that we needed to make significant changes in the technology before we moved ahead. I was able to guide and advise my client, with Blue Polo’s counsel, on what those changes needed to be and how to implement them. This was something unexpected, but something we had to fix before we could move forward.

What is the team dynamic?

Michael and Josh specifically are a wonderful team. They both brought so much to the table, and I liked them both very much. I had such a good dynamic with them, and felt they were part of my team, and that I could rely on them as well as trust them with my clients. They were very professional, and have always been that way.

How did you come to work with Blue Polo Interactive?

I can’t recall how I met them exactly, but we initially had a meeting in my office and I connected with them instantly. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Blue Polo around March 2014 and the project finished in early fall 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The objective of the campaign was to get the influencers to understand and successfully use the technology. With that success, the influencers’ videos needed to improve their blog’s viewers and encourage their followers to also make a video. The program was successful because we saw that followers were incentivized to create their own videos. The level of success we had met the goals of the client. 

How did Blue Polo Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

After initially meeting in person, we most often communicated by phone and email. When my client came to the U.S., we would have Michael or Josh join the meetings too, so they were client facing.

Across the whole project, they were excellent and did a great job. They are great counselors and have great relationships with influencers. They are also technically brilliant and are really good with clients, which often isn’t the case with technical partners. They are extremely trustworthy and reliable, and we are currently working on another project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Through the process, I learned a lot from them, and I still tend to work with them for all my influencer campaigns. They really understand influencers, and take the time to nurture and build those relationships compared to other large influencer companies. Other companies might be great aggregators with good backend technologies but they lose that human element that I feel Blue Polo bring to the table.

Mostly, I like their friendly disposition. People in PR tend to be overworked, over-stressed, and have demanding clients. To have a partner that is calm, friendly, as well as solution-focused is fantastic. I really enjoy working with them and also feel that I can trust them 100%; that they won’t fail me or my client. Overall, they get results, and they are a great partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Polo Interactive?

Our existing website was outdated, so we were looking for someone to develop our new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blue Polo Interactive developed a brand-new website for us on WordPress, doing both the design and the backend development. They also helped us with search engine optimization to try and get us higher rankings on Google. We left the keyword research to them.

What is the team dynamic?

We were in regular communication with two members of their team.

How did you come to work with Blue Polo Interactive?

I can’t recall how I originally found them. Blue Polo was the first marketing firm we turned to for this project. They were pleasant and very knowledgeable, so I decided to go with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $17,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2014, and the collaboration ended in July 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a great job of capturing what our plan was. The new site has nice graphics and a slider. It is very user-friendly. We are happy with it.

They put us on the first page of our keyword search in Google. As a result, we’ve received some nice leads as well as an increase in traffic to our website.

How did Blue Polo Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent and professional throughout. They were very communicative and always available to talk. They would answer any questions that came up. We mostly communicated by phone and email. We also met in person once.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Blue Polo was better than anyone else I have previously worked with. They were responsive and knowledgeable. They had some great ideas. Everything Blue Polo did was excellent. We were very happy with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We were a technology company that worked in the career space where we built career tools for any job seeker to use as they are looking for a job. We had our tools that they could come to our site and use and we also partnered with major job boards as well who offered our tools on their site. I was in charge of business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Polo Interactive?

The primary product at our company is an online resume builder. We would get a lot of our traffic from content related sites that are ranked high on Google for various keyword searches mostly about resumes. There was a company that we worked with that sent us traffic who was looking to sell their website. We ended up purchasing it but we needed someone to maintain the SEO and content on the site. Blue Polo handled the SEO on the site and made sure it ranked well for certain keywords. They also helped provide content that would be relevant and hopefully drive more users to the site but would also help for the rankings of the keywords. We had our own marketing team but we needed to augment the team because of the new purchase. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The process was seamless. They came in and became part of our marketing team. We took a lot of learnings that we had from this new property that they were able to teach us and apply it across our various properties. We had done a little bit on our own in-house but we didn’t have anybody who specialized in that. Blue Polo was able to provide the SEO expertise in order to maintain the value of the site. The reason we purchased the site in the first place was that it did rank well. If we were to lose that, the purchase would’ve been pointless.

They had several different approaches. At first, they gave us a full technical overlay of the website. They had us change the way the site was built and cleaned up some of the metatags and various SEO buzz words that are necessary for ranking in Google and all the major search engines. They made sure all the key technical components were in line with what search engines wanted. They also had a strong focus on content and direction for users. They have a great in-house content team that was able to write relevant and niche articles. They identified keywords that we wanted to target just by using their tools and expertise to find which words are going to be best for a particular site and long tail words that we might be able to beat some of the competitors at. 

They also helped form relationships for us. They have a network of bloggers, influencers, and YouTube stars. They were able to create content and relay it to everybody that is relevant in their network. This really helped drive relevant users to the site.

How did you come to work with Blue Polo Interactive?

One of our newer employees had worked with Blue Polo before. He strongly recommended them. We met with them in person because we were both in New York. We share the same vision and we could tell they were experts that could speak to it. They also had data to back it up which was very important. They’ve worked on a lot of projects with a lot of major brands. They were able to show the impact they with hard data. We’re a very data-driven company so that was part of our decision to work with them.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in April 2012, and the project was completed in July 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Traffic went up which led to more revenue, and the site is still doing well. They laid a great foundation. The content they provided met our expectations. They have a great writing staff.

How did Blue Polo Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

They made all the delivery dates on or before. They were good at giving us reports that show how they’re impacting the business. They would do monthly summaries and additional reports as requested. The monthly summaries were very thorough. It showed what they worked on that month and what the plans were for the next month. They were very open to discussing our thoughts for future plans.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was pretty satisfied. If there were any moments for improvement, they would ask for it as the project was ongoing. They effectively met any needs, as we addressed them.