BLVR®

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a pioneering self-storage advisory team that provides access to the nation's most extensive buyer pool.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLVR?

We hired them to complete a rebranding effort and develop a new website to go along with it.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a fresh, easily distinguishable look so that we could stand out from the competition. Our goal was to have a site that had a modern, professional vibe.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to us by a colleague.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Initially, they created a new branding package and style guide for us. They then designed, developed, configured, and hosted a brand-new website for us.

What was the team composition?

Several departments from BLVR were involved in our project, including design, web, and marketing. They assigned one point person to our project, Jonathan (Digital Director, BLVR).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We just launched the new site a few weeks ago, but traffic is already up. Compared with our old website, people are spending more time per visit. Jonathan and the team at BLVR provided us with such a great end product.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The process was quite smooth and simple. We had one point person, which was very effective because it kept confusion down and allowed us to move faster. All of our concerns were managed professionally and in a timely manner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What impressed me the most was how they skillfully managed the entire process. They did a great job balancing our team's need for control and high level of detail with their need for creative independence so that they could create top-notch branding for us.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

I really can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director at Keystone Church.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BLVR?

We needed help with branding and web redesign.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a branding strategy, for which we created wireframes and copy. We presented them with our branding document when they visited the church to experience a service. BLVR created a branding style guide to streamline our look and produced an animated promotional video. They also designed samples for marketing collateral including apparel, posters, tags, and signage. Currently, they’re working on a new WordPress site that’ll be finished in summer 2018.

The team also designs content graphics for ongoing communications and message series. After five or six months, we went to see them in San Diego and they unveiled the new logo. Our logo is the word Keystone and the “o” looks like two brackets with a space between them. That “o” opens up like a chain that’s unlocked. In the middle of the word Keystone, in between what we call the broken chain, which represents the “o”, is the branding phrase “Live it Unlocked”.

They then helped us create the brand release strategy, but we held onto it for nine months – three months prior to this review – until after our building finished construction. We’re now promoting the brand and logo via signage and t-shirts.

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with three people from their team including the COO. The digital director serves as project manager and is the main contact for the site. The lead designer reviews graphics to keep them in line with the brand. We occasionally work with other resources on coding and design.

How did you come to work with BLVR?

Our advertising vendor – billboards, YouTube ads, airtime – recommended several branding agencies for logo design, including BLVR. Although they hadn’t worked with churches, BLVR did have nonprofit experience and shared our values. Everything they did seemed to have meaning and care. We chose them because the team brought a fresh perspective and an eye for excellence

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The logo was a missional and meaningful statement. Our team and our congregation love the design for its compelling message. Additionally, we fell in love with the meaning behind the print collateral, as well as the options and creativity that went into its creation. We trust them to realize our collateral’s potential.

Furthermore, they care about their clients, including their mission and vision. It’s not just about colors, fonts, and shapes for them. It goes deep into who they are as people and their character as a company. For example, we recently had a women’s retreat called “Roots”. The group had ideas about what the graphic should look like. We sent BLVR the information and they gave us three ideas, which all looked pretty good. However, our team miscommunicated the look to BLVR and the design was different than what the Roots group wanted. After we explained the mistake, BLVR redid the graphic in an incredibly quick turnaround.

How did BLVR perform from a project management standpoint?

The team’s promptness, great ideas, and openness to feedback make them a wonderful partner. They don’t take critiques personally and will work until they get it right. On our side, we’ve had some trouble articulating our vision and BLVR has always been patient during that process.

Sometimes, we communicate through a third-party media buyer that interfaces with BLVR on our behalf. For direct communication, we use GoToMeeting, Zoom, and email. We also share files via Google drive. Currently, daily communication is on hold while BLVR is completing a coding project; we’ll pick up again when they’re ready to present the results.

What did you find most impressive about them?

While the excellent work speaks for itself, they also have integrity and an authenticity about customer relations. They care about us and are passionate about our mission and success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can push the envelope a little more when it comes to the graphics' look. They don’t have to play safe. We don’t want to be cheesy; we want to create art and they know that. We want to be inspiring. We always get there eventually, but I want them to keep pushing that artistic balance with us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be ready with a direction and vision in mind. They can’t create something when the client doesn’t have a vision for it, but they can help that vision come to life.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Speak Your Silence, a nonprofit focused on breaking the stigma of childhood sexual abuse. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BLVR?

When we first approached BLVR, we were looking for a whole branding package. We needed to create a new brand identity, website, messaging, calls to action—everything really. That was about five years ago.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BLVR delivered the brand strategy for us. They built everything you see on our website and everything we have that’s digital. They did our design and logo, and they helped us design products, packaging, the website, signage, print materials, and pitch decks. The website has been through multiple iterations over the past five years. We’ve used WordPress from the very beginning. Everything they’ve done for us has been custom. The guys at BLVR will make suggestions, and then I'll make requests, whether it’s adding the option to join as a monthly donor or an annual one, making suggestions on the basic functionality of the website and the presentation of it, or creating lightboxes for videos or newsletter subscription pop-ups or screen takeovers.

How did you come to work with BLVR? 

We found BLVR through a friend who had them as a client. 

How much have you invested with BLVR?

I don't have the exact numbers, but I think we’ve spent $40,000–$50,000 with BLVR over the course of a few years, which is probably low compared to what many would pay for this type of work. Design and branding have been my focus in building my organization. We have a monthly service agreement with BLVR for continuing design/web work, and they’ve been very generous to us as a nonprofit.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with BLVR in May of 2012, and we’re about to launch this new website, so our work together is ongoing. We’re on a monthly service agreement now, which is different from what we originally contacted them for. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

I don't have good metrics for you, but BLVR did help us develop the stitch zigzag into a recognizable and highly respected brand symbol. In the last 2.5 years, we went from 500 people wearing it to roughly 27,000, primarily driven through everything BLVR has done for us. We’ve done marketing, of course, but our overall success has been because BLVR created high-quality work that people latched onto.

BLVR has been great. We’ve seen more traffic to our website, and more people are buying the clothing we’re selling. We’re also starting to get brand partnerships, and it’s because the caliber of our work is top-quality. If we were working with a low-level designer who didn't create great work, we wouldn't be getting these partnerships.>

We’re based in Boise, Idaho, and I intentionally work with BLVR in San Diego because they have the best designers and great developers, and they are just good people. With previous designers, I would get nervous when they would send me designs to review. I would think, “Oh man. I hope I don't have to tell them that I hate it.” With BLVR, the work is so good, and it gets better every time. I don't even know how to explain it. They’re current on what’s current, yet while maintaining a timeless, classic brand. They know what looks good, and they have fresh stuff for me all the time. Each time I go, “Dang. This is better than the last one, and that one was really good.” BLVR has really great designers, and with branding, it’s all about quality. Anyone can build a website or create a logo, but the logo was the part I cared the least about. The guys at BLVR did such a great job putting the whole package together that the logo was an afterthought to me.

How did BLVR perform from a project management standpoint?

BLVR performs great from a project management standpoint, and they’ve been phenomenal to work with. The creative director role is on my end, and I give BLVR the freedom to do what they’re good at. Our work together is very much a collaboration. I was in San Diego recently for a face-to-face meeting with BLVR to catch up on what’s happening and to strategize and figure out what the next steps are. We have one of the healthier types of business relationships that you can have, really.

BLVR is super responsive. Adam is my primary point of contact, and he always replies the same day or within a few hours. I typically have one point of contact on specific projects, and they keep the communication process simple and streamlined with clear expectations. We have three or four designers, depending on what the project is, and I’ll contact them directly when I'm in the middle of a project. For creative strategy, I talk with Scott [CEO, BLVR], and we’ll communicate via phone and email. Angela [Brand Account Manager, BLVR] helps occasionally. I’ll get in touch with her for editing and crafting mass newsletter emails.

Just like with any company, BLVR has changed over time, and their processes have improved. We primarily use email to communicate, but we also use BugHerd on the website that we’re pushing out. This new website is even more responsive than the previous one. We still have a few little things we’re going to change. We’re going to make the testimonials begin at the bottom of the first page, and those will be displayed one quote at a time to clean it up. They also helped strategize the flow of this website to focus on The Stitch and keep the available information simple. Our current website focuses more on our counseling program, which we found was creating message confusion. Scott helped us lay out a logical flow that focused on the user and what they’re looking for.

What did you find most impressive about BLVR?

I’m most impressed by their hearts. They’re just good people. Sometimes you wonder if you can trust some of the people you work with, but I know I can trust the guys at BLVR. They have our best interests in mind. There are two companies we’ve worked with for five years because they’re great people, and BLVR is one of the two. I’ve had people say, “You need to change out your creative from time to time.” Well, BLVR brings in new designers and new creatives, so that right there is a changeover, and I have no desire to move away from these guys if they’re doing such a great job for me. I’ve stuck with them, and they’ve kept things really fresh.

Are there any areas BLVR could improve? 

I can’t think of any ways BLVR could improve. They keep refining their processes and getting better.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with BLVR?

I've introduced people to BLVR and they've really liked them. I suggest that prospective customers should just talk to the guys at BLVR and see if they're a good fit for them. I can't think of anything prospective customers need to be aware of. I give them glowing endorsements anytime anyone asks.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The client is a 401(k) provider. I’m the chief marketing officer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BLVR?

We needed to rebrand our company to update the look and feel and to reflect who we were and where we’d grown. We were a small firm that started and now one of the fastest growing 401(k) solutions in the country. We needed a professional brand that was still accessible.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started with logo design and color schemes. They worked on every piece of collateral that we put out as it relates to the rebrand, including client statements, business cards, presentations, and videos. We also did a rebrand of the website in WordPress. The website acts as our primary capture for lead flow and has to connect to our Salesforce.BLVR helped with a lot of the backend by including forms and making sure things were feeding through to our CRM [customer relationship management] correctly. They helped us with the standard best practices for metatags and such, but they didn’t do any active SEO. The scope changed according to what we wanted.

How did you come to work with BLVR?

A friend of mine, Scott, works at BLVR. We worked on a project together before he went to BLVR. When he went to work there, he called and asked if I needed any work done. We started with small projects, and our relationship grew from there.

How much have you invested with BLVR?

We have a lot of things happening all the time. Our spend with them is six figures every year. The total cost for the rebrand, redesign, and website was between $30,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them 2.5 years ago, and the work is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

We weren’t tracking the analytics or optimizing certain pages or lead flows before working with BLVR, but we are now. I don’t have any numbers. The conversion also has to do with people’s overall perception of the brand, so that’s been helpful too. We’re a fast-growing company, but I don’t know how to attribute that to the look, feel, and brand of the company. Feedback from customers and colleagues has been phenomenal. In our world, we’re big, but we’re smaller than the big banks. We have to look the part, but we also have to draw a differentiation because we don’t want to be a big firm; we want to be independent. We don’t want to look too boutique. Instead, we want to look big enough that people know we’re not a boutique. There’s a fine line there. BLVR nailed that in our logo and collateral and everything we do.

How did BLVR perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re fantastic. We used BugHerd to track bugs. They give me comps in Envision that I can click through if we’re going to do a UX layout. They’re very responsive, which is one of the top things I need in a relationship because we’re always moving quickly. When I call, someone answers the phone, which I really appreciate. They will do emergency work over weekends if they need to get things done. The relationship was collaborative, but we didn’t need to do many iterations. The first logo they gave us was the one we went with. They gave us a strong presentation and captured it in the first go.

What did you find most impressive about BLVR?

I’ve worked with a lot of agencies in the past, and I feel like you typically get an agency that’s run by creative types who put out good work with no execution or accountability. Timelines are often missed with those agencies. Some firms are good at execution, but the work isn’t that great. BLVR’s CEO, Adam, acts as the project manager and has created a structure to make sure the projects are getting done in the way that clients want.

Are there any areas BLVR could improve?

I think their price is in the right spot. I’ve worked with other big-name brand agencies that over-charge for their services. BLVR isn’t a local two-man shop. You are getting a 30-person company that is still hungry like a small company but isn’t so big that they’re disconnected from what the client wants.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with BLVR?

Trust their process. Allow them the freedom to do what they’re great at. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Vice President of Rayven

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provide green investment opportunities to investors by buying apartments and decarbonizing them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Create a name
• Create a logo
• Create a brand

SOLUTION

How did you find BLVR?

Referral

Why did you select BLVR over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me

What was the size of BLVR’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

Provided a name, logo, and branding package. Also reviewed our website to ensure branding package was implemented.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Name
• Logo
• Branding Guidlines

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

Project management was exceptional. Everything was on time and deliverables were high quality.

What was your primary form of communication with BLVR?

Virtual Meeting

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

The work was stunning, but our team genuinely enjoyed working with the BLRV squad. They made our day more enjoyable and were a team we could trust to hit deadlines.

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

Honestly, I cannot think of anything. They are a 5-star shop.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Access Scientific manufactures medical devices in the vascular access market. As VP of the organization, I oversee marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BLVR?

We needed to completely redesign our website and redevelop our branding.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed new branding and a new website. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Out of the four vendors we vetted, they understood our objectives best and created the best demonstration.

Describe the project in detail.

BLVR examined our previous branding and used its fundamental concepts to redesign our logos and update our color scheme. The new brand gave our portfolio a boost and coincided nicely with several products that entered the market at the same time. They also redesigned our website to be more relevant. Our previous version was difficult to navigate and did not generate quality leads. 

What was the team composition?

The team included myself, our marketing director, the BLVR director, and two designers. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website was simple, yet exciting and easy to navigate. Our website lead generation multiplied eight times. In 2017, we were nominated for a marketing award from the Association of Vascular Access. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our communication was good. It took some time to get used to the portal they used for website changes, but we rarely missed a deadline.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their good customer service and willingness to adapt to our vision of the brand. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't have any requests at this time.