Boldist

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m in charge of daily operations for Flora Family Farm, an e-commerce business.

What challenge were you trying to address with Laughing Samurai?

They’re in charge of our branding, web development and design, marketing, and advertising.

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the beginning of the process, we sat down with Laughing Samurai, and they explained their services to us. We chose their biggest package, which was all-encompassing. They gave us four different routes to go with our branding and design. After a month of going back and forth, we chose one with our team.

From there, they went into web development. Again, we had a couple of options for the website’s look, so we chose one. The website was built from scratch using WordPress. They finalized web development, and then we supplied them with all the content.

Initially, we were in charge of doing our original content, but Laughing Samurai put in the words so they’d be on brand and fluid between the pages. We then started the advertisement campaign, and now we have a different campaign sent to us each month for approval. Also, whenever we do a blog or email, we run it through them to make sure it’s on-brand. Finally, they take care of impressions, PPC, Google Analytics, and more.

What is the team composition?

We’re in regular contact with two people, and they have a team behind them. There’s a team that does coding and web development, and there’s a team for branding and design. We also have an account manager who speaks directly to us.

How did you come to work with Laughing Samurai?

We just searched on the internet. We wanted to work with someone local, so we had a couple of different options. Laughing Samurai had good reviews, and we liked the examples on their website. We met with multiple companies, but ultimately we felt that they could take our company and vision and display it the way we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

Up until this month, we’ve spent a little over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our partnership in July 2020, and we’re still working together.

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

The paid advertising has really impacted the visits to our website, and the duration of time on each page has increased. Overall, we haven’t had one month where Google Ads hasn’t increased our sales.

How did Laughing Samurai perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been great. What’s nice about Laughing Samurai is how organized they are within their team and how they deliver information in a concrete and organized way, which is beneficial to us. There hasn’t been chaos or disconnect between the teams, even though they do different things. They’re efficient, organized, and everybody knows each of their roles, so there isn’t any confusion on who does what or where to find an answer. If they don’t have an answer, they figure it out within that day. It’s a simple and easy process.

We’ve done many things through Google Docs, and they’ve sent us recordings of our group meetings. We typically communicate through email, phone, and texts. If they have a larger file, they share it mainly through drives or emails. Moreover, they’re very responsive. We’re always able to contact them, and they usually answer the phone right away or within a day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re eager to feel like part of our team. Our account manager always feels like a liaison and goes to bat for things that we want to see. They’re team players, and we haven’t had any time where we butted heads. Laughing Samurai has been very receptive to our vision, and if we can’t change something, they always explain to us why it’s better that way. I feel like we’re in expert hands, but they also use our voice and want us to succeed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any negatives, honestly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Laughing Samurai can do so much more if you’re extremely organized, so it’s probably more on your side. You must be organized — especially with marketing and advertising — and provide new content because the more you give them, the more they’ll be able to do for you.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing director for Luxe Property Group in Austin, TX. We serve the luxury real estate market for buyer, seller, commercial and investment clients. We are a small client driven agency that relies heavily on referrals and reputation based business.

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

While our website still functioning externally (for the most part), the back end was a mess and there were broken links and plug in’s everywhere. It needed a complete overhaul but our budget was not massive. After interviewing three local vendors and not finding a good fit, Laughing Samurai was recommended by an Austin development company as a group that might work for us.

After a few conversations with Ben we came up with a budget and a project scope and we were off and running. The open and honest conversation in the beginning help build a product that fit our team here in Austin and made sense from an immediate perspective but also gave us the flexibility to grow and expand when we are ready. And they never forgot that we are on a budget and were careful and transparent about every cost so we could make an informed decision.

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

First came the professional recommendation from a large firm here in Austin. Second, was the conversation. Ben has a passion for his business but even more so, a passion for yours. There was an immediate investment in our goals, our team dynamic and a thorough understanding of what we needed and what we don’t need. Ultimately, trust was the most important factor in making a decision to work with Laughing Samurai. The team is invested in our success and it shows.

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

I met with the team to discuss goals of the website design, both immediate and long-term. We talked through a time-line, responsibilities on both sides (I was providing some of the copy), and a projected roll-out date. Throughout the process, we communicated regularly, discussed options and alternatives and I was involved in each step. We launched the website on time and have continued to work together to create additional sales pages and ensure that I can run each feature on the site effectively.

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

Zach, our project manager, is our main contact for the team. He is incredibly responsive and involved in every step of each project element. He is sure to get a detailed understanding of every question and reports back to the team. I feel like I am their only client. I’ve met with other developers along the way as well. But once they had an understanding of our team and goals, Zach has been our go-to.

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

Since the roll out we have increased visibility of our brand and our group. We’ve increased buyer and seller leads along with created a new sales page to increase agent attraction.

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

We communicate primarily via email and phone (my choice) and all meetings and roll outs were scheduled in the first conversations. It’s very clear that the team knows exactly what role they play in the success of your project. They all understood our goals and our story which makes Laughing Samurai so unique.

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

The entire Laughing Samurai team is invested in our success. They are not just completing a project and moving on. Every conversation was authentic and transparent and focused on getting us to where we needed to be. They took time to make sure I was comfortable with all aspects of our site moving forward and that I was able to utilize the tools that were created for us.

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

I am still working with Laughing Samurai on existing projects and will continue to do so. I would recommend them to any business with any budget with full confidence that they will ensure that the project is a right fit first and then move forward with the best execution available.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO at Armstrong Lock & Security Products. We are a family owned and operated company that has been in business since 1929 and specializes in commercial and residential door security solutions, CCTV, Safes and Vaults, and traditional locksmith services.

For what projects/services did your company hire Laughing Samurai?

Our company website needed changing. It was well over 8 years old. I wanted to find a team that could think outside the box and create a website that not only provided our customers with a great experience when investigating who we were, but also streamlined processes within our company as it pertained to interacting with the website. It needed to be modern, sustainable, and give the visitor the feeling of safety. Which is what we do as a company, we make people feel safe.

What were your goals for this project?

I needed a seamless transition from our old site to the new, and I wanted to be sure that we had the ability to make minor changes to the site on the fly, so I also needed a platform that was relatively user friendly for the average user, but secure enough that someone couldn't manipulate our site. I also wanted to make sure the site was consistent with our message, design, and color schemes we use on other collateral material like brochures, fleet vehicles, and building design. In all, I wanted customers to navigate through our website with peace of mind that they contact the right company.

How did you select Laughing Samurai?

They took the time to meet with us, come up with a strategy on how to roll out our new site. They gave us "good, better, best" options which showed me that they were flexible and willing to work with me no matter what my budget was, which at the time, we didn't have an idea of what to budget for. They made my team, and myself feel comfortable and never rushed us into decision making or "the product of the month" type sales tactics.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we made our decision to move forward with Laughing Samurai, we were invited to a meeting with their team on what our day to day actions were, who are target customers were, what messages we wanted to convey, and basically a true brainstorming session with a lot of great ideas from a lot of wonderful people.

What was the team composition?

Laughing Samurai had several people working on our project. Some worked on getting high quality pictures, others worked on clear messages and content, and finally there was the overall design of the website as well. Laughing Samurai strategically had one person as my point of contact for the project, and Kara was great. I was very pleased with the people that were working on our project.

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

The website offered many new benefits for our customers and improved many of the processes we complete on a regular basis. For one, customers could now "chat" with a service professional at any time of day, and if we weren't available it was sent up to send a "out of office" message, but assured customers we would get to them the following business day. It also gave us the ability to add a "pay your invoice now" page to our website, which has significantly assisted us in collections and in decreasing our outstanding A/R.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

While the ideas, design, and product were all great, I was even more impressed with the level of communication I received from Kara and the team. They were always in constant contact with myself and/or my team. Our timeline expectations were met and we were always informed of the progress.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I absolutely feel in love with their companies culture, and how they collectively worked as a group, but it almost felt like they were all one big family. But, overall, I was impressed with the level of communication I received from day one to the very end, and even beyond the scope of the project. They have checked in periodically on us and we are very grateful for that. It gave me the feeling that they truly cared about our companies success and we weren't just a one time paycheck for them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

When comparing them to other companies, they estimate was on the high side. But I really don't think that should be taken as an area for improvement. You get what you pay for within this industry and Laughing Samurai brought a lot of value to the table and was worth every penny.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Assistant Vice President of Marketing at a university. We do everything from promotion materials to websites to brochures for recruitment, fundraising, general awareness, and brand management within the university.

What challenge were you trying to address with Laughing Samurai?

We’re a large institution. We have a lot of units and offices that need web work. What we can’t handle or have in overflow work, we send to vendors outside to produce websites. Laughing Samurai was one of those vendors.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve done two things for us. The first is a little bit of brand research for the university. We work with them closely on developing some ideas for ways to categorize and organize how units are able to identify themselves within a system. It really didn’t turn into anything that was launched, but it was very helpful on the research side - getting our heads aligned and having somebody outside coming in and giving us an outside perspective on it.

Secondly, they helped with website development. We have some of our internal clients who need a website, and when we don’t have the time, we tell them about companies we’ve worked with in the past that can help them. We stay involved in the conversation from a brand and web standard. Developing websites on WordPress and within the standards that we like to have them done for is what we look for in a vendor.

We wanted a vendor that understands necessary security procedures, somebody who understands the visual language and style of what the university is aiming for - bold, modern, youthful, and energetic. We need a vendor that is able to really challenge the client on thinking a little bit differently to produce a website that still fits within the brand but represents the ideals of the university.

How did you come to work with Laughing Samurai?

I met them through a connection with some other folks. The design and web community is not huge here in Orlando. So it’s not a large community, and you can usually bump into folks. I met them through another agency in town and got to know them a little bit more before we started engaging work. We saw that we could get along with them.

How much have you invested with Laughing Samurai?

Most of the projects are $10,000 to $30,000. We did engage with them on some video work as well.

What is the status of this engagement?

We are not working with them now, my office specifically, but there could be others that are working with them around the university.

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

I don’t know that I have any specific metrics. We have pleased clients I would say. Generally, as far as cost for the services when the website comes back, most clients seem to be happy. I haven’t heard anything negative.

How did Laughing Samurai perform from a project management standpoint?

Generally, pretty well. Everybody gets a little busy from time to time. Overall, they [Laughing Samurai] get things done when we ask them to. They provide a plan. Typically, if there’s been anything lagging it’s because something changes here or something new enters the project that wasn’t part of the original scope, so we need to discuss that. Most of the time there’s somebody that responds when they get busy. They say, “We got your message but we’re busy. We’re going to get back to you by this timeline.” They’re pretty good with that.

What did you find most impressive about Laughing Samurai?

They’ve got a good small team that you’re really going to get some customer service with. You’re going to know who you’re talking to. It’s not, “I’m going to pass this to my team of developers and I don’t know which ones working on it.” You can understand who’s doing things. Often, when you work with large companies you feel like you’re just a number, but I think Laughing Samurai truly wants to create something successful. It’s not just here, this is what you wanted. They want to build something that’s going to work for you.

Are there any areas Laughing Samurai could improve?

It is important to always stay on top of the projects. There are crunch times, and it’s really no fault of theirs if we call up and need something. If they can’t respond, they can’t respond.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is called Say it Loud. We’re a full-service advertising agency. I am the Owner and Creative Director.

What challenge were you trying to address with Laughing Samurai?

Even though we’re a full-service agency, we source out our digital capabilities. We can design websites and we hire people to program and sometimes design them. We were hoping to find a digital partner that would be a permanent solution. We tried different companies from around town and Laughing Samurai always came through. They always came through and did good work on the tests we gave them.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first partnered with Laughing Samurai to do rebranding for a conservative insurance company in town. We came up with this really great solution that took a company that had a look from probably the 1980s to something that looks current and global. They no longer look like a small company in Orlando, Florida. Another client that Laughing Samurai helped with was a restaurant that needed to redesign their website. We initially consulted them and then brought Laughing Samurai to do the actual redesign. Laughing Samurai not only helps keep the design up to date but also help with social media. Laughing Samurai provided social media management, SEO, and Google AdWords work for a client of ours that sells contemporary furniture.

How did you come to work with Laughing Samurai?

They had a reputation in town for not only being small but doing very effective work. We were testing two or three different companies that same size. These other companies didn’t get it and would miss deadlines. Laughing Samurai always met the deadlines, knew how to code, and actually got the business aspect correctly as well.

How much have you invested with Laughing Samurai?

Monthly, it’s in the $15,000 to $20,000 range. We started four years ago.

What is the status of this engagement?

We still have a few project with them ongoing. We’re almost exclusively sending all of our digital work to them.

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

We share reports provided by Laughing Samurai with all the clients that we’re working on together with them. All the barometers are on the rise since they started working with us. There is no questioning of where a client’s money is going because they’re seeing results. We give them reports on page likes, bounce rate, and how many people saw the campaigns as detailed as you can get. The reports are provided for clients sometimes on a weekly basis and some monthly. All of them are on the rise or stable. Their design work was good too. Now they look like any company in New York or London. They’re very happy with their work.

How did Laughing Samurai perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re [Laughing Samurai] doing well. They’re very proficient in their procedures. We give them objectives and a production timeline for each project, and they always meet the deadlines. It’s never been an issue.

What did you find most impressive about Laughing Samurai?

Compared to the other digital agencies that we had worked with in the past, it has been positive. We invited them to not only move in with us but pretty much be our sole digital provider. We haven’t had to go anywhere else since we started the relationship with Laughing Samurai, which is a big relief for us because in the past we had horrible experiences with other digital agencies. They’re very in tune with what’s going on in the industry and are very sophisticated.

Are there any areas Laughing Samurai could improve?

The only thing I ask of them is to stay on top of new trends or new methods which we can use in digital to offer clients in order to provide a little more of what we offer to the clients. Obviously, it’s a better return on investment for us and for them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We have two restaurants. We have a Greek restaurant, Taverna Opa, and a Spanish restaurant, Tapa Toro. I am one of the owners.

What challenge were you trying to address with Laughing Samurai?

We were opening up our second restaurant, Tapa Toro, and I was looking for a company to do the branding, logo, and website. Basically, we needed everything a digital marketing company would do.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed it and had a photographer for the food photography. They helped us with Google analytics, SEO, and were writing the unique content for the website. They set up our Facebook, Twitter, and our Instagram – which they post to. We do a minimum of three posts per week and come up with a monthly outline. If we need to add anything in, I let them know.

How did you come to work with Laughing Samurai?

I had researched a couple companies. We had a PR firm and our account manager there recommended Laughing Samurai. I reached out to them and they seemed like good people.  For me, that’s the most important when it comes to doing any business - making sure that who you deal with on a daily basis seems true to their work. That’s the reason we picked them.

How much have you invested with Laughing Samurai?

Monthly we spend $2,000 to $3,000. The website development and branding was $15,000 to $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They took on Taverna Opa as well in the social media. We updated the website for Taverna Opa with them a few months ago. We are still ongoing and started around October 2014.

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

People have said that the website is easy to navigate and that it is easy to understand. It is key to receive feedback from our clients, so our ads on Google and Facebook help that happen. SEO and advertising are key for that to happen.

How did Laughing Samurai perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always there when I need them [Laughing Samurai] and are easy to work with. I thought that what they did was amazing and were always on top of things. If I have an idea in my head, I reach out to them and they collaborate with us.

What did you find most impressive about Laughing Samurai?

The great thing about them is that they go above and beyond with their work. If you need help with anything, they’ll be there to support you and give you feedback. With Laughing Samurai, you have more of a personal relationship.

Are there any areas Laughing Samurai could improve?

No. They’re really on it. I have nothing to complain about.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Webb Adams helps prepare organizations for cybersecurity and IT audits, certifications, and examinations. I am the Principal/Founder of the company.

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

We hired Laughing Samurai to do a refresh of an initial website they built for us a few years prior as well a proposal template design that we could use as a sales tool with new clients.

We were looking to improve our overall sales funnel, improve look/feel of the website and qualify new leads with improved copy, visuals and call to actions.

How did you select Laughing Samurai and what were the deciding factors?

We had a great experience working with them in the past and knew we wanted to work together again on this project.

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

We started the project off with a kickoff meeting to understand all of the goals and deliverables in entirety. Once we had the website framework decided, Laughing Samurai moved into website design, copywriting assistance and website development.

While the website was being developed, they helped consult on our proposal design and process and create a templated document and design for our sales team to use moving forward that reflected the look of the new website.

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

We worked directly with 2 members of the team (Creative Director/Strategist and Account Manager) however, their team of website developers and copywriters were also involved in the project.

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

The timing couldn’t be better on helping to streamline the process since we’ve had a big uptick in activity and a significant increase in new clients.

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

This project had a tight timeline that their team helped us stick to by following up on approval dates and scheduling prompt, efficient meetings. We communicated via phone, email and zoom depending on the needs.

They worked hard to keep to schedule and budget and we supported them in return with quick responses and feedback to meet our goals! It was a smooth team effort.

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

Laughing Samurai was able to translate our ideas and business goals into effective UX/UI design. Design that not only looks great but helps to convert!

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

N/A

Please describe your company and your position there.

SchenkelShultz is an architecture firm established in 1958. As Marketing Coordinator, I was tasked with updating our website.

For what projects/services did your company hire Laughing Samurai?

After several years of transition, SchenkelShultz was in need of a new website. The site was over 10 years old and extremely outdated.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted our website to serve as a digital portfolio, with large images that display our very best work.

How did you select Laughing Samurai?

We considered around 10 other design firms for this project. After receiving quotes and proposals from all of them, we narrowed it down to three firms, who we met with in person.

The Marketing Director and the President of our firm were key decision-makers, but we also involved several other Architects in our firm. We all enjoyed our meetings with Laughing Samurai and felt the most confidence in their proposal and skills.

Describe the project in detail.

For this project, Laughing Samurai walked us through the process step by step, from wireframes to final design. SchenkelShultz's Marketing Department supplied all graphics and copy. The main goal of the project was to make sure our website was mobile-friendly. Laughing Samurai built out our entire website in WordPress, and created a simple editor for our team to use to add/update content.

What was the team composition?

For communication/meetings, we met with three people. Kara, the Project Manager was our main point of contact. GIlbert was the designer and was heavily involved in all of our meetings.

We especially appreciated that Ben, the President of Laughing Samurai was involved from early in the project to completion. Having a decision-maker, a designer, and a key point of contact available through the process created a strong sense of trust.

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

Our new website has had increased traffic and much better search result rankings than we had before. Our old website was not mobile friendly at all, which decreased our google rankings. The Partners in our firm were thoroughly impressed with the final product.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between teams was incredible. Having a single point of contact as the project manager allowed me to only reach out to one person and know that all of my questions would be directed to the correct person on their end.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We had such a strong sense that Laughing Samurai was actually excited about our small project. They were friendly, but professional, and quick to respond to any problem we had.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had no major hiccups and were very happy with their performance.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Controller for Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen located in Florida. We are a restaurant chain and our company has 3 locations. I oversee all employees and vendor relationships.

For what projects/services did your company hire Laughing Samurai?

Our company is always looking for better ways to switch up all menus and website edits. Laughing Samurai has always been our go to company for that.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to re-vamp the menu options for our guests. We also needed the website to match each of our menus with descriptions and pricing updates.

How did you select Laughing Samurai?

After all the great feedback we heard and recommendations from friends we decided to go with them. Working with them has been amazing and smooth.

Describe the project in detail.

Project included menu price updates, menu description changes and website updates. Once we submitted these changes it was an easy review of approval and quick process. They knew exactly what we needed from there.

What was the team composition?

We had one main contact for everything from the very beginning. Our contact worked well with their team to ensure our edits were correct and they were perfect!

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

We just launched our new menu February 1st and guest love the new menu. Our feedback has been great!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Super easy and smooth workflow. They knew what was needed and they delivered it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This company is on it! The communication with us, to the outcome of the project needed done. They are quick and get the job done and done right.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not for us - Keep up the great work!

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is a monoline workers' compensation insurance carrier. I am the Digital Marketing Manager.

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

We rely on Laughing Samurai to ensure our website is up, the website is easy to update and the website can be changed as needed. These things are particularly important since we do not have an in-house web development team.

How did you select Laughing Samurai and what were the deciding factors?

We have partnered with Laughing Samurai for the past 4 years. Through our website rebrand until now.

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

New projects always begin with a kick-off meeting to establish goals, mock-ups to ensure everyone is on the same and wireframing if necessary.

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

We've worked with the entire Laughing Samurai team in various degrees.

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

Improved site speed on desktop and mobile.

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

The project management style is open. All ideas are listened to and responded to, then a decision is made to move in one direction.

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

They're always willing to listen to us.

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

Frequency of project communication.