Boyden & Youngblutt

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a healthcare IT business that is focused on precision medicine. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Boyden & Youngblutt?

We were seeking assistance from an outside service provider to review the company’s name and branding as a starting point. That was the initial project for which we ultimately decided to engage with Boyden & Youngblutt. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team’s involvement evolved in different phases. For the initial phase, they were fairly involved in the comprehensive review of the naming and positioning of the company. Then, we continued to collaborate with them on identifying a list of potential names. The team created various concepts when they introduce several names and then they funneled it down to a subset for further consideration. 

Once we were able to choose a name, they also created a logo, color palette, and tagline for us. Thereafter, the team worked on helping us position ourselves using our new name and logo at a large trade show. In addition to the backdrop for the exhibit at the trade show, they also prepared handouts, brochures, and more. 

We also worked on completely redeveloping and redesigning our website as part of the branding project. Then, we developed content that was initially completed by our internal team. After that, the Boyden & Youngblutt augmented what we had internally to refine the next steps of our content development. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Jerry (Founder). I connected and discussed the project with him. He also put a team together to tackle our milestones. 

Our internal team also worked directly with a broader group, specifically on finishing the website project. It was spearheaded by Dustin (Senior Account Executive). 

How did you come to work with Boyden & Youngblutt?

We came to work with Boyden & Youngblutt because we worked with Jerry for a couple of years. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement ran from April 2019–June 2020. We collaborated in 2019 for the naming and branding. Then, it was in 2020 that we worked together to complete the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did an excellent job of interviewing leaders both inside and outside the company to understand the markets that we were serving. They really went deep into understanding what our company was all about, what our core competency was, and how that translated into the marketplace to create value. Ultimately, their great support led to the renaming and rebranding of our company.

We kept moving ahead because they were exceptional and provided great support in all the project’s phases. They just kept hitting all the marks and that convinced us to come back again and again. Out of all the things they did, we were quite pleased that they were effective in accomplishing what we intended to do with the naming of our enterprise. 

They quickly established the company’s differentiated capabilities. Furthermore, they were very cost-competitive. Any time that we do work with them, we ran an RFP process to have a good sense of what the market competitions were. 

How did Boyden & Youngblutt perform from a project management standpoint?

The naming selection process was very collaborative. From the high-level strategy to the tactical level process, they performed exceptionally. They were also helpful in allowing us to consistently meet deadlines. Moreover, they were agile and flexible. 

We didn’t really have formal workstreams, but our team just got on board with something that worked well for both sides. We didn’t have any issues at all. They also had regular check-ins and other communications which were all pre-scheduled.

In addition, the team was very accomodating in ensuring that we accomplished things that were critical to keeping us on track. That was possible because we always prepared our agendas on both sides so that we could do our meetings efficiently. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Healthcare is a big market and Boyden & Youngblutt's ability to segment that and understand our stakeholders impressed us the most. They really considered our audience when they were doing the milestones. We also admired their passion for their work and natural curiosity. Their willingness and genuine interest to understand us really changed the course of the engagement. 

Moreover, compared to other firms, they had a strategic approach. We had chemistry with them and we also liked their company’s culture. I didn’t work with any individual at the firm that I didn’t enjoy spending time with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything significant that they could improve. They just made adjustments or corrections along the way. Since they were good listeners and communicators, they did things in a transparent way. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to think through the critical dimensions of how you’re going to define the success of your project. You’ve got to create your own visions and expectations. They’re really going to listen to you. However, it’s also important that you get involved in the partnership. Once you’re able to bring that to the table, you’re going to see that they’re prepared to catch you. Overall, put your project in a position where you can deliver or leverage their approach. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of sales and marketing at Polygon Company. We’re a composite company that engineers materials for anything from heavy construction equipment to medical tubing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Boyden & Youngblutt?

Our company, which had been a family-owned business, was purchased by a private equity firm two years ago. Boyden & Youngblutt were instrumental in helping us rebrand ourselves in light of this shift.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redesigned our branding elements, which they implemented across different materials and collateral. Starting with defining our value propositions, they changed our logo and mapped out our target markets. They even assisted with our website design.

What is the team composition?

We were in contact with around 4–5 teammates. We worked with both owners, Sara (Account Supervisor & Lead Strategist), and Brooke (Senior Account Executive).

How did you come to work with Boyden & Youngblutt?

Our onsite marketing manager found Boyden & Youngblutt after interviewing several agencies in Indiana. We were looking for a partner who would understand our needs, from a cultural standpoint (we’re located in small-town Indiana). The B&Y team felt like a good fit from the get-go.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000 and $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in December 2018 and is ongoing. We’ve had an entirely different business strategy in place since starting with them, due to the ownership change.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve delivered consistent messaging that’s significantly benefitted our company. Our new look is much more professional and modern. Their team really helped us identify our own image, understand what markets to go after and why, and established our new brand across different channels. We feel much more stable, now that we’ve got our identity fleshed out.

How did Boyden & Youngblutt perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always accessible, and we never had a problem getting ahold of them. The timelines were clearly defined and adhered to. We never fell behind on any of the items, and they always delivered plenty of options to choose from. They were also patient with us, even though we were familiar with many of the marketing processes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took the time to really understand our business and what we do. They even spent time in our plant to try and distinguish what sets us apart from other companies. Even though their team is comprised of highly-skilled experts who know what they’re doing, they still took a collaborative approach and took our ideas and needs into account.

They obviously care about their clients, no matter how big they are. They took our business very seriously, so we never felt like a smaller client. It felt like we became immediate friends.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Within a week of working with them, they’d purchased a video company. I wish we’d taken advantage of their video capabilities because we’d love to present our business at trade shows in the form of videos. I simply wish we’d leveraged their specific strengths earlier on in the engagement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d recommend them for small- to medium-sized businesses who want to feel taken care of. They’ll hold your hand through all the unfamiliar marketing processes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a healthcare consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Boyden & Youngblutt?

We needed support with our rebrand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Boyden & Youngblutt did a community perception survey to aid in the development of a rebranding and renaming campaign for a health system I worked for. With that, they also helped us with our overall marketing strategy and plan. We had a digital campaign and developed all our collateral for the health system with regard to service lines. 

The team also helped us with a campaign for the launch of a new facility in the community. The engagement was a pretty comprehensive marketing overhaul of an entire health system.

They used analytical tools throughout the project to evaluate the effectiveness of the digital campaign, so I was able to have some objective data on the results. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people.

How did you come to work with Boyden & Youngblutt?

I started with some web research, and narrowed in on three different firms. I met with each of them to lay out our needs and current situation, and asked each of them for a proposal. We selected Boyden & Youngblutt for their broad base of technical skills, but we also though they were a good cultural fit, which was important for us.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together for about 18 months from 2017–2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The main result was that we were able to completely update our marketing approaches, strategies, campaigns, and materials to something more modern. All the collateral was also updated with new looks and feels, which really helped with image and perception. 

Boyden & Youngblutt was also impactful in delivering communication and education tools, to get the word out in the community about our services and offerings.

How did Boyden & Youngblutt perform from a project management standpoint?

I found them to be very responsive. If anything ever came up, they did everything they could to accommodate and provide a quick turnaround. The team was very proactive in planning and helping us develop realistic deadlines. We didn’t have any problems with the project management aspect.

They always provided honest communication, rather than just doing what the customer says. As experts in their field, I thought that was really effective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They worked very well as a team. Everyone from Boyden & Youngblutt understood our strategies, challenges, and preferences. There was never anyone who didn’t know what was going on. We were really impressed by their internal communication and their commitment to customer service.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything specific. We’re happy with what we received.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I used to work with a healthcare investment startup that sought to invest in transformative healthcare technologies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Boyden & Youngblutt?

As a brand new firm, we were trying to generate deal flow and recognition within the orthopedic and musculoskeletal healthcare markets. We wanted to be recognized by entrepreneurs and founders that were seeking investment and establish credibility within the space.

We were also looking to differentiate ourselves from traditional venture capital firms and PE firms. We had more of a social impact emphasis along with our investments. We were trying to do all those things while launching the company and brand. We engaged Boyden & Youngblutt to help us do that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Boyden & Youngblutt helped strategically and delivered art deliverables. The scope of engagement with them involved naming the company and helping us develop the brand. They did the logo and identity work, which included providing us with various visual options and names.

The team helped us figure out the look & feel for the website. They did our initial stationery and web graphic templates. In addition to that, they helped us with our brand voice.

What is the team composition?

At different times, we had four or five. We had an account executive, a second chair account person, and Jerry (Principal). We also engaged with creative and art folks throughout the process.

How did you come to work with Boyden & Youngblutt?

At large medical device firms, some members of our team actually worked with Boyden & Youngblutt. Initially, we didn’t contact them because we assumed that we were too small to work with them.

After being frustrated by our agency search, we called Jerry. He was encouraging, and the attention they gave us, despite our small startup structure, was also encouraging.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in 2018. We’re unfortunately no longer active in the market.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Jerry and his team were really invested in healthcare. They understood what we were trying to do. They spend a lot of time on their own, following the healthcare market. They were true thought partners from the beginning.

We received a lot of feedback about how fresh everything was. The look & feel connected with people emotionally. Although we’re no longer making or seeking investments, we still receive that feedback. We ended up looking better than we deserved.

How did Boyden & Youngblutt perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet expectations in this area. They’re very professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their willingness to invest themselves in a market like healthcare was a huge advantage. We didn’t have to push stuff to them. They were out finding information on their own. Compared to others we talked to, their proactiveness to be a source of information for us was noteworthy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.