Brand & Mortar

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of SEOfly, a digital marketing agency. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand & Mortar?

I needed help with the digital marketing aspects that I didn't specialize in when I first started my company — my expertise was in SEO.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Brand & Mortar helped me with my branding, marketing collateral, and website. I provided information on my business and some of my ideas for the design that they then used to inform their work. As part of the branding package, Brand & Mortar provided me with printed material designs, a logo, a color scheme, and the website design. Once all the designs were finalized, Brand & Mortar developed the site in WordPress. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with a manager and a designer, but I knew a larger team was working in the background. 

How did you come to work with Brand & Mortar?

I found Brand & Mortar through an organic search on Google. I have a business connection who knows a teammate from Brand & Mortar, so it was an easy match for me. 

How much have you invested with them?

I invested around $30,000 with Brand & Mortar. 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project with Brand & Mortar was from December 2020–June 2021, but I'm still finalizing a few loose ends with them. 

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

The branding package that Brand & Mortar delivered is incredible — Brand & Mortar guided me through the process and delivered something that looks good and I can use to start selling my services. The website is very simple and clean, reflecting how straightforward my services are. I've received a lot of feedback about how aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate the site is. 

How did Brand & Mortar perform from a project management standpoint?

Brand & Mortar had comprehensive communication; they responded to my messages within the hour, and I could get in touch with them at any time over the phone. I never had a question that was left unanswered for very long. We had very open discussions about my business needs. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I honestly believe Brand & Mortar's communication was one of their strongest assets. They thoroughly understood my needs and communicated openly with me about them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I was delighted with Brand & Mortar's deliverables; I have nothing for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I completely endorse Brand & Mortar, and I urge customers to hire them. It's important for customers not to overthink the branding process because Brand & Mortar will handle the legwork. As long as customers communicate clearly, the process will go smoothly. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of an artist based company, specializing in illustration.

For what projects/services did your company hire Brand & Mortar?

We signed a contract in May of 2021, with my needs heavily outlined of building an extensive website with cutting edge plugins and a custom functionality. After numerous follow-ups, they were confident they could meet my needs and we signed. It was extremely pricy, but I knew because of the functionality needed, it was needed. I am able to design websites myself, but due to time constraints, I didn't want the added stress.

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

We looked over a few different companies, but they stood out due to their advertised expertise.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After numerous chats regarding the needed functionality of an eCommerce site and a very unique request for customization. We signed in May 2021. We received back and forth communications regarding files wireframes and general aesthetics. Everything was looking great. Once the wireframes (website outlines) were approved in October (they looked amazing), it was a contracted 9 weeks until I had my website in hand. They didn't reach out to ask me to buy a specific plug-in, needed until the end of November. At this point, they hadn't even touched on the most extensive aspect of the website. December rolls around, I want to confirm I will have the website mid-January and it's confirmed! Mid January comes and I inquire about the website. It gets pushed a week. No big deal, I understand delays can happen.

After reaching out again, they forward the "finished" website and it's unresponsive and nothing as contracted, discussed or agreed upon. I'm so distraught and wondering what happened? I list a large number of changes and some things their professional design team seemed to overlook. It doesn't resemble the wireframe agreed upon in October. They go over my list and say, "just another week and it'll be done". I wait the week and reach out at 5PM, asking where my website is. I get no response from my coordinator. Another member of Brand & Mortar reaches out and says "it's not done. We need more time".

At this point, I'm fed-up. They don't communicate their delays, I always have to email first and wait for them to maybe email me back. At this point, the delays have set us back so much, that we ask them to cease design. But, the week after I get a response that the website is 96% done and they'll send it when ready. So, I kindly wait. Another week rolls around and no website and no communication. We call, leave a message, and receive no response. I have asked for a refund for the last two weeks and unfortunately have received no communications from the Owner. I have been ghosted.

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

We worked with numerous departments. Social media, web design, copywriting and coordinating. The social media team was very thorough and I recommend them immensely.

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

In regards to the web design. Unfortunately, up until this point we have not received a final website and we have been set up for failure.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow at the beginning was consistent, thorough, and straightforward. They made it easy for me to understand their timelines. Unfortunately, once things took a turn, their communications became severely lacking.

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

Their marketing background is where they should focus their business.

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

They should build on their communication skills within their organization to be able to relay information to their customer more thoroughly. They should also provide more intensive timelines at the beginning and make sure everyone is aware of these deadlines.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

i3 International’s primary focus is to provide security solutions to jewelry stores, groceries, and other commercial enterprises. We’re a B2B company, and we operate predominantly in the North American market. I’m the marketing manager here, in charge of communication and social media strategy.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand & Mortar?

Our focus was to improve our social media presence and get more leads. We’d had a very traditional branding strategy up to that point, with a sales team responsible for making calls and booking demonstrations with customers. We wanted to take it to the digital space.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Brand & Mortar’s main focus is to help us with lead generation, mainly through social media. They shared with us a full digital marketing strategy in the beginning, including why we needed to advertise on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on Google Ads.  

Along with that, they’ve also provided us with a remarketing strategy. The team also proposed a reputation management plan, but we didn’t go ahead with it for unrelated reasons.

Brand & Mortar has done other, smaller work, such as microsite development, and they’ve helped us with our website’s visitor routes and PPC advertising. They mainly help us with Google Ads, online branding, Facebook and Instagram advertising, keyword research, and on- and off-site SEO management. We have a separate web development team, and we create the ads ourselves.

They’ve created a weekly content calendar for us, including for blog planning, and they post the ads we give them. Brand & Mortar also advised us on how we should design our ads to make them more appealing. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with four people from Brand & Mortar in total, and we’re in touch with two of them on a daily basis. Lael (Operations Director) is our account director, and Julian (Digital Marketing Manager) is our main contact.

How did you come to work with Brand & Mortar?

We did a Google search for organizations on the Canadian market, and we looked at their references. We shortlisted three agencies in the Toronto area, and asked them for proposals.

Brand & Mortar’s pitch stood out the most. They had a strategy that was aligned with our company’s vision and mission.

 How much have you invested with them?

We spend $3,000 CAD (approximately $2,300 USD) per month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Brand & Mortar in October 2019, and we’ve been with them ever since.

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

We saw an increase in leads after three months of working with Brand & Mortar. We have a monthly review with the team, and we’ve gone from almost zero to 15 leads per month, which is beyond what we planned. We would’ve been happy with 7–8 leads. Customers going social has helped to an extent.

Our website is more optimized now. We’re seeing more traffic through it, and we’re getting more feedback from visitors. We had almost no traffic before working with Brand & Mortar.

How did Brand & Mortar perform from a project management standpoint?

We use monday.com for project management, and we have weekly scheduled calls to check on our progress. Brand & Mortar manages our content calendar through Salesforce CRM Content.

What did you find most impressive about them?

My initial concern was finding an agency that would understand our business model, because not many companies in our industry use social media agencies. I was surprised by how quickly Brand & Mortar adapted and understood our customers. 

Our management team was skeptical about their recommendations initially, but Brand & Mortar has since become our advisor, giving us constant recommendations. I’ve seen a big shift in our management team’s thinking. They’re more receptive to Brand & Mortar’s ideas and feedback. I give them kudos for doing their homework, researching the market, and sharing their best practices with us. Beyond being an agency, they’ve been our partner for the last year.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the height of COVID, we weren’t sure whether we should continue our social media drive, and neither was Brand & Mortar. We didn’t do much in March and April 2020. In hindsight, we could’ve maintained some advertising, but we quickly realized that and accelerated. No one in those two months was sure what was going to happen and how long COVID would continue, so there was a bit of confusion.

I haven’t had any issues with Brand & Mortar outside of that. Their team has been very responsive.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should be clear on KPIs and deliverables upfront. Brand & Mortar gave us a great pitch, but we also sat down and clearly articulated what the deliverables would be on a monthly basis. We preferred monthly rather than quarterly planning, and the team quickly adapted to that.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing manager at a financial firm in Toronto.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand & Mortar?

We hired them for website development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Brand & Mortar did our website development and took care of everything. We had initial conversations based on what we wanted and what our needs were. Jordan (Founder & CEO) taught me how to use WordPress, generate leads to our website, and add interactive tools and resources for people to engage with on our website. He’s also showed us how to add content and word things so that we’re more likely to come up in Google searches.

What is the team composition?

There were developers and designers assigned to the project, but Jordan was my main contact. I spoke to him and gave him my insights, and then he reached out to a few people on his team. He brought it back to me to get my feedback, and I loved it.

How did you come to work with Brand & Mortar?

I’m not very technically-savvy, which is why I reached out to Jordan. I’d heard a lot about him through the grapevine, and his website looked amazing.

I chose them after my first encounter with Jordan. He was super personable, and I felt like I could trust him right off the bat. We had a really good connection.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $15,000–$20,000. We’re not done yet.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in February or March 2020, and it’s ongoing. 

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

The website hasn’t quite launched yet, but I’m assuming it’s going to be amazing just based on all of the work they’ve done. I even reached out to some of the other people they’ve done business with, and they all agreed that it’s a very good platform. I was really pleased with that.

How did Brand & Mortar perform from a project management standpoint?

They were super fast and efficient with everything. Whenever I’ve had a problem, I’ve texted Jordan and gotten a response within two minutes. They also took my ideas and made them a lot better.

I let them know what my deadlines are, because I have a very busy schedule, and they make it work. They’re very accommodating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really think that they go above and beyond what a normal provider does. I’ve worked with so many people — not just for websites, but other things — and Brand & Mortar adds more of a personalized touch. They listen to you, as opposed to just doing what they think is best. They’re just super on the ball.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything off of the top of my head; everything’s run so smoothly. They’re great.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d say to go with the flow. If you have an image in your head, open it up to different resources. They are the experts, so they’ll steer you in the right direction while taking your creativity and ideas into consideration. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of an LLC that specializes in leadership development for men.

For what projects/services did your company hire Brand & Mortar?

I hired Brand & Mortar for their digital marketing, web design, and graphic design.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals for this project was to redesign my webpage, create an ebook, and formulate a digital marketing strategy.

How did you select Brand & Mortar?

I selected Brand & Mortar because of their professional reputation, organizational culture, and high quality work.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope of the initiative was to market content and build an audience on social media platforms.

What was the team composition?

There are three people involved in this project; marketing strategist, graphic designer, and project lead.

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

The project is ongoing. However, the ebook that the team produced far exceeded my expectations. The digital marketing strategy they put together is exactly in line with what I need to do and can do.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team communicated effectively and professionally. Their responses were always timely and helpful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

So far, the most impressive thing about this company has been their graphic designer, Pasquale. His work is incredible.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not as far as I am concerned.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have a real estate team, Justin Shea Real Estate Group. There are four of us, and I’m the head. I'm also the co-founder of a holdings company for a couple of other businesses that I have. However, the company that relates to Brand & Mortar is a podcast called Not Your Average Narcissist.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand & Mortar?

We hired Brand & Mortar for digital marketing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Brand & Mortar is doing the website for our real estate group, which should go live in January 2021. They’re also doing marketing strategy, social media management, SEO, and PPC. They managed the branding from start to finish, including all of the logos and designs. They created our stationary and put together our listing presentations and buyer packages. Their team also designed billboards and transit ads.

They’ll provide many of the same services for the podcast, which we just had a discovery call for about two weeks ago. They’re currently working on the logo. 

What is the team composition?

I only really talk to Lael (Operations Director) and Pasquale (Creative Director). Lael is in charge, and Pasquale is the head graphic designer. I don’t have to talk to anybody else.

How did you come to work with Brand & Mortar?

They’re based out of Canada, and I’m in California. The dollar goes pretty far due to the exchange rate; there are wonderful companies in California to work with, but just by working with a Canadian company, I’m saving 25–30%.

When I originally went to them, I needed an entire rebranding for the real estate business, but I didn’t know what I wanted. I was really picky when it came to the logo and color schemes, and they did 9–10 renditions of just the logo before I’d even paid them. I hadn’t gotten that from anybody else before.

I’ve worked with other companies in the past. Usually, you get 2–3 renderings that are take it or leave it, but Brand & Mortar didn’t have that approach with me at all. That’s why I was referred to them. I just felt like they did more than they had to do. They were tolerant; they put up with my pickiness and questions, so that’s why my partner and I are choosing to use them for the podcast, too.

How much have you invested with them?

The branding and marketing strategy was $5,000, and the website was $8,000. We pay them $5,000 per month for SEO and PPC. In total, we’ve spent about $20,000. 

The budget that we’ll give them for the podcast will be similar. We’ll probably start with $10,000 and then scale up from there.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ll be working with them for the foreseeable future. We began working with them in August 2020.

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

I gave them everything I wanted, and they established timelines. Then, they gave me information on ad spend, what the ROI would look like, the channels they’d use, etc. A lot of these services that are being paid for via retainer and monthly dues are ongoing, so I’m not going to see a return for several months.

As far as key metrics go, I can’t measure them yet. However, there hasn’t really been a need for key metrics. They deliver on time. They get the copy and things we want to include on the website and presentations by a certain date. We review it, go back and forth on edits, and then I get a final product.

How did Brand & Mortar perform from a project management standpoint?

They do wonderful work and adhere to the timelines. They’re very punctual and get everything done on time. They do what they say they’re going to do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their work is phenomenal. Pasquale is probably the best graphic designer I’ve ever come across, and I’ve known many over the years. Every design that he sends, from the stationary to the website, has a description of why he’s chosen it and what his inspiration was. That has honestly helped me make decisions, as I don’t have a creative mind and can be a little indecisive in the creative space.

Pasquale’s attention to detail is phenomenal because it takes an incredible amount of time to leave such in-depth notes. Seeing his reasoning of why something looks the way it does and why helps me get behind their ideas or concepts much faster.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can’t come up with anything. They’re wonderful. I don’t know enough about the creative design world and branding to critique them. I do know that they’ve done a wonderful job. I’m very satisfied, and that’s the reason I’m spending more money with them. They’re doing a great job. 

Any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely say to anyone that’s looking to work with them is to take them seriously. They are very punctual and appreciate punctuality. I appreciate that they hold me accountable. Also, a company that’s able to pick up the phone at any time of the day obviously isn’t doing a lot of revenue because they’re not busy enough. It’s clear that Brand & Mortar is busy, so be sure to put in your effort to get them the things they need at a high level.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a real estate agent with Right at Home Real Estate.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand & Mortar?

I didn’t have an online presence or branding. Brand & Mortar helped establish that for me.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re building our website from scratch. They did our branding and marketing strategy, social media management, and SEO. They took care of visual content for flyers, business cards, feature sheets, in addition to content going on our website and social media. I believe they are doing some Google ads, Facebook ads, as well as SEO.

What is the team composition?

I work mainly with Lael (Operations Director). He is the account manager there and I also work with Jordan (Founder & CEO).

How did you come to work with Brand & Mortar?

They were referred by a business partner. They had done some work for her and she referred me to them.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent about $27,000 so far. The entire budget is $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together at the end of February 2020, and we are still working together.

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

I am very pleased with everything. They are great at design work, and we don’t have to keep going back and forth. For example, they showed me a couple of designs for the business card and it was hard to pick. They answer my questions quickly, and things happen on time.

How did Brand & Mortar perform from a project management standpoint?

It has been very good. Lael pretty much takes care of everything. He communicates with me through email and everything works efficiently. I am very pleased with the way they operate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re able to communicate with every single member of their team directly, which has given me more control. Depending on what our concern is, we can actually go to the person who is designing the website directly instead of going through the project manager. I like that because it helps us avoid any miscommunications.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It was almost too much communication at some points with all the updates, but that is a good thing because I knew what was going on and knew that someone was taking care of the marketing strategy. They are one of the better companies I have come across.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust them because they’re very good at what they do. They will consult with you and listen to all your needs and provide you with a whole range of solutions. Once you see those solutions, you can pretty much pick what you want based on your budget. They work with you to fit all of it into your budget. It can be difficult for some companies relinquish control, but these guys definitely know what they are doing.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former VP of sales and marketing at Dental Brands.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brand & Mortar?

We were rebranding from a discount brand to a premium brand, and we had just launched an online store. We were looking for ways to promote that through different social avenues as well as through blogging.

What was the scope of their involvement?

When Brand & Mortar first came on board, they spent a few months researching the market for us as well as different kinds of ads. They helped us decide which avenues to pursue based on our target audience. 

We did some paid ads on social media, and the team was also scheduling posts for us and helping us with promotions. They were working to expand on our profiles, which weren’t active and didn’t have very many followers.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about five or six people. I had two main points of contact.

How did you come to work with Brand & Mortar?

They were referred to us through a colleague. When we first met with them, it was clear their intentions were honest and reliable. We really appreciated that they sat down, got to know our business and its needs, and they came up with a realistic plan. 

How much have you invested with them?

It was about $3,500 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2016, and the contract was for a year. My contract also ended a year later, so I can’t speak to the relationship after that.

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

We saw an improvement in our engagement and conversion rates as a result of Brand & Mortar’s work. We were able to retain about 68% of our prior customers, which was impressive because we made the move from being a discount brand.

They really helped us establish benchmarks. We started at ground zero and didn’t have any marketing beforehand. They allowed us to discover things like who we needed to target, what language we needed to use, and what demographics we were looking for, which helped structure our other campaigns.

The process was very collaborative. 

How did Brand & Mortar perform from a project management standpoint?

It was nice to work with them. They were very hands-on and collaborative. It was great to be able to sit back and trust Brand & Mortar. We knew they were going to be able to meet all the deliverables and timelines they promised.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I love how passionate Brand & Mortar is about what they do. That very much stood out, as well as the fact that they’re so knowledgeable. They’ve cultivated a phenomenal team that had an expert in every avenue. Their support was really above and beyond the contract.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can really say. I’ve learned a lot through them in my role.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent and really honest about what you’re looking for and what you’re trying to achieve. I found having a very simple conversation with them and letting them analyze our needs and bring back their recommendations was the best way to go.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of Obsessive Lingerie Canada Inc. - an online premium European lingerie reseller.

For what projects/services did your company hire Brand & Mortar, and what were your goals?

We required a custom theme Shopify website for our online store. Brand & Mortar have a lot of experience and we knew they would deliver exceptional results. Their team exceeded expectations.

How did you select Brand & Mortar and what were the deciding factors?

We searched the Toronto area for experienced web developers and short listed 3 companies. After interviewing Brand & Mortar, we knew they were the best company to go with. They provided a very detailed proposal, which included designs of their past projects, great testimonials and it met our cost estimates and timelines.

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

We had an initial meeting to review the proposal in person, we then had a kick off meeting to review project objectives and meet the team of people working on the project. From there, the team provided mock ups of the pages and once approved, they began customizing the website. From there, they would build pages and I would go online and make suggestions for changes. Their team quickly updated the content and hit every timeline!

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

There were 3 people assigned to the project. 1 was the account director and lead for the project and they other two were web developers.

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

Our goal was to create a similar website to our partner company located in Europe. Brand & Mortar not only made it have the same look and feel but made awesome suggestions which significantly improved the design of the website.

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

The account director sent out a details gaunt chart with all project deliverables and timelines. I was in contact with their team on a daily basis via email. We would often set up phone calls with the account director to review any other pressing items and to review updates. All timelines were met.

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

I've never worked with a Shopify store. Their team not only create a beautiful and interactive website, but also showed me how to make changes, create discounts, upload new apps, add new products, and even how to adjust the coding.

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

When we first launched, there were a few minor bugs on the site. I sent them a detailed email and they would respond immediately with a timeline for the solutions and then let me know when it the task was completed.

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a growing company in the service and construction industry. I have owned the business since 2015

For what projects/services did your company hire Brand & Mortar, and what were your goals?

Our web presence was outdated and we needed to upgrade our website with new product lines and images. Our other challenge was establishing our social media presence and integrating it into our website.

How did you select Brand & Mortar and what were the deciding factors?

From the first introductory meeting all the way through the quote presentation and solution delivery, Brand and Mortar stood out from other bidders with their professional approach and great communication.

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

Initial meeting where we learned about the company, their capabilities, and their plan for us. Once an agreement had been reached, we received a detailed plan of next steps. A website wire frame followed soon after, social media pages that needed some approvals and then first design drafts. Communication was seamless throughout the process.

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

We had four people working on different aspects. Jordan presented the plan and the steps that will be taken. Lael executed on all deliverables. Connor handled our social media expansion and Anh handled website design.

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

The updated design, new images, and a lively social media presence coupled with some paid PPC campaigns led to an increase in leads, just as expected. Exactly what we needed.

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

Initial communication was in person and by phone. All other updates followed by email so we can see and approve draft designs.

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

The team connected with us on a personal level and really took the time to understand our business before providing solutions and throughout the design process.

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

We were happy with everything that they did. Maybe this wouldn’t apply to others but there were some items that could’ve been done without our approval to keep the project moving along.