BrandExtract

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Business Development for Education of Data Projections

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Data Projections is a full service audio visual integration company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• New Website
• Marketing Support

SOLUTION

How did you find BrandExtract?

• Referral
• Friend

Why did you select BrandExtract over others?

• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Knowledge and Expertise

How many teammates from BrandExtract were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
We engaged Brand Extract as experts in their field to do a full evaluation of our current website and marketing endeavors and present to us the approach and design they would recommend. 

• After evaluating our current website and meeting with key members of our team, BE developed an approach to ensure our website and marketing were in line with our strengths and goals. 
• Lead generation was at the top of our list.
• They developed website experiences for key audiences in our industry.  
• It was important to us that they prioritize a true human connection to the visitors on our site. 
• Evaluation of competing companies websites helped us hone in on what we felt was most important in the development and differentiate ourselves in the industry.  
• The design of the website was to follow the original "Brand" which was established years before by Brand Extract and keep a consistent scheme throughout. 
• The team developed two approaches to the final site for us to choose from and we decided on the Consultative, High Tech, Solution Minded, and Simple strategy to move forward.  
• The amount of detail and expertise dedicated to our vision was amazing.  
• Through the process we were fully supported and kept up to date on each key step.
• Go live date was 8 months ago and we are actively engaged with their team on marketing and SEO monthly.
• BE has developed key marketing additions to our website for events and announcements.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Timely process for developing the project plan and site
• Key communication through each step of the process
• Quality design deliverables for both desktop and mobile platforms
• Compliance with Accessibility requirements for websites
• Support with updated content, visuals, etc for new site
• Expertise in the transfer from old site to the new site successfully and timely
• Data analysis of traffic from old site to new site with key success factors

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

• It was obvious from the very beginning that the structure of the BE team is an art and they are tasked in their various positions to stay on track and each work in their vertical toward a common goal.
• They were diligent in the plan formation, regularly scheduled meetings, email updates, etc.
• They are masters at staying on task and time management.
• Honestly they often were nudging us to complete tasks to keep the project going which was great since we all wear many hats at our company.
• Anytime (and there were plenty of these) we had questions they were more than willing to text, phone, email, video conference to ensure we felt comfortable with the concepts and processes.  

What was your primary form of communication with BrandExtract?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Most definitely, BrandExtract's culture and go-to business strategy are extremely impressive. Bo is a wealth of knowledge for all things branding, websites, marketing and I am sure much more. He has developed a method of team work with his teams to ensure a valued deliverable in a timely manner. All at the same time engaging and instructing his clients in the ways and methods to a successful website deployment and ongoing support for targeted marketing that brings results.  

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

I truly do not have any suggestions for improvement for BE. It is a true partnership and they have gone above and beyond to truly understand not only our industry but our team.  We are very fortunate to have a partner that believes in us and wants us to be successful as a company through their endeavors.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

PWI Construction is a private, nationwide commercial general contractor specializing in high-end hospitality, restaurant, and retail markets. I am the Marketing & Communications Manager for the professional services firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire BrandExtract?

PWI Construction hired BrandExtract to conduct market research and a website redesign and development following a re-branding. The new website sought to attract and capture the firm's target audiences while communicating PWI Construction's new visual brand identity and messaging.

SOLUTION

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

BrandExtract offered their expertise and knowledge of B2B market. Their thorough and thoughtful analysis of our as-is and to-be state was invaluable during the vendor selection process.

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

BrandExtract facilitated a discovery session with our executive team to better understand our needs, challenges, and goals. They led a market research project to inform decision-making and challenge in-house assumptions. From there, they provided a project brief and recommendations.

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

PWI Construction worked with various members of the BrandExtract team throughout the project to include a project manager, creative specialists, UX specialists, SEO/SEM specialists, and more.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new website design gives the firm the flexibility to update and re-configure as needed. The UX experience far surpassed the previous design. Website traffic and leads have increased.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between PWI Construction and BrandExtract was seamless. Their dedicated project manager served as a conduit and primary point of contact throughout the project.

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

BrandExtract knows what they're doing. They were passionate about what they do and had the right team to solve our challenges.

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

We are proud of the end product and the journey of getting there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Arms Wide Adoption Services is a nonprofit organization based in Houston, Texas. We work with children in the welfare system to connect them, ideally, with permanent families through foster care adoption and post-placement support programming and development. I’m the director of development within the organization, so I oversee our fundraising and communication efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrandExtract?

Over five years ago, we decided that we wanted to rebrand our organization. Our previous name and mission statement didn’t really say anything about adoption, and we found ourselves having to explain who we were and which services we offered quite often. Thus, we went to BrandExtract, hoping to get a rebrand that would help us steer in the right direction, with a name and a brand identity that would support our long-term goals.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before engaging with BrandExtract, we worked with a consultant who helped us validate the need for a new brand and name. Ultimately, BrandExtract helped us with a comprehensive rebranding, which included a name change, new mission and vision statements, new visual assets, and an entirely new brand identity. Basically, we worked with them from start to finish.

Initially, we met with them and discussed our long-term goals for the new brand identity, and we worked together on the new mission and vision statements. After that, they presented us with a lot of possible new names, vetted them in various ways, narrowed our options down, and helped us make a selection.

Then, BrandExtract created the logo and visual assets around that name, as well as a branding guideline so that we could deploy our new brand in a uniform and methodic way. Finally, they created sample assets, like annual reports, newsletter templates, and examples of how our website could look to portray our new brand identity.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with one main point of contact from BrandExtract most of the time, but this person changed depending on where we were. At the beginning of the process, we were mostly in touch with their chairman, who helped facilitate some of those big-picture discussions and understand how they could take us from point A to point B.

Once we got through some of the more strategic conversations, we worked with someone whom I could describe as the project manager. She constantly checked in with us and connected us with whomever we needed to work next, whether they were graphic designers, naming experts, UX designers, or web designers. She facilitated all those interactions and helped us throughout the process.

How did you come to work with BrandExtract?

We initially went through a long list of local branding and communication firms recommended to us and various of our board members. This list was comprised of 6–8 companies, and BrandExtract was part of it. However, I can’t recall who recommended them to us specifically.

We reviewed these companies’ proposals, looked back at the referrals, and narrowed the list down to 3–4 companies. Then, these few companies came in for an in-person presentation, and we went over their proposals in more detail.

After bringing BrandExtract as part of that process, everyone was really impressed with their approach, strategic thinking, and overall, what they would be able to do for our branding. Ultimately, our board committee decided to move forward with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

BrandExtract sent their initial proposal in May 2016, and we started working with them around June 2016. They finished all of the branding work around March 2017, and we then worked with a PR agency to get help with the communication around the launch of our new brand in May 2017. After that project, BrandExtract helped us in 2018 and 2019 with some other little things, like SEO, keyword research, Google Ads, and PPC marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Once we launched our rebrand, we saw an immediate uptick in our website traffic, achieving a tenfold increase in our website traffic during the first year. Additionally, the American Marketing Association in Houston awarded us with the Rebrand of the Year award.

From my perspective, BrandExtract provided us with a very scalable and user-friendly brand guideline, which was very helpful for a lean organization like ours. As a nonprofit, we’re pretty under-resourced when it comes to branding, marketing, and communications, but we now have brand guidelines that any member of our organization can easily implement.

Throughout this process, we had a board subcommittee overseeing the project. We received a lot of positive feedback about BrandExtract’s ability to get a large group of stakeholders to align on the timelines and collective goals. They wrangled all of the different voices to get everyone on the same page, and they facilitated all of those big-picture conversations to get us all moving in the same direction.

BrandExtract also demonstrated impressive expertise in all areas, from brand identity development to messaging, graphic design, and name vetting. Overall, they were wonderful, and we were very impressed with their work.

How did BrandExtract perform from a project management standpoint?

BrandExtract’s performance was great. We never chased after anyone looking for the deliverables, and from the beginning, they provided us with a very structured and transparent project timeframe that they met. Additionally, they were really proactive in communicating where they were and what they needed so that we could keep moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

BrandExtract ultimately understood what we wanted to accomplish very clearly, and they ensured that all of the decisions we made along the way supported those objectives. They helped us think very strategically about what we were doing and who we were doing this for, which was great.

BrandExtract surely works with large companies with big budgets. However, despite being a small nonprofit organization, they always treated us as one of those big companies. They really cared about our project and about giving us a product that could ultimately help more kids, which was very important for us. They made us feel valuable and important, no matter if we were one of their smallest clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. We were really impressed with them from start to finish, and they continued being a valuable resource for us when we needed them. We really enjoyed working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

What helped us was being clear about our goals, although they then helped us refine them to be more specific, measurable, and impactful. Thus, I advise you to have a clear idea of what you want from them and be very transparent about your limitations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing at the ABS Group, a large global engineering consultancy. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrandExtract?

We needed to work with a company to help us develop a new website that reflected not only the complex nature of our business and the solutions we provide clients, but also the value of the services that we've done in the past and our innovative approaches to problems. We also wanted to highlight our thought leadership content.

We needed a website that would generate a significant amount of leads that we could then convert into prospective clients and finally sales. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BrandExtract completely developed the website for us. They started by laying out the skillsets they had across their business, which provided support and strategic guidance throughout the project. 

We began by outlining exactly what we wanted the website to do and its design, how it would function, and the personas we wanted to imitate. Their team mapped out the practical steps and did some free website design testing. 

We pivoted a few times from my initial design after input from the website designer, but we eventually landed on a design and they developed the website for us. 

Their teammates worked with us on every aspect of the project, including the initial scoping of the project, copywriting, and the website design and coding.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 7–8 teammates from BrandExtract, including a project director and two content and UX/UI teammates. I also regularly talked to Jonathan (Chairman) during the strategic planning process. 

How did you come to work with BrandExtract?

I did an internet search looking for a company around Houston. I wanted a medium-sized agency that had worked in the Houston area because most of our clients are from Houston. 

However, I also wanted a company that had worked with various industries, from heavy industrial to complex engineering solutions firms. BrandExtract had that experience in abundance. 

I interviewed multiple companies but was impressed with BrandExtract's chairman. He was engaging and I liked the way he approached marketing, so we reached out to them for the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested a little bit more than $350,000 with BrandExtract. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2017–March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our lead generation has gone up significantly. We have better numbers on Google Analytics regarding our ranking on key phrases and keywords.

Before working with them, we had a high user bounce rate and users generally didn't spend much time on the website. Thanks to the new, engaging content and better user navigation, users now spend a lot of time on the site. 

How did BrandExtract perform from a project management standpoint?

They set a clear timeline and deadlines for each part of the project — we knew exactly what key milestones needed to be hit before moving on to the next section of the project. Their timeline made the entire process extremely efficient and actually helped us come in under budget as well. 

They not only brought additional expertise and information to the project, but they organized the existing information to create an excellent and effective plan.

We generally had daily contact with their team and I had a weekly conversation with the project director, who kept me informed about the stages of work and what each teammate was doing. 

We'd also go to their office every 2–3 weeks to discuss the project face-to-face. There was constant communication throughout the project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

First and foremost, I was impressed with their appreciation of the skillset I had within my marketing department — they worked with us on the project instead of just taking over. They're very aware of the skillsets their clients have and can work seamlessly with them. Other vendors can be dismissive of those who aren't as well versed in a field, but BrandExtract really appreciated my team. 

No matter the size or experience of a department, they'll provide the direction for the project — they bring a wealth of knowledge, and we could appreciate and understand the advice they gave us. They're innovative and thinking all the time — they're a good team. 

Instead of saying we were wrong in our initial direction for the design, they provided excellent cases for why we should change direction — I got a sense that they cared as much about the project's success as I did. They were real partners in our project. 

They took the time to understand my business — they don't have a one-size-fits-all approach to design, which has created a lot of success for us. They don't come in with any preconceived ideas and create a solution tailored specifically to their client. 

I also liked that they were very honest about pricing and what they can do within a client's budget. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It can be hard to do copywriting for engineering firms like mine because of how technical the language is. So when they tried their hand at some copywriting, it wasn't great because it wasn't technical enough.

They wanted to do a good job, but in the end, my technical writer was just better than their resources. It would've been helpful if they'd just taken their foot off the gas in that particular instance. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients need to be clear about the budget they have and the vision they have for their project. The only way that clients can operate with them is if BrandExtract knows exactly what the client wants, from the craziest to most boring ideas. 

BrandExtract has a wonderful way of creating a function and plan around the ideas a client gives and will deliver that within a client's budget — they can only do that with complete honesty from the client about the project. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former executive director of Houston Community Toolbank, a nonprofit.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrandExtract?

We needed help with marketing and branding. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BrandExtract did many different projects for us — everything from an extensive branding initiative over the course of eight months to developing marketing collateral for our website. They also helped us with our logo, color schemes, and branding cards. 

Working with BrandExtract has always been a collaborative process. We don’t have anyone that specializes in branding or marketing on our team. All of their ideas have been inspiring for us, and they take an approach that really impresses us. They don’t just work on colors — it’s also about textures and the audience we’re trying to market to.

Additionally, BrandExtract is working extensively with our social media manager, and they are helping us create our social media calendar. They’ve made it really easy for us because all of our content is in the moment and not something that can be prepackaged. Their team positions us so we have all the tools we need to execute social media campaigns.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Jonathan (Chairman), a project manager, some content writers, and some designers.

How did you come to work with BrandExtract?

They were already being utilized by our organization when I joined.

How much have you invested with them?

They’ve given us $200,000-worth of in-kind work for the branding campaign. For other projects, we’ve paid around $1,000–$5,000 depending on the type of work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2016, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customer engagement and social media performance has improved.

How did BrandExtract perform from a project management standpoint?

BrandExtract is amazing at project management. Our project manager is very communicative and flexible, and they always push the project forward, which relieves pressure from our team. 

I’ve never felt the need to remind BrandExtract about deadlines or be the one to initiate the next step. They’re constantly working and managing the project. We typically communicate through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

BrandExtract’s talent and communication skills are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can’t think of anything. I’m just so impressed with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage with them sooner rather than later. I always recommend BrandExtract to anyone looking for branding and marketing support. Contact them, and they will do the heavy lifting. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and president of a regional ice cream distributor for national brands and boutique products in the frozen dessert category. We service multiple segments like foodservice, k-12 schools, mobile vending and wholesale as well as special event catering.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hire Brand Extract to redo our logo and along with a fresh set of brand guidelines.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met with 3 of Houston's top creative marketing firms and met with each one to see which one's personality and response times fit our needs. Jonathan from Brand Extract responded to my initial call immediately and promptly set up a meeting time. From the start, I got the feeling that our project was just as important to them as it was to us.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We met with their creative team at their offices to go over our vision and what our overall scoop would entail. They took notes and listened intently. We invited them to our location, so they could see first hand what we do and get an idea of our company culture and image.

We met at their location a few times after that to go over their production and answer any questions that they had. I absolutely love the image and logo that they came up with and we get compliments on it all the time!

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

I worked directly with Laura and Cynthia, who made sure that we connected our ideas to the two designers working on the project in a way that made sense to them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Now that we have our new logo and brand guidelines, we are able to confidently invest into social media and other media outlets knowing our brand is well represented.

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

We used email and in person meetings to drill down on the design feedback.

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

They were very organized and creative in their approach to our company's future look. I also enjoyed their enthusiasm about our services and products, which they had the whole office indulge.

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

I really loved their services and energy through the creative process. They are great company to work with and have high quality output. They were very gracious and worked within our budget, otherwise we would not have been able to afford them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president, COO, and CEO of Chemstations, Inc., a software business that provides productivity tools for chemical engineers all over the globe. We’re a pure product provider—all software and no service. We do about 50% of our business overseas through a network of distributors. We target customers in the chemical process industry (CPI) like chemical companies and refineries, engineering companies, equipment manufacturers, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with BrandExtract?

We’re a relatively small company in a market with one dominant, public player. In terms of brand positioning, we needed to not only increase market awareness but differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Before BrandExtract, we’d been working with local partners for graphic design and advertising, while relying on our instincts and analysis for major branding decisions. With that said, we’re not marketing specialists, so we didn't see results.

I started looking for a new partner—a firm that was not just an ad agency but also offered consulting and brand analysis services. I wanted to transition our core marketing strategies from print-based to a web-based media plan. We brought in BrandExtract to use our traditional CRM and in-house tools to assist with our branding efforts, helping us better connect with our existing clients and other professionals in the industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

BrandExtract started by interviewing our staff to get a feel for our company and culture, then they spoke with existing customers, our competitors’ customers, and industry experts. They analyzed that data and formulated a description of our company and our product from the perspectives of our internal team, our customers, and the industry as a whole. Their report highlighted any noticeable gaps in our market awareness.

Then, we started the planning phase. We came up with strategies to close the obvious gaps in our branding strategies by driving awareness through customer engagement. BrandExtract’s second main deliverable was a marketing campaign plan, complete with a new logo and tagline. They did a total rebrand based on their findings from the first phase of the project.

Over a two-year period, we executed the plan. Since then, we’ve been tweaking and improving the strategy while working on a number of other projects. BrandExtract rebuilt our website during the execution process, and they’ve recently completed another update as well. On both occasions, the team reworked the site from the ground up implementing fresh design elements. Now, they’re hosting our website and providing assistance as necessary.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is our project manager, Elizabeth (Brand Strategist, BrandExtract), but we still interact with multiple team members. They provide a web expert who assists with the occasional technical issue. Additionally, I have direct access to senior staff, including Bo (President and CEO, BrandExtract) who handles high-level issues.

Generally, I reach out to Elizabeth regarding any problems or questions, but I’ll email multiple team members in the case of an emergency. They have a reliable ticketing system for support, so my concerns are always answered and addressed.

How did you come to work with BrandExtract?

I reached out to my professional network with a note describing our issue and the kind of service we were looking for. I received recommendations for about five different vendors. A family friend recommended BrandExtract after having attended an executive program at Rice University with Bo.

After several phone calls, I immediately narrowed my shortlist down to two potential candidates who seemed the most capable. I asked each vendor for references and spoke with their past clients. Ultimately, they both showed a lot of potential and offered a good price, but I felt a stronger connection with BrandExtract.

How much have you invested with them?

I estimate that we’ve spent an average of $35,000 a year for the past ten years, which totals to about $350,000. Our last major project with them cost between $60,000–$65,000. As a medium-sized business, our partnership with BrandExtract represents a pretty big investment.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with their team in May 2008, and we still have them on retainer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the start of our partnership, our web traffic has improved, and incoming revenue has increased by approximately 50–60%. I attribute a lot of our success over the past decade to BrandExtract’s work. They’ve been extremely helpful.

How did BrandExtract perform from a project management standpoint?

They have a system, and it works. Elizabeth is my sole contact for every piece of our various projects—print, web content, e-media, banner ads, logos, and website metrics. She expertly manages each task, with no delays or mishaps. We have a weekly called scheduled every Thursday to touch base and prioritize the current workload.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We are a highly technical and specialized provider. It’s unlikely that we’ll ever be able to find a branding/marketing group with technical engineers on staff, so we really appreciate BrandExtract’s willingness to dive into the complexities of our industry. Since the beginning of the partnership, they’ve developed an understanding of our company and our product, expertly managing our branding and marketing campaigns.

This was a problem point for us in the past. We worked with companies who couldn’t fully comprehend the intricacies of our business. It was too big a mountain for them to climb. In comparison, BrandExtract goes the extra mile, researching our industry and asking questions to constantly build their knowledge. With their help, we’re more engaged with our customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because we have an ongoing relationship beyond the large projects, we don’t often have a clear understanding of the scope and billing estimates for the smaller tasks. I must stay on top of quotes, updates, and bills to assure that they’re on the right track, and we are understanding each other.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Communications of EnerGeo Alliance

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

EnerGeo Alliance is the global trade alliance for the energy geoscience industry

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Annual Report design

SOLUTION

How did you find BrandExtract?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select BrandExtract over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from BrandExtract were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Design and creation of the 2023 Annual Report

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Weekly update meetings to check progress. Annual Report was published on time on the date previously scheduled.

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

On-time delivery following the agreed schedule. Highly responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with BrandExtract?

Virtual Meeting

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

Excellent teamwork with well-defined roles and competencies. They are great listeners and doers. Original graphic design. Timely and professional.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a company that provides environmental services to the energy industry. We safely sequester energy waste onshore in the United States, and are working to develop carbon sequestration infrastructure.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We have used BE for a variety of branding and marketing initiatives, including the rebranding of the company in 2015, and a major brand update in 2020/21. Our goals were to position Milestone to be the leader in energy waste management in our regions, and to be recognized as a leader in sustainability within the energy industry.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our senior leadership had a prior relationship with the CEO at BE. We also reviewed 4 different vendors in 2015 and selected BE based on their prior work with similar companies, and their depth and breadth in the space.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

They did a detailed brand assessment by speaking with both internal and external stakeholders. Then they worked with our team to deliver a compete brand package. During the brand update, they repeated much of the same process, and worked closely with me and other senior leaders to develop a more sustainability-oriented and forward-leaning brand message. Marketing collateral associated with that effort is still being created and we continue to collaborate today.

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

Maybe 5-7 people were involved that we could see directly. I worked with their CEO, while other members of my team worked more directly with their account managers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our brand image today is definitively more sustainability-oriented and forward leaning. We are recognized as a leader in our space, and our market share has grown materially during the project.

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

We have regular touch-points with their project team. I'm not directly involved with all of them. They then will go back and assess the requirements of any particular project and revert to us with expected costs and timelines.

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

They think creatively and are committed to only providing the highest-quality content.

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

Sometimes their processes could be faster. Some projects spend much more time to plan than they do to execute. Faster execution would be valuable.