Branding Los Angeles

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Mumtaz Marketing, a strategic marketing and event-management firm. We’ve been in business for 12 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Branding Los Angeles?

I wanted a partner to assist my clients in meeting their goals. We needed assistance with digital marketing as well as overall graphic design services. We wanted to supplement what our company offers. We had worked with other branding agencies before and were searching for better quality and a team player. I needed someone who would be open to a long-term relationship with many different clients.

Marketing is a broad scope. I’m good at the high-level strategic end. Branding Los Angeles has the ability to also focus on digital solutions, which helped us strategize. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve collaborated on several projects with them. Branding Los Angeles did digital marketing and branding for a client of mine. We do a lot of experiential event-based marketing. I needed help with the digital side of that work, including social media. They also pushed the brand awareness of participating organizations beyond the day of the event.

They provided services related to social media, e-newsletter, timing tactics, and purchased ads. We also worked with their team on a lot of graphic design. Sometimes, when I’ve worked with other firms, we’re only assigned a single graphic designer. Branding Los Angeles provided me with a team of 5 people who all worked on the project. I got 5 different presentations of each idea. From there, the client was able to decide what they wanted. I’ve never seen another company present a variety of ideas and creatives like that.

How many resources were assigned to your project?

I worked with 4 people. I had 2 main points of contact and also worked with 2 other women. They’ve all been fantastic and receptive. Once we figured out which resource was the best fit for a project, I worked with that person the most.

How did you come to work with Branding Los Angeles?

I was referred to them.

How much have you invested with Branding Los Angeles?

We have spent between $10,000 and $50,000 over the course of our relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2016, and the most recent project was completed in May 2017. We’re working on another project currently. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve brought 4 clients to Branding Los Angeles, and all of them have been extremely satisfied and will continue to partner with us for their annual projects.

How did Branding Los Angeles perform from a project management standpoint?

The team sends me regular updates. If they had any questions, they were communicated concisely. They were never late. They managed changes really well. If something required more time to accomplish, they let me know in realistic terms. Other firms I’ve worked with would give unrealistic timelines. I needed to handle the client from my end, so I appreciated when they gave me realistic timelines. We communicated through phone calls and emails. We’ve also used Basecamp on several projects.

What did you find most impressive about Branding Los Angeles?

They’re not the cheapest company, but they’re probably the smartest team player. They’re willing to be my partner in achieving my goals for my company. They get involved with the clients’ goals and deliver. To me, they’re worth every penny; that’s why I continue to work with them.

Are there any areas Branding Los Angeles could improve?

We all want things cheaper, but I can’t think of any issues. They deliver what they offer. I’ve recommended them to other marketing agencies directly. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Steel Systems Engineering, Inc. provides structural steel detailing services for fabrication firms all around the globe. Our niche is within the US. We do the framework for large steel commercial structures. I am the sales and marketing executive. I also do business development and play a managerial role.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Branding Los Angeles?

We didn’t have a contemporary website for modern times.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started redesigning from scratch. We needed pictures and content management capabilities. I needed to be able to edit as I choose. We needed a home page that was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. We had a nice picture on the front and some testimonials along with the categories of our projects. We provided the logo and they executed it. I had an idea in mind of what I wanted for the design, and Branding Los Angeles used the tools they had to meet my satisfaction. They gave coloring suggestions and advised me to use certain pictures and made sure I wasn’t copying any wording or pictures that other companies used. The redesign was a team effort.

How did you come to work with Branding Los Angeles?

He was an acquaintance of mine. I had a sense of trust because I knew him. I could see him directly if I needed, which was nice.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2014, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website has kept us contemporary. A lot of our work utilizes software programs, so we have to stay up-to-date. I’ve had compliments from some of our customers that the site looks more modern. It’s an informational website, so it’s not meant to drive traffic. There is more traffic but I wouldn’t say it was directly because of Branding Los Angeles. It’s more because of me putting out more marketing materials. They brought us up-to-date and that was the most important thing for me. They got all the information that I thought represented our company well, and put it on the website in a way that made sense and was pleasing to the eye.

How did Branding Los Angeles perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well, but there’s always room for improvement. The work was done on time. We communicated in-person and through Skype, email, and phone.

What did you find most impressive about Branding Los Angeles?

I haven’t worked with another web development company before so I can’t compare them. They executed on my needs, and were attentive and responsive. Communication was at a high level.

Are there any areas Branding Los Angeles could improve?

Overall, they did well. Any company goes through different obstacles. As long as those issues get fixed and the end result is something the client is satisfied with, the project is a success.