Brolik

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a life sciences museum in the Philadelphia area that primarily serves schools and families.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

We were interested in putting together a campaign for exposure as well as developing the marketing materials for new revenue streams.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team took us through an identification process to determine our target audiences for various revenue streams. They offered us direction on some new and existing underdeveloped streams as well.

This way, we weren’t wasting energy on consumers that wouldn’t be interested in the product. For the new revenue streams, we determined who our clients were and the best strategies for reaching them. Primarily, we worked through social media. However, we also developed internal resources to ensure that all employees were synced up on our brand direction. 

What is the team composition?

We always had multiple people working on the project, but we typically had a primary contact or set of contacts. 

How did you come to work with Brolik?

I searched for a partner online by looking for agencies with good reviews. Then, I started reaching out to have conversations with some of the principles of those places. Their team was well-reviewed, and their CEO got back to me within 24 hours.

Our early meetings went very well. After learning about some of the other projects that they’re involved in, we decided to bring their team over to our museum. There, we determined that they would be a great fit. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project spanned September 2019–January 2020.

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

Most of the work they did was new to us. We didn’t have any of the internal processes set up that would allow us to run a marketing campaign like this. Now, we have things created from scratch that we can optimize over time. The deliverables are still existing and functioning.  

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a consistent project manager for all of the work their team did. Their good with communication, always responsive to emails and calls. It doesn’t matter how we contact them, we can count on the work getting done extremely quickly. Additionally, they’re good about proactively checking in to let us know how our campaigns are performing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have the resources of a large company, but the client relationship feels like we’re working with a small company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We were incredibly happy in our engagement with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Map out your desired deliverables with them. Their team will already be recommending this, so take advantage of that opportunity.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We specialize in industrial rental boiler sales and service work. Our company was sold to another business recently, so my title shifted from CEO to VP.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

We’d done some website work in-house, but we needed a true partner to develop a digital marketing strategy for us in order to compete effectively in the space.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have a very technical business that would be very challenging for an outsider to understand. So, we put together the meat of the content. For instance, we’ve provided their team with photos, copy, videos, and case studies. It’s their job to package that information together for our website, social media channels, and email blasts.

On a monthly basis, meet with us to review our performance and organic rankings. In those discussions, they’re quick to hold themselves responsible for their work and guide us in the right direction. 

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of about five people. The size of the group depends on our project needs, but the same people have been there throughout much of our engagement with them. Jason (Owner, Brolik) is also always available to us.

How did you come to work with Brolik?

Our team did some research after interviewing an unfit partner that came by recommendation. We decided to work with them because they’re a young, local, enthusiastic group of talented people.

They asked us pointed questions about our needs early on to make sure they understood the challenges of our space. Their proposal involved a complete, comprehensive package that detailed how they make decisions and which audiences we’d be targeting in the process. I was really impressed with how quickly they were able to deliver that information. 

How much have you invested with them?

In the two years that we were handling a web redesign, we spent about $250,000. For the other years, its been closer to $125,000. They structure their rates based on hours they can put forth toward certain initiatives. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our collaboration in 2015, and our work is ongoing.

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

They’ve performed very well for us. Despite being in a market that focuses on Google Ads, they’ve kept us as the first organic search result for years in about six different keyword searches. We’ve been at the top of the list, and our customers are able to navigate our site easily. Additionally, the team incorporated a call to action on every page, driving traffic toward conversion. 

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

Either over the phone or in-person, their communication and project management capabilities are strong. Our point people are always available to us. They’ve always had the proper resources to complete projects on our timetable. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re personally invested in the results of their work. If something isn’t performing to their expectations, they’re motivated to problem-solve. That’s how we like to run our business, always thinking about quality.

They stay on top of our competitors and take action to keep us in the number one search result. Additionally, they make sure that our site adds value to our customers. It’s not just about traffic and keywords, we care about quality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Certainly, there are times when I wish we had slightly better results here and there, but they’ve performed fantastically overall for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared and organized, because they’ll ask you more questions than you think you’ll be asked. So, it’s important to know your business, competition, and market to get to the bottom of what you need. They’re great at what they do, so be open to setting realistic goals with them. 

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the marketing manager for an organization that provides underground utility locating.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik? 

The original reason I reached out to them was to redo our website. Our SEO was quite poor, and the site was pretty outdated.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Brolik completely redid the entire website. There's nothing that’s the same about it. The old site was on WordPress, and they switched us over to Craft CMS. We asked them for something fresh, new, relevant. As far as the specifics of the design itself, their team worked on putting it together. We also use them for video production. They enhance our video content for our social media campaign that we're currently running on Facebook and LinkedIn. They did some small one-off graphic design projects as well. 

What is the team composition?

Jason (CEO, Brolik) was our initial contact through the sales process and is still the main point of contact on the video work. The rest of the project was transitioned to a senior account executive. In total there are seven people I communicate with in-house, plus they contract out for some outside services.

How did you come to work with Brolik? 

I found them via a Google search. I reached out and interviewed several vendors. I went with them because I enjoyed the website work they’d done with other customers. Their video content really grabbed me. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $85,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in April 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

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

Brolik’s work definitely has had a positive impact. Our website is definitely much improved as is our SEO. We re-launched our Google Ads campaign, and it is doing really well. 

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint? 

Jason is awesome. We mainly communicate via email, and we also use GoToMeeting for calls. The main disappointment is with our account executive. We’ve had to send him things several times because he lost them. He managed the overall redesign, and that part of the project fell far behind schedule. The big reason for the delay was because he wasn't on top of his game, which I expressed to Jason when all of this went down. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

I’m most impressed with the new design they came up with for the website. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

Internal communication can definitely be improved, especially for the account executive that we deal with. There were some moving parts that got lost, or we had to send him things over and over again.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own the marketing and oversee the operations for a residential heating and air conditioning contractor.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

We’ve been in business for eight years, which makes us an immature company in this industry. We needed somebody to support us in sustaining growth. The biggest need was from a digital perspective, helping us to create and execute a digital marketing plan.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The relationship started with us committing to a retainer of 35 hours a month over the course of 12 months. For the first 90 days, they dug into both our background and that of the industry. They interviewed key personnel here and from a list of our promoters in the marketplace.

Brolik came back in 90 days and gave us a report on our industry’s digital points. They identified where the gaps are and where we could close the delta in terms of what we had previously done and what we were looking to do. Next they produced a nine month timeline for our key initiatives based on that research. They created and shared a document that we discuss every 30 days. It shows where we are on the timeline, what the path will be over the next 30 days, and the results of the past month.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with three people. One led the sales process; the chief strategy officer set up the first year of building the relationship out; and then the account manager handles the day-to-day questions of the project.

How did you come to work with Brolik?

We did research and sought referrals for local agencies that had digital expertise. I got their information from the Philadelphia Inquirer. We did a lot of work to make sure they were aligned with our vision that we had shared what we wanted out of an agency relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’re spending $65,000 per year for the first three years. We also just committed to pay them $35,000 to work on our website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around September 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

The first part of the engagement was a lot about learning, and it was huge for us to understand the messaging. In terms of bottom line revenue, we grew as a company 32% this year over last year. We traditionally grew in the high teens to low 20s in the years prior to the engagement. Inbound leads also grew by 37%. I can't attribute the growth solely to Brolik but they gave us the ability to scale to that magnitude.

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

We're in touch daily as well as our standing meeting every 30 days. We use a video conference call for that monthly review. They reach out 10 days in advance to coordinate that conference call. They allow the communication to flow. The platforms they use aren’t complex or complicated. They have a system of Google documents that are shared between us and that allows for an ease of communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They provide a greater level of transparency than other agencies, which is really important. We know that we won't go months or quarters without understanding what's happening with our project. They feel like an extension of our business. They're clear in terms of successes and failures, as opposed to creating excuses. One of the biggest differentiators is that they actually spent time on due diligence and reconnaissance of our industry and our business. They’re agile in terms of the ability to navigate change. Ease of our transactions is one of the great benefits of working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I understood that their niche is digital. We would love for them to continue to build out from a graphics design perspective. We'll see how they do with the look and feel of the website.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Beginning the relationship with due diligence was the key to our success. It shortened the learning curve of the agency/client relationship. Definitely push them and continue to ask questions of them. Make sure that they’re going through that process and using it as a tool to understand what happens next.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at Joe Hand Promotions. We’re the nation’s oldest and largest provider of Pay Per View events to commercial establishments like bars and restaurants. We have exclusive deals with content providers and partner with venues to place the PPV event in their bar and help them promote it.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

We needed help with lead generation and brand awareness to expand beyond our existing client base. We were going to use digital channels to target independent sports bars who didn’t think they could afford PPV.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project began as a rebrand before shifting to lead generation and finally transforming into a website development effort. We were known for our UFC distribution, but we wanted to change that reputation after acquiring new content. Our brand imagery was UFC-heavy, so Brolik switched us to a value-based proposition determined by what we could do for our customers rather than who we represent. They created imagery and a new slogan that describes the value we bring to bars and restaurants. Currently, they run digital marketing campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.

Updating our website with the new branding was much harder than anyone anticipated. Our platform was not one many people were experts in, and it hadn’t been updated in many years. They moved us off of our custom ExpressionEngine CMS to a platform with a more flexible design and navigation. This modern style gives us more control. We upgraded our CRM independent of our work with Brolik, but they helped us connect it to our website when it got unexpectedly technical.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 people during the rebrand and initial consultation including the owner, the CCO, their point person for bringing in new business, and a few others. We currently have two points of contact.

How did you come to work with Brolik?

I looked up digital marketing agencies in Philadelphia (I wanted to work with someone local) and interviewed 3–4 of them. Brolik’s research-based approach and ability to get to know our business quickly made us choose them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spend $5,000 per month on average.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since November 2017.

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

It has been a learning process. We haven’t had great success regarding our Facebook campaign, as our B2B audience is tough to identify (owners, operators, and marketing managers for bars), but we’ve been experimenting a lot.

More recently, we had a huge UFC fight with a specific campaign that really performed. 25 sales came in just based on Brolik’s lead forms and ads. We’d only had one or two sales up that point, but they came through with that campaign.

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re willing to help in any way we need within a given month. We communicate by email almost daily, and I have a weekly call with the lead project manager. There’s also a monthly call with the two members of their team and our entire marketing and product team and business development head.

Overall, they’re quite effective at dealing with challenges that arise. Our goals have changed a few times and soaked up many of their hours, but they always stay in touch with us and provide what we need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re outstanding at adapting to whatever we need and solving both marketing and technical problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there isn’t, because their communication has improved over the course of the engagement. We added weekly calls to supplement our monthly calls, which we also requested be less technical. They were giving us lots of information we found unnecessary and repetitive, so we asked to receive a quick review and then move into a strategy session for the upcoming month. They adapted, and our communication has been much better in the second half of the year.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They do their homework, take their time getting to know you, and are committed to the research process. People should give them a hard look. I certainly recommend them to any business near our size that's looking for an agency.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CFO of Encompass Aviation LLC, a small airline offering service throughout California.

For what projects/services did your company hire Brolik?

We needed branding and web development services.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build name recognition and use the website to support that goal.

How did you select this vendor?

The team had a great reputation and was located near our headquarters.

Can you go into detail about the services they provided and the scope of the project?

Brolik built our new website after they identified our name and build the brand guideline. We had several calls to develop ideas. The team then created drawings, wireframes, and other tools that supported the final product. Services have included research, comparative industry analysis, and media tools.

What was the team composition?

Their team included the CEO, an account executive, and a developer. Our team included the CEO and CFO.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

Web traffic is higher and we are now well-positioned to introduce our new service.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We communicated via conference calls, calendar invites, and Zoom screen sharing sessions. The Zoom sessions are interactive and helpful.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have a “can-do” attitude. The team works hard to achieve the right result without needing us to micromanage.

Are there any areas where they can improve?

They are a great company. We hope that they’re positioned to grow and assume more recognition of their own.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of digital strategy for the Major League Soccer Players Association.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

We were looking to rebrand the organization, and we were looking to build a new public front-facing website to reflect that brand.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with the rebrand, we held a large introductory meeting with both of our teams. Following that, there was a significant discovery period where they interviewed all the major internal stakeholders, including a number of our players. Brolik reported on those results in another large meeting. From there, they crafted several iterations of a new logo, a new tagline, a new mission statement, and a new vision. We went through several phases of reviews and feedback until we came to a final piece. At that point, they provided us with branding documents that included all the materials we needed to start to implement the brand.

The process was somewhat similar for the website development tasks in that we started with another exploratory meeting. We decided that we would transition our site from WordPress to a Craft CMS. During this process, Brolik worked more directly with me in terms of building wireframes, determining features and functionality, a phase of visual design, developing a beta version of the website, and then, finally, launching it. We were looking for a way to highlight the content we’re producing around players in an effort to reflect the work they do off the field and after they leave the sport to help build their brands and inspire young players.

What is the team composition?

We’re working directly with a core group of three or four people, but they have a larger development team that we don’t interact with much. The digital marketing senior account executive is my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Brolik?

Brolik made it on the list of firms I considered because I met them years ago and was familiar with their work. I was interested in working with them, but I didn’t have a project come up until now to provide that opportunity. Through the presentation and proposal process, they really stood out.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2017 and completed the projects in December 2017. We are currently in talks with them to develop a player-directed mobile application.

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

We've had a considerable increase in traffic due to the content we're able to deliver on the new site. The brand has been well-received by the player pool, which is probably the most important feedback. Their response and engagement with us online has increased considerably since the rebrand.

Part of the rebrand was developing a different strategy for content delivery, and we've improved the types of things we're producing. That's an ongoing process, but it's certainly gotten a lot better. The visibility of the brand is a lot better as we produce things for the players to wear or carry around with them and replace what was a really dated look.

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is where they really impressed me. They were organized, transparent, and interactive. From my perspective of wanting to be hands-on and understand what was going on pretty regularly, they were willing to keep me included. Part of the reason why we also selected them to build the website and why we’re now building a mobile app with them is that we have a healthy working relationship with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are not a lot of trade associations or unions for professional athletes. And there are not a lot of agencies that have a pre-existing understanding of that space. Brolik, however, asked the right questions to the right people and did the right research to understand who we are, what we do, and where we want to go. They were able to provide a visual understanding of that and a lot of guidance on how we deliver that message to our members and to the public.

Any advice for potential customers?

If you’re going to start a project with them, you’ll be well-served by opening up your organization to them as much as you can. They thrive off a deep understanding of the client that they’re working for. If they have it, they can provide a lot more value than I think a lot of other firms are able to.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a managing member and co-founder of a small, niche mortgage-lending company that started in 2011. We lend to investors buying distressed, residential investment property to rehab, sell or refinance, and hold as rentals.

For what projects/services did your company hire Brolik?

Initially, we engaged Brolik to assist us with online marketing having no idea what that entailed. We have been doing business with them for five or six years, growing from a small startup that lent in five states, to now, a larger company lending in 15 states.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build our business through our website and SEO. We wanted to bring in additional contacts and customers. Our secondary goal was to develop a more approachable and user-friendly website.

How did you select this vendor?

Initially, I interviewed a number of similar companies that were recommended by my colleagues. Jason Brewer (CEO, Brolik) impressed me with his knowledge and enthusiasm on the subject matter. As a startup, we wanted to partner with another small company who prioritized our account and Brolik met that requirement.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Brolik handles all of the company's SEO, online marketing, sponsored placement implementation, directory management, and targeted email marketing. Their team suggests improvements and curate our web content by including keywords in our articles. They also provide web development when needed and offer recommendations on communicating with third parties.

What was the team composition?

Initially, I worked directly with the CEO. We now work with an account manager and their supervisor, as our companies have grown. In addition, I work with their creative and programming teams as needed.

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

Our business's volume and online presence continue to grow.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There are never any issues regarding workflow. At the beginning of each initiative, a schedule is set, and both sides adhere to a prearranged schedule, which is sometimes revised through mutual agreement.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their communication skills are excellent. Whenever a question is asked, they answer it promptly. If a follow-up is required, they deliver it within a reasonable amount of time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had some differing opinions over the years, but we were always able to discuss issues and create reasonable solutions.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of growth marketing of Houwzer, a real estate startup that is looking to reimagine the home buying and selling experience. We use technology and a team of salaried realtors to provide full-service, on both sides of buying and selling, and save home sellers money by not taking a listing commission.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

Brolik were brought on before I started with the company. The CEO and COO were going to manage the agency and wanted to outsource marketing to have flexibility and expertise. They wanted brand discovery and a lot of customer development and discovery, to really understand who our target customer is and how to communicate to them. Currently, I am in charge of managing the agency, as well as my internal team.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

I view them as my digital marketing arm. They are an end-to-end full-service digital marketing agency and we use them for anything we think is worth their time. 

They initially worked on the brand discovery. We then had them create a lot of our messaging, copy, and design, as well as create our website. We launched it about 2 months ago, and it has had a huge lift on page SEO and conversion. I am always testing the messaging on Facebook to see what customers think is better. It is constantly evolving, but I think we have a good foundation from what they did with our website.

We had another agency doing social, who were in place before I got here. I brought social over to Brolik as I trusted them more. My manager does the posting, but they create the strategy. It is a very collaborative process, and even though they are an outsourced team, we work together closely and I am always asking them for feedback, which I am always open to.

What is the team dynamic?

I have a day-to-day account manager and a senior marketing strategist who is very knowledgeable and someone I turn to for ideas and reviews. One of the co-founders wrote a lot of the messaging and copy for our website, which in turn we use for a lot of our campaigns.

 They are a very tight-knit team, and everyone is involved. It seems that they have a great culture, which shows in the quality of their work.

How did you come to work with Brolik?

The relationship had started before I came onboard. Our CEO and the CEO are well networked in Philadelphia and might have known Jason [CEO of Brolik] from networking or a referral.

How much have you invested in them?

Around $90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I believe it began in January 2017 and the work is ongoing.

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

Brolik identified our customer personas and their motions: something they call “the moments of change”. We are trying to get inside our prospects head, as buying and selling a home is an emotional time. As we are a tech hybrid start-up, they identified us to go after more of the 35–44 demographic. They also identified a secondary demographic of 50–60.

Because of this, we had a nice foundation where the company understood who their target market was. The messaging on the website and the customer communication had evolved us from tacky startup messaging into a real company that is more trustworthy. All of our competitors are national brands, and we are not, and they have never heard of us so it is a huge challenge in marketing to get people to trust us. When people see our higher quality design, it definitely helps us come across as a more trustworthy company.

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well. Especially now that we have brought social into their realm, we chat a lot via Slack. It is tough when they’re not in the office on a daily basis. They obviously have other clients, but I have been very happy with their communication, goal setting, and organization. They are definitely more organized than I am and help set expectations about what they think they can get done this month. They are planners, which is a good balance for us, as in the startup world you are constantly doing a thousand different things.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very thorough and really get it. A lot of agencies may not offer ideas. It can be really tough for an agency to integrate into a fast-moving company because they are not here every day and are working limited on hours every month. However, there is no doubt that everything is very well thought out with them. They don’t miss things, and they are very detail oriented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We are so limited on retainer hours with them every month, so sometimes it feels like they plan for too long. For example, they set up a spreadsheet for testing, which is important, but the balance on how much money we spent on retainer hours and how much the spreadsheet drives the company forward perhaps doesn’t make sense. I have full control of what they work on, and I did ask them for that particular sheet; however, they can almost be too thorough at times.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Nuvanna is an online mattress retailer. We make our mattresses and distribute them all over the US and Canada. We get pretty much all of our sales via direct consumers on our website and some on Amazon. I’m the founder and CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with Brolik?

We were trying to make sure we had the best digital experience for our customers via our website and social media. We also wanted to ensure we were reaching the right audience with the right message, at the lowest possible cost for acquisition.

What was the scope of their involvement?

There were two phases. The first phase of the relationship was to create new assets that were more aligned with our overall branding message. They created some videos and photographs, and we then modified our website to incorporate those images and messages so that we could better communicate with our audience.

After that, we started focusing mostly on paid social media and paid search. They created ads for us to use with Google AdWords and also with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, some of our other key social channels. They also helped create a TV campaign and radio ad that we used as an experiment because we’re not doing that on an ongoing basis.

What is the team dynamic?

I work very closely with Jason Brewer [CEO, Brolik.] He spends his time not only managing the team, but he also assists on the creative side as well as the strategy side. Their next most active team member from is Bryce [Senior Marketing Strategist, Brolik.] Bryce pays attention to the analytics, social ads, and Google ads.

We occasionally work with Alex [Creative Director, Brolik] but he is more on the creative side, ad creation, and website design sides. He was the one that created the different landing pages. Finally, when we need to have something specifically related to the website, we work with Jason [Senior Account Executive, Brolik.]

These four individuals are the ones that we work with the most. Their total team is about 12 people. We have at least weekly calls, and sometimes even more frequently, with Jason and Bryce.

How did you come to work with Brolik?

The first time we got in touch was around July of last year. I was searching for digital marketing companies in the Philadelphia area, but I was a startup and we hadn’t even fully started our business yet.

Our initial conversation went well, but Brolik wasn’t the right fit at the time because we were too new. Jason and I kept in touch. He kept watching what we were doing and we reconnected around April of this year.

I had already launched the website. I had launched our branding campaigns and different social media programs. We didn’t have the right traction from a sales standpoint. He and I connected to see how things were going, I shared some of our challenges as we continued to ramp up and by then, it was a better time to reconnect and engage.

As a startup, it’s difficult for us to have a lot of cash other than the cash that we use to promote and create ads. Jason was very open to a revenue-sharing model or some kind of success compensation program where they’re basically paid by performance. They invest the resources to get us to the point where we perform, and as we sell more, they earn more. It works very well for us so far.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent between $30,000 and $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2017 and they’re still working with us.

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

Our sales rate has basically doubled since we started engaging with them. Also, our social media is much more effective. They are somewhat connected, as we are doing most of our sales through paid social media and advertising. 

How did Brolik perform from a project management standpoint?

They did very well. Initially, we were trying to find the best way to communicate and report. Because we’re a startup, we don’t necessarily demand a very structured feedback loop because things are relatively fluid. We ended up implementing some structure, including weekly calls with reports, actionable takeaways, and results.

They’re on time with their deliverables. I didn’t have any issues related to delays or overspending or anything like that. They are typically within the range of estimates and expectations that they provide.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I don’t really have a good reference point because I haven’t worked with many companies in Philadelphia. Number one, which is very important to me as a CEO, is they are very reliable and trustworthy people. They say what they can and can't do. Jason is a very down-to-earth, grounded person so he’s not an overpromise, underdeliver type of person. What he commits to doing, gets done. He manages expectations really well.

The most important thing for me in the very beginning was the willingness to work in a different compensation model. He implemented something that works for them and me, and to me, that’s a differentiator.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’re a really solid, reliable, and trustworthy agency, which is not very common these days.

Do you have any advice for potential clients?

In general, my experience with other social and digital marketing companies is they tend to say they can do everything, but they really can’t. Typically, those companies are good at something, but not at everything. My advice, which was a hard learning process for me, is that you really need to dig deeper when you’re researching those companies and talking to them to really find out what they’re good at. Sometimes, that requires conversations with other customers that have worked with them in a certain capacity.