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    Orinda, CA
    (925) 631-1026

We're your secret weapon.

4.4
4 reviews

Since 2000, the Content Bureau has created the highest quality B2B content for ambitious technology and financial services marketers. Our typical client is a marketing VP, director, or manager responsible for producing a large volume of custom content on a regular basis. We work almost exclusively with global corporations who use us year-round, and spend between $100K and $1MM/year with our agency.  

We deliver expert articles, banner ads, blog posts, case studies, eBooks, messaging, playbooks, PowerPoint decks, scripts, social posts, web copy and design, white papers, video--and most other B2B marketing assets.

Most clients ask us to handle copywriting, editing, and layout on product/industry marketing assets used in content marketing campaigns. Others ask us to just write the copy, or proof and lay out copy they've written in-house. We're very happy to produce whatever our clients (or their other trusted resources) don't want to handle themselves.

We are a premium quality, high-touch, woman-owned agency with a 100% virtual and 85% female team. Team members work from the US and Western Europe. Our deep team and client relationships last for many years, and we play nicely with both corporate marketing/brand, and other agencies our clients love and trust. We take the long view in all things, and are entirely focused on our clients' success. It's our pleasure to serve them year-round. 

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$25,000+
 
Undisclosed
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2000
Show all +
Orinda, CA
headquarters

Portfolio

Key clients: 

Autodesk (18-year client), SAP (15-year client), PayPal (11), Deloitte (8), eBay (8), Bank Leumi (4), RSA Security (3), Silicon Valley Bank. 

We also work with large private equity and venture capital firms, primarily on PPMs and other investor marketing assets. PE/VC clients: ABS, Sequoia Capital, Sofinnova, Thoma Bravo, Vista Equity Partners.

Reviews

4.4
4 reviews
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Content Creation for a Security Company

 "They produce high-quality content."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Nov. 2017 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

The Content Bureau produces marketing content that ranges from eBooks to infographics and white papers. They also create promotional pieces and ad copy.

The Reviewer
 
Des Moines, Iowa
Global Marketing Lead, Security Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The number of qualified leads is on the rise and the internal team is satisfied. Flexible and experienced, The Content Bureau goes above and beyond to meet all needs, while their ability to work quickly and effectively made them a reliable partner. They are a great marketing and content creation agency.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a global marketing lead at a security company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Content Bureau?

We were looking for a company to help us produce some fresh, compelling content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provide them with the topics we want to turn into marketing content. Depending on our objectives, the content can be an eBook, a white paper, or infographics. After we give them the bullet points of what we want to get across, The Content Bureau writes the content. Then, we review it and go through an iteration process. They also do the creative layout and work closely with our brands to ensure that the creatives they produce follow the brand guidelines. In addition, they do some promotional pieces for us, including email and ad copy.

What is the team composition?

I usually work with Stacy (Founder, The Content Bureau) and Ruth (Content Writer, The Content Bureau).

How did you come to work with them?

They were referred to me by a colleague.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our objective was to generate demand. We've definitely seen more qualified leads after we started working with The Content Bureau, so they’re helping us accomplish our goals.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s very easy to work with them. Our schedule is quite busy, but they're flexible and give us a couple of days to review everything, sending us reminders when they haven't heard back from us. We use a combination of email and phone to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They produce high-quality content, so most of the time, we only need to tweak it slightly. The speed at which they work is also astounding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. The collaboration has been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Explain to them the message you want to get across and allow them to determine how to craft that message for your target audience.

4.5
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Creative Content Marketing for a Payment Systems Company

"They provide informed suggestions on our communication strategy, rooted in an understanding of our brand and legal guidelines. This permits us to move quickly and avoid multiple rounds of legal review."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Dec. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

The Content Bureau provided sales enablement solutions for a payment systems company. They developed toolkits for merchant use and keep track of legal requirements for marketing and insight sourcing.

The Reviewer
 
New York City, New York
Catherine Krebs
Senior Marketing Manager, PayPal
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The Content Bureau has a significant impact and are integral to campaign success. They meet aggressive deadlines and save time in legal review processes. They are reliable, collaborative team players who help build strategy and bring products to market.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a senior marketing manager within the middle market at PayPal. We focus on partner marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Content Bureau?

We wanted a creative agency to help us engage with our partners and come up with a solution for sales enablement that gives both merchants and internal account managers a better understanding of our product suite. We wanted insights, copy, and integration information that would make us more effective.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were a critical partner as we created a suite of product toolkits, which are some of the most valuable assets they created for us. We’ve since evolved them for use across multiple partners. I work very closely with them on obtaining all the necessary information and they act as creators.

They know all the legal rules and regulations—which are constantly in flux—and they help us source our insights properly. They consolidate all of this information into a usable format to make the end user’s experience seamless. Several of our teams leverage the toolkits and there are now multiple versions of them.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Allison (Editorial Team, The Content Bureau). She acts as my account director.

How did you come to work with The Content Bureau?

They were already an approved agency that the middle market team was using when I brought them into my projects.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested about $500,000 with them. Several of our teams use them, so the total company spend is much more.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in December 2016. The work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They know all the social touchpoints that help develop nurture streams for email and marketing. They have a significant impact on our whole business and are integral to the success of any campaign we launch.

How did The Content Bureau perform from a project management standpoint?

Our account director is absolutely phenomenal. They’re organized and meet even the most aggressive deadlines. They provide informed suggestions on our communication strategy, rooted in an understanding of our brand and legal guidelines. This permits us to move quickly and avoid multiple rounds of legal review.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They fully a part of our team. We recently launched a huge campaign and they’re still helping us make changes. From beginning to end, they build a strategy, come up with timelines, and bring products to market. We couldn’t do without them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We keep going back to them because they are reliable, collaborative team players. They meet deadlines and deliver everything they’re supposed to. They are honest about their abilities and respond quickly.

They understand our business and deliver creative copy that makes sense for our products. They know their craft and they excel at it.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Created Messaging Architecture for a Non-profit

"They're extremely flexible, respond quickly, and deliver on promises." 

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4.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$10,000 to $49,999
 
Sept. 2015 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

After conducting an in-depth interview, The Content Bureau developed a messaging architecture to provide Salesforce and partner management sales teams with a consistent message.

The Reviewer
 
San Jose, California
Anna Suarez
Director of Marketing, Opportunity Fund
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The refined message helped formalize the programs and bring consistency to the organization. Experienced and professional, The Content Bureau went above and beyond to meet all needs, while their flexibility and commitment earned them our trust.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of marketing at Opportunity Fund. We're a small business microlender based in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Content Bureau?

We needed to put together a solid messaging architecture for our small business lending program. We were looking for a company to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They interviewed us and we shared with them the direction we wanted to go in. Then, they came up with a very nice messaging architecture that allowed us to offer specific content and images related to our message. They were instrumental in helping us refine our message and bring consistency to our organization. We're now lining up a contract with them for our new fiscal year.

What is the team composition?

We mostly work with Stacy (Owner, The Content Bureau).

How did you come to work with them?

I used to work with them at my former company.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2015 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have direct Salesforce and partner management sales teams, but they didn’t have a consistent sales tool. Now, we have one consistent set of messages for our sales and marketing teams, and Salesforce has really become dependent on those assets. The Content Bureau helped us refine and formalize our programs before we present them to the outside world, which had a big impact on our organization.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're extremely flexible, respond quickly, and deliver on promises.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having a project manager can help facilitate the execution of some projects. Most of our projects are fairly straightforward, but occasionally we have a complex project, so having someone to manage it would be helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about their scope work, the content they'll work with, and any constraints they'll have. They're incredibly flexible and are always trying to find a way to meet our needs.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Consumer Facing Marketing for E-Commerce Company

"The Content Bureau was patient through that process and created something that everybody loved"

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4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
3.5
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Apr. 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

The Content Bureau developed marketing assets and an online gateway to promote opt-ins for a new program. They also created a messaging grid to host copy blocks in various locations of the website.

The Reviewer
 
10,000 + Employees
 
Sunny Vale, California
Customer Service Manager, Internet Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The project was completed on time and to the satisfaction of all team members. The Content Bureau was accepting of all feedback and was flexible to changes. They met all deadlines and showcased dedication to the project’s completion and success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the customer service manager for an online auction marketplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Content Bureau?

We were launching a new program, and they were a marketing partner to develop customer-facing content on the site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

There were two work streams. The first was developing a messaging grid so that copy blocks could to be used in multiple places around the site. The second was developing marketing assets, which included emails that are sent to sellers inviting them to the program and a gateway that allows users to sign up and learn more about a new program.

What is the team composition?

Our primary point of contact was a writer, and she interfaced with a designer their end. We also worked with The Content Bureau’s owner.

How did you come to work with The Content Bureau?

My manager had previously worked with them and had developed a pleasant working relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $26,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April 2018 to May 2018. The program hasn’t launched, but it is in the hands of our project team now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There were several review cycles, especially on the marketing assets because those will draw sellers into this program. The Content Bureau was patient through that process and created something that everybody loved, including our CEO.

How did The Content Bureau perform from a project management standpoint?

They were incredibly organized, and they were willing to work extra hours to ensure our project’s success. We had weekly meetings all over the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We could tell they were committed to the project. They were fully accepting of all of our requests, but they also let us know the impact of every decision. We appreciated that transparency.

Any advice for potential customers?

Future clients should be prepared for the time commitment necessary to have a successful engagement. To ensure the quality they want, they have to be organized and willing to assist The Content Bureau as much as they need.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    We trusted them fully to complete the projects on time.
  • 3.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    We’re happy with the output. The time and commitment were well worth it.
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer