Deep Focus

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a communications assistant for a nonprofit research think tank in India — our work centers around policy.

What challenge were you trying to address with Deep Focus?

Think tank research outreach is a big part of our work, especially within communications. We had some trouble onboarding our subscriber list because we used to be a daughter organization of Brookings Institution DC but we transitioned into the Center for Social and Economic Progress. 

This transition meant that we also had to change our email marketing platform from HubSpot to MailChimp, which we didn’t fully understand. We contacted Deep Focus because we needed help with our email marketing strategy.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Overall, Deep Focus helped us with creating campaigns for our target audience and helped us onboard our huge subscriber list. 

Our email list was very large and was gathered over several years, which meant some of those emails had become outdated.  When we sent out our first campaign without Deep Focus, we faced several issues with MailChimp, and our account was blocked. Deep Focus helped us understand what we were doing wrong and gradually cleaned up our list. 

They were there throughout the entire process, ensuring that the lists were updated and that the emails weren’t obsolete. They also walked us through the process of planning campaigns, managing audiences, and making sure that we’re adhering to MailChimp’s rules. During the period they worked with us on this project, they also helped with the framing and frequency of our newsletters.

What is the team composition?

There are three people working with us. 

How did you come to work with Deep Focus?

I found them on MailChimp’s recommended vendor list for assistance. Deep Focus was one of the few verified MailChimp experts in the country. 

How much have you invested with them?

The cost has been somewhere around 30,000 Indian Rupees, so far (approximately $400 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2020 and we’re still working together. We haven’t constantly worked with them in a prolonged contract, but we do get in touch when we need assistance.

Initially, the whole email onboarding process took several months. Also, I will be leaving this organization soon and they will be training the new person that will take my place. 

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

They have been incredibly helpful. We were in a tough spot when our account got blocked by MailChimp and we didn’t realize the limit in place for bounced emails. Because of our huge email list, we crossed the percentage of allowed bounced emails and really had nowhere to go from there. Now, with Deep Focus’ help, we’ve been able to build our database and use MailChimp effectively. 

At this point, we now have a working knowledge of MailChimp, which is exactly what we needed. We essentially started from scratch with our email marketing, so our engagement increased because our audience also increased. It’s an effective tool for us especially for outreach for research and there has been consistent growth for us.

How did Deep Focus perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done pretty well with project management. We use email, WhatsApp messages, and phone calls to communicate with Deep Focus. They often go out of their way to resolve any issues for us. They’ve been readily available and accessible. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are more than happy to help us out with little things, even after their support period has ended. When our account got blocked, we were really stressed about it because we were relaunching and rebranding at the time. It was really important for us to have an email marketing platform at that point and it was very difficult to resolve our issues. 

When we finally got in touch with Deep Focus, they were extremely good at customer relations and assured us that we had nothing to worry about. They promised they would get our list onboarded — they are very reassuring and they’ve delivered. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any particular complaints. They do impart training through video streaming sessions and it’s a lot of information to consume — it could be a good idea to consider breaking down the training into smaller sections.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It helps to set up a weekly meeting where you can get an update on their work. Just go to Deep Focus with your exact requirements and expectations and they will try to deliver to the best of their abilities.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a teacher of English as a foreign language.

What challenge were you trying to address with Deep Focus?

I wanted a product that would transpose text into a column format so that I could analyze the words contained within a body of text. It’s important because certain words have difficulties associated with them for foreign students' pronunciation. I wanted to be able to analyze any text.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Deep Focus developed a product that transposes any text and creates a vertical format in Excel for each word. Every word within a given text has its own line in an Excel spreadsheet,

I put together PowerPoint sheets to explain what I wanted to Robbie (CEO). He digested the information and then put together a solution. We tested the product and saw a few points for improvement. He then refined the product.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Robbie.

How did you come to work with Deep Focus?

I found Deep Focus through an internet search when trying to find a developer to take on the project. I wanted the project done with Excel because I’ve spent years working with it and can manipulate data using the platform. Many developers look at Excel as being old hat, but Deep Focus was able to use it.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost less than $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in 2016 and the whole project took about three weeks from start to finish.

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

Robbie accomplished a small project well. It’s a brilliant product that allows me to analyze texts so much more easily. In my world, the value is astonishing. It’s saved me hundreds of hours of work by analyzing all manner of texts. If I had to do all of that analysis with a piece of paper and a pen, I would be here until Kingdom come. I would go mad in the process.

How did Deep Focus perform from a project management standpoint?

Over the course of the entire project, we spoke 4–5 times. Robbie was polite, charming, and understanding. He wasn’t afraid to say that he didn’t understand, which can be a problem with developers. I was keen to make sure that he fully understood what we were doing. I was impressed with Robbie and I look forward to working with him again.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Deep Focus communicated easily and got the job done swiftly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, Deep Focus has a good work style.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I hope that Deep Focus benefits from what they deserve.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a dietician.

What challenge were you trying to address with Deep Focus?

I hired Deep Focus to help make my website one of the best out there.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I gave Robbie (Founder, Deep Focus) all the content and information. Additionally, I provided photographs as examples and to use to as a comparison once the project was complete. Robbie designed the site on WordPress and I approved the work along the way. 

What is the team composition?

Robbie was my main point of contact, but there were six people in total. 

How did you come to work with Deep Focus?

I’d known Robbie personally for years, so I chose him for the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $400 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–September 2018.

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

I’m not completely satisfied with the website as a whole, but it has helped my business a lot. The design fulfills my expectations, though.

How did Deep Focus perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Basecamp to manage the project. I spoke with Robbie twice a week. The whole team was very helpful and reliable throughout the engagement. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated how approachable and genuine their whole team was. Whenever I needed changes or modifications, they were quick to help. Robbie is a nice person and good to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think the creativity of their work could be improved. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for a simple, static website for your business, they are a good option. However, if you need a very complex, creative site, they might not be the right fit.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Singhania & Partners LLP-A Full-service Law Firm, I am an ASSOCIATE PARTNER- Practice Development here

For what projects/services did your company hire Deep Focus?

We have been engaging Deep Focus for mailchimp and related activities. They are the best mailchimp marketing agencies we have come across. We use them regularly for various database management, segmentations, marketing automation campaigns for mailchimp

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

We got the reference through Mailchimp websitue

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

Our is an ongoing engagement with them. Their Client Handling, turnaround time, and grasping of problems is very good. We started with mailchimp training, then integrating lead management in mailchimp with our website, database organization and management in mailchimp, marketing automation across segments, and now database updation as wel..

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

We mostly deal with Robbie Kohli, who heads the organization and takes briefing. The other team members are then in touch with us for day to day communication and implementation.

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

Yes, our marketing automation has reaped results ensuring our ongoing engagement with target audience who receive regular targeted communications.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent!

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

Turn around time, attention from the senior most team member for most of the project which ensures quick turnaround time

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

They are good!