Exit10

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

World Team Sports is a nonprofit that specializes in creating and hosting athletic events for people with disabilities.

What is your position?

I am the president and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Exit10?

Our marketing resources were stretched a little thin, so we brought on Exit10 to handle most of that work for us.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They've helped us with several challenges: they redesigned our website, consolidated and updated all of our logos, and worked on our branding. They've also helped us design and produce our annual report for the last four years.

How did you come to work with Exit10?

They came to us as a referral. Another organization had said that they had worked with them and had good luck with them. Based on that reference, we talked to them and talked to a couple of other companies, and they were very receptive to our input, very flexible in offering their own ideas, but not trying to shoehorn us into doing what they want us to do. They work with us as a part of our team. They don't just provide you something and say, "Here, you're stuck with it." They listen to what we say, and they act as an integral part of my entire management team.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

On a yearly basis, we're in the $10,000 to $50,000 range. On a multiyear basis, obviously, we're much higher than that.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have an ongoing contract with them. We are on a retainer basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

The quality of the work's been superb. They have allowed us to project an image much larger than what we actually are. We are a very small nonprofit. We have three full-time staff, and everybody else is volunteer-based. Due to the products and input that we've received from Exit10, we look externally like a much larger organization.

What distinguishes Exit10 from other providers?

I think Exit10 has an uncanny ability to sit down with us, take my incoherent ramblings, and come back with a designed product that captures all of our needs very well.

Is there anything Exit10 could have improved or done differently?

So far – no issues. They've been very highly flexible and easy to work with. I'd recommend them to anyone.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Pigtown Main Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Baltimore, Maryland. Our focus is community development in the Pigtown neighborhood of Southwest Baltimore, particularly with our small businesses and commercial property owners along our commercial quarter.

What is your position?

I am the executive director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Exit10?

We were in a position where our organization was ramping up our efforts and transitioning, and we did not have a strong brand or identity for our organization. It was important because we are the most active organization in our community, so we wanted to have an exceptionally strong brand to make up for that. We reached out to Exit10 to develop a branding campaign and identity for our organization.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

It was really comprehensive. We met with Exit10 and their creative team and partners, and shared with them what the opportunities were in our neighborhood and some of the challenges. They developed a creative brief, and then we worked on some different design concepts with them to work through our values. Then, after that, developed the identity and branding. We've been working with them on retainer to develop different messaging for events, advertising campaigns, website, and banners among other things.

How did you come to work with Exit10?

Exit10 has a relationship with one of our board members, who had worked with them before. They came highly recommended.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in 2013 and took several months to develop the branding and to get our board's approval and do the creative brief. We've used them periodically since. Most of that work started and took place in 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

It's been quite dramatic. In our neighborhood, we've had some perception challenges about our community. This unified branding has been important. Our website, banners, and logos kind of work with each other – even our event collateral. It's been a very consistent look and feel, which was important for us. The campaigns that we've been able to execute raised awareness of our neighborhood. Our organization has grown tremendously since we've worked with them. Our budget's grown. When I was hired as executive director, maybe six months prior to working with Exit10, we had a budget of $25,000. Now we're at more than $200,000. Much of that is because of the work we've been able to do collaboratively to help raise awareness of our organization and attract philanthropic dollars and other investors in our community.

How did Exit10 perform from a project management standpoint?

Throughout the project, both when we are were working intensely with Exit10 and now when the work is a little more sporadic. They have remained just as engaged and just as responsive to us. We've always had a great, dedicated account executive there, which I think has been a big part of our success with them. We always knew who to go to with our questions.

What distinguishes Exit10 from other providers?

I think they're really creative. Their designs were wonderful. One of the other things I think is great is they're a local company for us, which is a big deal. They're invested here in Baltimore, and they took the time to understand our organization and our community. I think that expertise set them apart to be able to identify an identity for our organization that spoke to our constituents and stakeholders.

Is there anything Exit10 could have improved or done differently?

I think they're a great asset and a great partner to work with. They have been excited to work with us and really motivated, which with any business partner makes the experience so much more enjoyable. It's been a very positive experience all around.