Marketing Strategies for Non-Profit Botanical Garden
- Advertising
- Less than $10,000
- Sep. 2021 - Ongoing
- Quality
- 5.0
- Schedule
- 5.0
- Cost
- 5.0
- Willing to Refer
- 5.0
"It was fun to see how excited my brand managers were with the results."
- Nonprofit
- Columbus, Georgia
- 11-50 Employees
- Online Review
- Verified
Full Blast Creative has been a non-profit botanical garden's marketing team since September. Their scope of service includes Google Ads, SEO, newsletters, ads, and web development.
Full Blast Creative has led highly successful projects. The client expects to sell out many nights because of them. The momentum still hasn't slowed down even as they stay in touch with constant changes in both paid campaigns and strategic marketing. They have also been very responsive.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the Director of Public Programs and Community Partnerships and Interim Marketing Director at the Columbus Botanical Garden in Georgia. We are a non-profit public garden in the United States. We are considered a young garden at 22 years old and a small botanical garden with just 5 acres developed of the 36 total acres we own. We have transitioned from being a volunteer-run garden to a staff-run three years ago.
We are currently in the middle of a Capital Campaign and Building and Expansion Endeavor. My position consists of creating engaging programs, events, and symposiums for the public that generate revenue and further the mission of the Garden. I work strategically to build community partnerships and outreach programs that promote the partner's missions and fill the needs that are found in our community.
These partnerships positively impact our community, from solving food insecurities to conserving the Shoal Lilly, supporting School Gardens, and so much more. I have been serving as the interim Marketing Director for the last six months and the foreseeable future.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire Full Blast Creative?
We did not have the in-house knowledge or capacity to launch full marketing campaigns on social media, paid Google Ads, SEO optimization, graphic design for effective marketing, email newsletters, and website maintenance/management. While working collaboratively with me, Full Blast oversees the many facets of CBG's advertising and marketing. We have depended on Full Blast to guide us with paid Google Ads and paid awareness and sales campaigns. As the fill-in Marketing Director, I knew how important it was that our marketing be top-notch, I had a vision, but I had no clue where to start, what to do, how much to spend, and what needed the most attention.
Full Blast has blown me away with their skill and knowledge in general, but the Paid Google Ads and Paid searches have shown results that I never knew possible in such short time-frames. The goal was to elevate the look of the Garden's brand across all platforms and to have strategic marketing plans that ended in ticket sales and loyal supporters. Also, In the short time we had gone without an MD, our social media following and brand awareness lost a lot of ground and momentum. I needed Full Blast to dive back in and stop the regression. (they did that and so much more)
SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?
We initially worked with Full Blast as a former colleague had worked with them at a previous job and brought them in. We are located in the United States. After our last marketing director resigned, we managed in-house and searched other regional vendors to see if someone more local would be a better fit. I asked Full Blast to give their "pitch" again to our new Executive Director when we were interviewing the local agencies. It was clear that just minutes into the zoom call, Full Blast met all of our needs and would be whom we wanted to continue working on our account to a much larger degree.
They offer every service we need all under one roof. They can work with our budget while making recommendations for the best use of the funds available for paid ad campaigns. We have open communication channels and have never experienced any issues with connecting, even with the time zone difference. Full Blast showed excitement about our account and a strong desire to see us succeed. They are always eager to please and strive to reduce the stress around marketing. The Full Blast team of people on our account is a joy to work and collaborate alongside.
I told them at the very start, as the fill-in Marketing Director, I knew enough to know I didn't know enough about marketing, and I needed them to guide me; they have been all in from the start. They have taken my vision for the multiple events we launched, refined them, and made them tangible and successful campaigns. I give them all the credit when I receive compliments from people on the marketing at CBG, which I now receive regularly.
We are so fast-paced and non-stop at our non-profit. I wear many hats, and most days don't go as I plan them; I needed an agency that could put me at ease while they keep doing incredible results-driven work and roll with the schedule not always going to plan. Their skill, quality of work, range of services, and professionalism won me over at the start. Their attention to our account, the proven results, and even more, the relationship that we have built as a collaborative team will keep the CBG account with them for a very long time. I would choose Full Blast again, and again, and again. Choosing Full Blast is easily the most brilliant marketing decision I could have made for CBG at this point.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
The scope of Full Blast's work on our account has focused on paid Google Ads searches, increasing social media following, bringing awareness to our Garden and programs, paid carousel ads, and SEO optimization of our website. They oversee copy and images/designs used in these campaigns. They also manage website design/maintenance and full scope marketing campaigns launching new events and initiatives. We will be increasing their involvement and adding more in 2022 with the increase in our marketing budget.
What was the team composition?
I have worked closely with the company VP, Lead Brand Manager, Assistant Brand Manager, Graphic Designer, and Web Developer. From there they work within their group to bring in others as needed from the Full Blast team.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We have done a 180-degree turn with our social media brand awareness and results from paid ads. It blows my mind every time they go over the results and analytics with me. The most recent paid ad budget was $50, and within hours of its launching, we had made close to $600 US dollars from ticket sales from new viewers. The CPC was so low that it made me laugh. It was fun to see how excited my brand managers were with the results. And it made my bosses very, very happy. This most recent paid Ad was launching a brand new event that needs to sell many tickets to be successful. The launch started with such momentum from the paid campaigns and strategic marketing, and we are now expecting to sell out many nights. The momentum has not slowed down as of a week later, and ticket sales have continued to pour in.
Previously, the campaign for our largest fundraiser of the year engaged new audiences from a little over 100 miles away. This group purchased tickets and attended our event. This event has been happening annually for the last 12 years, and this new group was just one example of several new patrons that attended two different events. Full Blast stays current on all the constant changes with algorithms, and it is so clear by how they keep us in the news feeds of our followers and how the new audiences are converting to followers.
And not just followers but real supporters of CBG by purchasing tickets, becoming members, and signing up new active volunteers! We recently did a paid campaign to recruit new volunteers for a massive planting of 7,000 plants that had to be planted within two weeks. We were desperate for volunteers and had so few signed up. After the campaign went live, we had all of the volunteer spots filled for most days within 48 hours.
The results the Full Blast team has generated from the Paid Ads have been magical. They are so knowledgeable and skilled, and I rest easy knowing that I have the best experts working on our account. (Resting easy isn't something I am usually known for either)
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Our system is extremely effective. We have daily communication through web based platform and communicate in real time. I am able to hop on a zoom call if needed, usually the same day within just a few hours or much less notice. If there ever seems to be an issue or something is lost in translation it is addressed quickly. I have zero complaints about communication and meeting deadlines. And they are really patient with me when the missed deadlines are my fault. I sometimes can't keep up with how quickly and efficiently they work and I drop the ball with providing them all the information they may need. They are always asking how they can better support me and that is the most amazing service anyone could hope to receive.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
They have been all-in and so committed to our account. The FBC team took the time to learn our account and the vision we have hoped to get across in our marketing. They are always so supportive and helpful. Even when I throw them something new and unexpected, they stay positive and take it all in stride. They respond with honesty and trusted feedback.
I can't imagine having anyone else on our account or team these last few months that have been hectic, to say the least, that could get the same results and be so fantastic to work with, in the process. They have such a unique agency with experts in different areas under one roof, and they seem to collaborate so well. We are in constant contact daily, and I always look forward to checking in with my brand managers. The impressive thing is that they feel like they could be my coworkers, not just people who work at an agency that services my account.
They are in the thick of it with me as we launch new events and campaigns. They are just as excited to see positive results and celebrate success. They are also quick to evaluate if something should be performing better and recommend changes and improvement strategies. Full Blast Creative is a team that you want on your account.
Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?
I think with the challenges that our account has come with, the Full Blast team has gone above and beyond to be all that we have needed. When there were concerns early on, they were addressed and resolved so quickly. I am so pleased with how well we are treated and the attention that has been given to our account.
RATINGS
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Quality
5.0Service & Deliverables
"Full Blast team took the time to learn our account and collaborate so that we get the very best outcomes. My expectations are always exceeded."
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Schedule
5.0On time / deadlines
"Scheduling with Full Blast is collaborative and always on point. They are realistic with timelines and keep projects on track."
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Cost
5.0Value / within estimates
"The value and results are worth every penny."
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Willing to Refer
5.0NPS
"I have already recommended to several friends.