From the Future

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior manager of digital marketing at AvidXchange, which provides automatic AP (Accounts Payable) solutions, accounting software, and bill pay services for mid-market companies. We have just over 1,000 employees, and are based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

What challenge were you trying to address with IFTF?

We acquired 4 separate companies before I joined the company, and they all had individual sites at the time. We had to not only consolidate the sites, but create a content plan and an architecture plan that combined all their content while rebranding everything. At the time, we were making a shift from branding as multiple separate tools to a single overarching platform. Most of our business is done on the site, so we needed a high-quality digital storefront.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project was extremely complicated from a technical standpoint, with several moving parts. IFTF was instrumental in wrangling various stakeholders and worked with our team to create a site that met all our needs.

What is the team composition?

I was working with their whole team, but they recently hired a project manager. We had our first introductory call today.

How did you come to work with IFTF?

When I started at AvidXchange, the company was already considering a site redesign. I used to work at HubSpot in Boston, and I asked their head of SEO Matt Barby for a recommendation. He put me in touch with Nick Eubanks (FTF’s Founder and CEO, IFTF).

We chose them for their strong technical foundation and a growth-driven, performance-based approach to development. More brand-focused agencies can make beautiful websites, but don’t perform in terms of generating business. Those are very different schools of thought. I’m more of a performance marketer, and IFTF shares that approach.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in October of 2016 and completed the project in December. Our engagement is ongoing, as we now have them on retainer.

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

Overall, we’ve probably tripled our revenue from inbound, which is wonderful. We’ve seen around a 7x increase in our search data.

How did IFTF perform from a project management standpoint?

If anything, I would say that would be an area for improvement. They sometimes lost focus on which aspects of the project to prioritize, and we had some small delays. However, they’re bringing on new people and actively improving.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They completed the project in two months, which was a very impressive timeline. It was done quickly, but more importantly, it was done well. I can’t understate how important a strong technical foundation is to digital marketing. We never had to worry about the tech side of things, which allowed us to refocus on other aspects of the project. Each person on the team brought a unique skill set to the table, and it’s great to work with specialists that complement each other so well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were occasional issues with reporting and project management. They grew very quickly as an organization, and are still building that side of the company.

Advice for potential customers?

I would say that if your project management skills/resources are strong, IFTF is a great extension of your team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal of a consulting company called Homeward Bound Relocation. For the past 11 years, we’ve been guiding and supporting executives from the area’s Fortune 500 companies in their transition when they’re recruited to Philadelphia. That work extends to their families as well. 

What challenge were you trying to address with True Voice Media?

I went from face-to-face, one-on-one coaching with clients to an online program that includes videos and a course that anybody can take. I’m used to dealing with the highest level, and they are usually the only ones that get this kind of support. I wanted to offer this program to anybody who’s moving. This vital information that can make a huge difference for users, both financially and personally.

Their founder Jeff and I met three years ago, and he’s been keeping tabs on where I am. When I made this shift to an online platform, I needed help getting it noticed and marketed. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The strategy involved social media, mainly Facebook ads, posts on LinkedIn and my Facebook page, and an email campaign. True Voice Media worked on my website as well. What had taken thousands more the previous year and blew my deadline by five months, they turned around in three days. What they did is phenomenal. It’s better for conversions, looks better, and functions well. Users can pay online and download the course. This type of work can be complicated stuff, but True Voice Media and Jeff in particular made it so easy. He’s so service-oriented and really focuses on your bottom line. He wants to know what result you’re looking for and how he can get there most expeditiously and with respect to your budget.

How did you come to work with True Voice Media?

Jeff was teaching a course at the local high school. I thought that social media was something I need to know about. I have a marketing background, but it’s from the dark ages, and I had no idea what this animal called social media was all about. I just wanted to educate myself, and his course was fast-moving and jam-packed with great information. He took a complicated subject and distilled it into digestible chunks of information. When I walked away, I was wowed.

How much have you invested with True Voice Media?

I’ve spent $5,000–$10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together three years ago, and the relationship is ongoing. 

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

We just launched in January, so I don’t have any metrics yet. I know that True Voice Media is vigilant about A/B testing. It’s a continual refining process. Everyone that goes to the website knows exactly what it is and where to go for what. It’s easy to navigate, high-powered, and hard-hitting. Within about 30 seconds, you know about me, the company, and what I’m offering. I love the imagery that Jeff chose.

For my previous site, which probably cost me $30,000 and took over a year to build, nobody knew what I was offering. It was an informational site. Nobody knew that I was offering a video course that they could buy. They didn’t know that I was offering executive coaching. It was pretty but not functional. When Jeff redesigned the site, he was really fast. It took a fraction of the time, was a fraction of the cost, and is twice as effective.

The whole team is responsive and kind. They’re not arrogant and don’t withhold information. They are always available, approachable, and ready to help in any way. It’s just great to work with them.

How did True Voice Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We started out with a strategy meeting, so we didn’t put the cart before the horse. We had a fairly intricate strategy laid out with bullet points of things I was responsible for and when they were due. There was a flow of what would happen when, as well as “if/then” scenarios because you have to be agile. You have to be able to shift gears because it’s a creative process.

We would touch base along the way, and they made it super easy. They sent me reminders with a link to a Google Doc, showing me where to put the copy. They were very specific with their directions, which helped me tremendously. The plan was overwhelming at first, and I didn’t know where to start.

What did you find most impressive about True Voice Media?

I think they’re ideal for startups and small to mid-size companies. They are so current with their information. There aren’t 20 layers of people and account managers to go through. Small business people and entrepreneurs can relate to their responsiveness.

Are there any areas True Voice Media could improve?

No. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is a startup company in online retail of premium branded mattresses. We are about to launch an e-commerce site. I’m founder and CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with True Voice Media?

We needed to have a digital marketing company with a social media expert to help us maximize our reach and develop an audience. Our business model is based very heavily on social media so reaching the audience with the right message in the most cost-effective way was very important.

What was the scope of their involvement?

True Voice Media was part of a multi-functional team, which includes branding, web development, public relations, and the social media group. The group helped develop the brand, identify the audience, and develop the right positioning for the audience. True Voice Media created the social media strategy that would meet those needs. We are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When we launch next week, we will add Spotify and Pinterest. True Voice Media helps with content creation, and they have already created a significant number of blog posts that will be posted on our website. True Voice Media is also creating videos for social channels and the website. They are helping with a direct email campaign as well.

How did you come to work with True Voice Media?

I was curious about social media and started researching about what we as a company should be doing. I had very little knowledge about how to approach social media, so I went to a presentation by Jeff Gibbard [Founder and Chief Strategist, True Voice Media] to educate myself. I was very impressed with him, so I followed up with a meeting. I was still in the startup phase, so I didn’t have the funding yet, but he became a partner and advisor for me.

How much have you invested with True Voice Media?

When the project is finished, it would cost around $250,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in May 2016, and we continue to work with them.

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have started communicating with our audience on various social media sites, but the product will not be launched until next week. I’m happy with what I’ve seen so far.

How did True Voice Media perform from a project management standpoint?

The execution has been fine in the last couple of months. I would say True Voice Media is learning and improving with project management. The scope has been changing, but Jeff has been able to assign the right resources to the project. True Voice Media is very good at reacting to what needs to be done and executing on budget.

What did you find most impressive about True Voice Media?

Jeff is the engine that drives a few employees. He uses an interesting model to have a few employees and then contract on the work that needs to be done. It’s a low-cost model which is great for startups. We’re highly dependent on Jeff who is very reliable and credible.

Are there any areas True Voice Media could improve?

If the works grows, Jeff is only one person and he will need to delegate to people with equal capability.

Please describe your organization.

Our organization is a private university in Philadelphia.

What is your position?

I serve as senior director of public affairs. I oversee all media relations, special events, sponsorships, and social media.

What business challenge were you trying to address with True Voice Media?

We were looking to promote our president through social media channels. We wanted to build his brand and awareness using the best-suited resources. We partnered with True Voice Media to help us navigate this new project.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

True Voice Media is responsible for social media strategy and implementation. They did an initial assessment of our president's social media presence and interviewed him to find out what he was looking to do and focus on using social media. They also gave us advice on the best social channels to use and how to use them to achieve our goals. True Voice Media helps us create and post content for Facebook, Twitter, and our blog. They have also contributed to our web design, and they work with a consultant to create content around topics relevant to our university.

How did you come to work with True Voice Media?

True Voice Media was recommended to us by a former employee. We looked at other vendors as well, but True Voice Media was the best fit for us.

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

The size of the project was in the $10,000 to $50,000 price range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in early 2015, and our partnership is ongoing.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

All of the social media numbers have gone up. We are getting an increased number of followers on social media, increased engagement on social media, and an increased number of click-throughs onto our website.

What distinguishes True Voice Media from other providers?

True Voice Media has been a great partner for us. They work well, and they helped us achieve what we were looking to achieve. We trust True Voice Media, and we can communicate clearly with them. 

Is there anything True Voice Media could have improved?

No. I really can't think of anything.

Please describe your organization.

Our organization is a health insurance company.

What is your position and responsibilities?

I am the chief information officer. I am responsible for all information technology, infrastructure, facilities, and communications.

What business challenge were you trying to address with True Voice Media?

We were looking to expand our social media presence. We did not have any kind of a push in social media from a marketing perspective. It was a good time to start to dive into that area. We partnered with True Voice Media to help us with that.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

We engaged True Voice Media to help us with our Twitter profile, to set up our Facebook profile, YouTube profile, and any of the social media channels out there that we should be active on. True Voice Media helped us secure the proper accounts, and make sure that we were registered properly and formatting them in a way that would be appropriate for the type of work that we were looking to do. While True Voice Media did not create content for us, they connected us with writers to help carry out our plan.

How did you come to work with True Voice Media?

We reached out to a number of different firms, True Voice Media being one of them, because we felt that it would be best to engage a professional in this area and not try to figure this out ourselves. Primarily, it was the feel that we got from their owner that had us hire them. He was very confident and able in this area. It seemed to us that we would get much more direct help from him than we would from other companies. True Voice Media is very proactive, and reactive depending on how our needs change.

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

The size of the project is in the $10,000 to $50,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them regularly from 2012 to 2014. We are currently not working together, but we still talk on a semi-regular basis.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

I do not have any specific statistics to share. There was definitely an increase in terms of inquiries we were receiving from potential customers as well as a good spike in our website traffic.

What distinguishes True Voice Media from other providers?

True Voice Media is excellent. They did what they said they would do, when they said they would do it. It was all done very well. Anything we needed, any changes we wanted to make, or any special requests we were looking for, True Voice Media was able to turn them around quickly. I think their personal service was great. They really care about their clients individually in terms of their clients' success and not in terms of their own dollars. I can't say enough good things about True Voice Media.

Is there anything True Voice Media could have improved or done differently?

There was nothing that I would have wanted them to do differently.

Please describe your organization.

Our organization runs summer camps and programs for students on three college campuses. We have more than 20 different programs, and we work with kids from ages 4 to 18.

What is your position?

I'm the director of marketing.

What business challenge were you trying to address with True Voice Media?

Because we work with kids and teenagers, we thought it was appropriate to be involved in the social media space. We were looking for an expert to help guide us in that space. We chose True Voice Media as our partner for this purpose.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

True Voice Media advises us on social media planning and strategy. They don't create content for us, but they act as our social media coach. They guide us on where to go.

They're very involved in strategy: what we should be doing, when we should be doing it, which platforms to use, and how to interact with people on different social media channels. We've discussed Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, and even Periscope recently.

They also advice us on other aspects of our marketing campaign, not just social media. We really trust their knowledge and expertise in the field. For example, we had a big mailing campaign that we were doing, and they helped with that as well.

How did you come to work with True Voice Media?

True Voice Media came recommended by one of our website vendors.

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

The size of the project is in the $10,000 to $50,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship is ongoing. We started working with them in 2012, right when their business was getting started, and we've been working with them since.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

All the numbers have gone up since we started working with True Voice Media. We had no presence on Instagram, and now we have hundreds of people that follow us. Our Facebook following has increased by the thousands, too. We get dozens of customers every year due to our social media activity. That's one thing that affects the bottom line of our business.

How did True Voice Media perform from a project management standpoint?

True Voice Media has been amazing on all fronts. We meet formally a few times a year to plan our strategy. In terms of executing, they're good about checking in with us and saying, "How are you doing with the plan? Do you need help with anything?" They make sure that we're doing what we both agreed on. True Voice Media is a great partner to have.

What distinguishes True Voice Media from other providers?

It's just a real personal touch that you get from True Voice Media. It's great that we can bounce ideas off each other in all aspects of our business. They feel like a part of our team.

Is there anything True Voice Media could have improved or done differently?

No. True Voice Media is great all around.