Gentlemen Marketing Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Founder and CEO of LE SIU Srl, an italian company with a legal entity established in SH. LE SIU produces and sells through social ecommerce channels and concept stoers high quality fashion shoes for men and women handmade in Italy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

LE SIU's internationalization strategy focuses mostly on the Chinese market, whose landscape is unique and completely different from other countries.

We needed professional support for the whole project:

• market entry strategy
• price positioning
• social media landscape
• e-reputation
• web marketing in general

What were your goals for this project?

After a screenig of the market, we decided to look for a professional Agency who could have been able to provide the full range of services needed.

We realised soon, after the first approaches to the Chinese market, that for a foreign company, it would have been practically impossible to manage effectively the market entry, without a professional partner who could have managed under the same cap all the aspects of the projects.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We firstly checked within Shanghai area the Agencies offering the services needed. The search was done through Google, specialised Forums, but also through Baidu, the chinese Google, which unfortunately is only in Chinese.

A Chinese colleague helped us to verify the results on Baidu. Finally we selected some of the most interesting Agencies. Myself and my brother Piero, who is the co-founder, went personally to SH and we meet around 6-7 of them.

We eliminated immediately companies that might present a language barrier. The meeting with GMA was the most intertesting among all Agencies met. We talked to the owner, Oliver and to the Director: Alexandre.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Before commissioning the job, we met GMA 3-4 times, aiming to define exactly the scope of the project and the services needed. This has been also the opportunity to get to know closer each other and to establish a deeper relationship not only professional, but also on personal basis.

Once we started, GMA we had very clear in mind every single step to be done. GMA gathered all company documents, applied to open official accounts on WeChat, Weibo, QQ and also Little Red Book the booming chinese social app.

GMA reserved a chinese web-domain, (www.le-siu.cn) got from Government the compulsory Internet Content Provider License in our name, designed the website and loaded all our contents in Chinese.

Afterwards they started posting content on social media, worked on e-reputation and took care of press releases. We defined a monthly budget based on a detailed retainer quotation which we got from them.

What was the team composition?

We usually talk to GMA owners and to the Account Manager of LE SIU within GMA a Chinese guy, Lucian, who manages a team of 12 people assigned to LE SIU each one specialised on a topic.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project after 2 years is still on going. So far we reached every goal which we set on our "to do" list with GMA. The process of entering the chinese market is complicate and we are inthe middle of it. But the first results are even above ourexpectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We could establish a very friendly and cooperative working team between GMA and LE SIU. Yes we discuss a lot, but we also have fun together. This is fundamental when working with a partner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

When we started, they were relatively small, I think 12/15 people. In 3 years they grew up massive. Now there must be around 70/80 people in their office. GMA occupy the entire 20th floor of a brand new building. This says more than 1000 words. There must be a reason if they could beat the competitors and become one of the best Agencies in SH.

Are there any areas for improvement?

yes, but not directly related to GMA itself. In China the turnover of employee is very high. They can change job and company even after few months. We, as customer, also suffered this "culture", because new employee in the LE SIU team at GMA side, means more job from our side to explain egain some concepts, exchange again the files etc. But this is a problem we must live with, because it is very common in Shanghai, definitely not only at GMA.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Strategic Property Investments. We provide SOMETHING RELATED TO funds in real estate and development in the Middle East and East Asia. Our customers fall into two groups: investors and B2B/B2C clients looking to buy real estate.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

We’ve just begun expanding our business into China and I was looking for a marketing partner who could help us bring in high-quality contracts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were supposed to provide digital marketing on multiple platforms, including some specific to China. This involved managing our social media accounts and making posts on our behalf. They also worked on lead generation through demand-side platform (DSP) ads that would appear in news apps. Their goal was to generate 60-80 leads per several hundred thousand impressions. We were also interested in having them provide web development for our Chinese content, but that went on a separate contract.

What is the team dynamic? 

We were originally supposed to have four team members working with us, but we only ended up having account managers for digital marketing and web development. I’m not sure if they outsourced the translation services or not.

How did you come to work with Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

They’re a bilingual team based in China. Language was the biggest barrier to us as an international company, so we needed someone we could communicate with. I felt like we got along well when we met face-to-face in Shanghai, especially since they claimed to know big-name developers in our other markets.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $8,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from January–May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

While the web development was slow, the digital marketing seemed to be fine, at least at first. As time went on, we grew frustrated by delays and our in-house staff found lots of major translation mistakes in the copy we sent them. We eventually discovered that their account manager was asking her friends to click on our ads and submit false leads in order to run through our ad spends. The deception became apparent when our sales team tried to follow up on the leads and found social connections to their staff.

How did Gentlemen Marketing Agency address the challenges that arose?

They’d promised us data analysis and access to reports, plus access to the backend, but they didn’t produce any of these things. Whenever we’d ask for receipts or proof of our ad spends, they didn’t have them.

Describe the impact this engagement has had on your business.

Thanks to the false start on entering the Chinese market, we ended up losing some of our sales staff. We had to pay a headhunter to replace them, which was very costly. Our team also wasn’t able to see any results despite months of work, which was not good for morale. We were led to believe that our brand identity was developing in a positive direction and that we were investing in the right kind of marketing. Trusting this company wasted a lot of time and opportunity for us.

How was project management handled?

Project management was generally ineffective. The project was only supposed to take four or five weeks, but ended up taking close to four months. It took them over a month just to initiate our contract. Their work on the web development was painfully slow, and it also seemed like it took a long time to activate our social media channels. Our WordPress site didn’t go online until three months into development, and it seemed like they only prioritized it when we pressured them to work on it.

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

They’re responsive when it comes to sending out proposals and invoices. They engage well with clients on that front.

In what specific areas can they improve?

They need to overhaul their business culture and their code of conduct if they plan to continue working with international clients.

What advice do you have for clients with similar needs to yours?

I would not recommend hiring them. They were slow and under-delivered.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Partner of China Commercial (Shanghai) Law Firm

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Founded in 1993, China Commercial Law Firm is one of the first approved partnership law firms in China and has become one of the Largest comprehensive law firms in China after 30 years of unremitting efforts. In 2023, China Commercial Law Firm ranked 10th among 2023 ALB China Top 30 Largest Law Firms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency to accomplish?

• Foreign affairs Legal Service Profile

SOLUTION

How did you find Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

Referral

Why did you select Gentlemen Marketing Agency over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Gentlemen Marketing Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Assisted in the production of product manuals about our requirements, and revised and finalized them at our repeated requests, and also assisted in printing and delivering the corresponding manuals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The content is accurate, the design meets the requirements, and it is delivered on time.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Deliver items on time along with efficiency communication, respond on our requirement quite good

What was your primary form of communication with Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Innovative and collaborative atmosphere. Gentlemen Marketing Agency's strong product innovation and team spirit were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Gentlemen Marketing Agency could have done differently?

can deliver more innovative idea while designing the future products.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of CC Cinnamon Circle GmbH

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

PR for luxury hotels, destinations and products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency to accomplish?

• Get presence in Chinese Social Media Channels
• Communicate the special offerings of our luxury clients

SOLUTION

How did you find Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

Referral

Why did you select Gentlemen Marketing Agency over others?

Great culture fit

How many teammates from Gentlemen Marketing Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Working in a multicultural environment we wrestle searching for a partner in China who understands our European goals as well as the interests of Chinese clients. GMA provided a deep understanding of the Chinese market and at the same time faciltated communication as we had an European key account manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The outcomes met our expectations, and we are still working together on various projects.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Everything perfect.

What was your primary form of communication with Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The creativity of my key account manager. The multicultural understanding. The precise planning.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Gentlemen Marketing Agency could have done differently?

at the moment, no.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a vitamins and supplements company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Trading vitamins and supplements

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency to accomplish?

• Expansion into new markets
• Increasing brand awareness

SOLUTION

How did you find Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

Online Search

Why did you select Gentlemen Marketing Agency over others?

• High ratings
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Gentlemen Marketing Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Developed and implemented a marketing strategy that allows achieving business goals. - Created an effective advertising campaign that attracts the attention of the target audience and increases conversion. - Conducted market and competitor analysis, which helps identify unique advantages and build a competitive strategy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to increase the overall sales volume of our company. By conducting market research and implementing special events, we were able to attract more customers and stimulate increased sales. By using a sales tracking system, we were able to fully track and measure this metric, and it gave us a clear understanding of the growth in sales volume

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The first thing that I would like to highlight is a clear definition of the goals and objectives of our project. The project was developed taking into account our company's strategy and market trends in order to achieve the stated marketing goals. Experienced project managers make sure that each project is well-structured and meets the set deadlines and budget. 

The second important aspect to mention is communication and coordination between various departments of the company. Our project requires interaction between marketers, the creative team, analysts, and other specialists. The managers effectively communicate and coordinate the work of all participants.

What was your primary form of communication with Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The most impressive aspect of working with this company was their deep understanding of our industry and adaptability to our needs. They carefully studied our target audience and proposed strategies that led to a significant increase in our customer base.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Gentlemen Marketing Agency could have done differently?

No, everything is great! I wish the company prosperity!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the sales Director of a leading frozen bakery manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency, and what were your goals?

To help us with the Marketing strategy in China.

SOLUTION

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

I searched online and shortlisted 3 companies. GMA was the best choice for us (flexible, quick reply, knowledge of the F&B market and competitive price)

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

They did a market research and after that propose a Marketing strategy combining wechat, PRs, QAs and working on SEO too.

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

We basically worked with an account manager who provided an excellent service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Month after month, the number of leads increased significantly (basically via our wechat account thanks of the startegy designed).

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very flexible and convenient.

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

They can provide full marketing support.

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

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am general manager and founder of TailorMade Language Training. We are institute based in China and specialized in language training (Mandarin, English, French)

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency, and what were your goals?

We hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency to improve our SEO and bring our website on the first page on Google when someone was looking for Mandarin lessons in China.

SOLUTION

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

Someone using their service refered to us.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

They first prepare a strategy to develop our website and boost SEO. Then they implemented it with different keywords and backlinks on different websites.

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

Mainly one, the general manager

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

After 6 months, we moved from mainly the pages 3, 4 to the first page when someone was looking for mandarin lessons in Beijing, in Shanghai with different keywords like learn Chinese in Beijing, Chinese courses in Beijing, Mandarin lessons in Shanghai, ...

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

It was professional with clear objectives and following agenda.

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

The most important and impressive was that they reached the objectives we set up together.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am supporting manager , Our company is trade finance provider. our client are exporter and importer .

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

degisn, IT, content marketing, etc

What were your goals for this project?

We want to develop and explore the Chinese market through marketing with GMA cooperation

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Friends in Industry introduced GMA Shanghai to us

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Design, manage and maintain our website and Wechat Public platform, Baidu management, etc

What was the team composition?

Their team is good for us , from content writer, program manager , to IT support , they're all dedicated

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

many exporters or factories called us to consult our service since we have been cooperating.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

we are often have conference call or face to face meeting.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

professional, international

Are there any areas for improvement?

satisfied with their services

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Sales Manager at a premium one-stop bedding store that carries organic latex mattresses, adjustable bed bases and accessories, all made of natural and sustainable materials.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

Digital Campaign to expand our brand exposure

What were your goals for this project?

to Increase brand exposure

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

we reached out to several marketing agency and in the end chose to Gentleman because their team is to understand our needs and provided a customized plan with a reasonable budget

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Help us to get exposures on specific furniture media platforms, weibo and xiao hong shu.

What was the team composition?

I've been working close with Rod who is very professional responsible. There were a few times when we need to sit down together to barnstorm ideas and I'm just impressed by his ability of thinking and acting outside of the box.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Brand awareness increased 30% within 3 months

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication is on point.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They grow very fast and the good thing about it is that they are able to finish the task real fast

Are there any areas for improvement?

not really, they did a very good job

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

One of the leading brands for a drink in Australia

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Gentlemen Marketing Agency?

To enter the China market and establish a stable brand image on Chinese social media

What were your goals for this project?

To set up a set of social media infrastructure and brand image in China

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Partnership reccomodendation

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Social media platform management WeChat, Weibo contents creation SEO, and SEM PR contents creation Event execution

What was the team composition?

Expert with both Chinese and foreign knowledge in marketing and PR Social media expertise in design and copywriting

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Demonstrate great integrity and fast response Good response rate

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Better than average team

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Great communication skills and project execution

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A