Inbox Army, LLC

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Provanz Supplements Inc. I manufacture and sell dietary supplements online, kind of like nutraceuticals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Inbox Army, LLC?

I wanted to grow my email list and the way that customers interacted with us via email. My email marketing strategy was disorganized, I sent emails once in a while, but it required a lot of effort. I wanted a partner that could help me out with that so CX was more consistent.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They integrated a couple of things onto the website which allowed me to collect emails. We had permissions so customers could approve the information being collected. We also sent a series of follow-up emails as well. So when people signed up to the newsletter or signed an account with us, they received consistent emails. Then 1–3 times a month, they help me design an email to send to our email list.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with an account manager, but I also deal with the production team as well. Periodically, I work with Chris (Managing Partner).

How did you come to work with Inbox Army, LLC?

I found them through a simple Google search. I was looking for a partner that had expert insight into email marketing. They seemed to fit the bill, so I reached out to them and we had a couple of conversations.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $10,000 per year. It varies because the services I need has fluctuated here and there.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in early 2019 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My email list has grown by 50%. Also, depending on what we do with the emails, we usually see a spike in sales. For example, we sent an email a week ago, and sales went up by 250%. Their impact is definitely noticeable.

How did Inbox Army, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They work well together and are very organized. Whenever I need something to happen, we get on a group phone call, and we figure out what needs to happen. We have phone calls and use a group chat to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re well-organized and are experts on what they do. Inbox Army, LLC has clearly been doing this for a long time and is very efficient and effective. In comparison, other companies I’ve looked at provide many different services but aren’t nearly as skilled.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been a few occasions when I wasn’t sure who I was dealing with. That was in the early stages, though. Overall, I can’t really complain.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask a lot of questions and try to understand exactly what you want to achieve by working with them. If you ask them the right questions, the process will be a lot easier.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Purple is a mattress retailer that is primarily online in the DtC space, but has moved into retail and wholesale as well. I manage email automations and lead gen for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

We were in need of an email developer to code our email templates and promotional campaigns using HTML and CSS for better rendering and more control over the content in emails.

What were your goals for this project?

To create beautiful, dynamic emails that rendered correctly and displayed appropriately on every device.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My manager worked for Inbox Army a few years back and knew the work would be fast and high quality. We needed to move quickly as our in-house developer was leaving. We primarily trusted our manager's decision to work with IA and were not disappointed.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We typically design the emails using a software like Figma and then pass those designs to our IA team to code them. There is sometimes a little bit of feedback involved, but they code the emails exactly to spec as they receive them. They also test their code to ensure it displays correctly on all devices and with each email client.

What was the team composition?

We've had their production team primarily involved with an account manager helping to prioritize projects that we've passed along. The team size has stayed the same.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Inbox Army has been wonderful to work with. They have quick turnaround times with very few if any issues we fix on our end. The goal was to have coded emails to send to our subscribers and with the pace we are working at, that turnaround time is critical.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We communicate via Slack and email, and we've never encountered issues with those modalities. There isn't much of a workflow since we just pass the design file and then they code it and send the code to us (or upload it into our ESP). Any feedback we've provided has been responded to well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are so easy to work with and adaptable when changes arise in specific emails or series.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO at Patriot Gold Group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Inbox Army?

We were looking for someone to authenticate and take over our email marketing campaigns and give them an air of originality.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Inbox Army does the email deployment, helps us with our content, and does the email design. Additionally, they also help us to lower our bounce rate and whitelist our inbound email marketing campaigns. 

They send out about a quarter of a million emails and design unique calls to action (CTA). The team also assists us with lead generation.

What is the team composition?

We work with three teammates, and we’ve also interacted with Chris (Managing Partner).

How did you come to work with Inbox Army?

We were searching for service providers online when we found them.

How much have you invested with them?

For one-off projects, they increase the price, but we typically spend $3,000–$5,000 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in about March 2017, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They streamlined our process, and our marketing goes out on time. Inbox Army does what they say they’re going to do, and they offer a premium product at a fair price. We’ve increased our revenue by 140% since we started working with them. The service has paid for itself. 

How did Inbox Army perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve never had to explain something twice or had any issues. We also don’t have language barriers, which is great. We primarily communicate via email and phone calls. 

Having someone in a senior position take accountability and communicate the way Chris does makes a big difference. Even though he has a team that works on our project, he’s very hands-on and always an email or phone call away, which I appreciate. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Most of the agencies we’ve come across online are very hands-off. Inbox Army offers a human-to-human element, which is great because our telephone sales business is the same way. Once you get your program set up with the team, they won’t walk away. They stay engaged and aim to be as hands-on as we need them to be.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Down the road, they could offer content creation, which is more of a desire than criticism. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re serious about your email marketing, give Inbox Army a call.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Marketing for a dietary supplement company serving both ecommerce retail customers, and wholesale customers within the healthcare and aesthetic industries (e.g. plastic surgeons, dermatologists, med spas, aestheticians). We formulate, manufacture, and distribute high-quality supplements in the categories of surgery & recovery, skin & beauty, and general health & wellness. I oversee digital and print marketing campaigns for both sides of the business, including copy writing, content creation, QC/proofing, and planning the promotional calendar.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

Though we've been in business since 1997, our exclusive distribution at the start was through wholesale. In 2012 we first opened our ecommerce store selling direct to retail consumers, and starting in 2015 we began putting greater resources into growing that new side of the business. When we hired Inbox Army in late Summer of 2018, we were looking for an email-specific agency to cover an internal talent gap in our organization within the areas of email coding and design.

What were your goals for this project?

With the aid of other digital marketing efforts on and off-site, our goal with emails and working with Inbox Army was to double our retail/ecommerce revenue within 3 years.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

More or less extensive online searching for email-focused agencies that work with smaller businesses. Our spreadsheet included 70 agencies of which we contacted a large number of them. Ruled out most based on monthly minimums and/or being broad in focus rather than specializing in email.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope of their work was to develop a consistent set of brand standards for our email marketing campaigns, and to create emails for both automated flow messages and one-off manual/promotional sends. We reviewed with their team lead the set of brand standards we had used historically that needed to be refreshed for a more modern style, and sought to establish conventions in our emails for standard features like headers & footers.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the owner during the sales cycle to discuss the project and review their portfolio of work done for other clients. Once signed on, we were introduced to our Account Manager who acted as a liaison and creative guide between us and their design/coder team in India. We also were introduced to the team lead in India, but we do not know the precise size of that entire team. There were staff changes and turnover within their organization in the subsequent months after signing, and for the majority of our working relationship we've been working directly with the team lead in India with occasional input from the owner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with this vendor our volume of emails and our email-based revenue has increased. We've established some consistency in our messaging and improved the rate at which we execute on campaigns.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have used email as well as phone calls and slack to communicate, and this vendor has a great response rate. They employ project previewing via platforms that make it easy for us to comment and cite edits, which has improved the efficiency of executing on campaigns. They are highly receptive to feedback, and generally provide an accurate estimation for what to expect in terms of timeline and meeting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to quickly turnaround coding projects and simple email designs has been a big plus working with this vendor. As compared with other vendors, we appreciate them working with us on multiple changes and email variations without nickel and diming us on those variants or putting a max number of changes as a restriction on any campaign they've completed for us. I am impressed by the India team leader's enthusiasm, positive attitude, availability, receptiveness to critique, and responsiveness, especially on urgent projects that have come up with very tight windows.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their coding work is good. While their creative and design work has improved over time, there are still areas of opportunity for them to create stronger unique designs and execute a design concept creatively across several different types of messages in a given campaign.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Sales and Marketing Manager for LandCentral. LandCentral is an online land investment company where we sell land on contract to customers throughout the US.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

Initially we had hired Inbox Army to create a few one-off campaigns. We then switched to using Inbox Army in handling our email marketing needs.

What were your goals for this project?

To effectively handle our email campaigns, scheduling, and email templates.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had interviewed several options for our one-off campaigns, and found Inbox Army to be the most knowledgeable with what our intentions were and for the most fair price. Once the campaigns were complete it was an easy choice to move all of our email marketing needs to them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Through meetings and screen-share we were able to express the direction we were wanting to head. From there Inbox Army was able to provide feedback as to how to best implement what we were wanting to do long-term.

What was the team composition?

We have 1 point of contact, but then she works with others as needed (especially during development phases).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have had great progress with our welcome, re-engagement, and cart abandonment campaigns. We have received enough data from these in order to proceed with further development and changes to the campaigns.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There is always quick and easy responses to any questions, comments or concerns. We schedule all emails through Basecamp and provide content and comments through that system. Any additional concerns are quickly managed through email or phone.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're definitely knowledgeable about email marketing. If anything ever comes up that our rep hasn't dealt with she is quick to find the solution that will best fit our needs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We'd love to continue to further develop and change our strategy as needed. Inbox Army definitely has the expertise, and if we're ever planning or doing something wrong (or not as profitable) on the marketing side of things we'd love to know.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the director of the Email Experience Council. We’re the email marketing body of the Data & Marketing Association, a professional organization that works to improve the reputation of email marketing and communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

We were looking to improve and revamp various email templates we send to our base. Inbox Army has updated our templates a few times over the years.

What were your goals for this project?

Our base and membership are comprised of professionals in the email industry, so we wanted our email communications to reflect the utmost professionalism. This required us to find a partner with top-notch design skills and high deliverability standards.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected Inbox Army after reviewing several companies in the space and sorting through solid recommendations and work history.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Over several years, they’ve worked to make our templates sleek and responsive. They ensure all of our email communication needs are met: bi-weekly e-newsletters, weekly event emails, quarterly sponsored-emails, and special alert emails.

What was the team composition?

I work closely with Inbox Army's leadership and team members to meet our current and evolving needs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We used to get emails regarding broken links and template designs, differing fonts, and issues with mobile-responsiveness. Those complaints have ceased thanks to Inbox Army.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our point of contact is really good about keeping me apprised of deadlines and accepting new assignments that weren't previously scheduled. In our business, new email communications are needed to accommodate time-sensitive issues that arise.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This is very much a collaborative process. We exchange ideas, and they turn my thoughts into reality. They even go a step further to offer suggestions I haven't thought of before.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I’ve seen. The quality and timeliness of their work are excellent. I’m quite pleased with our relationship.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a data-driven marketing firm that provides strategic, analytic, and execution services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Inbox Army, LLC?

Primarily, we needed HTML development associated with complex email campaigns. We also required as-needed assistance with campaign management (e.g. building workflows in email service providers (ESP)).

What were your goals for this project?

We needed seamless handoff, flawless execution, and successful handling of scaling.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met them via LinkedIn and gave them a trial run. They were highly capable, so we expanded their scope quickly. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Our team passes approved creative off to Inbox Army, and they build the HTML and upload it into the ESP. They also handle output QA and rendering.

What was the team composition?

We had direct contact with the company owner, as well as a point of contact for specific requests. We also had access to their working team itself.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

They’ve taken care of an urgent need with ease. We’ve been comfortable from the start, and, as our scope has grown, we’ve developed a stronger and stronger dialogue. Together, we address all needs/issues and move forward in lockstep.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Inbox Army provides project and account management resources and offers a good balance of transparency (they tell us who is doing what and when) and independence (they get their work done without needing a babysitter).

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to scale and dive in quickly is outstanding.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, none come to mind immediately.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Marketing of REIPrintMail

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We provide Direct Mail Marketing to Real Estate Investors

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Inbox Army, LLC to accomplish?

• Fix Email System
• Increase more leads and meetings through email

SOLUTION

How did you find Inbox Army, LLC?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Inbox Army, LLC over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Inbox Army, LLC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Build email journeys, create dashboards for KPIs in HubSpot, and increase prospecting through email.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Meetings and email campaigns built

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

Yes, Allie and Fawn are great! Amazing tools and tracking.

What was your primary form of communication with Inbox Army, LLC?

Virtual Meeting

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

They actually provide you with ideas and bring value to their service.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Inbox Army, LLC could have done differently?

It took a bit to get started, but once we did everything was great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing & Communications of Phononic

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Phononic’s unrivaled approach to solid-state cooling is breaking the boundaries of semiconductor innovation to drive the world to a more sustainable solution for cooling. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Inbox Army, LLC to accomplish?

• Revamp Email Templates
• Launch New Email Campaigns

SOLUTION

How did you find Inbox Army, LLC?

Referral

Why did you select Inbox Army, LLC over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Inbox Army, LLC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• General: team assists with manual campaigns, automation/journeys/flow setup, and deployment, includes email design, coding, testing, setup, deployment, audits, audience targeting, segmentation, reporting, and more.
• Additional: Content writing and strategic planning services involve discovery, writing, and editing. Strategy services involve discovery, data review and recommendations, testing protocols, client calls, transactional and automated workflows, planning, and more.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team regularly delivers on the SOW and has been able to help with trade media HTML requests, event & webinar promotion outside of our regular campaigns. The team is able to consitently take our designs and directions and turn them into live campaigns with few tweaks needed along the way. 

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

The team is very responsive and consistently deliver on-time. 

What was your primary form of communication with Inbox Army, LLC?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Inbox Army, LLC has an extensive roster of professionals who can tackle any challenge. You do not typically see this with small shops that tend to specialize in certain platforms. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Inbox Army, LLC could have done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Senior Marketing Manager of an education company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Online education

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Inbox Army, LLC to accomplish?

• Increase email engagement

SOLUTION

How did you find Inbox Army, LLC?

Online Search

Why did you select Inbox Army, LLC over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Inbox Army, LLC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Build out of all ad hoc and automated emails. Set up and updates to workflows. Creating and editing lists. General HubSpot email troubleshooting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Number of emails produced.

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

The team at Inbox Army is one of the most organized agencies I have worked with. With our primary communication channel being, unsurprisingly, email, they are also readily available via a Slack connection and during weekly virtual meetings.

What was your primary form of communication with Inbox Army, LLC?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their knowledge of email marketing, specifically using HubSpot. They way they work offers all of the benefits of adding an additional employee, with the flexibility and scalability of working with an agency.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Inbox Army, LLC could have done differently?

None.