Incite Response Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at an import company based in Seattle called Steel Vision Tools. Our primary business is hand tools and equipment, which we import, market, package, and sell to brick-and-mortar retailers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Incite Response Inc.?

As a lot of people have been doing these days, we're trying to pivot into more of an online presence in the wake of COVID-19. Our previous hand tools and equipment site wasn’t e-commerce-capable, so we relied on Incite Response Inc. to build it out.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Incite Response Inc. has basically created a new website for us using our provided photos and copy. They’ve really taken it to the next level in terms of site navigation and features. It’s now a fully e-commerce-capable solution that has a WooCommerce backend and integrates with our in-house Oracle system. Currently, they’re working on more integrations with Amazon, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and ShipStation.

Outside of that, they’ve helped us maximize our site speed so that it would get factored into Google’s algorithm. There have been a lot of little elements like that that they’ve optimized, and those details can make a big difference. They also manage our social media marketing and write copy for daily responses to comments.

What is the team composition? 

We’ve worked with six people from their company. I primarily deal with Laura (VP) and David (President). Then, there’s a woman who oversees our progress on our social media marketing efforts and website analytics. Another woman helps us write copy for our social media ads. Finally, they have a man in California who helps us with our site integrations and in-house Oracle system.

How did you come to work with Incite Response Inc.?

There are lots of companies in my area that provide these types of development and marketing services. We narrowed our shortlist down to about 3–4 candidates and had conference calls with each. Incite Response Inc. stood out because we really liked what they had to say. The team was very open and easy to talk to, so it seemed like they were the best fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent at least $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They’ve been working with us since September 2020.

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

The amount of traffic that’s been pushed to our social media and website is a great example of Incite Response Inc.’s impact on our company. In one week, we’ve received 106,000 views for our website when the average used to be a quarter of that per month. These results are way above the industry average. 

Their team has used their experience to really guide us and point us in the right direction. Thanks to them, we have a better understanding of effective digital marketing tactics and how people behave online.

How did Incite Response Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They strike a good balance on meetings, scheduling Zoom calls only when they have something important to say. Otherwise, they’re in daily communication with myself and my team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most important thing is the trust we have in them. We’ve received a lot of warnings about ineffective social media marketing companies that charge an exorbitant amount of money only to take a long time to produce results, if there even are any.

Incite Response Inc. isn’t like that. The fact that we’ve given them a lot of autonomy and trust that they know what they’re doing is a big deal. They’ve shown discretion with their spending and how they represent my company, and it’s been helpful not having to constantly monitor their work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe someone with more experience could come up with a critique, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that Incite Response Inc. struggles with. I thought that this partnership would be a lot more hands-on, but, so far, it’s been a seamless transition to let them take control and handle our account. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust in their ability to do what they do. They’re really knowledgeable about their field, but the relationship still requires a lot of back-and-forth. To be effective, you should designate at least one person to make sure that their team is getting the responses they need on a daily basis.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of the premier hotel reservations service for hotels, Travel Outlook. We handle reservations calls for 4 and 5 star independent hotels.

For what projects/services did your company hire Incite Response Inc., and what were your goals?

Incite designed and has updated our web presence, and implemented sophisticated tools for managing web leads.

How did you select Incite Response Inc. and what were the deciding factors?

Incite was recommended to us by another client.

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

Incite integrated Invio with our site, and has also integrated our hiring software to enable interested new potential employees to apply right from our site.

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

Three: CEO, designer, software implementation specialist.

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

Incite Media has not only helped us to maximize our Internet presence, they have helped us to dramatically increase our revenues and achieve a top-level position in our industry. Their response is second-to-none, and they couldn't be more pleasant and fun to work with.

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

I would describe their style as immediate - they jump right on tasks and get them done within a few hours. Never a delay. As CEO I don't interact with them on a tech level, but our staff loves their attention to detail and scheduling.

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

Their attitude - very positive, and competent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I have not found any issues with them after working with them the past few years.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Canvas Yacht Charters. We charter yachts and boats to customers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Incite Response Inc.?

We had a previous marketing and advertising company that, after a year and a half, wasn’t delivering the results we needed. We decided to find an alternative and chose Incite Response.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started off with a dozen phone calls talking about our business model, target clientele, area of operation, and more. They then went out and learned our competitors’ models. One thing I really appreciate is that they are data wizards. The amount of data and research Incite Response does behind the scenes has been a game-changer. They understand data, metrics, and how to dance with Google.

During the process, we completely rebranded ourselves. We changed our name, our logo, how we function, and how we targeted our customers. We also redid our social media functionalities on Facebook and Instagram. We also put a press release and some articles based on their recommendation to grow our organic SEO.

We did a complete website redesign as well. Incite Response dissolved our previous website and recreated it in WordPress based on what we were hoping for it to look like, looking at our competitors and their successes. Incite Respons added high-end pictures and a video on our home page. They also implemented a yacht search feature where clients can search for available yachts by location, type of yacht, the number of passengers, the price, date, and more. This requires huge infrastructure behind the scenes.

What is the team composition?

I work with David (President) and Laura (Vice President).

How did you come to work with Incite Response Inc.?

We first looked at local agencies because we like to have a personal relationship with face-to-face meetings. That didn’t work so we searched online. We were looking for data-driven agencies that had experience in the transportation and travel industry as well as great reviews. We looked at Clutch and other rating agencies, and the feedback that Incite Response got was spectacular.

Based on our criteria, we picked three companies. There were two rounds of interviews with each candidate, and we settled on Incite Response. Part of it was personality-based: we wanted to see if they understood they were saying. We also wanted to see how much they wanted to work with us; the second interview would let us see how much each candidate researched us and did their due diligence since our first meeting.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began right around January 2020, and Incite Response finished the website around April the same year. We’re still working together.

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

In fewer than three months, we’ve had 32 spot-on inquiries that we’re working with. Incite Response is able to target people looking to do what we provide. We were in trouble as a business before, but Incite Response saved us.

Our industry is based on leads and bookings. Over three months, we have had a handful of bookings. We also look at metrics elsewhere, like our Facebook presence. With our previous agency, after one and a half years, we only attained 500 followers. In three months with Incite Response, we reached 1,600. On Instagram, we went from 60 to over 400 followers.

How did Incite Response Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The one thing we value the most from Incite Response is their communication ability. We correspond via email or phone call, and their response is excellent. The three-hour time zone difference had us concerned until we got to know them, their work culture, and their passion. It hasn’t been an issue at all.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Incite Response has engulfed themselves in our business as if they were our employees. They listen, they care, they give incredible advice, and they’re conscious of our money. The people there are just wonderful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I can’t think of much there. Our partnership is still in its early stages. I can’t even look David in the eye and tell him he’s charging too much. Their prices are in the middle of the pack, and we’re getting the results we want.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of a small family-run resort on the Riviera Maya in Mexico. We have 60 rooms, two restaurants, a dive center, spa, and grocery store. We cater to mostly US and Canadian tourists seeking the personal service of an independent hotel.

For what projects/services did your company hire Incite Response Inc.?

We needed a full service digital media company to handle our social media account. Our website also needed a complete redesign.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase our visibility on social media in order to drive more business to our website and online booking engine.

How did you select this vendor?

We searched online and came up with a few options. We liked Incite Response Inc. the best because of the services they provide and their personal attention to clients.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Incite Response Inc. rebuilt our website and continues to provide regular maintenance. They also handle SEO. We use their full-service social media marketing services to manage our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.

What was the team composition?

We work directly with David and Lori (co-owners, Incite Response Inc.) for SEO and website maintenance. We also have two people assigned to our monthly social media work.

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

We’ve seen our visibility on social media multiply exponentially since the engagement began. Our web site has also drawn new business, especially for our weddings.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Incite Response Inc. is quick to reply and very hands-on with any needs that arise. They have a great system for presenting their monthly work plan for our approval. The monthly reports are so easy to understand. The whole team is great.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I can tell that love what they are doing and that they care about the work. Incite Response Inc. is always attentive to our needs, and they’ve delivered solid results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, there aren’t any areas for improvement that I can think of.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m director of marketing for a faucet manufacturing company. We serve the multifamily housing industry as well as wholesale distribution.

What challenge were you trying to address with Incite Response Inc.? 

We have a relatively small marketing department. Incite Response Inc. helps us with a lot of our marketing needs.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Incite Response Inc. provides website development and e-commerce support. They run a large portion of our content marketing and our email marketing. They also provide the email automation platform that we use to send our marketing emails. From a website perspective, they offer analytics, reporting, and SEO support as well. 

What is the team composition?

I primarily interface with four people. Amy (Reputation & Writing, Incite Response Inc.) works on blogs and copy for articles. Lori (VP, Incite Response Inc.) helps with social media strategy and engagement tactics. David (founder & president, Incite Response Inc.) helps us in terms of overall market strategy, lead conversion strategy on our website, and website analytics. Rich (Director Client Services, Incite Response Inc.) is our overall project manager when it comes to website development, email marketing, and software. We occasionally jump on the phone with their developer if we have a complex website issue to discuss.

How did you come to work with Incite Response Inc.? 

They were referred to us by my brother-in-law. Even though they specialize in the hospitality industry, he thought they’d be a good fit for our company. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

We’ve been working together for about a year and a half and the engagement is ongoing.

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

They helped us create a solid email marketing strategy. They also built us beautiful email templates to use. They provide ongoing maintenance for website landing pages and campaigns. As a smaller marketing department, Incite Response Inc. brings to the table a breadth of skill and expertise we can’t replicate.

Internally, we think a lot about KPIs and measurability. It can be a challenge to prove that everything we do in marketing is having an impact on our lead generation process. The most important piece they provide is reporting on the performance of each campaign. They do a great job proving to our management that the website, email, and social media work has been a success. Incite Response Inc.'s ability to prove the success of our campaigns is immeasurable. 

How did Incite Response Inc. perform from a project management standpoint? 

They're excellent from a communications standpoint. They go above and beyond to make sure that communication is clear. They send email recaps after every phone call. They use GoToMeeting to share analytics so that we can see what they’re presenting. 

I haven't had any issues with their responsiveness, which is not always the case with other agencies. Incite Response Inc. specializes in hospitality and hotels, and we’re a plumbing manufacturer company. They spend a tremendous amount of time learning about our company in order to offer an intelligent strategy. They certainly deliver when it comes to providing content that's specific to our industry. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

I've worked with several other agencies. Communications can get confusing, especially close to a deadline. Timelines can get stretched out. However, Incite Response Inc. is always honest. They reach out and let us know if something is taking longer than expected. They're very easy to communicate with. If they miss something, they own it and then go back and fix it. It feels like we're working with a company that has our best interest at heart. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

The advice to hospitality customers is to have clear objectives and goals that are outlined at the start of the project. It’s very important to know what you want to measure before asking their team to pull analytics. They will be able to set up goal conversions and reporting once they understand what makes sense for your company. 

My specific advice to other non-hospitality customers is to have a strong internal person that can convey industry background and terminology. That will help Incite Response Inc. write effectively on your topic and provide a suitable strategy.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the digital communications manager for a golf management company. My role involves sales and marketing for all the clubs we manage in our portfolio. I provide support wherever it's needed, from social media, email marketing, and content production to specific tasks like social ads that fall within those categories.

What challenge were you trying to address with Incite Response?

A new client of ours was grappling with a social media challenge that’s common in the golf and private social club space. We hired Incite Response to help us resolve it. As part of our onboarding, we were trying to get their social accounts in order. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our client had two Facebook business profile pages. They had both been dormant since 2012 and 2011 respectively. There isn't an easy way to salvage these pages once we acquire them if there's no backend admin access. 

Incite Response helped us not only reclaim the accounts but also merge the two pages together. Maintaining a single established business profile was a much better prospect than having to start all over again by creating a third one. 

Lori (Vice President, Incite Response) leveraged her professional contacts at Facebook to gain access to both pages. Right now, we're in the process of combining them. We'll hopefully complete this project within the next week or so. 

What is the team composition? 

I worked with David (President, Incite Response) and Lori (Vice President, Incite Response). 

How did you come to work with Incite Response?

We have a different mutual client with Incite Response. They initially reached out to align our organizations so we could best cater to their interests. Our initial conversation was to plan our collaboration style. We reached out to them about our other client’s Facebook project after that project. They had successfully solved similar problems with account access before. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We completed this project during the month of July 2018. We didn't sign a commitment, so I'm not a consistent client of theirs. This one-off opportunity was our first engagement together but might collaborate again at some point.

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

This was a positive engagement for our company. Incite Response empowered us to salvage a page that was an essential aspect of our client's business. Their problem-solving skills offered critical aid for a prevalent issue. Initiating our professional relationship manifested in a useful deliverable. Both we and our client thought their contribution was extremely beneficial and important. They facilitated a nice win for us, especially since this account was new to our portfolio.

Incite Response made my job easier and I appreciated their work. The team was supportive throughout the whole process. By the goodness of their hearts, they were gracious enough help us with this specific task. I am going to stay in touch with them and maintain a correspondence. If future scenarios arise, we'd like to engage in a partnership in the future. That window is definitely open. 

How did Incite Response perform from a project management standpoint?

Incite Response was extremely efficient and responsive. Even when there was no news to report, they consistently followed up. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Incite Response practices what they preach and fulfills their promises. I've spoken with plenty of companies that claim to provide similar services. Since I haven't worked with many others, I never know what can actually come to fruition. 

I presented an issue when we first spoke, and they said they could handle it. Incite Response backed up that claim and then some. This is an important trait for a company like this to have. They not only delivered on their promises but also did so efficiently. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We didn't work together long enough for it to be fair to mention critiques. In my experience with Incite Response, there was nothing that they needed to improve or change. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Incite Response has the extensive resources, connections, and experience needed to produce results. I recommend being an open book and listening to their suggestions to maximize their services. Jump in with two feet rather than being reluctant.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a boutique hotel located in the Half Moon Bay Area in California. It’s a small ten-room hotel with two additional high-end bedrooms.

What challenge were you trying to address with Incite Response?

We wanted to reposition the brand to attract a higher-end clientele and to garner exposure for the property. At the time we purchased the property, it didn’t a social media presence or a digital marketing presence, and had an old, outdated website. We were looking for a full-service digital marketing agency to solve that.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Incite Response initially started with the website and brought it up to current standards of the latest Google algorithms/analytics to maximize our SEO. They collaborated with us on the design and built it out on a more modern platform.

Their team currently works on all our marketing—99% of it being digital. They create social media content through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; advise us on reputation management strategies; curate our reviews responses; and advance our email campaigns. They are currently planning to expand our reach and awareness through targeted promotions and demand-generation activities.

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with the founder and vice president.

How did you come to work with Incite Response?

We had tried two or three other digital marketing firms before Incite Response and were getting frustrated with their responsiveness, performance, and analytics. We found Incite Response online, interviewed them for their approach, and found them to be much more suitable for the job.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in October 2015 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

We receive a lot more traffic on our website and it’s easier to use. Customers are more likely to book rooms directly on our site than through third-party affiliates who charge a commission—increasing our profitability. Our hotel is better represented by the new content and we receive a lot of positive feedback from customers.

Their robust social media campaigns grow our customer's engagement to our content and increase of our number of followers consistently month after month—from 100 to 25,000 on Facebook. Their efforts grow our business’ awareness leads to increases in conversion to sales.

Their email campaigns also have high response rates and their reputation management allows us to maintain five-star reviews.

How did Incite Response perform from a project management standpoint?

We used to have communication problems with other companies but Incite Response is hyper-reactive and will contact us back immediately through e-mail, direct messages, or phone.

Their team provides in-depth, easily-consumable monthly reports regarding all the activity and the performance of our campaigns.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very operationally efficient, never miss deadlines, and the quality of their content is extraordinary. Relative to the other firms, their professionalism and collaborative nature sets them apart. They are willing to listen to ideas and don’t just use cookie cutter solutions—tailoring to our unique business needs. They make you feel like you're the biggest fish in the pond, no matter how big your business is.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like to see their business grow to have a greater co-branding between the marketing team and the client. In terms of their actual performance, I don't have any criticisms. They have a small, but top-notch team

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly establish your objectives and your goals ahead of time. Make sure that the project and operational management support not only achieving your goals but also tracks the performance.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO at Access Hospitality, a hotel management company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Incite Response?

We needed a company to manage our website marketing and social media.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They've developed a website for us and managed SEO, email, and PPC (Pay Per Click) campaigns. As far as social media goes, they create content and help with marketing strategies for our hotels – they oversee Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Our goal is to generate interest in our market and, consequently, increase our revenue. 

What is the team composition? 

We mostly work with David [Metze, Founder, Incite Response] and Lori [Metze, Principal, Incite Response]

How did you come to work with them?

I've known David for a long time – we met when we both worked for a different company. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $200,000 – $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in 2009 and the relationship is ongoing. 

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

Our social media presence has more than tripled. Our average ROI [Return On Investment] of website performance is 6:1. Since they're marketing for our hotels, the results vary from project to project.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

We interface about once a week via phone or email and have face-to-face meetings when we're launching a project. They're always available – they answer their phone and return calls immediately. We work directly with the owners, both of whom are a pleasure to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that we're dealing with the owners of the company is very important to us. They deliver on promises and are very responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they've been great. I'm very happy with their work, which is why I've been working with them for years. There's nothing I would do differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They put together a plan and they follow it.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and project manager of Rabecca Onassis Boutique. A premium woman’s boutique in the heat of downtown Seattle’s most iconic destination; Pikes Place Market.

For what projects/services did your company hire Incite Response Inc.?

Email correction Web development and assessment Overhaul proposal SEO CPANEL Shopify

What were your goals for this project?

To be fully operational after a breach.

How did you select Incite Response Inc.?

I found them online. Submitted inquiry. My reply was prompt and my communication clear.

Describe the project in detail.

Our emails had been compromised to a breach. Nothing on our Computers, devices, and or website would work. Our primary web help could not help fix it. Incite did more than what we could have ever expected. And fast!

What was the team composition?

To get our business back to full functionality

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

We got back online. The site works fast. Emails are coming in and going out better than ever.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Amazing. Super comfortable and reliable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were professional and educated.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

Please describe your company and your position there.

President

For what projects/services did your company hire Incite Response Inc., and what were your goals?

Desperately needed to update my website. Needed a much more modern look and improved functionally.

How did you select Incite Response Inc. and what were the deciding factors?

Prior business relationship

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

Overview, determined objectives, reviewed old website, looked at websites of similar services, Incite presented initial concept, worked together to work on details, several on-line meetings to continue to make it better, final submission and went live. Follow up with working out improvements.

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

3

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

Initial comments have been very, very favorable.

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

Extremely collaborative, working back and forth until we achieved a look and functionality that I was happy with.

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

Highly skilled, very creative, and super easy to work with, paying attention to any concerns I had.

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

Not really, I was totally satisfied and the timeline for the delivered product was impressive.