Inovāt

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a software engineering company. We focus on building products for clients in financial services. I am VP of Growth and am responsible for marketing.

For what projects/services did your company hire Inovāt, and what were your goals?

We are a fast-growing scale-up and needed help with re-positioning our brand. We hired Inovat to facilitate a discovery session to help align our senior leadership team on our future direction.

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted research online and shortlisted 6 challenger brand agencies. We invited them to pitch - Inovat had great hustle, put in the extra effort and won the business.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Research and discovery of current brand and position in the market.

• Research.

1. Created and electronically distributed a survey to our senior leadership team.
2. Compiled relevant industry data and reports.
3. Competitor analysis of 3 competitors, their targeting, messaging, positioning and conversions.

• Workshop. 1 day workshop in Miami covering:

1. Brand Card Exercise.
2. Value Proposition Mapping.
3. Positioning Exercise.

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

Three :

• Agency Founder & President
• Project Manager
• Creative Director

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

The work really helped highlight the variance in our positioning. Benchmarking ourselves against the competition was very useful - some clear opportunities stand out.

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

Very professional. Inovat used Basecamp to manage the project - they were very flexible when we needed to make changes to the plan.

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

I really enjoyed working with Doug - as a small business owner, he just gets it in a way that many don't.

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

None.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of creative services at AARP Media Solutions. We’re a publishing company that sells advertising for our print and digital media properties that are specifically for AARP members.

What challenge were you trying to address with Inovāt?

We brought them on to help with our B2B efforts, especially on our online media kit site. It’s our public-facing site for those interested in purchasing ad sales.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Inovāt serves as our partner in the B2B space. Their team designed the initial website, and now they maintain it. They provide insights and reporting. Currently, we’re in the middle of making some enhancements to the site.

We’ll also be doing a refresh on the site with Inovāt. The refresh will focus on look and functionality. Additionally, we’re launching a blog, and they’re helping us with that. There are definitely some SEO conversations related to that.

What is the team composition?

Our main points of contact are Doug (President) and Nick (Operations Director).

How did you come to work with Inovāt?

We did an RFP process and interviewed a few different firms. We narrowed them down and Inovāt was ultimately chosen. Our team really liked their approach to things. They’re a smaller boutique firm with great customer service. Their team was very capable and easy to work with.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started around January 2014.

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

We have a good working relationship. Inovāt is very responsive and provides excellent customer service. They put the customer first. We’ve never had to wait, and their team always says yes to new things we need to tackle.

Additionally, they provide great reporting that helps us make decisions about what we need to do with our site and around paid media toward our site. We have a great collaborative partnership, and they come up with sound ideas.

How did Inovāt perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has changed over the years. From the very beginning, we utilized Basecamp and it worked out really well. There’s never a lag in communication with them. Once we set timelines, things are always delivered on time, if not earlier. At one point, we had a dedicated project manager. Now, Doug and Nick handle it and it has worked out very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Inovāt is easy to work with. They’re always super helpful and are an extension of our team. They’ve proven themselves to always be dedicated to us. We never feel that somebody else is more important than us; that’s always very much appreciated. They work with quite a few different people from my team. Their team treats everyone exactly the same, regardless if it’s the VP or a marketing associate. Everyone gets the same level of service and respect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything negative.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Anybody should have confidence in working with them. Inovāt knows their stuff from a design and tech perspective. It’s clear that they know what they’re talking about. Their team stays current with trends and what’s happening in this fast-paced digital work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a consultant to the jewelry retailer that hired Inovat, helping to manage marketing and brand presence.

For what projects/services did your company hire Inovat?

Create a digital marketing plan, implement, work with in-house creative, analyze data, increase e-commerce.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase site visits and e-commerce sales, provide monthly reports, manage the marketing budget for digital.

How did you select this vendor?

My client researched agencies and found Inovat.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After we chose Inovat, we had a series of meetings to identify needs, they made a proposal, we implemented it, then followed their lead when adjustments needed to be made based on data.

What was the team composition?

Owner, myself (creative and marketing consultant) and marketing assistant on the client side, plus Inovat principal and assistant.

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

E-commerce sales rose 61% in 12 months of implementing Inovat's marketing plan

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, monthly calls kept things moving and allowed us to pivot when necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ease of use. They're easy to talk to and take criticism and commentary well. Their team knows the world of social media and digital marketing. We weren't handed off to an inexperienced intern or subordinate.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a virtual reality agency that specializes in VR activation for live events and global brands.

What challenge were you trying to address with Inovat?

We created a unique 360 VR livestream broadcast that immersed viewers in a racing event. We hired Inovat to help with the art design and aesthetic to enhance the viewing experience.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They took the lead on the art design. Before the project began, we brought them in to brainstorm some of the wire designs and specs to improve our bid. We managed all the technology, but they were an important part of the look and feel of the project. They were actively involved in design meetings and provided sketches to include in the broadcast. They also came to the event to help manage any last-minute changes during the broadcast itself.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with two people. Their company president was the creative lead and our main point of contact, and a graphic artist worked behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Inovat?

We met through a mutual connection. We spoke with the owner and hit it off well, so we brought them on.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $15,000 for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started a conversation with them in April or May 2018. They presented the final deliverables right at the beginning of November 2018. We also worked together to create a case study video and documents for future work, so the collaboration continued for a while after the project was finished.

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

The services they offered were definitely valuable. We charted the number of impressions, but it is difficult to attribute a percentage directly to their work. The client was very pleased with the broadcast. This is very new technology, but it ranked on the higher end of their broadcast productions.

How did Inovat perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent, very involved, receptive, and on top of everything. They consistently kept us up to date on progress and the status of various tasks. We mostly used email to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For their size, they are very attentive. The design work was high-caliber, and working with them was a joy. We’re already considering future projects. We hope to have a longer relationship with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything they should improve; they were a pleasure to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get them involved early in your project. They joined us at the inception stage, and we got a lot out of the relationship with them.

Please give me a brief description of your company.

We manufacture custom cabinetry for rooms in a home.

What is your role at the company?

I work in our marketing department. My responsibilities include social media as well as graphic design.

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached Inovat?

When we first started working with Inovat, it was through our advertising agency. Then, we split with the ad agency and started working with Inovat directly. They were responsible for all of our digital marketing.

What were your company’s business goals for the project?

We wanted to have a strong website and digital marketing presence.

Can you tell me about the scope of the project?

They provided us with digital marketing services and web creation services.

What was your process for selecting Inovat to work with?

We found them through our previous advertising agency.

Can you give us a sense of the size of the project in dollar terms, a price range would be fine as well?

That is confidential.

When was the project completed?

Our website took 6 months to complete, but we still continually work with them on an ongoing basis.

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share? What have they helped you achieve as a company?

We were very happy with Inovat’s work. The creation of the new site is excellent. They helped us capture better leads. They also optimized our site to make it mobile responsive and added brand new features. Inovat communicated very well and executed the plan perfectly.

When working with them, was there anything unique or special about them compared to other companies that you may have worked with?

They were a joy to work with, and they made the project a fun experience.

Looking back on the project, is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

No.

Please describe your organization.

We are an overnight boys' camp located in Massachusetts. We are a traditional summer camp with a sports focus for boys between the ages of 7-14.

What is your position?

I am one of the camp directors, along with my husband.

What business challenge were you trying to address with Inovat?

We are a traditional overnight camp with the spirit, culture, and amazing value system typical for camps. We are known as the best sports camp for boys in the Unites States. Our biggest challenge was making sure that we communicate to parents that their child is going to get an incredible instruction level and guidance in the sports they practice here, whether they be tennis, basketball, or archery. They also become part of a value system and learn character through sport. We are the only place which offers both of these focuses, and I wanted it to be known.

Please describe the scope of their involvement in greater detail.

Inovat created a functional and easy-to-use website, both for our parents and prospective customers.

How did you come to work with Inovat?

We looked at a lot of different companies and had the impression that Inovat understood what our message was, including the clear simplicity for which we were aiming.

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

I’m sorry, this is confidential.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was started in September of 2015 and is still ongoing. It will be completed in May or June 2016. After getting a sense of their skillset and of the people that were part of our team, I would definitely use them for other marketing projects in the future. Particularly, we plan to use Inovat for another very large project.

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We don't track metrics for our page. It's not an e-commerce website in any sense, but rather a branding one. I am confident that, once the new page has been launched, it will greatly improve our presence online.

How did Inovat perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been an amazing partner along the way. Inovat's team has been prompt and clear, and they've listened very well to us. It's the best thing I could say about a vendor.

What distinguishes Inovat from other providers?

The way in which they work as a team is great. They are extremely creative.

Is there anything Inovat could have improved or done differently?

No, there isn't.