Latin & Code

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm CEO and founder of OpenEye Global, a digital experience agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Latin & Code?

We needed to create a more consistent brand presence and marketing strategy. We were good at getting our name out there, but there wasn't any consistency in our message. We also wanted to tie our marketing to a robust business development strategy.

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we first engaged with Latin & Code, we told them that we were generating a lot of content but that we didn’t know how to leverage it. We were missing opportunities to generate additional content, be more active on social, and attract potential new business opportunities. They came back to us with a marketing strategy to align our messaging, create new means of content generation, and enhance our presence to the industry.

They also worked with us on an exercise to determine the brand values and qualities, as well as how we can present ourselves in a unique way to the market. From there, they’re developing a social strategy that we can follow. They put together a marketing calendar and strategy for each month. It gives us consistent messages, ways to speak, and presentation. They develop content for our social media channels, particularly Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, and LinkedIn.

What is the team composition?

We work with both Steven and Melissa (co-founders, Latin & Code).

How did you come to work with Latin & Code?

I met Steven a couple years ago through a mutual acquaintance. I thought they would be a good fit, so we stayed in touch until the time was right to work together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2014 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

There's now a certain buzz about our brand. The new messaging and content is very professional and on point. It's helping to generate an audience for us, and that audience stays connected. It's helping define us and separate us. We’re also hearing from people that we're not overdoing it with the amount of content; there’s a nice balance of information so people don't feel annoyed. Whether they’re an existing client or just part of the industry, people like seeing what we're up to and that we’re growing as a brand.

How did Latin & Code perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very efficient. They hit all the deadlines and nothing was ever missed. They’re timely and responsive. We meet in person a couple times throughout the year. We also regularly communicate via Zoom or Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took time to understand who we are as an agency, which is so important. I also like that they don't sugarcoat their feedback. They will tell me if something doesn't make sense or is wrong. They aren't afraid to voice their opinion, which I really appreciate. I want to be challenged on my thinking. I'm sometimes too close to the brand so it's nice to get another perspective. Plus, they're very good at articulating a brand message. They also know when to pivot or course correct if something isn’t working.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d challenge them to see what others are doing in this space so that they keep bringing us new ideas. It’s difficult because our industry is small; there aren’t many other agencies that serve the client the way that we do. We’ve seen them taking the initiative to do this more each year, which is great.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open to criticism and suggestions. Give them the freedom to put your brand in the perspective that they feel is best suited for the industry.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former president of a business unit under the International Data Group (IDG). IDG is the world’s largest B2B media company. My responsibilities included running a membership committee for CIOs across the globe.

What challenge were you trying to address with Latin & Code?

My committee lacked a true self-identity, brand essence, and our market strategy was undefined at best. We needed an external resource to provide full-service marketing assistance. Our goal was to accurately target potential buyers from a lead generation perspective.

What was the scope of their involvement?

I replaced my CMO with Latin & Code so they could essentially act as our marketing department. We needed to reestablish everything from logo design to bio personas. Our approach to the marketplace was changing mainly due to the shifting role of CIOs within an increasingly digital world.

One of our biggest challenges was that our branding materials all looked different. We’d previously engaged with so many marketing professionals, both from an agency and employee standpoint, that our overall appearance lacked uniformity. We didn’t have brand guidelines locked down as far as colors, fonts, and so forth. Steven (Co-Founder & Brand Strategist, Latin & Code) brilliantly lead the effort to establish our brand essence. Latin & Code introduced us to many remarkable partners, some of which we ended up working with directly. A certain partner of theirs designed of our new logo, helped us understand what the brand essence meant, and instilled that in the minds of every employee.

Melissa (Co-Founder & Digital Strategist, Latin & Code) internalized all of that information and helped us with digital marketing and advertising. Steven and Melissa have two distinct kinds of talent, but they work well together. Steven dives deep into the messaging of our content while Melissa is more tactical. She helped integrate HubSpot into our procedures and taught us how to use Salesforce to its full potential. Once we overhauled our internal processes, the messaging that Steven had created fit right into our newly formed email campaigns, drip campaigns, and newsletters. That was complemented by the field marketing they provided for us as well. Finally, Melissa shadowed me on social media to produce creative content.

What is the team composition?

We primary worked with Steven and Melissa. They have numerous partners that worked with us directly as specialists, but we only paid one invoice.

How did you come to work with Latin & Code?

They attended the HubSpot national event in Boston. I lived a few blocks from the convention center and happened to meet Melissa by chance. I ended up having her and Steven over, and we spoke about what each of us does. I was in a position to replace my CMO, but hiring them could have made or broken my career. I decided to bet on them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $6,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together from roughly 2014–2017. I put them on a monthly retainer.

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

They created an award-winning website for us that’s phenomenal. IDG even borrowed the format of the site for their entire relaunch. It was an exciting time. The membership renewal rates of our community rose to well over 80% thanks to Latin & Code’s contributions. That level of engagement and renewals is unheard of in the membership community business.

How did Latin & Code perform from a project management standpoint?

We held them to weekly meetings where they’d run through the project and they performed exceptionally well. They’re two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They’re able to assert themselves in crucial situations to get the most out of employees.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re wholesome, kind, and have an amazing presence. They aren’t cutthroat or threatening, but they’ll also be straightforward to ensure a project’s success. Latin & Code saved me while staying true to who they are and what they stand for. I can’t thank them enough for how they helped me and the company I represented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their statement of work wasn’t specific enough. Marketing is hard and people have to have patience with it. They know this, so I wish they’d illustrate that within the statement of work for less experienced clients. People want to know what they’re getting and we had to push back on that a lot.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

A full rebranding process is complicated. People think you can wave a wand and customers will come in the door because you hired a good firm, but that’s not how it works. Effective marketing takes discipline and perseverance.