Lift Interactive Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and operator of The Backyard, an outdoor space business. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

Lift was responsible for a whole host of activities for The Backyard. They created brand guides and helped with the naming of our business. The team also developed our website and social media content. On top of that, they’ve handled our initial three-month marketing campaign after launching our business. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, my wife and I underwent a branding workshop with Lift. Together, we came up with the name for the business. After that, they created our logo, branding, color palettes, and merchandise ideas. The team also worked on the typography of our print and digital assets, with a goal to have clean and consistent branding across the board. 

We adopted a collaborative approach with their team. My wife and I had a base preference and knew what we wanted to do, so we told Lift what to incorporate in the branding. For the most part, however, we gave the team a blank slate and allowed them to independently come up with a brand design. Then, they came back to us with 6–8 brand concepts from which we chose what we wanted to use. 

After we finished working on branding, the next step was to work on our website, which Lift created from scratch. Their in-house designers and web development team used the brand guidelines and assets we created as they built the site on WordPress. During this process, they collaborated closely with me and my wife since we created all of the website’s content.

Once that was done, we launched the business, and Lift resources were responsible for the first three months of our marketing efforts. The team specifically handled our social media posts and digital ads, including Facebook and Google Ads. 

What is the team composition?

A project manager was with us throughout the whole process, especially during the initial branding workshop. We also met with their principals and marketing director for the naming of the business. Once we started creating the brand, we worked with Jason (Senior Designer) and his team. After finishing that, we worked with their development team to build the website. From there, we interfaced with their marketing team and director to start the marketing aspect of the project. 

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We met with 6–7 agencies in and around Edmonton, Canada. Right from the beginning, we clicked with the Lift team in terms of customer service and attention to detail. Their CEO, principals, and marketing director were great. 

On top of that, their pricing was competitive. It was a little more expensive than other agencies, but it was justified considering the benefits that we could gain for the brand we wanted to create. From there, we started working together. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our collaboration lasted from June 2020–September 2021. For context, we started the agreement early in 2020, but it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the project only officially kicked off in June 2020. 

Further, we’re not planning to do anything with Lift in the immediate future, but we might still need them to create some digital assets for us. With that said, anything we do with them after September 2021 will be under a new engagement.

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

The primary evidence of success has been our brand and The Backyard’s physical space. Our color schemes have been well-received in our city, and the physical space has been a highly popular place where people can hang out and spend time together. 

Overall, the consistency of the brand in terms of color palettes and typography has been on point. As a result, the business has been successful since our grand opening, and we’ve gotten our brand across to our target audience. 

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

For the most part, the Lift team's communication was organized. We used ActiveCollab to communicate directly with the project manager. In the process, my wife and I enjoyed the branding and website creation stages; we truly excelled in that.  

Meanwhile, the marketing aspect of the collaboration wasn’t as organized as I would have liked; I wasn’t 100% sure where our ad spends were going. We had weekly check-in meetings, but I simply assumed that our marketing efforts and ad spends were working. That being said, we had also been so busy with the day-to-day operations of the business. We had less time to focus on what was happening. 

In any case, Lift’s project management was excellent and our lines of communication were great, especially prior to the launch of the website and business. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lift’s personal touch was impressive. Even though we were a smaller customer for Lift in terms of our needs as a startup, we immediately felt that we were important to them. The team paid as much attention to us as they would to much larger corporate clients — this was the best feature of their services. Simply put, we felt a great personal connection with them, and they treated us like family. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

As the project went along, there was less and less engagement between Lift and us. They were highly engaged in the beginning — the brand creation process was excellent — but then the communication became less frequent. To be fair, there was also less engagement on our end. Nonetheless, the last parts of the project could have been improved, especially its marketing aspect, which wasn’t as fleshed out as it could have been. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure that you get to know Lift’s project manager since that person will be your first point of contact. Moreover, make sure that the team understands your needs and what you’re hoping to get out of the engagement. If they know those things, they bring in the right people to work with you. 

On top of that, don’t be afraid to reach out to the heads of their departments. If you have a question that the project manager can’t answer, talk directly to their head and ask your questions. This ensures that your needs are met.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing & communications director at Explore Edmonton Corporation, a tourism destination, marketing, and management organization.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We needed a landing page to promote a recent international accreditation.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the hopes of financially recovering from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, our entire city came together and helped us pursue an international destination accreditation to promote our services. The success of this movement was then accompanied by our need for a marketing campaign and a landing page to advertise it.

Lift Interactive Inc. managed the creative execution of this campaign. Their team handled the entire project —  from the conceptualization of our project strategies to the implementation of graphic solutions for our landing page.

What is the team composition?

We were in close contact with their project manager and worked with a team of 6–10 web developers, designers, and marketing specialists.

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

Lift Interactive Inc. was a third-party contractor that our company had already collaborated with in the past. We thought of contacting them again when we needed a team to accomplish this creative project.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost us between $50,000–$70,000 CAD (approximately $41,000–$57,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement for this project ran from March–June 2021.

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

We just launched our campaign, so there are no metrics to share yet. However, as for anecdotal feedback, I could say that Lift Interactive Inc.’s customer service and rance of accommodating staff were fantastic to work with. They were able to deliver phenomenal and high-quality results that pleased our entire team.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a dedicated project manager that represented Lift Interactive Inc. well. They kept us updated and had a pool of communicative and open resources — everything was always on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re most impressed with the creativity and quality of work delivered by each of Lift Interactive Inc.’s resources. It’s pretty rare to come across an agency with such a high-caliber team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t encounter any areas that needed improvement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t hesitate to hire Lift Interactive Inc. Secondly, to make the most of your engagement and help them deliver exceptional solutions, be prepared to share concrete and creative ideas.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company’s called Trip Tribe. We’re an online group travel company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We brought Lift Interactive on board for a full overhaul of our entire website. Our system was outdated and needed revisions from start to finish.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lift Interactive helped with the full website redesign, which involved UX and visual design. They helped rebrand the entire company website and built user flows for several different types of users. Their team helped to create all of the interactions and imagery, including logos, color palettes, and typography.  All of their work was visual design, so they used Figma and Photoshop.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about five people from Lift Interactive.

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We initially found them on Clutch. We interviewed several companies that we found on Clutch and through separate research. After learning more about those companies' processes and experiences, we decided that Lift Interactive’s visual designs fit our style.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $30,000 in their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in July and finished it in November 2020.

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

As we’re still rolling out the website, we don’t have precise metrics yet. However, anecdotally, they were a supremely talented team — smart, capable, insightful, and creative. Lift Interactive promptly delivered beyond our expectations.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We used a tool called ActiveCollab to collaborate and share the status of tasks. We also had regular meetings 1–2 times a week, if not more, over the course of the engagement. They shared all of the drafts for the UX and visual designs, and we were able to use online tools to review and comment on the drafts.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lift Interactive was an experienced and talented team. Their project management was as good as I expected.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re happy with the results.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them a lot of timely feedback. Their team is responsive, but the sooner you engage their draft materials, the faster you can reach the outcome.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a marketing agency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We wanted them to create a website for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lift Interactive helped us with everything from idea creation to putting the site together, to eventually giving us the final product.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about five or six people.

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We found them after doing some web research. We narrowed it down to three companies and had conversations with all of them before choosing Lift Interactive.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from April–October 2020.

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

We just launched, so we don’t have any metrics, but the site looks great. We get compliments from everyone who sees it; I think people think we spent more money on it than we did. Lift Interactive was very easy to work with.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They were terrific. They used a project management tool for collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed with how on top of things Lift Interactive was. They were organized throughout the project, and they drove results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind. They were great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to hire Lift Interactive and let them run with it. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work in Edmonton City Operations, and I’m the acting director of parking services.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive?

We needed some service design work and UX design for our accessible parking program, which is a series of different infrastructures that we have in place to support folks with disabilities.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lift Interactive supported the design of our program from front to back, in terms of how users would find out about us in the first place and then what their experience would be when finding parking in our facility.

They also provided UI/UX recommendations on how we can improve our payment processes. We have an app, website, and a physical kiosk where folks make their payments, and they worked on that.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four teammates for the most part, including project managers, service designers, and UI/UX designers. 

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive?

They had worked on a similar niche piece of work within the disability space for our provincial government, and we had heard good things from our disability advocated connections locally. 

We had also received recommendations from other folks in the industry who said that Lift Interactive was at the forefront of service design and UI/UX design. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from February–December 2019.

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

Working for larger organizations is usually more complex because of the structural and political aspects that need to be navigated. Lift Interactive has been very flexible and nimble in terms of navigating the complex challenges that came with the work. 

We had a couple of opportunities to pivot our research and service design approaches based on some of those things, and they did it with ease and understanding.

How did Lift Interactive perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was very effective. There was constant communication and feedback, and they hit each of the milestones we had, probably even above what we had stipulated in the contract. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to navigate the complexities of a larger organization especially in the government space set them apart from other contractors that I worked with. Lift Interactive was flexible in terms of reasonably changing the scope of the project to meet some of those challenges.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not that I can think of. The project was flawless.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come extremely prepared and ready to do the work because Lift Interactive will do exactly that. The more ready you are as a client, the more you’re going to get out of them because of how high-performing they are as a team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of marketing and communications at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute. We bridge fundamental research in AI to industry adoption.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

When we hired Lift, we wanted to fully overhaul our website for the main purpose of our complex, two-sided marketplace. We wanted to comprehensively showcase our research and the talent of the researchers we fund at the University of Alberta. We also wanted to make it really easy for industry partners to navigate our site.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with them to define the main goals of the website and talked with them about CTAs. We then moved onto creating wireframes. They worked alongside our graphic designer on the site’s UX/UI. Lift integrated the website in a robust manner with our CRM, which was a big priority.

Internal search was also important to our site. Lift found and sourced a platform that plugged into the website and allowed for robust searches. That was important to us because of the number of research papers that people would come to the site to find. Their team then fully trained us on the website’s CMS, so it was a comprehensive contract.

What is the team composition?

During the discovery call, we were presented with a design lead, a project manager, another person whose role was akin to project management, and the CEO. They also brought in their head of UX/UI as our progress on the site developed. Our main point of contact, however, was our project manager.

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

My background is in tech startups and startup communities, so I had a longstanding relationship with the team at Lift prior to contracting them for this project. However, the work was put out to multiple agencies for bids, and Lift was chosen by our executive team upon my recommendation. We decided to work with Lift because they understood the tech and design spaces. It was important for us to engage a partner with a product management mindset and not only a website development mindset. Lift also had an incredible portfolio.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $65,000 CAD (approximately $49,400 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project’s timeline had wiggle room because of COVID-19. We had grand intentions to begin in May but that was pushed back. The project took us about six months and wrapped up in September 2020.

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

One metric that propels us forward is the amount of searching on the website. We already had to double the number of available search parameters on the site. The number of people using the search function within the site more than doubled within even the first month of launch. We’re also able to impact our calls to action. We went from a single website page with a simple form to dynamic, logic-based forms based on customers' journeys. We’ve seen a rapid uptake, which is super exciting.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Lift used ActiveCollab, and we worked with a robust team on a regular basis. When we started the project, they were clear about who we spoke to regarding different challenges. They also made clear the best platform to use to reach them. Their team was in constant communication and responsive to any last-minute requests.

Lift hit our hard deadline for launch and had a clear process for the website’s warranty. They made sure that everything wrapped up in a specific way that we all understood.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lift understood our goals and took the responsibility of finding the solutions to reach them. Their team focused on outcomes and navigated the tricker elements around personal preferences or approvals for design. They also made function important to the build. Everyone’s over the moon with the end product.

I would also commend them for their ability to shift their work during a global pandemic. All of the delays we experienced were on our end. Their team was flexible working with us on that front.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they knocked it out of the park.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think as big as you can about your digital footprint, and trust Lift’s advice on how to reach your goals. The possibilities are endless with Lift. They’re capable of creating anything. Their team’s product first in the technology space and a website’s just one option.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am part of a team of 3 educators creating curriculum for Daily Wonder Home Learning Hub which is available to parents who are homeschooling their children anywhere in the world.

For what projects/services did your company hire Lift Interactive Inc.?

As a new business, we needed help with our visual identity and branding.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal with Lift was to create a brand that had elements that are known to Waldorf education but with a fresh updated look.

How did you select Lift Interactive Inc.?

We looked at and met with several companies before choosing Lift Interactive. A good friend of ours, Brea Johnson from Heart & Bones Yoga had highly recommended Lift as she had worked with them to create her stunning website. We met with Matt and his team over a video call and we felt an instant connection. They were easy to get to know and they were genuinely excited about our new business.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with a few discovery sessions where we looked at other similar brands and picked what we liked and didn't like about them. Then we explained what we were looking for; a new logo, a new colour palette and new icons for our products.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two members of the Lift team, Melissa Barkman who was the project coordinator and Jason Gilliland, a graphic designer.

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

Since this project's completion we have had lots of positive feedback about our new look and logo. It's really helped us pull everything together to look consistent across all of our platforms.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Melissa and Jason were great to work with. We had regular video meetings during which Jason would share his screen and show us everything that he had been working on for us that week. They also set us up with an ActiveCollab account so that we could continue to review Jason's design's after our calls were finished. We could also leave notes and feedback on ActiveCollab for Jason to reference back to as he worked.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Even though we never met in the same room given our geographical distance and a pandemic that made travel impossible, our meetings felt warm and welcoming. We always felt heard and all of our questions were taken seriously. We could tell that they were really listening and cared about our business because each meeting would completely reflect any previous discussion we had had.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We don't have suggestions for improvement but feel that if we did, the Lift team would listen to any suggestions and take action immediately. You can tell they care deeply about what they do.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own my own business, but for this project, I served as the project manager for an immigrant council.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We wanted to develop a website to support career mentorship for organizations that wanted to offer that kind of service across Alberta. We were primarily looking to develop a repository format for the website so that four different audiences could easily access materials related to mentorship programming.

What was the scope of their involvement?

After doing an initial consultation, we had a discovery meeting with Lift Interactive Inc. The team also provided us with some examples to help us decided on the look and feel of the website. 

We had our own content developer, but they helped us to make sure that the framework of the content would work well with the structure of the website. They then developed the website working from architecture that they had already set up. 

Lift Interactive Inc. provided the graphic designs, and we tweaked the template that they had provided. Additionally, they did some QA work and trained the operational team staff on how to do maintenance after the project. 

What is the team composition?

In the initial phase, Thorren (Strategy Director) was our main point of contact. Through most of the development work, our point of contact was Melissa (Project Coordinator), and various team members would join the meetings depending on the stage of the project. 

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

I was involved in the selection process, but someone from the organization had built a relationship with Lift Interactive Inc. from working with them previously. So, we didn’t go through a vetting process.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from September 2019–March 2020.

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

The website is exactly what we asked for and we’re getting good feedback from our users and stakeholders. The users have found the website to be easy to use. Additionally, the stakeholders say that the website is attractive, and they say that it’s a good support aspect for the purpose of our project to increase the culture of career mentorship in Alberta.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The team used Co-Active as well as another tool for content input. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve listened a little better. In their zeal about what they were presenting, they missed what we were saying. Lift Interactive Inc.was open to hearing our concerns when we brought them up, but we had to do that a couple of times.

For example, they dropped one of our core stakeholder audiences. It was a small but important one. The bulk of their work is directed to the private sector, so we had to make the case that we did have four audiences with different needs, even if one of them wasn’t a big client. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Lift Interactive Inc. works best when the client can line up with their timeline.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and creative strategist at Patton Communications based in Edmonton, Alberta. I’ve been in business for about 28 years, and my job is to develop creative strategies for organizations and companies, which include public and private entities, entrepreneurs, and government organizations. I do everything from strategy to creative campaigns, multimedia, video, TV, and print.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

I’m also the co-chair of the Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway, a legacy project for our city. The idea behind the project was to create an experience where people could walk through our city while learning about it and listening to legacy stories. We contracted Lift Interactive Inc. to develop a very unique mobile app experience and website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lift Interactive Inc. designed and developed our mobile app and website. They created a unique experience for users to hear stories through geofencing technology and developed a mechanism that allows people to learn and walk at the same time. 

Lift Interactive Inc. also contributed way-finding signage designs, which were implemented by the city of Edmonton. The signs had information and a QR code so that people could download the mobile app. 

What is the team composition?

Our project manager was Daniella (UX Designer & Strategist, Lift Interactive Inc.). She was absolutely fantastic and a pleasure to work with. 

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

I’d worked with Lift Interactive Inc. previously and, based on a really great relationship, recommended them for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in February 2019, and we launched the project in early September. We then developed phase two, which took us to mid-December. It was essentially a year-long project.

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

Lift Interactive Inc. created a wonderful experience, from beginning to end. Users can deploy the app, go on the website, and actually be on the walkway while listening to and reading all of the content.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Lift Interactive Inc. met every milestone. The team developed solutions that were not only elegant but also layered in collaboration with our diverse committee. They managed the work beautifully, despite having to work with many different personalities. Overall, it was a wonderful experience working with them. They were always optimistic and always found a solution.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very generous because I’m quite sure they contributed more time than was allotted in the original scope of the work. I’m very grateful for that, as this project is for the citizens of Edmonton and our province. We only had a finite budget of $30,000, but we know that the resources and people power that Lift Interactive Inc. put into the initiative was valued much higher. It’s because of their generosity that this app and project exist.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there was nothing that could’ve been improved upon. They delivered everything we desired as a group; in fact, they exceeded expectations for this high-profile project. We delivered because of their partnership.

Any advice for potential customers?

With any partner, what you bring to the table through organization and thoughtful strategy is important. Have your house in order before meeting with Lift Interactive Inc.; that way, you’ll get more moving forward.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m responsible for marketing, sales, and guest experience at a large Canadian ski resort.

What challenge were you trying to address with Lift Interactive Inc.?

Our primary goal was to develop an up-to-date, user-friendly website for our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed an entirely new website based on Wagtail. The website was designed to engage our customers, promote our brand, and allow people to purchase products through an online store. We wanted to have a seamless interaction with our customers so they could have all the information they needed. They completely replaced the CMS.

What is the team composition?

There were two primary members of the team and two secondary staffers. In total, four people worked on the site.

How did you come to work with Lift Interactive Inc.?

We found about them through word-of-mouth. They’ve done some work with a local tourism organization in the area, and we were referred to them. We looked at the work they had done and determined it was a good fit. We did put out a request for proposals on the website, but Lift Interactive came back with the best proposal based on how we would interact with them and how we could communicate with their company. Their rates were also very competitive. We’d initially worked with them on a website project in 2018, and they helped us out again with a second website.

How much have you invested with them?

Our team has invested $25,000–$50,000 in the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve developed two websites with them. This project ran from April 2019 to October 2019.

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

Anecdotally, the feedback we’ve had has all been very positive. Customers find it to be very user-friendly. They find the images and overall look and feel have been very appealing. This positive feedback has come from internal stakeholders, but also from external customers. They have created a correct portrayal of our brand and what they have to offers.

Their team is also very quick to react to any changes we want to make, from a technical perspective.

How did Lift Interactive Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. We are a medium-sized company with some limitations in regard to human resources, but they were very responsive in terms of helping us develop the pages and writing content for us. Working with them was an excellent experience. They were right on-time and wanted to hit the target launch date.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very patient and could translate the technical language into layman’s terms. I enjoyed working with them because their team quickly understood our needs as a ski area. They provided suggestions, directions, and thoughts that were very helpful. I was a bit nervous about having to feed them information, but they did a really good job of researching and asking us questions to put together a good site.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they were a bit anxious to get the site launched; they were quite excited, understandably, to launch it on the exact date. We just had to pull back a bit to make sure the project was 100% ready. Of course, they complied and held the site back for a couple of weeks. That’s not much of a complaint, but they were a bit disappointed.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Develop a relationship with the key person working on the site. The company that commissions them to need to be highly responsive to their questions. If you don’t do that, you just fall further and further behind.