LoKnow

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital strategist of a multi-family residential housing provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

We needed someone to provide us with PPC services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LoKnow helped us develop a regional and city-specific strategy, and deployed them across various social media channels. They also managed all our campaigns including analytical optimization and data reporting.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a lead strategist, an account manager, and at least two people in the backend.

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

LoKnow was a recommendation from a senior VP.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested north of $500,000 CAD (approximately $387,700 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2020–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The click-through rates I would offer were below 2.5% of the industry average, but LoKnow did a phenomenal job of improving that above the industry average. As for the lead generation, we’ve been quite successful in peak months at it exceeded 30% of our targets last year.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

There were never any issues when it came to their project management, and they were always adaptive and supportive throughout the entire engagement.

We usually communicated through email and Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their ability to demonstrate and generate high-quality results for enterprise-grade corporations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only pain point I had working with them was their management fees, but they were clearly outlined so I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise them to start their cooperation with LoKnow sooner rather than later.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a creative agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

I needed help with ad campaign management for third party clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team handles the creative elements, whether it be a photo or video of their product. Then LoKnow typically takes the creative and manage ad fitting, where the reach would go, and what kind of audience it would go in front of. They manage ads on Facebook, Google, and Instagram.

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

I met them through a mutual friend. We met and they showcased their work. I liked their clean, clear pitch deck. I was impressed with how they were able to distill their complicated process into an easy to understand presentation. They know the ins and outs of ad campaigns and have a large range of expertise, which led us to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $80,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2018, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Part of their service is tracking and interpreting the analytics of the campaigns. Every month we get a report with our client’s progress. Their work really informs us on what to include in our creative elements.

During the pandemic, our client launched and broke even in the second month, which is really impressive. We expect 3–4 months before ads make progress. For another project, they increased our client’s sales by 780% in one campaign alone.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always on top of things. The team is involved in countless meetings, and always make sure they understand what our goals are for the campaign. They give us useful data before and after every campaign, which is great. The team is also very friendly and welcoming. They’ve invited us to golf and gave us an ice-cream gift card.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They put in the research to keep updated on what’s going on. The team is really dedicated to the ads, and they never over-promise. We always get a realistic sense of what to expect. I enjoy their authenticity and upfront attitude when it comes to marketing management.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It would be nice if they had more of an educational webinar or video, especially for potential customers. They have to deal with a changing and complicated beast, and they manage it well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be very clear on your brand, and what audience you’re trying to go after, and what their positioning in the market is. Targeting anyone and everyone doesn’t really work. Think of a unique angle that you could take. Additionally, a realistic budget is crucial. Ads aren’t magic, it’s important to know that they’ll take some time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a utility company and I’m a senior advisor in our marketing department.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

I hired them to execute our digital campaign. They did a pitch that included AI, which we had never done before and were interested in trying out. It was a digital campaign, and we also did a bit of a more traditional campaign, so it was a mix.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They set everything up for us, and we gave them all of the creative elements. They planned social media posts for Facebook and Instagram. We also planned SEM, with Google display ads, which they took care of. We also did some work with Google Ads. Since then, they’ve done two more campaigns for us, and now they’re doing the same campaign this year with a couple of improvements.

What is the team composition?

My primary relationship is with the sales manager. I believe they also have a team of experts doing work on the backend.

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

I met them through a different vendor I was using. The original vendor I was working with executed a campaign, and they had a relationship with LoKnow. I approached them with campaigns I was doing and they recommended LoKnow.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With any campaign, it’s important to measure results. With this campaign, specifically, I had never seen such high results in all of my years working here. On average, 70% of people finished watching our video from start to finish, and I’ve never seen that before.

Our engagement was much higher compared to previous campaigns. Plus, our underground hits actually decreased last year during the time that the campaign was being executed, so there’s they’ve definitely played a role in educating people.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

On a weekly basis, they gave me a summary of how things were going. On a monthly basis, they gave me a formal report. They’ve done pretty well. My contact asks a lot of questions, so it’s clear they understand the project and what I’m looking for. They do really well in managing my expectations and checking-in. The team has been really good with communication throughout the campaign.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their technology stands out. They use geofencing to target based on the user’s device ID, which is what they used for our campaign and it turned out to be a big success. We were able to geofence the areas our target audience which helped a lot. Only a few other vendors in Canada have that geofencing license, so it’s a really standout technology benefit that we have access to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know. My experience with them has always been really good and have given me everything I’ve asked for. They’re not pushy and they only sell me what I need.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to just listen to them. Hear them out because they’ll help you target what you need to target. Anyone can run a Facebook or Google ad and hope for the best, but they’ll actually look at your spend, engagement, and medium to make sure you reach your goal. They’re worth it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

TRGR Communications and Design is a full-service communication and advertising agency that specializes in brand strategy and execution. I am the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

We’ve brought them on for a number of clients. Our team works with clients to identify their main challenges from a marketing perspective and we partnered with LoKnow for digital media buying. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

LoKnow works with us on large clients, such as a barbershop and a power company, as well as on smaller clients, such as a recreational center and a glass insurance company.

They partner with us to determine the target market during the strategy phase by informing and fleshing out the personas and identifying their preferred digital media channels. With smaller clients, LoKnow just helps us with the deployment and execution of campaigns through digital media channels. 

What is the team composition?

My main points of contact are Vikram (President & Founder) and Cam (Director of Strategy & Sales). We also work with three of their account leads. Sometimes we bring on another teammate to talk to clients about different IT elements. All in all, we’ve dealt with 8–10 teammates.

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

I was working at another company when I met Vikram. He had just started his business and we brought him on to work with us on one of our clients. When I came to TRGR, we decided that it didn’t make strategic sense to have media planning and buying presence in our company because we couldn’t compete with the big multinational businesses. So, we decided to partner with a company that did that type of work on a daily basis. 

I knew that LoKnow would be the perfect digital media partner because they have a unique view of digital marketing and buy the media themselves. Because they started as a data company, they control the data themselves and have proprietary tools that allow them to harvest particular target groups.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in the summer of 2017 and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been really happy with their work and we've seen a visible increase in engagement, harvesting of IP addresses, and conversions.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style is very hands-on. Because they’re in the technical world, they’re always willing to explain concepts to our account team and clients if need be. They often prefer to do so. 

We have regular meetings. Depending on the project, they join us for monthly status or briefing meetings. Often, we bring them in to present the media, and other times we white-label the projects. It all depends on the type of project. They’re very flexible no matter our methods.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What we love about them is their client service and their ability to pivot on a dime for us. Most of our clients are in the retail world so there are frequent changes to schedules and projects, but LoKnow has been incredibly accommodating. 

They make us smarter and are always on top of the trends and latest industry news, sending us updates whenever they can. They’re also data-driven and can sit across the table from our clients’ IT specialists. They’re very knowledgeable about their industry, and I always feel like they know more than I do which doesn’t happen often. It’s refreshing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Because of their growth, one thing they do grapple with is being able to turn on a dime, especially because we’re not their only clients. There’s a heavy reliance on the leadership team just because Vikram and Cam are really good. It doesn’t bother me right now, but I can see that as they continue to grow, we might see less of them. Other than that, they’ve been an awesome partner.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re very knowledgeable, but don’t just take my word for it; definitely make it a point to meet the team. Make sure you understand how they harvest data which is one of the most interesting aspects of their business. I would put them up against any digital firm and would recommend hem to anyone. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a hospitality and cannabis group. We do herbal cannabis along with a national licensed cannabis chain with stores across Canada as well. My role is digital marketing manager, and I advise on our digital marketing strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

We brought them on for Facebook ad buys, and they also helped us navigate media buying in the cannabis space as there are a lot of restrictions in that industry.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They mainly help with media buying. They also help us by advising the creative work we do to make sure it’s compliant and going to get good click-through rates.

What is the team composition?

I mainly speak with Kyle (Manager) and he works mostly with Michelle (Coordinator). They’ll also loop in Stephen (Supervisor).

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

At another agency I’d worked with, the media buying was outsourced to LoKnow.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested somewhere around $30,000 to $50,000 with the team so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve been working with LoKnow for six months, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before we take off on a campaign, we’ll establish our goals and KPIs. Then, we work backward to determine what’s realistic. The KPIs change on a campaign basis because they don’t do our PPC. So, there are a lot more moving targets involved. Sometimes it’s click-through rates and sometimes it’s website traffic.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve really enjoyed working with them. I continue to work with them as I switch companies because their communication is very good. They meet deadlines, and I feel like I can reach out to them anytime. They are always sharing and encouraging us to keep improving our ads. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their transparency differentiates them from other providers. This is especially important in the media buying space. Also, LoKnow focuses on looking for mutual success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on — they tick all the boxes on our end.
 
Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should make sure you’re working with them to set KPIs to ensure your campaigns are as successful as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The organization is called Evict Radon. I started it with a cancer researcher and since then, we developed it from a radon awareness campaign in Canada into it’s organization. We’re a nonprofit. I’m the executive director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

They manage all of our social media targeted advertising as well as any specific hyper ads and geotargeted ads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re placing the ads and creating the content. I have my own digital team that puts together the creative, or I’ll send them templates and they optimize it for what they need. We work hand in hand for the copy. I trust them because they’re the experts but I know what message I want to get across, and they just tweak it for the audiences we’re trying to reach. When we started as a nonprofit, we were able to get a Google Ad grant, so they manage all of the nonprofit digital advertising we do.

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

I worked with them at my previous company for all of our digital marketing, so I brought them over to work with us here. I met them when they were relatively new, and through my old boss. They gave us a pitch, and we brought them on immediately.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $10,000 the first and second year, and doubled it recently. So, in total, we’ve spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve worked with them every fall since September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Absolutely, they’ve made an impact on our site traffic.  I can easily track where our sales are coming from, and I see a spike in the area that LoKnow has targeted. They’re great at putting together a final report or debrief documents. They’re good at giving suggestions on how we can do things differently and improve. They reach out and are definitely the experts in this space.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great. Cam (Director), specifically, has been fantastic. I know I can trust them. I have a lean team and work with a lot of freelancers, so it’s great that I can task off our digital advertising. I know that we’re getting our money’s worth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re leading the way in digital communications. In the industry that I’m in, nobody is doing what we do. I can pass that all off to LoKnow in terms of how we’re optimizing our digital advertising. I love working with the because I can see how the ads are performing, who they’re reaching, and how that impacts sales.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s difficult to critique anything they’ve done. I’ve been really happy with our partnership.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The key piece is understanding what position you’re in and working with them collaboratively to come up with the best solution. So, just take ownership of your goals and collaborate with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of Private Equity with Strategic Group, a real estate and investment firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

We’ve hired them for a few of our clients for marketing services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Using their geofencing technology, they helped target advertisements toward select consumers for each of our clients. Their team also created these ads for us. They also provided SEO support and other related marketing services, as well. They ran Google Ads efforts but primarily focused on social media marketing. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with about six members of their team across the different projects. 

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

We had an existing relationship with one of their directors, so that’s how we came to work with them.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent in the range of $75,000–$100,00 CAD (approximately $54,000–$71,900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together roughly between April 2017–February 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With one client, we definitely saw an increase in the metrics we were tracking between lead generation, site traffic, and sales conversions. For some other clients, the tangible business results were hard to say because of the nature of the work. 

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. They were timely in their responses whenever we have questions. They were also responsive to any ideas we had. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their presentations of the results, whether it was after a campaign or on a regular basis, was very effective. I appreciated their approach to that because it’s very efficient. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be a bit more proactive in their recommendations about what clients should be doing. Rather than addressing things we brought up, it would have been better if they showed more expertise through those suggestions. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be real about your expectations and communicate them openly. In my experience, they were highly responsive to our questions and ideas, but you have to be clear about what you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director of private equity with Strategic Group. We’re a real estate and investment firm and I work with the non-real estate investment opportunities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with LoKnow?

We’ve hired them for digital marketing with three of the businesses in our portfolio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Specifically, we’re using their geofencing technology to target advertisements to select consumers for the different businesses. And then to also general SEO services, Google Ads, and SMM as well. They did effectively everything for us, including content creation.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five members in various capacities.

How did you come to work with LoKnow?

We had a previous business relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000 CAD

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017 and wrapped up in February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For one of our businesses, it made a huge difference, but for the other two businesses, it’s a little difficult to track.

How did LoKnow perform from a project management standpoint?

In my opinion, they performed very well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very timely in their responsiveness to our concerns. That really distinguishes them from other providers we’ve partnered with. The presentation of their results, whether it’s after a campaign as part of their ongoing service, was done effectively and efficiently.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe they could be more proactive in their recommendations rather than addressing what their clients bring up as ideas. In my opinion, we would hire experts that should come up with more unique ideas.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into this engagement with real expectations about what you’re looking for and communicate that at the outset. In my opinion, they’re hyper-responsive to questions.