Mabbly

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a firm that designs wearable technology and a wellness platform for older adults. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We brought Mabbly on board to help us design our mobile application. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mabbly designed our mobile app’s UX/UI. Since our target audience was older, generally considered to be anyone over the age of 65, our primary focus was designing an accessible and usable UX/UI. We knew that we needed Mabbly to define our target user and the app’s usability if we wanted to hit our targeted accessibility metrics. To do that, they conducted consumer research and set up interviews with our audience.

Then, Mabbly’s team developed mock-ups and app designs for us to give to our development team. We tested and iterated multiple efforts before finalizing the UX/UI that had the features we required. We then sent the completed design to our internal development team.

We expanded the scope of work since the UX/UI design project was completed. Mabbly came on to design our e-commerce website and run a product photoshoot. The photos Mabbly took were used for marketing collateral and our website — we needed photos of our product being used by our potential customers.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with about six teammates from Mabbly, including a strategy lead, an account manager, a design strategy lead, a designer, and a product lead.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

We conducted a thorough RFP process. We mainly contacted companies we’d received referrals for, but no one had worked with Mabbly before. They understood what we wanted when we first contacted them and were very responsive. In the end, we decided that Mabbly had the best value for the money we’d invest. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $300,000–$400,000 with Mabbly. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Mabbly began in April 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

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

We haven’t launched the product yet, so I don’t have any specific success metric. The website design should wrap up within a few weeks once Mabbly puts together the final touches. However, Mabbly’s team has been a thorough and thoughtful partner, which is astounding considering that a large portion of their team was stationed in Ukraine and was displaced by the Russian invasion. Despite all of the hurdles they’re facing, Mabbly has kept us on schedule and figured out how to deliver what we need. Their team is very easy to work with. 

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

Mabbly has solid communication — the project manager gives us access to their project management tool so we can see the project progress. We’ve had weekly and biweekly meetings throughout the project; the frequency depended on what stage of the project we were in.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mabbly’s team provides a lot of insights on how to improve our project based on their experience. Mabbly is our true partner — their entire team provides advice and challenges our thinking. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our design needs have evolved, and after doing some testing, we determined that we could’ve handled the design phase differently, but it’s easy to say that looking back. In general, however, there is nothing specific for Mabbly to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise customers to be clear and honest with Mabbly about their needs — it’s important to have a strong project brief. The partners should develop a strong working relationship so that they feel empowered to provide their own opinions and challenge each other. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of a rape crisis center. We’re a not-for-profit that serves a few counties south of Chicago. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We needed a new brand because our existing one was an acronym that only represented one of the several counties we serve. The name was also confusing to people. Our brand color was purple, which is the color for domestic violence rather than sexual assaults. We wanted to take time during the COVID-19 pandemic to rebrand and then reemerge as a new organization by the time the pandemic subsided.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In our kickoff session, they conducted stakeholder interviews to define our goals. After defining a roadmap for the project, they created names and logo options for our staff team and board. They also deeply examined the tone and voice of our agency to make sure that everyone was on the same page with how we convey information to the public. There were several rounds of name and logo options for our team and board. 

After they delivered those materials, they did some SEO and email strategy. They provided a mockup of what our future website would look like but didn’t actually design the site itself. Instead, they designed logos, marketing materials, and a short video for us. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and a creative team of two individuals. There was another person assisting with SEO and the website. 

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

We reached out to several firms, including some larger options. Larger firms never reached back out to us because we’re a small not-for-profit. Other regional vendors expected us to have a name selected and didn’t want to take on the full scope of the brand. We had a great conversation with Mabbly from the start and could tell they were an honest team. They were a little expensive for a not-for-profit organization, but I looked at their services as a good investment. 

How much have you invested with them?

We were their not-for-profit partner of the quarter, so we received a substantial discount from what they normally charge. Our team invested $45,000 at the beginning of the rebrand project and another $10,000 for the SEO, website mockup, and email help.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–October 2020. Our team didn’t roll out the official brand until January 2021.

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

Their process and service were amazing from beginning to end. Between our board members and our dedicated team of about 20 people, there were a lot of different, passionate opinions about this effort. While our side had tons of ideas on what our new brand should be, Mabbly created buy-in from everyone. All stakeholders felt like their voices were heard, which helped them create an excellent final product. 

Everyone is excited about the new brand, supporting the investment we made to improve ourselves. When we share our new name with people, they grasp our purpose more effectively.   

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

There was always a great project roadmap and constant communication throughout the entire effort. They met all deadlines and took the time to get to know our team through stakeholder interviews. We established a very open dialog. If there was something I didn’t agree with, they were happy to go back to the drawing board. 

Additionally, they checked in on our comfortability throughout the process, making sure we were ready to move forward. They detailed the next steps in their process as well, which kept us up to date. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We could tell we were working with a highly professional organization from the beginning. I never felt like we were being treated like a small account. We received the quality of work that any of their other partners would receive. They really got to know us as an organization, and we connected with them as well. Their team was excited to facilitate this change. The excitement and sincere intrigue about our goals showed their true commitment from beginning to end.  

Their websites were pricey, so they had a very honest conversation with us where they recommended using our funding elsewhere. I appreciated their transparency there and throughout the project. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were open and honest with their costs. I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared with questions. They’re very welcoming, and there are no stupid questions. Being clear about your expectations will help you run a smooth project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the sales and business development manager at Spark, a cloud-based loan origination platform. We sell our platform to banks, loan service providers, and community development financial institutions to digitize their workflow.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We decided to spin out from our parent company and spread our wings to really grow our product and client base. At the time, we hadn’t consistently done any marketing activities and, instead, relied more on the network that we’d developed over the years. That was a great way for us to get started as a business, but it wasn’t enough to support us now that we were a separate entity. 

We needed a marketing partner that could help us engage with the financial market. Our goal was to build awareness around our product and brand, generate leads, and convert sales. 

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Mabbly has helped us build out our brand and lead our marketing activities. First, they dove deep into a discovery process on our product, team, and current/future states. This informed them of what they could do to help us achieve our business goals. 

To that end, they’ve created a roadmap that describes how we we’re moving forward in our relationship and what they’ll do for us. These activities include a second website refresh, thought leadership work, and a sizzle reel to promote our platform in a fun way. They’ve also configured a CRM that we’ve selected to integrate our sales pipeline and marketing activities. 

They’re now developing and promoting brand assets for us (e.g., logo, fonts, colors). One way we’re going to push our brand is to join banker associations. Association members have the opportunity to market across the association’s various channels, so we’ll have the opportunity to do banner ads, magazine ads, e-blasts, and event sponsorship. 

What is the team composition? 

I spoke with Alex B. (Director of Business Development) at the beginning of the process. He led me to the strategy team headed by Tess (VP of Strategy). We engage with her as needed, and she provides the oversight and insight for the team that works on the day-to-day. That team is led by Jan (Strategy Director). He executes on our roadmap, making sure that everything is moving forward to get our site ready. On the creative and development side, there’s Jenifer (Creative Director). They’re all really patient and have a good attitude.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

We selected Mabbly from seven other agencies based on the way they presented themselves. The collaterals they gave us, the discovery piece they developed, and the way they engaged with us showed a really great mix of casual and professional. They were direct but also flexible, and they moved fast.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $150,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The discovery phase started in August 2020 and lasted a few months. We formalized our first contract in late December 2020, which will last until June 2021.

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

Mabbly is a data-driven team that executes at a high level and provides a lot of great ideas. They’re honest when they give us recommendations in that they won’t promise that something will work. Instead, they’ll provide data so we can analyze it ourselves and see what opportunities are possible. 

On that note, we were really pleased with the discourse they provided based on their discovery work and roadmap. It had a lot of detail that added more layers and depth to our knowledge along with things that we didn’t know.

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is really difficult nowadays because of the multitude of collaboration tools out there, but we make the best of it, considering that we have a lot of things going on. They don’t avoid phone calls, chats, nor emails, and they’re open to having difficult conversations. In terms of timelines, they meet all of our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I hired Mabbly, I told them that I didn’t want to manage them. I didn’t want to wonder where items were, who was doing what, and what our timelines were because I was hiring them to execute on their services. And, that’s what they do.

Mabbly is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. For example, between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, Jan was traveling with his family when we were hit with a bunch of items that needed to get done. Even though he was on vacation, he worked the entire time to get our items sorted, and I’m sure the rest of the team pitched in as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is something we all struggle with, but it can be hard to communicate and keep track of items when you have a project plan with 100 line items. However, they make the most of it and do as well as they can, given the environment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You have to be upfront with Mabbly about your hopes, dreams, and fears. Be very clear with your goals and what you want them to achieve. If you can’t do that, then you can’t give them feedback, which is really your own failure. You have to give a vendor direction when you hire them, especially at the beginning.

You should also be willing to accept that they might disagree with you. I think it’s one of the best things when a vendor pushes back because, without that, you’re just paying them to say, “Yes.”

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a small specialty pharmaceutical company. We focus on innovative delivery mechanisms for specialty products, primarily injectables. We have two drugs on the market right now. I’m the head of innovation.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We just launched one of our products 4–5 months ago, and we wanted to have a unique presence in the digital space. The pharmaceutical industry is lagging behind when it comes to digital engagement. We were looking for somebody who could help us take our digital strategy and properties to the next level, beyond just a website. We needed somebody who could bring a really fresh eye and creative impact to solve that problem for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first piece we brought them on for was the web properties. They designed and developed our website and helped make our brand more relevant for the digital environment. We went to them with a pretty fleshed out traditional sales print campaign aimed at healthcare providers. They stayed true to the spirit of that campaign and used pieces of it to optimize the campaign for consumption online.

Since then, we’ve expanded the engagement to several different projects. That has included having them run paid search campaigns and helping us launch events that we’ve done in the virtual space with position. We’re engaging them throughout this year and into 2021 to form the cornerstone of our entire digital strategy.

What is the team composition?

My day-to-day work is with Maggie (Strategy Director). She makes sure everything is moving. We also work with their analytics team; they’re always heavily involved in the design of the site and presenting back their data-driven strategy recommendations. Their creative team works with us on all of the creative design.

For some of the logistics we’ve had to work out for virtual events, we’ve been engaged with other team members to help coordinate that as well. We have a main day-to-day contact, but the team itself is pretty broad, and they bring in whoever is appropriate for the conversation we’re having.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

They were recommended to us by a former client who works with our company now. She had worked with them several years ago, and as we were beginning our search, she recommended that we reach out to them. We met with them and really liked their approach to problem-solving and how they dive deep into data and analytics to make all of their recommendations. They present back a full picture. When we saw the previous work they’d done and engaged with the sales team, it seemed like a good fit, so we were excited to bring them on.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $500,000 across all of the different projects. We’re probably going to increase that by a couple of hundred thousand for next year, just based on the scope of projects we’re looking at.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’re still actively engaged with Mabbly, and we plan to continue the engagement indefinitely. Our work together began in January or February of 2020, but we started talking in December 2019.

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

The most tangible impact of their work can be seen in the series of launch events that we did to announce the brand to position. The metrics we looked at were the engagement with the program itself, as well as attendance. We were able to exceed our goal for target attendance by at least 20%. We were pleased with that.

The website is still fairly new, and we haven’t really looked at the metrics yet. However, my goal was to have a website that doesn’t look like a pharmaceutical website, while staying within the industry’s rules and regulations, and they 100% accomplished that. In terms of what they delivered to us, I couldn’t have been happier with what they gave us.

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. Maggie keeps me on track very well, which is good. We have weekly status calls. As appropriate, people come in and out of that call beyond our direct contact. We primarily communicate via email, which is my preference. We also use Webex or Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What differentiates them from other agencies I’ve worked with in the past is their data-driven approach. I know that’s their key selling point to potential customers, and I was initially a little skeptical of that; I typically want to just get things done. They had us go through their process and presented back their recommendations and what they’d learned as they were onboarding. It was clear that they really understood the brand, challenges, and opportunities that we face, more than any other agency I’ve worked with in my career. They just got everything that we were trying to accomplish, which is harder to find in agencies than you’d think.

We’d been working with a pharma-specific agency but decided to leave because we didn’t quite feel that they got what we were trying to do. That’s what stands out about working with Mabbly — they do all of this work, gather data, and then translate that data into meaningful insights and strategy that 100% aligns with what we’re trying to accomplish. As somebody who has sat through many agency pitches, that was very refreshing. We’re eager to continue working with them because they understand what we’re trying to do and are able to act on it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing has come up. For the most part, I think we’ve asked them to operate in their wheelhouse. Even when they’re pitching creative concepts, very rarely do we go past 1–2 rounds; they just nail it. I think we’re very much getting what we pay for, so we’re quite happy with it.

Any advice for potential customers?

Really trust their process because it works well. They will work to understand your goals and what you’re coming to them with. When they say they’re going to spend 1.5–2 months on this data investigation, you might think this is two wasted months of a campaign, but that process really informs everything that they do. Their ability to embed themselves into the problem you’re trying to solve, uncover things that you haven’t thought of, and utilize data to make decisions is their secret sauce.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director at Lil’ Drug Store. We provide HBC products to convenience stores. Outside of that, we have a handful of brands within the over-the-counter space.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We engaged with Mabbly in order to build a brand from the ground up.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’re working with a couple of suppliers in the CBD space. So we were working with them to create a brand that we could have full ownership of so we could distribute online and through our traditional retail channels.

They did everything from naming through package mockups.

They really led and pushed everything. They worked very closely with our internal resources and manufacturing partner during research in order to provide consumer insights.

What is the team composition?

I had a main account manager, but worked with the entire team.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

I found them through Clutch. I was looking for an agency of medium-scale that could teach us to live in a digital-first world. I looked at a lot of agencies in the Midwest, read about them, had initial phone calls, and asked for proposals throughout the process.

I was just over-the-top impressed with the amount of talent and knowledge across every discipline on the Mabbly team. They were a great value for everything they brought to the table.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We kicked off the project in August 2019, and we paused the project in March 2020. We plan to resume the project when everything calms down. We were also supposed to keep them on for ongoing support and brand building, but we needed to focus on tour core business during the COVID-19 downturn.

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

I was beyond satisfied with the quality of their work. They continued to impress me through each step of our interaction. The results brought a lot of credibility to stakeholders who were skeptical of the project at the beginning. We were very happy with their services throughout the engagement.

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager was always on top of things. I could tell that she was fighting for resources internally to make sure we got what we needed. It really felt like she was our teammate and advocate.

We texted and emailed because that’s how I prefer to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciated how researched and data-driven their recommendations are. It really sets them apart from the proposal stage onward. They were able to back up what they suggested, which made the decision-making process easier.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing stands out.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust your partners and don’t micromanage them. They will do great work, so give them the bandwidth and freedom to do so.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director and CEO of Brain Research Foundation, the oldest neuroscience charitable foundation in the US. Our mission is to fund innovative neuroscience in the hope of finding new treatments and cures for neurological disorders.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We’ve been around for 67 years, but not a lot of people know about us even in Chicago, where we’re based. We fund innovative research, but we don’t have an innovative digital presence. We felt that it was time for us to invest some money in digital marketing.

We have a new and young leadership board, and we thought it would be great to get them involved and to generate a new audience. Our donors tend to be on the older side, so we wanted to branch out and get more people engaged.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The initial work order involved getting to know each other. Mabbly then gave us a data-driven creative strategy. They talked to key stakeholders, and they looked at our audiences and donors, doing an in-depth analysis of where we were at that moment in time.

They then came back to us with a digital strategy roadmap based on their findings. We talked about our budget with them, and they helped us to prioritize and identify elements that we should focus on right now versus in the future. 

We then did another work order with them on campaigns and ads because we wanted to see if they’d be able to successfully implement the strategy. Now we have two work orders going on simultaneously, and Mabbly is revamping our website, doing messaging, drafting copy, and giving us a fresh, new look.

What is the team composition?

We always work with the same team, including a project manager.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

A lady on our leadership board does marketing for a company, and she helped us identify 3–4 different partners. We had conversations with them, and some of them told us that we were too small for them.

Mabbly came back and asked a lot of questions to get to know us, unlike the other companies that had a cookie-cutter approach to dealing with new clients. I liked how they jumped in head-first from the very beginning.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial project was $78,000. Currently, the two work orders are at about $220,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in July 2019, and we’re still working with them.

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

We’ve had a handful of donations come from people who’ve only seen an ad once. Additionally, our click-through rates (CTR) have gone way up. We didn’t have this kind of traffic to our website before.

For the first campaign, we saw an over 1,000% increase in people. It’s low-hanging fruit, but it’s positive. 

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great at reaching out, staying within timelines, and updating us. I talk to them more than I talk to my trustees. I like that because I want to make sure that the team is doing what I need them to do, and I like that they want to make sure that they’re doing what I want them to do.

Additionally, they’ve never gone above what they said they were going to charge me, which is huge, especially for a nonprofit. There are no hidden fees, which I’m happy about. We talk about everything first and lay it all out, which is wonderful. 

Mabbly was very consistent in who we were talking to and what we were doing. This was great because we didn’t have to keep retelling our story, which has happened to me with other PR and marketing firms. 

They took the time to understand us and we grew together in terms of understanding the project. The project manager is on top of everything. She’s on every call, and not only does she make sure that things are going forward, but she also knows what she’s talking about. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mabbly did what they said they were going to do, which is what I was looking for at the end of the day. They were also honest about what they thought they could do, and they’ve stuck with it. The group is very professional, and I enjoy working with them, which I can’t say about many companies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. They came up to speed quickly and listened to what we had to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should be honest about what you can do and what you want to do. Let Mabbly give you suggestions, but the great thing is that they’re open to working with you.

You don’t have to take everything that they give you. Work with them to get things nailed out so that everyone is on the same page. The team will then do exactly what you want.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of ProHabits, a technology company that’s built a platform to change behaviors within organizations.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We’re a startup, so nothing existed before Mabbly came in to help.

What was the scope of their involvement?

This was a product launch along with a brand launch, all in one shot. They designed and developed the website but also created the technology and the communications strategy for both the product and the brand.

Mabbly stepped in when we only had a general vision, and they were involved in everything to build the product and brand. We had a general idea of how we wanted the product to function. From that point, Mabbly figured out and refined the requirements by speaking with our internal team but also by speaking to our design partners. We had a few enterprises that wanted to be our first clients, so Mabbly connected with them to understand their needs. From there, they launched into the development of the technology using an agile approach.

What is the team composition?

Our teams merged really well. We worked with strategists, designers, and developers.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

I knew the leadership within the organization, and I’ve known of their work. They were referred by multiple folks from my ecosystem, so it felt like a great fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We paid just over $250,000 per year. The total was around $530,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in April 2017. We brought on resources in-house as we began to scale, and the partnership with Mobbly ended in February 2019.

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

We really looked at it from the perspective of how many companies had begun to use the product, so the number of users and engagements we had on the platform. Because of Mabbly’s assistance, the technology was deployed within over 100 organizations. We saw 50,000 users with one million engagements on the platform.

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. Within the agile framework, Mabbly knocked it out of the park. They were responsive and receptive. As we got feedback from clients and users, we ran into roadblocks we hadn’t conceptualized yet, so we really enjoyed their flexibility. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

You could tell that they cared about our product and our vision, I’d say almost as much as our own team did. Every point of contact within their organization cared, whether it was a strategist, a designer, a developer, or a tester.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really enjoyed the experience. Nothing comes to mind right now.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open with where you are as a business. If you want to have a successful relationship with Mabbly as an agency, where they have the same care for your product and vision as your team does, be open and transparent. 

Secondly, treat the folks at Mabbly as an extension of your team. Once you do, they will adapt to the essence of what you’re trying to accomplish.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Respondent 1: I work at AArete, a strategic consulting company that works based on data analytics. As a digital transformation and data analytics strategy consulting firm, we offer consulting services for a variety of industries.

Our headquarters is in Chicago, and we have offices all over the US, UK, and India. I’m the director of marketing and corporate communications. My colleague is the head of digital marketing.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

R1: When we brought Mabbly in, I’d been at the firm for roughly two years. We had a stagnant website that didn’t position our company well. We also had a LinkedIn page with only one article and a logo.

Fast-forward two years, we’d put in place a digital strategy, business development plan, and an overall comprehensive marketing plan. In terms of meeting revenue goals, we felt that this year was the right time to rebrand. We thought that a lot of what we were using was outdated in terms of PowerPoint templates and other materials. Our site wasn’t generating any leads.

We made the decision this year to start looking for agencies to help with our rebranding efforts. After a long search, we ended on Natalie (Content Director, Mabbly) and her team.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Respondent 2: As part of their overall process, they conducted interviews with members of our team and past or current clients. They asked questions about the work environment and client opinions. Their team determined what made out company stand out through that process. We also got an idea of what to focus on during the rebranding. They figured out some revamped differentiators while helping us how to understand where we were in the marketplace.

Mabbly presented us with different options for a rebranded logo. In addition, they recommended a new format for our services and capabilities sales sheets, company letterhead, and with the initial versions of PowerPoint templates to use across the firm.

R1: Mabbly was at the core of our rebranding efforts. It was a full rebrand, featuring a logo, tagline, and color palette. Along with the letterhead and PowerPoint templates, they created a published article template for us. They also provided us with a brand book that we sent out to everyone.

For the website, they redesigned the whole thing while focusing on messaging. The Mabbly team helped us with how to tell the true brand story in a way that would differentiate us. They also worked on images and icons.

After the rebranding was completed, we brought their team on for help with digital campaigns, which we’ve been working on for the past month or so. We plan to launch 4–5 digital campaigns.

R2: We’ve worked with their team on PPC, Google Ads, and LinkedIn sponsored content.

What is the team composition?

R1: We’ve mainly liaised with an account head for the day-to-day activities and questions on the implementation of the brand. Their CEO and COO were very much involved creatively. For the digital campaign, they have a lot of support. My colleague has been working closely with their head of digital and IT, to make sure our campaigns are aligned with the brand and could generate leads.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

R1: Before I came to AArete, I’d worked at another digital strategy firm and reported to the CEO there. It just so happened to Natalie’s former CEO used to be a contributor to several popular magazines, and my company responsibilities related to PR. We wanted to do a profile piece on our company and got in touch with Natalie’s former CEO.

When I started looking for a new agency at AArete, I knew about Natalie’s reputation in Chicago. I added Mabbly to our list of potential candidates.

R2: Since we were working on a rebrand, we wanted a firm with a strong backend. We knew that a strong component of this would be a website, which Natalie was able to do from scratch. In addition, we wanted to partner with someone who could provide digital expertise and help with campaigns. We felt Mabbly had a strong background and ability to help in all of those areas. Some of the other firms have experience in two or three of those. We wanted to work with one agency instead of 2–3.

What is the status of this engagement?

R2: We started working with Mabbly in January 2019.

R1: The first six weeks were spent on market research. They presented their work to our leadership, and it took off from there.  

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

R1: In the three weeks since we’ve launched the digital campaigns, they’ve generated roughly 50 leads. Our business development team has to determine if they’re qualified, but nevertheless, Mabbly has done what we asked them to do.

Our goal was to always look at this project as though we were more of a digital and data company. We always felt that we had an outdated and stagnant brand. Internal employees absolutely love the new look. We have PowerPoint templates and other sales material to present the strategies we’re taking to their teams.

We’ve definitely met our objective of being more modern and bolder. The feedback’s been overwhelmingly positive. Clients love the logo, and they think we’ve done an incredible job.

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

R2: From a project management standpoint, they’re great. The team at Mabbly sent us constant reminders of items that needed the next step. There’s never been a time where they missed a deadline.

Their account rep mainly uses email to communicate project timelines and use Google Docs to collaborate on tasks. We also have a weekly call with our rep, going over what we’re working on and any questions we might have.

R1: We have open lines of communication. We’re true partners on this project. Our incredible account rep has a supportive team, backing her up on design, strategy, and leadership matters.

What did you find most impressive about them?

R1: The team at Mabbly cares about what we’ve done here. They want to stay involved as long as possible.

Are there any areas they could improve?

R1: From my experience with 10–15 branding agencies, they all have a similar mindset. They’re passionate, believing in what they’re supporting and promoting, without question. We love the passion we’ve seen in Mabbly’s team, but we can disagree at times.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

R1: Open-minded communication is critical, regardless of the agency. It’s important to have Mabbly understand company culture, how we communicate, and what the objectives are. It is also necessary to give them open access to leadership.

We spent time explaining what made our company unique. I’d recommend that any client looking to work with them open up their doors and calendars, and let them learn as much as possible about the firm. Then, allowing them overtime to not only interview employees, but also current and former clients. That’s the only way true feedback can be learned and how great strategies are developed.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Avenue, an organization that helps members of big companies enjoy their careers by finding out why people stay in their jobs.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We had an initial brand that we weren’t happy with. The challenge was to create a holistic rebrand and repositioned our company in the market. We also asked them to build a web app for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The engagement started with market research. Their team looked into our competitors and value proposition. Within our value proposition, Mabbly went into how our company fits in the market, our ideal customers, and how our messaging would land with our prospects. They formulated a data-driven strategy before moving on to the naming aspect of the project.

Through the naming exercise, their team came up with several names. We had never thought about Avenue as a potential option, but when we looked at it in the context of career planning, it made sense to us.

The web application is designed to help users maintain a clear view of their career drivers. We define those as what gets people out of the bed in the morning. It also goes into clarifying their strengths. The app gets those to users within ten minutes through the swiping piece. Users can swipe right or left through different career drivers and strengths to make a choice. The app gets people down to the top five drivers or strengths that can help them inform their career decisions and development conversations. The platform also is built in a way where people can manage their career conversations within their inner circle at work.

What is the team composition?

In total, we worked with six people, including the salesperson at the beginning. We had a brand strategist that assisted us throughout the entire project as our main point of contact. Their tech expert worked with our tech expert on the app-building side. In the early days, we met with Hank (CEO & Managing Partner, Mabbly). We also had a team member that worked with SEO.

How did you come to work with Mabbly?

I received a referral from an industry expert.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Mabbly started in January 2019.

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

All the work Mabbly has created is high-quality and immensely valuable to us. The brand identity is finished. We went to market this month and are preparing to see how we will perform within the market. Mabbly’s entire workflow and process is phenomenal. Everything is extremely thorough and well-thought-out.

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was top-notch. We used Google Docs primarily. On the tech side, the teams used Jira and other tools that I can’t speak to. Their whole team is amazing and full of high-level thinkers. Our brand strategist was exceptional throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mabbly brings together different sets of expertise in one package. From naming to brand identity to technology and digital marketing, all of their team is top in their field. That isn’t common with other organizations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a good idea of what you want. Trust their process and expertise. The team at Mabbly delivers amazing results.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the chief brand officer with the Symphony Post Acute Network. We’re a network of 28 skilled and assisted living facilities, located mostly within the Midwest. I’m focused on our brand internally with our employees and externally with the markets we serve.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mabbly?

We’ve been working to develop our online presence. We needed a greater sense of brand identity and a true marketing strategy to help us navigate online spaces in a way that was standardized and uniform across all of our locations.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Mabbly began with a deep dive analytical effort into our business and the industry as a whole, as well as a SWOT analysis. They got to know our different features in order to gain perspective on what a consumer would be looking for. Then they started building campaigns around what would give us a strategic advantage. 

We have a brand new logo that we designed together, and they've begun the process of developing the architecture of a new website. It will be an intuitive site focused on the consumer/user experience. They did extensive keyword research on how consumers look for us online. What they found was multiple terminologies being used: skilled nursing facility, nursing home, rehabilitation center, or post-acute center. They're developing a search bar menu where the consumer can find whatever it is that they’re looking for regardless of the terminology they use. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 15–20 people in total. At this point, it's down to a core group of 5–6. We have a project manager, a graphic designer, a web developer, an analytics developer, and a couple others.

How did you come to work with Mabbly? 

A family friend of mine works at Mabbly. We sent them the RFP and had them present. They were far beyond all the others we looked at. It was clear the other firms had a formula for their success that they wanted us to fit into. Mabbly was more focused on getting to know us and understanding what makes us tick. That made it a pretty easy decision to go with Mabbly. 

How much have you invested with them? 

We contracted for about $250,000, and we’ve probably spent closer to $300,000. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

Work started in January 2019, and the engagement is ongoing. A new acquisition after the project started caused the budget to increase. 

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

We presented their vision of what the brand will look like at the end of the project to the internal team. It caused a great buzz and vibe. It’s already led to a greater sense of appeal with our employees, which improves retention and recruitment. There is definitely a lot of good movement already, so we know it's headed in the right direction. 

The website navigation they’re creating will make it easy for consumers to navigate our information and make sound decisions. That would be a huge advantage compared to the majority of our competitors. 

How did Mabbly perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their team is excellent. Our preference within our organization is to communicate via email. They've had no problem adhering to that. The engagement has really been a lot of fun. They do a great job of keeping everybody involved by meeting with many of our locations and employees on different levels. Mabbly makes the effort to understand our employees' needs, which contributes to the positive vibe. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Mabbly team is all extremely talented in their specific areas, and pleasant people to work with. Above everything, they're just good people. They’re human focused. Mabbly has done a very good job of hiring a fantastic team.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, nothing that I can think of. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Allow them to take you through the analytical process of looking at data. That's been one of the more impressive things that they’ve done. They don’t just rely on their feeling of what would be nice or what looks cool. They looking at the actual true data of where traffic is going and what people are clicking on. Then they help us make sound decisions from an analytic standpoint.