Marketing Deck

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the cofounder of the PhotoHotel Concept, a Franchise present in over 13 destinations in Europe, working in more than 100 hotel. We offer photographic services to tourists present in Resort Clubs, Hotels. In order to do that, we employ around 150 new employees every year,.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Recruiting new employees from Romania and Republic of Moldova. Marketing Decks role was to help us to increase the number of leads especially through digital marketing strategies and tactics.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We`ve selected this vendor based on the professionalism and personal values of Paul, the founder of the company. We have identified him as a specialist in communication, worked with him on several Public Speaking Projects and step by step transitioned our collaboration into the digital marketing space.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

Marketing Deck helped us to scale up the number of leads needed in a short time period as we needed to recruit with more that 100% more employees than the previous year. In order to do this, in the first year we have focused on the online presence of the employer brand, and the agency created many articles, videos and media materials that helped us to bring more transparency to the employment process through marketing solutions.

The number of reviews from employees were increased, our social media presence was increased, and the world of mouth regarding PhotoHotel Job Opportunities increased.

Moreover, after this process our focus was on generating more conversions through new and different channels, and Marketing Deck was responsible for implementing and launching recruiting campaigns through the following channels:

• - Facebook Organic
• - Facebook Ads
• - Google Ads
• - Google My Business
• - Snapchat Ads

Our collaboration with Marketing Deck went beyond the standard client-agency relation. They were proactive in helping and proposing ideas to test in order to improve the recruitment workflow and process.

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

From the Team we worked and communicated with Paul  (founder) and Robert, as the main account for PhotoHotel. From our knowledge, besides them, lots of people were implicated in our projects over the years, from SEO specialists, editors, content creators & PPC specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

As we collaborated over more than 3 years, we had together many ups and downs in our results. Overall, Marketing Deck was our partner that we worked together with in order to meet our objectives and deadlines, and in order to keep up with our recruitment and marketing needs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had meetings over Skype, 1-2 times per month, and in-person meeting 2 times per year. Also, Marketing Deck kept daily contact with our HR department and HR director during intensive recruitment periods.

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

Their capacity to remain calm no matter the situation and the fact that they were always open to talk, discuss and resolve any challenges or disputes that we may had.

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

We have seen Marketing Deck growing from a boutique agency with a staff of two, to a full-service marketing agency with lots of employees, services and specialization.

As we are a very demanding company, in our relation with our vendors, as Marketing Deck grew, we felt that we were the client of a Marketing Agency, a good one however, and that the attention of the team was diluted from what we were accustomed when we started and our expectations. We are sure this was improved already as the company grew over time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the lead marketing strategist for the Faculty of economics and business administration. My research interests are Digital Marketing applied in Higher Education, Neuromarketing and Entrepreneurship. I’m the co-author of a paper published in the International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal (IF 3.472/Q2).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Marketing Deck?

We were looking for somebody who can take our marketing strategy campaign and develop it to another level to achieve our targets for the admission offer in 2021. We wanted their team to run our marketing and advertising efforts to broaden our reach.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The selection process was relatively simple. We have worked with Marketing Deck on various projects in the area of advertising in the past and the results exceeded our expectations. This aspect and the one that made us turn our attention to them for this project. The workload and the procedures they use in developing the campaigns made us understand that we can collaborate and obviously be successful.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After a few previous discussions in order to know our needs and understand the purpose of the campaign, they established an action plan and highlighted the stage to come. They came up with a campaign plan that included the visual part for Google and Facebook and obviously everything related to copywriting. They created and implemented the FB and Google ads campaigns in stages, following a funnel structure. All their efforts met the expectations we set in the interim discussions.

What was the team composition?

I worked closely with 3 people. Catalin, Claudiu and Andreea. Catalin was the one in charge of implementing the strategy as well as optimizing the campaigns for Facebook. Claudiu took care of Google Ads. And Andreea was the one who did the visual and copywriting part.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw an increase of over 60% compared to the campaign carried out in the same period last year. We had over 800 leads in stage 1 of the campaign and over 600 people who reached our email list. We mentioned that our target were people who passed the baccalaureate, so the niche was extremely small.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had weekly meetings and sometimes even 1 to 3 days during which we optimized and analysed the campaigns to meet our target. The way they worked and the procedures through which they monitored the campaigns made us lay the foundations in them and provide them with all the space they needed. He offered us weekly reports and we saw concretely where the money put in the campaigns ends up.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their commitment to learning about our University and doing necessary research at the start was impressive. It felt like they truly cared about our needs and wanted to help us reach our goals. Their creativity was remarkable!

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

I would have liked the platform on which I communicate to be Slack. We are used to using it in correlation with Trello but it is not an important factor and we cannot say that it was a minus.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of an educational center that deliver online and onsite classes for kids between 2 to 13 years old. One of the programme is called MBA Junior and it is the only entreprenorial education program for kids that last for 3 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We had MBA Junior programme in our portofolio. It is an extraordinay educational product but it's awareness was very low. Also, we had an issue regarding the cash-flow for this product. We didn't have a precise budget and we needed to combine a brand awareness campaign with a sales campaign in order for this to become financial sustainable.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

They offered us a good solution. They started with a very effective sales campaign that produced a very good ROI and gradually they started to build the online presence of our product for awareness purposes.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

Initially they made an audit of MBA Junior presence in online. Then they create a sales landing page on our website and an initial set of ads to promote enrollments in our online classes. After that they designed a facebook campaign that was very closed monitorized and they adjust the targeting and the budget im order to obtain the minimum cost per lead. Once the leads started to come, they step to the next phase: creating facebook content on our facebook page. The last step was the reshape of our website.

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

I don't know exactly. For sure there were 4 persons:

1. Paul, the owner who first come to understand our business and who created the team (we had also an whatsapp group for better communication)
2. A graphician that sent us proposals for the graphic design of the ads
3. A copy-writter that worked with us on creating catchy texts for our ada
4. A programmer that implemented everything.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The sales campaign on facebook had a price of 15 RON/lead in the condition of previous campaign designed inhouse that had a 75 RON/lead cost. The number of leads was great (an average of 60 leads/month) that is the maximum number of leads that we can work with

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They understood easily that I am not very good at respecting deadlines. They adapted and worked independently for the project to reach our goals. Paul is very good on understanding the reality and the rythm of an entrepreneur, so, he manage his team to best answer to my personal needs (They knew when not to stress me and when to put pressure)

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

The effectiveness of their campaigns. Initially I was not satisfied with the texts and the graphics the sugested but, once I had the first results I become convinced that I don't have to intervene in something that works so well.

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

I don't know yet, but I will come back if something come into my mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company offers seminars, workshops, online courses, coaching for entrepreneurs in order to improve theri business and also their personal life. Am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Marketing Deck?

To promote my online courses.

What were your goals for this project?

• Acquire new 2.000 of leads
• 20.000 EUR in new sales

SOLUTION

How did you select Marketing Deck?

I asked my friends if they know a company which does marketing campaigns.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After we sign the contract, we had meetings to discuss the goals and the rebranding. Marketing Deck asks questions in order to identify my company’s needs and to offer the best solutions.

They proposed a new website with a new theme and created a media campaign which included Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Youtube.

What was the team composition?

They assigned a person to manage the project. I worked closely with this person and with the owner of Marketing Deck . We had regular meetings in order to evaluate the straegy and adjust it, if it needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At the end of the project we accomplished our goals: new 2.000 leads and 20.000 EUR in new sales.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was verry easy to communicate with the project manager we were assigned to. He gave us the right information and at the right time in order to make the best decisions for the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by the knowledge they have about my industry and about how social media campaigns work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I don't see any at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Priority Clinic, a private clinic for kids that need speech therapy. We also provide online speech therapy courses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Marketing Deck?

We wanted to increase the number of participants in online courses and clients at the clinic.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Marketing Deck developed my WordPress site. Their team is managing our SEO and Facebook and Google Ads. They’re responsible for planning and implementing the marketing strategies across all projects. 

What is the team composition?

We’re working with 5–6 people from Marketing Deck. 

How did you come to work with Marketing Deck?

They were recommended by two friends.

How much have you invested with them?

Their fee is around €8,000 (approximately $10,300 USD) and we have a separate marketing budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Marketing Deck in May 2020, and we’re planning to maintain the collaboration for at least one more year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was able to reach 14 people for the online course in March 2020 but we currently have 42 enrolled, so we’ve more than doubled attendees. 

How did Marketing Deck perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly discussions about their progress and process, and we communicate through WhatsApp and email whenever it’s needed. They’ve never underestimated or overestimated our project scopes either. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always available to address my needs and questions, even on weekends. That has been the most surprising part of the collaboration. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing to improve on their end. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I advise clients to try Marketing Deck out. They’re a good team, and I appreciate their honesty and the value they bring.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a marketing manager for a security systems provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Marketing Deck?

We hired them to restart our PPC campaigns but also to help us develop new landing pages for new lines of business. Also, we need a refresh on our main company website and support in all our web development strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

A better image for the company, updated layouts, sales for the ad campaigns.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met at a conference, followed their work and gained trust after the first meeting. Very client and solutions oriented, exactly what i was looking for.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed and implemented a new category in out main site and decided what content to keep on it. Designed a new landing page for our new service - electronic surveillance. Working on a ecommerce website for a new business line. Redesigned an old landing page in order to get more sales.

What was the team composition?

We worked with 3 or 4 people, but what I like most is that every time I have a question, someone is there to answer. The project manager does a good work, i suppose :)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The first impact was feedback from our parteners and clients, in terms of new layout. And yes, the sales got better also. For the rest of them, work in progress. But i am very happy with the response time and the solutions that they provide, without having to ask several times for them :)

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Compared with other development teams I have worked with, impressive - smooth, rapid solution, proactive and very fast implementations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I'm not easily impressed but they are honest and respectful of their work, which are the main assets for me. Happy client, happy results.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None for the moment. Since we have many ongoing projects, hope they continue to be proactive and understant our need better than us, maybe.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Master Franchisor of a Kids Programming School called Logiscool. We have 35 Logiscool Centers in Romania teaching children how to code. My Role is to make sure that everything goes well on a strategical level.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Marketing Deck?

We hired Marketing Deck for the periods in which we launch the registrations for our IT classes. Basically, this happens 3 times a year: In January – February, in May – July and in September – October. We also have an in-house Marketing Manager that makes sure that everything is going well. Marketing Deck communicates directly with the partners from different locations and sets up the campaign accordingly with their request.

What were your goals for this project?

We had 2 goals: outsource the whole campaign management and communication to a third party that does only Marketing. Second was to improve the results and ROI from the Facebook Ads and Google Ad campaigns

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were recommended to me by our franchise consultants. We started to work on a different project and I liked the way they delivered so we believed that they would do a good job on this project also… and they did.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Basically, when we start a new registrations campaign they set up the Facebook Ads and Google Ads. They adapt the texts for each school, set up the campaign, monitor it and do the fine tuning so we get the most out of the money that the business owner (Franchisee) spends.

What was the team composition?

There are 2 people that we work with: Paul – the project manager that sets up the strategy and communicates with our local partners and Catalin that makes the technical implementations

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We made a top of our best performing schools regarding the number of new registrants that they had. In our first campaign that we run, we got new records regarding the number of new registrants.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. We communicated easily on Whatsapp for short adjustments and for long details on e-mail. They provide very fast response to most of the requests that we had.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What we liked the most were the results. On multiple campaigns, they've provided some of the best results that we've had… and we continue to work with them because of that. Also a lot of our partners appreciated the way they communicate, very fast and open.

Are there any areas for improvement?

For sure… nobody is perfect . What we think they can improve is to be a more innovative and to bring a new strategy on Ads. What they did work very well, but maybe there are other methods to be even better

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of SeatBelt Consulting. We’re a consultancy for health and safety services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Marketing Deck?

We went to them for online marketing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Marketing Deck is managing Google Ads and Facebook campaigns for us. We’re starting Instagram campaigns now as well. I don’t remember all the services, but we’re doing a lot of things around health and safety and fire protection.

They also designed our new SeatBelt.ro website and created content for it. I set the direction and gave them my vision, and they turned that into the product. We had a website in place, but it needed to be rebuilt. I used another partner for the first development. They also designed brochures for employee information.

What is the team composition?

I was in contact with two people, but I don’t know what the size of the team was. I was the single point of contact from our side.

How did you come to work with Marketing Deck?

I’d worked with Paul (Owner, Marketing Deck) 10 years ago for public speaking training and consultancy, and I trusted him.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost so far is around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Marketing Deck 3–4 years ago, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback is excellent. 200,000 are using people my e-learning platform, and they’ve given excellent feedback.

How did Marketing Deck perform from a project management standpoint?

I give them the task and they make an action plan and deliver the product. I’m very happy. We use GoToMeeting, WhatsApp, email, and phone for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility and ability to capture my ideas stand out, even when I don’t verbalize them properly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Every company has something to improve, but I don’t have anything in mind now. I’m very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I would recommend Marketing Deck. They’re very flexible, they’re able to deliver, and they’re creative.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of several businesses, including High Jump, a trampoline park.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Marketing Deck?

I opened the first large trampoline park in Romania, and I had the challenge of popularizing it and encouraging people to visit for the first time.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged them specifically for their online marketing services. Marketing Deck established Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube profiles for the business, and posted daily based on our discussions. They managed campaigns on Google, Facebook, and Instagram. They also managed messages from clients. 

They also redeveloped the website I made with another company, to make it more usable and SEO-friendly. Currently, the team is managing the promotion of another of my businesses, with campaigns and posts for Google and Facebook.

What is the team composition?

There have been about four people involved. I’ve been in contact with Paul (Owner), Elena (Social Media Manager), Catalin (Project Manager), and Mihai (Social Media Specialist). 

How did you come to work with Marketing Deck?

I got a recommendation from a friend. Paul is known in Romania as a good speaker. He was just starting his company, and he gave me a good offer for the time, so I decided to partner with him.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost has been €20,000 (approximately $21,800 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Marketing Deck in June 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I continue to work with them because they bring me good results. I don’t have specific numbers, but I know that my business has grown in terms of clients and turnover with the help of Marketing Deck.

How did Marketing Deck perform from a project management standpoint?

Marketing Deck kept their schedules and targets. They consulted with me on every decision to make sure we were moving in the right direction. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is well-organized and they know how to do things on short notice. Paul is a very good person, and very professional. I can ask him for help with anything business-related, even if it’s not within the marketing area. He’ll do anything to get it right, and won’t give me an answer just to please me. He will do the research in order to find the right solution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. They don’t provide offline services, but they’re good in terms of online marketing. In the beginning, I was also hoping they’d help me with brochures and other material, but it wasn’t a problem.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Take the time to put everything on paper from the beginning, in terms of requirements and conditions. Marketing Deck will respect it completely.