The Marketing Machine

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General Manager & Business Development of BigBoy's Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a family owned and operated truckstop that serves truckers, travelers, and locals traveling I-95.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire The Marketing Machine to accomplish?

• Re-brand
• build a website
• design signage

SOLUTION

How did you find The Marketing Machine?

Online Search

Why did you select The Marketing Machine over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from The Marketing Machine were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We engaged Marketing Machine to help us rebrand and we knew we'd want a website to follow.  Once we had the new brand and style guidelines, we engaged them to help us redesign the exterior of the business with new signage.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

It's difficult to put a measurable outcome on the brand re-design except to say they really nailed it on the first try.  The interview process was helpful as it gave them a deep understanding of what was important to all the stakeholders.  There were a few challeging team members in the mix who were suspicious about the process, but they all have been pleased with the outcome as they reflect on where we've come in the year since our new brand has been out.  

The website was also a quick win.  We had a rough wireframe idea in mind and they developed it out nicely and came onsite to take photos which really help make our website our own.  All signage requests have been turned around quickly and they did a great job of working within the constraints of our existing facilities and strucutres.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Always ontime and often ahead of schedule even.  They were quick to get our requests in their system and in queue.  

What was your primary form of communication with The Marketing Machine?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They're really organized and structured in their approach, which can be rare for creatives.  But, it really helps to make the most of your time and theirs-- it's something you don't know to appreciate until don't have it... until you work with companies or agencies who are disorganized or sloppy about follow up actions, comitments, timelines, etc.

Are there any areas for improvement or something The Marketing Machine could have done differently?

I can't really think of anything. We’ve had a fantastic experience with them all around.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Chapel Chill, an ice cream shop that will open in January 2025.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Marketing Machine?

I needed help with my branding design, including my logo. I knew that branding was very important for this business, so I was looking for a full-service provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Marketing Machine designed my logo, business cards, and signage. The first step was a discovery phase, which included a questionnaire and an initial interview. Then, the team created a couple of preliminary designs for the logo. We narrowed down the logo design options, and I expressed a lot of interest in some of the logo’s details. The Marketing Machine set up additional calls to finalize the logo design. In parallel, the team started working on the other aspects of the brand design, such as the color palette.

What is the team composition?

I worked with around five teammates from The Marketing Machine. Paul was my main contact and directed all the work. I also worked with two different team members for project management. One of them went out on maternity leave, and the other one was my contact person. On the design front, 2–3 colleagues helped out with the design over time.

How did you come to work with The Marketing Machine?

The Marketing Machine was a referral from the architect I worked with on the shop's design. The architect had worked with the team before and gave me a couple of different branding companies, but I spoke with Paul and liked his approach. The most important thing to me was ensuring I got the branding right the first time. I was worried that if I underinvested in my company's branding and logo, I wouldn’t be happy with the result, so I was willing to invest more to do so. Having a referral was helpful. From The Marketing Machine's initial presentation, I could tell they would draw the branding out of me.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project from May–August 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I haven’t opened my business yet, but I’ve received positive feedback on the logo designed by The Marketing Machine. I've been using the logo for marketing before the opening. I posted my branding on social media last week and was surprised by the positive feedback I received. Some of my posts got a significant number of impressions, more than I was expecting. For example, my LinkedIn post was seen by more than 35,000 people. 
The Marketing Machine promised to deliver 2–3 logo options, but they returned with 8–9 options instead. This was helpful because they covered all the potential directions we could go based on the initial discovery.

How did The Marketing Machine perform from a project management standpoint?

Having a dedicated project manager that I could always check in with was nice. The Marketing Machine encouraged me not to rush the creative part of the process at the beginning. At one point, the team took a week or so longer than I expected. Everything was a little on the longer side of the timelines but not beyond the ranges The Marketing Machine had given me. The team was always clear in communication, and I could check in if I was wondering what everyone was doing.

The Marketing Machine didn't want to schedule a meeting for the initial review of the designs until they had everything and felt good about the design. I didn't want to rush the creative process because ensuring the team got the branding right was the most important thing to me.

We had a mix of planned meetings and impromptu ones. I’d write about some questions, and the team asked if I could hop on a Zoom call. A lot of times, I wasn’t free at the time suggested because I was still working my full-time job. I’d send a couple of new times, and we’d find a time to hop on a Zoom call. I never met The Marketing Machine in person; we did everything virtually.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by The Marketing Machine's ability to understand what I was looking for with my brand and translate that into the creative process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The process took a long time. Luckily, I was warned about that. The architect who recommended The Marketing Machine said that if I had a short timeline, it would be best not to work with them. I understood it, but I think it’s good for people to know. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust The Marketing Machine's process and expertise. Additionally, they're a good fit if you want to invest with The Marketing Machine and don’t want to rush the creative process. They may not be the best fit if you’re on a tight timeline.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the SVP of The Premier Team, a company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. We sell real estate properties.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Marketing Machine?

We were looking to improve our brand engagement and awareness, as well as revamp our image. We especially were looking to upgrade our public-facing website and make everything flow better. Moreover, we wanted to add more information to our website and be current with the technology that our customers expected from us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We've used The Marketing Machine for many services over our 3–4-year engagement. First, they created a new logo and rebranded our company. After that, they helped us rebrand multiple sub-brands within our company and develop some collateral pieces. Most recently, their team developed a completely new custom website for us.

For both the rebranding and the web development projects, The Marketing Machine has done a deep dive to get to know the customers and what we're looking for. They've provided us with a very robust questionnaire that we've filled out, answering many questions so that they can understand our goals and objectives for the project.

For every project, The Marketing Machine builds a proposal based on our needs and the scope of the project. Then, they deliver the first drafts, whether they are logo drafts or website homepage templates. After that, they start building up those assets based on our conversations and information, and they get back to us to review those changes.

For the website project specifically, The Marketing Machine has both designed and developed the website. They've been in charge of both the visual and technical sides. This website has been built in WordPress. The team has also managed the plug-ins needed.

For example, we wanted to add YouTube video pages to our site, so The Marketing Machine researched and implemented the appropriate plug-in to the site. Moreover, they've implemented more robust contact forms. Other things that the team has done for us include business cards and folders.

What is the team composition?

I've interacted with five teammates from The Marketing Machine, including Paul (Founder, President & Creative Director), Ashley (Marketing Executive), and three other teammates in charge of the design and technical work. Still, there are more teammates working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with The Marketing Machine?

We found The Marketing Machine through some email campaigns that they launched as part of their marketing efforts. They were trying to get the interest of potential customers, and one of my staff members saved their email. When we were thinking about rebranding our company, she mentioned the email she had saved, and we reached out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent over $20,000 on all of our projects combined. The website development project was around $13,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first engagement for the rebranding project started in October 2021. We've been consistently working with them since then. Recently, we discussed with them a project for redesigning our moving trucks. This is a project we had put on hold for a year, but we're ready to work on it again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We officially launched our new website about a month ago, and we already have four recruiting leads from agents who want to join our team and are willing to potentially move to our area. We haven't even started putting a lot of effort behind that, and we're already seeing great leads.

As for our new brand, we've definitely seen an increase in our professional image in recruiting and in customers' interactions with us. Our overall image has helped us get the business that we do.

How did The Marketing Machine perform from a project management standpoint?

The Marketing Machine communicates well and has never exceeded the budget. We've seen some delays. For example, we went past our original deadline for the website project. However, it's not all their fault; we're responsible for those delays as much as they are.

As for communication tools, we mostly communicate via email, but we also communicate via phone and Zoom calls. Additionally, they present deliverables using other platforms. Ashley is the one who communicates the most with me, and she always makes sure that I understand the tasks and everything I need to provide to her.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I would like to give a shout-out to Ashley. She manages the project flawlessly and is a great communicator. She's also very good at connecting their creative team with me. I'm the representative for my company, and I represent three owners, so there has been a lot of back and forth on our side. Still, Ashley has been very patient, diligent at taking notes, and responsible for keeping the project moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We really like The Marketing Machine's creativity and the quality of their work. We wouldn't have kept working with them for this long if we weren't satisfied.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish the deadlines were a little tighter. Sometimes, a little change, such as changing something small on a business card, takes about a week and a half. It would be great if small tasks had quicker turnaround times, but I know that they follow a process, and it can get cumbersome sometimes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of an orthodontic office. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Marketing Machine?

We were looking to expand our digital marketing, PPC, and Google presence, so we needed help ranking higher in terms of SEO. We also needed help getting new patients in our target area — The Marketing Machine handled all of that for us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, The Marketing Machine asked us for details so they could plan and put together a marketing strategy for us. We gave them our brand guide, a list of our competitors, the key phrases we wanted to rank for, and the offers that we had. Their team then helped us figure out what we needed to do to be successful in our campaigns. 

They reviewed our offers and came up with creative designs that appealed to our audience. Apart from that, they came up with keywords that would be best for reaching our potential customers. Their resources also came up with ad copy, handling the entire campaign from start to finish. 

What is the team composition?

The Marketing Machine had 5–6 teammates who were always on call, including Ashely (Marketing Executive).

How did you come to work with The Marketing Machine?

The Marketing Machine was recommended by somebody I knew. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $25,000–$50,000 in total. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership lasted from February 2023–April 2024. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impact of our partnership with The Marketing Machine was extremely positive. We saw changes almost immediately because of their involvement and commitment to helping us reach our goals. Everything got so much better over time — we reached so many new patients through the campaigns. If we needed to pivot or come up with different strategies to reach new people, The Marketing Machine was always there to help us do that. Overall, we had an extremely positive experience.

How did The Marketing Machine perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was on time and budget. They would suggest new spends for me if necessary or find things where we could generate savings. In other words, their customer service was so great, and we had a phenomenal partnership from start to finish. The team handled everything so well and took the whole aspect of marketing off my plate. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

All of them were extremely helpful, and I couldn’t speak any more highly of their customer service. Specifically, Ashley — who served as our campaign manager — was so great in terms of her knowledge and communication skills. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had the best customer service and were on top of everything. Even when mistakes were made, they’d correct them — they were truly dedicated to their service. 

On top of that, they weren’t pigeonholed into any industry. They worked across several industries, and that was a huge strength for them. They looked at trends across industries, which was more helpful than simply looking at one industry. Their collaborative skills were simply perfect. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Consider avoiding teams that have their sights set on only one industry — there’s strength in diversity in terms of campaigns. Moreover, customer service should be at the forefront of your mind when you’re looking for a partner like The Marketing Machine. How they manage campaigns and communicate with you make a difference in how successful your partnership is going to be. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and operator of an indoor go-kart racing track.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with The Marketing Machine?

We needed help with my marketing needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Marketing Machine is handling all of my outside marketing needs. To jumpstart this project, we’ve had meetings to brainstorm together, look at numbers, review demographics, and assess what we need to then come up with a plan created by The Marketing Machine. Consequently, The Marketing Machine’s team has developed campaigns for our marketing strategy, including advertising, emailing campaigns,  digital marketing, and social media advertising.

What was the team composition? 

We’ve worked with three members of The Marketing Machine’s team, including Lucy (Marketing Account Executive).

How did you come to work with The Marketing Machine?

I have known them from another project.

How much have you invested with them?

We invest around $5,000 a month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve gotten the results I’ve been looking for out of The Marketing Machine’s work. The team has helped us a lot with launching a new location of our business, making this a successful partnership since the beginning. In general, I’m happy with their services and fantastic results.

How did The Marketing Machine perform from a project management standpoint?

The Marketing Machine has been absolutely on time and within budget.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review? 

Lucy is fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Marketing Machine really goes out of their way to find out what our needs are.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on. I’m very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open with them, tell them what you want, and show them what you need so they can help you devise a strategy to accomplish your goals. They want to see your business succeed and will do everything they can to help you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Business Design Advisors helps companies reposition themselves in the market place by creatively leveraging existing strengths.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire The Marketing Machine?

The Marketing Machine has consulted with me on many projects. This project was for an Insurance Company in need of a new image and website.

What were your goals for this project?

To bring the look and feel of a high end design firm to the world of insurance.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have worked with many marketing companies but I was delighted when I found myself working with a Creative Director instead of a sales person. Paul’s ability to translate ideas into design with his team is truly remarkable. They are now my first choice for design projects.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We started with a basic business card which as simple as it sounds was outstanding. We then leaned into professional photography with incredible results and we are very excited to see the final product on the new website.

What was the team composition?

The project team as mentioned is what you expect of an high end advertising agency. I was surprised they took our project. I had a full staff of individuals giving input and direction as well as managing the timeline and content. Very impressed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It has been very hard for me as a consultant to offer up a design company with confidence because the entire package did not exist. The Marketing Machine has, in many ways, become part of my consulting team. I trust their professionalism and advice.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They have dedicated project managers who keep you on travel weekly. It’s very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The cohesion of the company as a team in addition to their insane creativity and professionalism.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No very pleased.