MeDM

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the training and marketing coordinator for Care Human Services. We support individuals with disabilities and complex needs. We also have a DSL (designated supported living) facility, group homes, and we offer support and programming to these individuals. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arc Reactions Inc?

We were looking to rebrand ourselves. We’ve been around for 50 years, so a few years ago we wanted to update our image and website to what we currently represent. We’d gone through a lot of changes over the years and weren’t the same as we were 10, 20, or 50 years ago.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve helped us with a range of services, including renaming, logo, branding, corporate identity websites. They then worked with us to come up with a more relevant organization name and built the new logo, too.

They worked to come up with one that spoke to the more inclusive and diverse services we provide. The brand was then seamlessly integrated into the new website they developed from scratch using WordPress. 

What is the team composition?

David (Owner) has been the main point of contact for the project. 

How did you come to work with Arc Reactions Inc?

We wanted a team that really fit who we were as a company. We’d already spoken to other organizations but they weren’t meeting our needs. We found Arc Reactions Inc through Google, contacted them, and felt they were a good fit. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent just under $27,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2018 and our engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Throughout my career, I’ve worked on several platforms and have found the site they built for us to be really inviting and easy to navigate. It’s visually appealing, organized, and clear for users to find what they’re looking for. We haven’t gotten any negative feedback on the site, either. 

How did Arc Reactions Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done quite well at project management. Since we’re not located in the same place, we haven’t done anything in person, but everything is done well over the phone and via Zoom. Their approach has worked really well for us. If we have any questions, we’re always able to contact them and they’re accessible. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really understand our background and know what our needs are. They understand our space in health care and what we were looking for when rebranding. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t really run into any issues with them, so I can’t think of anything for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

When we were in the courting phase of our engagement, we had a few phone calls and they were able to answer all of our questions and concerns. So I’d advise anyone to just speak to them directly and ask about any concerns you have; they were more than helpful for us. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Bloom Pharmacy is a Calgary based pharmacy which in addition to being a general pharmacy has a special focus on reproductive medicine. I am the project manager for the pharmacy which includes planning/coordinating the build, hiring, budget, and the marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Arc Reactions Inc?

We hired Arc Reactions to create a logo/brand, signage, and website for the pharmacy. We have also engaged them to marketing the Pharmacy once it is completed. It is currently being planned / built.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a modern and appealing brand for our key demographics. We wanted it to feel like a "Bloom" without being tacky. We also wanted a website that was easy to use and reflected the logo/brand well.

SOLUTION

How did you select Arc Reactions Inc?

I had worked with Arc Reactions on a previous project. For that original project (also in healthcare) - we hired an industry specific consultant in to help with selecting a marketing company - she recommended AR and David as well as a few other companies.

After interviewing them - we felt that David and AR was the best fit. After repeatedly delivering on that project (Oasis Fertility) it was clear they would be a good choice for this one as well.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The creative process was very straight forward. David has a background in Healthcare and was very insightful in the initial concepts. From there we discuss a few creative directions and then he wrote up a creative brief for us to sign-off on. We were then presented with multiple designs and choose the one we liked best.

We made some tweaks midway though to the colour and chosen logo - but they were very receptive and we were very happy with the results. The website followed a similar (if longer) path.

They started asking about demographics and requirements and then did research on what was out there. What they came back with helped us choose a WordPress template that stands out against the competition locally.

In the end they did a great job of integrating the brand into the website (we still have to get some content to them) ... but we can't wait to launch it once the pharmacy is ready.

What was the team composition?

We worked with David, his creative director, and two marketing assistants. The creative director was only involved in the creation of the logo and branding guidelines ... but the rest of the team was there for the whole project.

David lead the meetings and the two marketing assistants work with us on edits to the site and print files as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have shown the development site (which will as previously mentioned not be launched until the pharmacy has been completed) and they has been very positive feedback. We (myself and the owner) are very happy with both the brand and the site ifself.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project management was great - David was on top of things and kept us on track. Meetings were held on time and on location which made things much easier for us.

Expectations were managed a multiple points allowing us to sign-off at specific milestones - which helped make the process a very comfortable one. Any feedback was quickly assimilated and actioned on - something that was quite refreshing.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

David's insights into the Healthcare industry definitely make the process easier. We feel it's easy to communicate with him and he then does a great job of conveying / translating what we need for the designers / developers.

Trust is also a key factor for us. David sticks to his word and is reliable and probably most important - patient. We can go at our pace when we need to and that makes the process a lot less painful.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at all. We felt like this project went really well and would highly recommend David and his team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder and Principal Consultant of Ioperia Research and Development. We navigate the advanced technology landscape to find the opportunities that help clients achieve their objectives in a practical and cost-effective manner.

We have expertise in a variety of advanced technologies including artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, scientific computing, simulation, big data and blockchain.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Arc Reactions Inc?

I did not have a cohesive brand, only an outdated logo and a disjointed brand identity that was developed some time ago. It had become clear, however, that this was no longer serving my business and providing the professional image required to develop further business and attract new clients in a competitive field.

I hired Arc Reactions to provide me with an updated brand identity and visual standards complete with a new logo, business card design, e-mail signature and letterhead design.

What were your goals for this project?

My goals were to develop a core brand identity and a branding deck to guide all external communications and customer facing visual collateral. This included a logo, letterhead, e-mail signature, colour and font standards, business card and social media icons.

However, I also wanted a standard to ensure all visual communications are on brand, consistent and providing a positive image of our company across all potential markets.

SOLUTION

How did you select Arc Reactions Inc?

Arc Reactions was recommended to me and I had seen some of their work. After a conversation with them and getting quotes from some other companies, I felt that the value I was getting from Arc Reactions was very high relative to others when considering price vs quality.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope of work was to develop a logo and brand identity, and codify it in a branding deck articulating the standards to be used to ensure all visual communications are on brand.

I also wanted ready to use implementations of this standard including a business card design, a letterhead design, an e-mail signature, and social media icons.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of the Growth Manger, The owner of the company and a graphic designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have gone from an outdated logo and a lack of any sort of brand identity or standards to a usable set of guidelines and a new logo that provide a much more cohesive and professional image for my company.

I am no longer embarrassed when our company logo appears on presentations, and I have received many complements on the design of the logo and my visual identity in general.

It is hard for me to quantify if this has translated to more business, however, I think that it has, and it certainly makes me feel more confident when interfacing with potential and existing clients.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team was responsive and willing to endure my indecisiveness regarding the logo design, which I appreciated. They worked hard to understand what I wanted and provide me a result that I was happy with. This included several in-person meetings at their office, as well as e-mail and videoconferencing sessions to clarify my needs and provide feedback.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I thought that they were creative and provided a lot of direction. Since I am not an expert in marketing and logo design, this was appreciated. However, they were patient enough to help me clarify what I should do and what I wanted to portray, and the best approach to achieve this.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Overall the experience was good. It took a few iterations to find a logo that I liked, however, we found one I liked in the end!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of the Oasis Fertility Centre. I’m not only a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, but I’m also a reproductive endocrinologist. We deal with infertility patients right from their investigation into their IVF treatment and everything in between. Our job is to help people conceive.

I have a varied background and have done my specialist training in England and Canada. I had been thinking about starting my own clinic for several years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arc Reactions Inc?

When we first started the construction of the clinic, one of the first things we did was look at marketing and branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arc Reactions Inc was involved right from the word go. When we started, the budget was very important. We decided that given how fantastic they were from the word go, we thought that as part of the branding exercise, and as part of our logo creation, we would involve them at the very beginning of the development of the clinic.

Some of the color palettes that we chose, as well as some of the tile patterns that we chose for our clinic layout, were all with the help of Arc Reaction Inc, and in particular, David (Owner) and his marketing team.

When we designed the logo, we designed some of the matching colors in the rooms accordingly. They’ve helped with all branding, web development, marketing strategy implementation, website maintenance, and regular changes that we do.

What is the team composition?

I’ve been working with David.

How did you come to work with Arc Reactions Inc?

We had hired a consulting firm that looks for a few companies that would meet our expectations and targets. We were a startup, and as a startup, we didn’t have an unlimited amount of money to spend.

Whatever we needed to spend, we needed to spend wisely. We shortlisted three or four companies, and we chose Arc Reactions Inc on the basis of several different things.

How much have you invested with them?

Taking everything into account, it must’ve been about $120,000–$130,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team was approachable and willing to listen, but at the same time, they were able to give advice which was extremely valuable to us. For example, when I first met David after I selected them, I was pretty insistent that we go for paper ads and publish them in the local papers.

I was very keen on focus marketing at that stage to take advantage of that. David dissuaded me very robustly on that right from the word go. I was pretty hellbent because I thought I knew my marketing. In the back of my mind, I knew what marketing things made the clinic tick and that was how you had to adapt it into different market segments.

For example, fertility clinics in the US are a totally different ballgame compared to Europe, and totally different from Canadian clinics as well because of the personalities of the people. David has his finger on the pulse. He was able to tell me that my marketing dollars would be better spent on social media marketing, targeted marketing, and campaigns, and that helped me tremendously.

One of the things that I think has been helpful, with my background, I have done quite a lot of research and I tend to measure things fairly objectively, statistically, and the significant results. I was impressed knowing that David has written several papers and did his research. I’m getting objective evidence of improvement, and he helped us set up the basics.

About 90% of our referrals are from people finding us online. Not only does the web form tell us how many people are now looking at the numbers and contacts, he told us to start monitoring the calls that we receive and to find out what geographical areas they are from as well as their postal codes; just simple information that anyone would collect.

We asked how they got hold of us, whether it was from their general practitioners, family physicians, or if it was direct. When they collected that data, we used that data to refine our marketing strategy. We changed our strategy and for brand awareness, we made one-page information sheets to send to general practitioners and family physicians who had already referred us to patients to get them to refer us more. That strategy worked in abundance.

By targeting the same physicians again, it improved our referral rate enormously.

How did Arc Reactions Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is great at keeping their fingers on the pulse. Not only are they able to provide us with Google analytics and all of our web analytics data, but we also have regular meetings with them.

We have Zoom calls, emails, and phone calls with them. I speak to David once every other week, if not, every other week. With the whole team, I have a meeting once a month to once every six weeks where we readjust our strategy accordingly.

Their response times are fantastic. They are always willing to listen to concerns, and they are always willing to address those and give us their expert opinion, which we value a lot.

More recently, we implemented a chain strategy with LinkedIn about eight weeks ago. Before that, we were marketing predominantly on Google Ads. Now, we are concentrating more on the organic growth of the site as well as on Facebook and other social media.

The strategy we used was some social media, web development, and then increasing social media more in the way of the refinement of our web so as to decrease our overall expenditure on Google Ads and focus it more on Facebook, LinkedIn, and organic growth of our own site.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Two weeks ago, I was passing by my office, and I saw some signboards on the side of the road that said cheap signs for hire.

I took a picture and sent it off in an email to David and asked him what he thought about it. He not only looked up that particular company, but they also gave me choices on different marketing tactics they could use.

Their enthusiasm and talent pool was important. Their accessibility and approachability, as well. They were willing to take the ball and run with it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve been extremely happy with them. I looked at some websites that check the responsiveness of websites. I found that our loading time could be improved, but I haven’t mentioned it to David yet, since we’ve been busy with other types of marketing. I know that the moment I raise this with him, we’re going to be working on our website improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve already referred two people to them, and I do so with my eyes closed. All I would say to them is to lay out what you want to achieve, and David will guide you through it from there onwards.

One of the problems is that people like me who have only limited marketing experience in terms of what they have read are often unsure of what the factors are in helping them choose one.

I certainly think that from a personality point of view, from their expert point of view, and the bang for your buck; you’re getting way more value for your buck with these guys than I think you would get with others.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of the company. We are based in Calgary, Alberta, serving businesses in Western Canada by helping them secure their assets using a risk-based methodology to reduce costs and improve ROI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Arc Reactions Inc?

We needed to develop a recognizable brand and messaging, including a website and marketing material.

What were your goals for this project?

The project goals were to develop a professional, recognizable brand for us that communicated our core values.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I searched for branding agencies, spoke to several organizations, and ultimately selected Arc after a discussion with them. Their professionalism and enthusiasm for the project and our organization set them apart from the others I'd spoken to.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We initially met with the team at Arc. We spent hours working together to understand the "why" and the "what" that was most important to the success of the project. From there, the team at Arc took the reins and drove the project forward, hitting milestones and promised dates.

The team at Arc provided business strategy consulting services to identify our business model before expanding into brand and logo development and performing the following services:

• Marketing Campaign Development
• Website Design
• Search Ads
• Branding
• Marketing Consulting
• Sales Consulting
• Print Design
• Customer Persona Development
• Business model development
• Content marketing
• Sales material design

What was the team composition?

I worked with their developers, growth manager, and the owner to accomplish varying tasks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The branding Arc developed has received outstanding reviews and an exceptionally positive reaction from anyone I've spoken to about it. The outcome far exceeded my expectations and I couldn't be happier with the results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We met virtually on a regular basis and communicated via email to ensure the project moved smoothly, deliverables were understood and well defined. The team at Arc really drove the engagement and effectively communicated.

A true mark of a great organization is how they handle adversity. Problems were few and far between, and when identified they were resolved professionally and quickly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The passion and enthusiasm for working with small businesses were incredible. They dove right in and spent the time and effort to extract key details that I'd not considered previously.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everyone can improve, but nothing is worthy of being called out specifically. I have future projects in mind for the team at Arc and won't hesitate to call them again.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Total Investments manages commercial Real Estate in and around Calgary, AB, Canada. I am the president.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Arc Reactions Inc?

I approached David and Arc Reactions after another successful joint marketing project with his company to refresh the existing logo, brand, and build a website for Total Investments.

What were your goals for this project?

The primary goal was a clean professional logo / brand that reflected the professionalism of my company and it's holdings. Once the logo was designed we needed it expanded into a brand with images, fonts, and vectors to be used on marketing / sales material. We then needed all of this designed and built into a professional looking website that was easy to use and conveyed the brand and services.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The choice to work with David and Arc Reactions was an easy one. I had worked with him on another project and was very pleased with the results and the quick turnaround time.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They designed multiple versions of our new logo (making it very easy to choose which one we liked the best), they then created a logo usage document, and built out the branding by way of a visual branding deck, they then worked with me to put together a creative brief for the website and on approval created mock-ups and built the site with a WordPress CMS.

What was the team composition?

There was 3 people at the beginning (when we started working with Arc Reactions) - Over 5 years later they have 8. David always takes the time to answer / return my calls and help with any edits / updates to the site.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The primary results were a professional brand and website that I regularly get complements on even 5 years after it was launched. It significantly improved my online presence. Arc Reactions exceeded my expectations on this project and on the overall look they came up with for Total Investments.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The main steps of the project were outlined at the beginning. They didn't waste any of my time. Deadlines were met. Expectations exceeded.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their work ethic and ability to brainstorm new ideas and directions. Also there commitment to quality.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. One of the reasons we've been working with them for over 5 years.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner in Dealership Brokers. We buy and sell automobile dealerships.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arc Reactions Inc?

We needed help with developing a logo, a brand, and most importantly, a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first sat down with Arc Reactions and expressed our needs. We had a very good idea of what we wanted to achieve, but we weren’t sure how to present it and lay it out. We also weren’t sure what vocabulary to use to get customers

Arc Reactions created a brand and a professional logo that shows who we are and expresses our passion for what we do. They also crafted a tagline and professional business cards.

The most significant piece, of course, was a website. We needed a site that would be very specific to the client that we’re trying to accommodate: dealer principals that own one facility and are thinking about selling their business. Arc Reactions made sure our website meets the objectives of our target customers.

What is the team composition?

Alex (Growth Manager) did 80% of the work with us and did an outstanding job. We also worked with David (Owner & Project Lead).

How did you come to work with Arc Reactions Inc?

My partner had experience working with them. They also presented exceptionally well, and we liked their positions and their thought process behind what we wanted them to do. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in January and ended in March 2020. The next phase is implementing SEO on the site. We’re also thinking about marketing and making enhancements to our site, such as referrals to drive traffic. However, we’re revisiting those ideas in three months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Arc Reactions is going to track how many people visit the website and how they interact with it, so I don’t have that data right now. However, a couple hundred people have visited it through LinkedIn. I’ve also received numerous phone calls from clients and colleagues saying it’s one of the best websites in this sector that they’ve seen. About 200 people have reached out to me with compliments since we launched the site. I’m pretty happy about that.

How did Arc Reactions Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job. We communicated via email or telephone 80% of the time, with some personal meetings and text messages.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their passion stood out. Arc Reactions really got behind the project and the concept of what we do and who we deal with. Because they’d never dealt with people like us before, they wanted to learn everything about our business to better do their jobs. They built a map of who we’re trying to attract, why they would come to us, what the personalities are, etc. That made a difference.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As with everyone, their timelines could improve. For the most part, Arc Reactions hit them. We regularly gave reminders just to make sure they knew what was coming. We were very clear in our communication, and they were very clear in their responses.

Any advice for potential customers?

Do what we did: check out references and talk to people who’ve dealt with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the vice president of strategic planning for an automobile dealership called Prestige Auto Group. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arc Reactions Inc?

The company wanted to grow its business. For background, manufacturers will put out an open point, and they’ll want to close it by putting a dealer in that open point. Most manufacturer agreements will say they have to offer the dealership to their existing franchises first before they can go outside. Our goal was to get in front of those manufacturers so they could get to know us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a set of individual, yet combined videos that would appear in front of the president or vice president of sales at various manufacturers. The team produced the video from start to finish, including pre-and post-production. They used my input along the way. 

We ended up creating these videos, and then we paid the vendor to purchase laptop computers. We put the videos on the computers and gave them to the manufacturers as a gift. When they opened the laptops, they would see a seven-minute video about our group.

What is the team composition?

There were two main people involved along with an administrator. 

How did you come to work with Arc Reactions Inc?

I was searching for a smaller organization online. I wanted to avoid a large agency where you meet the president initially, but that’s the last time you’ll speak with them. I decided on a shortlist of 3-5 agencies to contact. When I phoned the number for Arc Reactions Inc, the owner picked up the phone. We had a conversation, and I could tell he cared.

How much have you invested with them?

We started in June of 2017, and the project finished in December of 2017.

What is the status of this engagement?

We invested about $60,000 in the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They completed the job on time, and we were really happy with the results.  We got face-to-face time with the manufacturers, who we didn’t know before. Now, I can pick up the phone and call the leadership at various manufacturers and have a conversation. It helped us get in the door and meet with the decision-makers, which was the intent. 

How did Arc Reactions Inc perform from a project management standpoint?

I made a good choice by hiring a small firm. They wanted to grow their firm, and they thought this would be a great way to grow. They were extremely responsive and invested in making sure the project was going to be really successful. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They cared about the success of the project just as much as we did.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.
 
Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Future customers should maintain ongoing conversations with the owner. We didn’t spend all the time with the owner, but he was definitely involved. If there are any issues, tell the owner and he will resolve them. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a film and television studio infrastructure development company with projects in development worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Arc Reactions Inc?

Logo, Branding, Graphic Design, Sales Copywriting, Marketing Consulting

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to develop high-quality branding, marketing materials and other support documentation for our business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to a number of companies and did initial interview calls with each. Arc Reactions was the clear winner in all categories we considered.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

As we are a new company, Arc Reaction worked with us and developed our branding and all related graphic design elements from scratch. This included: Logo, Creation of Brand, Pitch Deck (Multiple Versions / Edits), Print Consulting, Print Setup, Business Cards, and Website.

What was the team composition?

There were 8 collaborators on our team, of which I was the lead and we worked mainly with David, the Owner and Project Lead for Arc Reactions. There were other members on Arc's team, but David ran point primarily.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Needless to say our team very impressed with the results, but the thing that matters most to our business is how our investors and associates react to the results. I have most commonly heard the following: "Wow, this looks great"; "Gorgeous presentation..."; "Concise and beautifully presented"; "fantastic"; "stunning"; "Well laid-out". We have had tremendous success with these materials that accurately represent our brand and our offerings. Truly a happy moment when I'm about to lay our materials on the table for the first time.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was shockingly easy and surprisingly efficient. Considering that my office is approximately 2000 miles from those of Arc Reactions and that I've never met a single person from their company face to face, I honestly wouldn't change a thing. We used every available technological means of communication: email, zoom calls, conference lines, text messages and collaborative online workspaces ALL to great effect. Tech is great and all, but the really important part of the workflow is the person on the other end of the line. Arc was absolutely fantastic to work with. My design team always felt heard and our changes (no matter how late in the process) were always addressed positively and professionally. When we made questionable requests, we were expertly guided and were always happy, indeed beyond happy, with the results. In a couple of words: Incredibly good communication and workflow.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Arc Reactions is a very impressive company on the whole. Their work speaks for itself, and their manner with customers is exemplary. They have been consistently courteous, generous, professional, productive and to make matters even better they are really really nice people! Unless they quit working I'm never going to call anyone else.

Are there any areas for improvement?

You know, I'm not sure there are any areas I see for improvement. I had a near-perfect experience with them. Every 'delay' was them waiting on ME for information or decisions. Every conversation was productive and enjoyable. The work was AWESOME. I guess I would ask them to be aware of this as they grow. Keep the touch with the customers. It is gold.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Hone Virtual Education, which provides highly immersive training solutions for first responders and other healthcare professionals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arc Reactions?

We had a couple of products but we didn’t have a brand, logo, or any of the supporting elements to really position us as an industry leader within our market. We needed a complete branding package, including a website and comprehensive marketing materials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arc Reactions analyzed the market segment we wanted to compete in. They identified keywords, trends, topics, and even what brand colors were being used by competitors. They then mapped these out on a virtual diagram, using an AI program. Based on our segment, we could see how we compared to our competitors.

This exercise was phenomenally helpful for us in identifying keywords for our organic search ranking, as well as determining what trending topics were being discussed, for use in our blog content. They utilized this information to develop a concrete brand strategy.

We had two initial meetings. The first meeting was the discovery session, and they asked very good questions while letting us do most of the talking. By the next meeting, they had delivered three branding options—which were laid out for us on the table, professionally printed.

Everything looked and felt exactly as we’d expect a finished product to look. I got a little nervous when I walked in and told them that given our startup budget, we couldn’t afford to pay them for all of it. They then told us it was on them.

Their package had everything in it for us to review. We only had minor iterations to make at our next session. They really nailed it on the first one, through the requirements gathering session they did.

Arc Reactions built everything on our website from scratch. We also did some traditional print media marketing. They joined our Slack channel in order to stay up to date with all tasks. David provides monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting on all our marketing campaigns and efforts.

What is the team composition?

Our primary point of contact was Dave (Owner, Arc Reactions) but he took a very hands-off approach. We mainly worked with two members of the team. We interfaced directly with the member responsible for social media management and copywriting. The other handled the graphic design.

How did you come to work with Arc Reactions?

I found them through a recommendation on Clutch. I was looking at a couple of marketing agencies in Calgary and reached out to meet with a few agencies. Compared to the first two companies I talked to—who struck me as being stuffy—David and his team were very relaxed.

David was quick to point out the things we didn’t need to spend money on, which really caught my attention. He understood that we were a startup and had a tight budget. He didn’t try to upsell us on anything. We had $150,000 for the branding, and some of Arc Reactions’ competitors were asking for $220,000 or more.

While other marketing firms seemed to strictly refer to the proposal requirements, David was very flexible in scope. I was immediately taken by his passion and drive to support startups.

How much have you invested with them?

$150,000 covered brand design, web design and development, and marketing efforts. We’ll be renewing our contract with them for a reduced rate this year since we’ve completed brand and website development.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Arc Reactions in October 2018, and are in the process of renewing our contract with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For one of the marketing campaigns we ran in March 2019, David and his team got us 900 Facebook followers in a 24-day period. That was just phenomenal. I can’t speak highly enough about the level of service we’ve gotten from them. They’ve been very receptive and polite.

 We’ve also done remarketing campaigns. When people visit our website, we cash their coupons and enter them into our remarketing campaign. That’s been huge. We’ve seen an uptick of about 3% in sales over the last quarter since we launched the remarketing campaign at the beginning of this quarter.

They did a great job of increasing sales. They especially excelled at setting up our SEO, our website tracking, and the conversions setup.

The blog campaigns they’ve built for us have established a great foundation for lead generation. Their team did an excellent job of creating content and lead generation programs on multiple digital fronts. We’ve actually had quite a few people getting in touch with our sales team after reading our blog posts.

One of the things I appreciated was that, when we got the bill for the traditional print material, everything was at cost with no upsell. I asked David about it, and he told me they don’t upcharge on printing. Not only did we get it at cost, but they also got it rush printed for us, and didn’t charge extra.

How did Arc Reactions perform from a project management standpoint?

If I have a question, I can call David at 7:30 at night, and he’ll answer. Communication, with all members of their team, has been incredibly smooth. They utilized HootSuite to track all tasks, and everything was delivered long before the deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For the amount of money we pay, the service they provide has just been phenomenal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. My only pet peeve is that they still prefer email over Slack. I don’t have any complaints; I think they’ve done an outstanding job.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Some of David’s suggestions are out there and first sound a bit crazy, but I’d urge you to give it a go. Getting 900 Facebook followers in 24 days is a perfect example of that.

He told us he wouldn’t charge us for it if it didn’t work, but it worked phenomenally well. He has some interesting ideas and approaches, and I advise anyone wanting to work with Arc Reactions to take that opportunity.