Muse Duran

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Backstage Chicago is geared towards informing, entertaining, and bridging the gap between musicians in the Midwest area by bringing in national and local acts to our live stage and studio where we do interviews. We also work with gear manufacturers to get their products in the hands of folks that might be coming through the studio, or to just do some kind of review on their gear when they come in. 

It is all kind of wrapped in an ESPN sports entertainment type of package where you have a couple of hosts and a couple of guest stars that come in and have regular segments. This is all geared towards live streaming. The model is that eventually, we get to the point where we are doing these types of shows on local tv stations around the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Muse Duran?

We needed someone that had a vision for us from a branding and creative idea aspect.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

There are a couple of things that Emal (President &CEO) did when putting this together. One of the most important things they created were the intros and outros, and the look and feel of it. 

We talked about what I was looking for and he really dug into my responses. He took my vision and he brought it into reality. 

What is the team composition?

I mainly worked with Emal (President & CEO). He is my main point of contact There might be other people that worked behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Muse Duran?

I met him through the music scene. He got a gig with my band and we talked about other projects we were working on. He mentioned Muse Duran and I thought they would be a great fit for Backstage Chicago.

How much have you invested in them?

We have probably spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project around December 2019. We are still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have been able to attract more talent once we had taken the idea and brought some real professionalism to it. Before it was just ideas, but once we had the content, we were able to track the talent. The hostess is well known in the industry, we have a well-known guitar player and singer-songwriter who is handling all of our gear reviews and things of that nature. 

All of these folks are really vital to what we are doing, and it is because of the talent that we have been able to attract that excitement about what it is going to look like when it takes off.

How did Muse Duran perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is comprehensive. Emal is not a typical interface kind of guy. There is no trail of destruction left behind when he gets something done. He is good at it. He is prepared and he isn’t shy about keeping people accountable. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their bedside manner is second to none. Emal is really just on it. He isn’t flappable – he is calm and cool.

Are there any areas they could improve?

People might say that Muse Duran is still growing and it might be too big of a project for them to take on right at this moment. I don’t think it would be a problem in the very near future. However, if someone with a large budget came to him and asked what he could do with a million dollars and to show them the infrastructure, their turnaround, and the people working for him, he might not be able to handle that right off that bat. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if he found a way to either.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t hold back and make sure to be honest. Don’t be afraid to say what it is you want. He is the kind of guy where if you send him on a trail for something, he will get it for you so make sure that it is what you want and that you are both on the same page. He makes the process as easy as possible.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sales manager at Biggers Mitsubishi, a car dealership. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Muse Duran?

We hired them to do all of our advertising.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Muse Duran handles our social media campaigns, ads on our website, graphics, and banners. They also produce our local TV commercials and radio commercials. They put together a script and voice-overs based on the information we give them for the commercial. Our commercials are run locally and are dealer-specific, but they tie into Mitsubishi’s national programs. 

Since Mitsubishi has to clear all of our content, Muse Duran contacts them directly to make sure it gets approved. The commercials are typically 30 seconds long and we do one TV and one radio commercial a month to match our current theme, so everything is uniform.

What is the team composition? 

I typically work with Emal (President) almost exclusively, but he also has a team.

How did you come to work with Muse Duran?

I came to work with them when I met Emal. They were just managing some social media for us, and Mitsubishi decided to take them on. They said they could handle the job and do more for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $2,500 a month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in March 2015 and the relationship is currently ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our Pandora ads perform the best, even over TV, which I was surprised to find out. From a personal standpoint, they really make it easy and I’m able to focus on the other things I need to get done.

How did Muse Duran perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re perfect. They accommodate us well because they know exactly what we need to do.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their quality is top-notch like some of the bigger agencies, but they don’t have the price tag as the bigger ones. For as long as I’ve been doing this, many other companies have pitched their services to me and I have no reason to change. They make good suggestions that I never thought of and our relationship has really grown.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try them out and see for yourself. I gave them a small project and wasn’t planning on spending much money, but I liked what they did and that was enough for me to listen to what they had to say.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My wife and I own a carryout and catering business in Illinois.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Muse Duran?

When we started our business, it was pretty small and not a full-time commitment for us. They helped us gain exposure through digital marketing and creative development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve helped us build our web page, get exposure on social media, produce videos about our services, and placing us on Google search results. At first, we had a discovery phase to give us a chance to go over site concepts. Based on the information we gave him about our company, he got to work on a logo that would reflect our Latin Fusion restaurant. 

Their team also helped us rename our company after looking into our competitors and researching the space. That moved us into web design and development. Through that process, they held our hand as we developed a digital brand. We went through several design iterations to land a final set of designs. That involved several collaborative sessions and ideas from both our side and theirs. The site features our catering menu for user accessibility as well. Customers can also submit orders online this way, which helps us as our fanbase increases. 

At this point, we’re still in contact. I’m in the process of opening a storefront, so they’re going to help us develop media for that as well. We’ll also build out some additional functionalities and commercial video content as we move toward opening our restaurant.  

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact. There was a larger team working behind him as well.

How did you come to work with Muse Duran?

He was following us on social media and commented about how he could potentially help us grow our business. That caught our attention, so we decided to talk to him in greater detail. We were impressed with his local commercials and understanding of the industry. He had an insight that other companies didn’t. The process that he set forth was reassuring, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $3,000 on the project. When the site had launched and I had questions, he would provide further insights free of charge. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on this project from June–August 2018. In this next year, we’re contacting them again to pull to the next level.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our revenue shot up by about 50% after working with them and launching their deliverables. 

We were immediately really happy with the deliverables because they continue to represent our brand today. Our team got amazing feedback on them so far. We moved the site over to Wix, which was easy to implement. That made it easy to update over time. 

How did Muse Duran perform from a project management standpoint?

He used a tool during the web design phase that allowed us to remotely review and comment on the content. That sparked online discussions that didn’t require us to all be in the same room together. To communicate further about changes, we would set up meetings over the phone. They were very responsive. We’d recieve our requested changes and modifications within days.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with the knowledge of his team. They gave us reasonable tips and pointers on how to improve the platform. When we didn’t have a vision of what we wanted from them, they were able to provide us with one. Their team offered tons of insight and great ideas to our engagement. That’s why we’re reaching out to them again. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. We’re looking forward to working with them again in the future on our video content. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

For small business owners, his service and industry knowledge is amazing. We were able to ask him questions whenever needed in a one-on-one setting. His service was sincere and so was he.