Native Digital

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Storable is the leading technology provider within the self-storage industry, providing an all-in-one suite of integrated products to help the facility operators run their business efficiently and maximize profitability. My role was providing brand leadership, directing campaign development and collaborating with Native to execute their performance marketing strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital, and what were your goals?

We hired Native for digital strategy, audience segmentation, product messaging, creative execution, media planning/buying, campaign optimization and performance measurement. Our goals were to increase brand awareness, and drive significant increase in lead generation and reduce the cost per acquisition.

SOLUTION

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

We reached out to Native because of personal connections with their leadership. It started with us asking questions and wanting advice on our challenges. We quickly found that their knowledge and expertise was so good that we needed to find the money to hire them. Their pitch to us solidified the decision to make that investment.

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

First, we went through the interview and discovery phase where they really got to know and understand our business and the customer’s needs. Then they put our value proposition into their strategic framework, presented audience segmentation with triggers for purchasing decisions, and built out a messaging matrix for the audience segments at each point along the sales funnel.

Native Digital then presented a plan for how to deliver our message to the target audience including frequency and recommended channels for placement. We collaborated with them on Calls to action and building out the landing pages were leads would be collected. They ran multiple iterations of the campaign, presenting performance along the way and pivoting to react to the results we were getting.

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

CEO SVP Performance Director of Demand Generation SVP Client Strategy Brand Strategist Account Director Creative Director Copywriter

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We initially didn't see very good performance, but we sat down with Native to figure out a new plan of action and altered the strategy to drive more leads than the first iteration. The iterative process was successful and the performance team was on top of monitoring the results.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had a good workflow and clear delineation of roles and responsibility. There was mutual respect and good report.

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

The strategy component of the process was the most impressive. They saw things that we didn't and understood our industry, products, and customers very well. The positioning they presented was spot on.

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

I wish we could have worked together longer to give a better answer. But, I moved on from my role and didn't get to see the relationship through.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for Straub Construction, a general contractor in Kansas City that focuses on building structures that serve others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Native Digital?

We decided to rebrand because we were hitting our centennial anniversary, and as part of this effort, we wanted to take a look into who we were marketing to and how.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Native Digital’s involvement started with interviewing us internally and interviewing our clients and peers in our industry to see how we differentiated ourselves and how we should market differently in our space. After the initial interviews, they came back with various suggestions, encompassing different aspects like our brand’s look and feel, voice, messaging, target market, and more.

After that, we sat down with Native Digital’s team to discuss our options for our new branding and narrowed down those options to one. From there, they were in charge of designing our new branding assets, such as our business cards, letterhead, and promotional merchandise.

Additionally, Native Digital produced two videos for us. We worked with their team to film those videos, spending two days filming in different locations. We brought our own talent, most of whom were friends and family, so no one was a paid actor. Native Digital was in charge of everything else: the storyboarding, the scriptwriting, the voiceover talent, and the postproduction.

One video focused on our new brand, and the other focused on our centennial anniversary, which would be revealed at the big party we had planned. Due to the pandemic, we ultimately couldn’t hold the party, but we still rolled out the videos.

Native Digital’s involvement also included helping us design our website. For this project, they provided us with freshly designed templates, and we had another vendor implement those designs on WordPress. Additionally, they helped us with its copywriting and layout to keep everything consistent with our new brand.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Stephanie (Account Director), who was our main point of contact. Chris (Creative Director), did most of the writing and helped us develop our brand’s voice. Additionally, Olivia (Former Associate Strategist) and Megan (Former Associate Creative Director) were in charge of overseeing the visual brand strategy, and Benton, (Former Graphic Designer) was in charge of creating all the collateral pieces.

How did you come to work with Native Digital?

I was referred to Native Digital by a friend. We still went through a formal RFP process that was sent out to different firms, and we had them provide preliminary estimates. Ultimately, we were very impressed with Native Digital after their interview. They had great tactics and presented very clear deliverables, as well as success stories backed up with data.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–August 2020. I talk to Justin every now and then, and I’ve let him know that if we have any other needs, they’ll be our first call.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

On our brand launch day, we were actively watching our website and social media traffic, and we had a 1,000% traffic increase on both. 

Regarding general feedback, the rebrand was a catalyst for us to market ourselves and hone in on the clients that we want to serve. It has been easier for us to market ourselves and talk to potential clients about what we’re passionate about and why we do what we do.

Among all the deliverables that Native Digital provided us with, the strongest one was the development of our tagline and mantra: “Believe in what you build.” This discovery was a result of the interviews with our people, clients, and peers. That line itself has been very beneficial for us to help build on our brand story and accurately market the people we want to work with.

How did Native Digital perform from a project management standpoint?

Native Digital performed well in that regard. Although we had many challenges due to COVID-19, which also affected shooting the videos, they were very accommodating. We were always able to stay on schedule, and they were very conscious of the budget, which we were thankful for. We communicated 70%–80% of the time via email, and we had phone or Zoom calls occasionally when larger decisions needed to be made.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated how approachable Native Digital was; they truly listened to us and gave us the results we needed. We never felt like they were doing things for the money, and they always focused on what was best for us — it was all about Straub. Although we knew that we weren’t their biggest client, we always felt like a priority.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We struggled with their invoicing. Sometimes, we received bills that weren’t necessarily wrong but we felt like we were billed before receiving deliverables. Additionally, some of the invoices were a bit confusing, and it wasn’t clear what they were billing us for. However, this aspect had nothing to do with their performance, and they've already received this feedback from us directly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want out of the experience and communicate those expectations up front. Additionally, have all of your internal parties on board so that you can optimize your time with Native Digital.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the marketing officer for Southern Bank, a growing community bank in Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois. We have $3 billion in assets with 52 locations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital?

We rely on Native Digital as premier marketing partner that provides expertise to us in any field of marketing. The integrated roadmap is an annual project that clarifies the objectives and projects for the upcoming year. We highly value the expertise and strategy provided by Native.

SOLUTION

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

I met the CEO, Justin, who was presenting on brand at a conference I was attending. His unique approach set him apart from other professionals in the industry that I had been exposed to. I sought him out to consult for our brand.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The integrated roadmap laid out our strategy for the upcoming year. We collaborated with Native to identify the biggest needs, prioritize them, evaluate the level of effort for each and develop a plan for execution. This plan then guides our efforts throughout the year and gives us milestones to achieve.

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

We worked with:

• our account representative
• the VP of client strategy
• director of search and acquisition
• director of performance marketing
• the VP of Creative

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our marketing team has a clear direction of what we are trying to achieve. We have a professional document that helps lead and keep all of us on track, all while keeping our key performance indicators at the front and center.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Native always conducts an initial meeting to present and then establishes a feedback timeframe. From there, we work back and forth until a final product is produced. Work flow with Native is a strong point. Their account representatives do a superb job navigating work flow.

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

They listen to our team. They gathered the key information and made recommendations that make sense for our company, which was amazing.

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

I am extremely pleased with our relationship with Native. Nothing is perfect and as different issues have arisen, they do their best to remedy them quickly and professionally.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the COO at Charlie Hustle -- an apparel company out of Kansas City. For 10+ years, we've celebrated civic pride and local sports teams by using the t-shirt as a canvas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital, and what were your goals?

We hired Native Digital to make our paid advertising--via Google and Facebook / IG--more efficient while enhancing the ROI. The goals were a less than $1.00 cost-per-click, which was achieved quickly.

SOLUTION

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

We did a 3-month long search where we interviewed each agency multiple times. Native Digital was continuously the most impressive in terms of identifying issues, problem solving, and visually / analytically showing us how they were going to achieve their results.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and campaigns.

While we had Google Ads and Facebook Business Manager setup and being used, Native Digital was tasked with rebuilding everything to make campaigns more targeted and increase our new customer base.

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

• Project Manager
• Project Lead
• Creative Director

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While I can't share specific numbers, I can say we are overwhelmingly pleased with the results. Our spend is less, our ROI is more, and the amount of time it has saved both me and our E-Comm Manager is a qualitative success.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Hands-on. We met once per week early on and it has since moved to bi-weekly updates. We have a personal dashboard that allows us to see updates in real-time, and the communication style is casual enough where we don't feel urgency at any request.

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

The metrics and deep dives. With other companies, we felt like we were going to be another cog in the machine. Native Digital makes us feel like we're their number one priority.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an owner and the Board Chairman of Cramer LLC, a specialized commercial furniture brand serving cutting edge science, research and healthcare organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital?

We hired Native to refresh our brand positioning and create a flexible, forward thinking digital marketing platform for the business.

SOLUTION

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

Native Digital stood out from the competition with their balance of creative vision, digital marketing savvy and bottom line focus. They approached our project through the lens of a business owner, which was refreshing and helpful.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The Native team began with a set of deep dive interviews with our customers and stakeholders. They then led us through a comprehensive brand positioning process, from messaging through to visual branding to sharpen our brand strategy. The Native team then led the development of a new web platform that brought our brand story to life and created an efficient, interactive UX that greatly improved our customer product selection and specification process.

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

We worked with an integrated team that included members in brand strategy, graphic design, content strategy/creation, research, SEO, web design and project management.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our stakeholders have indicated our digital platform stands out above competitive brands in our space. While we only recently launched our new platform and related digital marketing campaigns, early feedback indicates excellent rates of engagement and follow up.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Collaboration with the Native team was smooth and seamless, despite the shift to online meetings due to COVID.

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

The lead brand strategist/copywriter on our Native team was exceptional. He brought a fresh, original perspective and good energy to the project. And we appreciated the leadership team's focus on measurable outcomes and results throughout the process. Most agencies I've worked with are either very talented creatively but lack real business execution focus, or bring solid marketing execution with a lack of sophistication on the design side. Native offers both.

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

Our greatest challenge was going through the internal journey of how we wanted to evolve the brand. In person meetings may have helped us move through that phase more productively. Here's to a post-COVID future!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the vice president of marketing for a global nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital, and what were your goals?

At the time, our organization did not have a lot of current, high quality video content that captured the work we do in developing countries around the world. We wanted to get new footage of our community centers, staff and kids in the program for use in our marketing materials.

SOLUTION

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

We wanted to work with a team that could capture high quality video, and provide solid art direction to help us weave storylines throughout a series of short videos. Native has an impressive portfolio of video work and a number of talented creatives who could help us bring these powerful stories to life.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

Native ended up producing 3-5 short videos that we used regularly in our marketing materials. They attended the shoot in Mexico, worked with our team to develop the storylines and gave ample opportunity to provide feedback throughout the process. We were very happy with the end results.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked with their creative director and her staff at the time. The Native team gave ample opportunity to provide feedback throughout the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We used the new video in several appeals during the following year and engagement was much higher than prior content. The video was showcased in global meetings as a part of a launch of our brand and our work to define and elevate culture within the organization.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The Native team has strong attention to detail, a commitment to the satisfaction of their clients, and the skill and creativity to pull it all off.

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

Each team member felt 100% invested in our organizational mission and objectives. It isn't often that you find a creative team that will put the time and energy into truly understanding the work before they get started. I would say that was the biggest standout about the team at Native as we worked on this project.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CMO of LivePerson - a leader in Conversational AI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital, and what were your goals?

We wanted to refresh our brand and visual identity. Our goal was to be more customer centric and modern in our approach.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was referred to Native through an acquaintance and met with Justin as a first step. Justin came across to me as someone that was calm, creative, and humble. I then met his team and was incredibly impressed. My previous experience was with very large agencies, so it was refreshing to work so closely with the senior leadership team.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Native helped us build out our brand story, visual identity, and topline messaging. Native works through a well defined process that really gets into the heart of the matter. They interviewed our leadership and customers to ensure we had a good foundation. Their brand team was exceptional at bringing forward ideas and helping us to continually tweak. The team inspired a lot of what has ended up being our visual identity as well.

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

Our core team was 4 - 6 people depending on the part of the project. I appreciated that the team was relatively small and agile.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We launched the new brand to analysts in advance of our external launch to phenomenal feedback. The website was redesigned and relaunched with the new messaging and visual identity as well.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Native spent time with my team on a day to day basis and I met with them at important touchpoints.

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

The brand and copywriting is just exceptional. The team brought forward Curiously Human™ as our brand identity that really met all of our needs.

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

We threw a lot at Native in a short time. I think we could have done more to clarify our roles and responsibilities to drive greater clarity when moving so quickly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I served as the marketing manager for Tallgrass Brewing Company, which was an independent craft brewery in Manhattan, Kansas, with a regional distribution footprint in 18 states.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital?

We hired Native Digital to help us create and execute a content marketing campaign to amplify Tallgrass' brand voice and market position as well as support the launch of several new products.

SOLUTION

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

It only took a series of a couple meetings with Justin Watkins and his cohorts Shelby Mathews and Nadine Long to make the decision. They were thoughtful in their research, demonstrated their capabilities, presented an exciting vision and made us feel comfortable.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The Native team developed an excellent content library for us to promote our brand and products on social channels including static images, video, customized animations and copy. The days where we captured the content were some of the most energizing and exciting days we had at the brewery. They really immersed themselves into our brand and culture, and resulting content truly showed their understanding of our vision.

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

Native was just getting started at the time and had a smaller team than the incredible organization they've since grown to become. We worked closely with Justin (founder/CEO), Shelby (then creative director, now VP) and Nadine , whose role bridged account management and creative.

For video shoots, we worked with a larger team that encompassed Justin, Shelby and Nadine plus other professionals, some of whom may have been hired contractors.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After partnering with Native, our social media engagement increased by all the usual metrics, i.e., impressions, clicks, views, etc. Combined with the anecdotal feedback from stakeholders in our sphere of influence about the quality of the content being produced, we saw that our brand profile had been elevated considerably, which led to increased mindshare among our three tiers of customers including wholesalers/distributors, retailers and consumers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was a very smooth process working with Native. They were thorough, excellent communicators who were receptive to constructive dialogue around strategy and delivered on their established deadlines.

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

Native had taken the time to develop their own brand and a compelling narrative about their people, processes and capabilities that was really fresh and exciting. They picked a lane and have stayed in it, so to speak, and have experienced tremendous success doing so.

As someone who has taken a lot of meetings with various agencies and often has heard the same story repackaged under a different name, Native invested the time and energy to make their group stand apart from the get-go.

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

I cannot leave a comment in this field, because our relationship with Native unfortunately came to an early conclusion when the brewery ceased to operate following financial difficulties brought on by market changes and a few misfires in long-term strategic planning that were not at all related to Native's work.

In my view, our relationship with them was just getting started and had not yet reached its full potential — to quote an oft-used phrase, we had "unfinished business." We were very pleased with their work and the results; unfortunately factors beyond the control of the Tallgrass marketing team prevented us from future collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Ecommerce retailer in the sporting goods space CEO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Native Digital, and what were your goals?

We hired Native to help us launch a new brand that we started. Our goals were to increase traffic across all digital channels.

SOLUTION

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

We had heard about Native a lot and heard nothing but great things about them. Their pitch to us on how they would help us was very impressive. They really lined out everything perfectly.

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

They started with consumer research to identify the market and those customer profiles. They did a deep dive into creative/brand suggestions for us. They also did a deep dive into our paid strategy and SEO strategy. From there they put together a list of recommendations.

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

We met with the leadership team early on, but then just met with our account manager and then 1 or 2 people from each specialty are. It was really perfect.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have seen a huge improvement in our organic traffic.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective.

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

The people are just really great to work with. They definitely know their stuff, but more importantly, they treated our business like it was their own. That was awesome!

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

No