Oomph, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the managing partner for Advanced Biotechnologies LLC. We manufacture a product called the Biocharger, which is a subtle energy revitalization platform or a method for consumers to recharge their bodies in a healthy advanced technologically-based way.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Oomph?

We were a total startup from the ground up. We were looking for partners to outsource critical functions of the company to so that we could ramp up faster. We knew we needed a digital marketing partner to get a presence on the website and beyond. In particular we were looking for a partner for digital marketing, web site development, e-marketing, etc.

We have a unique product to sell. It’s a $12,000 item that most people don’t understand. There was a challenge in finding a way to communicate this in an effective way to the right audiences.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Oomph is now our go-to partner for more than 90% of our digital marketing and other digital needs. We started by developing our personas and our target markets. From there we moved into web site development, backend CRM and social media. They built our website from the ground up, adding functionality for online purchases. They have helped us develop print and digital marketing materials that we use for emails, presentations and other marketing. They’ve done SEO and AdWords for us.

What is the team dynamic?

Our primary contact is Matt O'Bryant [Director of Strategy, Oomph Inc.] Matt brings in creative support as needed.

How did you come to work with Oomph?

We interviewed 3-4 companies before we moved forward with Oomph. They were referred to us by a larger firm that declined our RFP because they felt that we were too small. They put us in touch with Matt.

When we started engaging with them, they took the time to understand what we were trying to do. They gave us a pretty good roadmap to get started. Oomph was based in Rhode Island, and we're out on the Cape, so there's a geographical draw as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're reliant on two sources of sales leads. One is our existing customer base via word of mouth. The second is our digital marketing strategies, website and social media—that are all orchestrated through Oomph. We've gone from approximately 30 leads a month through the website to now closer to 60. The quality of the leads is equal to or better than before. It’s taken a lot to move the needle but we’ve done it in a methodical and effective manner. Now our challenge is more sales coverage than lead generation, which is a nice problem to have.

How did Oomph perform from a project management standpoint?

We interact every week—usually at 2pm on Tuesdays—depending on the project load. It's never huge stuff—we're not doing complete redesign of the website, for example—but there are enough active projects that there's something going on every week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Trust. We’re able to rely on them. They follow through, they're competent, they're conscientious. Those are important to me since we're a very small company but we're doing some pretty big things. I equate them to one of our partners, like our engineering, software development or manufacturing partners. We’re in a unique situation to have great partners in all major functional areas of the company that we can trust and Oomph is one of them.

Matt is a big part of our relationship with Oomph, our ability to work with them and trust them as a business partner. I doubt the company has anyone else quite like him. He has great project management skills: he's responsive, he's professional, he's smart. He's extremely capable of not only going into detail to help you look at things the right way or giving you different perspectives, but he's also extremely technically savvy. He often times helps us by fixing something on the website on the fly. That's impressive.

I've provided referrals to two new clients to Oomph, one for which I was asked to be a reference. I wouldn't do that if I didn't believe they were great company. I hope they are prosperous and that we continue to work with them for years to come.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's always fine tuning. I think there might be an opportunity for Oomph to dig in more on social impact and how to really move the needle on the social side. It would seem to me that integration with that might be an opportunity area.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of institutional sales, licensing and operations at a journal publication.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Oomph Inc.?

We had no online presence, but wanted to build one to help educate our current customers on our new products and features, as well as attract new customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They began by doing a strategic analysis of our market by developing librarian personas to figure out the best way to communicate with our audience. We weren’t initially committed to building a website because we thought a newsletter would bolster our online presence, but the strategic analysis indicated a small-scale website would be the best way to reach our readers.

Oomph then looked into our competition and further developed librarian personas to research their needs. They worked with us on drafting up the website’s map and individual pages, fleshing out the details of both the backend and frontend of the site. They result was a nine-page microsite, which includes a small amount of original content and a large amount of static content. Our audience has access to our contact information, as well as a page where customers can request a quote, and that request will automatically be sent to our CRM system.

What is the team dynamic? 

We worked closely with one of their project managers.

How did you come to work with Oomph Inc.?

They came well-recommended by another division in our company. Due to their work with that other division, they were familiar with our branding and marketing issues, so we felt comfortable trusting them with this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in January 2016 and continued through June 2016. Due to funding, there was a sixth-month lag between the strategic analysis and project execution. We started working with them again in January 2017 and completed the project in May 2017. They continue to provide us with any troubleshooting and upkeep needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are very pleased with the resulting design. We’ve seen growth in our customer base since the site went live.

How did Oomph Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. We communicated through Basecamp. They were very responsive and ensured we were kept up-to-date on their progress. They would also nudge us when they needed a response from us, which helped move the process along. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very open to our ideas and didn’t push a preconceived agenda on us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide as much background information as possible to educate them about your market. That allows them to assist you in the most effective and efficient way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of AutoRaptor, a CRM application for automobile dealers. We’re based in Providence, Rhode Island and have six full-time employees. We’ve served both the United States and Canada for 11 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Oomph, Inc.?

We’ve worked with a number of advertising companies over the years, but always had mixed results. We hired Oomph to help revitalize our marketing website in order to increase web traffic and leads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Instead of building a website from scratch, we decided to modify our existing site. They upgraded a number of pages within our application, focusing on content and imagery.

They also improved our analytics. Our clients go through our website to sign onto the application, which distorts the statistics. Oomph created a way for us to distinguish between existing customers and new visitors, providing a clearer idea of our web traffic.

We had an existing blog site that generated tons of traffic, but we weren’t using it to generate leads. Oomph suggested installing call to action buttons, something no previous vendor had recommended.

What is the team dynamic?

We have a project manager who’s the main point of contact, but we also have an in-person meeting every couple of months that includes the designer and Matt [O’Bryant], the supervising executive. We’ve also worked with DJ. Kadamus [Director, Oomph], who has a firm grasp of Google Analytics.

How did you come to work with Oomph, Inc.?

We needed a new agency after our own marketing person left for California to get married. We wanted a local vendor so we could conduct face-to-face meetings and get a sense of the company, and we interviewed a number of candidates, including Oomph.

We initially chose a vendor with experience in the automotive field, but we quickly realized they had a number of internal problems. We contacted Oomph to take over the project.

How much have you invested with them?

Our contract is for $50,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While our first and second quarter saw a large reduction in leads and sales, our business has stabilized since updating the website. We’re not yet getting our ideal numbers, but we’re trending in that direction.

How did Oomph, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly status meetings to draft timelines and priorities. We viewed the first 10 months of work as one stage, setting specific goals, and outlined long-term, stage two goals for the following year.

They’re very responsive to questions and suggestions, well-organized, and provide regular updates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Every effective collaboration requires open discussions in order to find the best solution, so I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to push back on ideas in a polite manner. They’ve also shown they’re capable of owning up to a mistake, and will take extra steps to correct any errors.

They understand that marketing is different for every business and took the time to learn the unique qualities of our industry.

They're also honorable people, which isn’t always the case with marketing agencies. Previous vendors have performed well for the first couple of months, but then decline in quality while continuing to collect their monthly retainer. Oomph has remained honest and keeps our interests in mind.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our project has so far focused on revamping the existing site. I hope to see a stream of creative solutions as we move into the second phase, and I have every confidence that they’ll deliver.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at a non-profit company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Non profit legal services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Oomph, Inc. to accomplish?

• Website redesign
• User testing

SOLUTION

How did you find Oomph, Inc.?

Other

Why did you select Oomph, Inc. over others?

Other

How many teammates from Oomph, Inc. were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Discovery, strategy, research, redesign and user testing of a legal information website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• They delivered a beautiful, functional set of designs that we can use to build our new website.

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

Their project management was very strong. Good communication both at virtual meetings and via base camp. The timeline was appropriate and adhered to. Stayed within budget.

What was your primary form of communication with Oomph, Inc.?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Very timely and responsive. They went the extra mile to create beautiful, functional designs for our site.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Oomph, Inc.  could have done differently?

Not really.