Decidedly Off-Piste
Peaktwo is a marketing & web agency.
Founded in 2008, we are a group of designers, marketing experts, storytellers, and code heads with proven experience in making brands stand out through strategic thinking and design excellence. We are not salespeople, sorcerers, or spammers who will stuff some boilerplate strategy from a previous project into your hands. What you get is a true strategic marketing partner that works with you, rather than just for you. We’re going to make you look good. We’re an agency we’d be willing to bet you turn to, again and again, as your business grows.
We invite you to explore our work and speak with our clients. When you’re ready, let’s have a creative conversation and start something meaningful.
headquarters
Focus
Portfolio
VirginPulse, Granicus, Arabella Advisors, SimpleLegal, Compass Group
Canteen Pantry App
Canteen Pantry App for The Compass Group
Granicus Website
More than 4,000 government agencies use Granicus digital solutions to modernize their online services, web presence, and communications strategies. There are over 185 million citizens on their subscriber network and more than 5 million legislative files stored on their system. They also recently completed two major acquisitions, and are rapidly growing their agency services.
The current website was functionally sufficient, but as often happens with rapid company growth, it became outdated and difficult to navigate. The messaging also required updating with a fresh focus on key personas. It was also losing ground in organic search to niche competitors.
The project kicked off with a strategic effort to address these major issues. We designed a new color palette to appeal to women – the primary audience, fleshed out 508 compliance requirements for sites working with government agencies, and crafted a plan for better search engine results.
The project was completed in just five months – a deadline promised at the beginning and kept in the end.
Arabella Advisors Website
Arabella Advisors is the world’s leading provider of philanthropy consulting and impact investing. They work with three diverse audiences—Corporations, Foundations, and Individuals—developing and implementing innovative solutions that address the complexities and challenges of philanthropic investing.
Having three audiences means they need a lot of specialized content, but the site they had wasn’t designed to support the wealth of information Arabella had to offer in a meaningful way. That left them with a website full of service-focused information but lacking order, clarity, and usability. For site visitors, this led to confusion and missed opportunities. The new site would demand a succinct web strategy and a transparent web experience paired with easy-to-follow user paths and engagement opportunities.
Throughout the project, Peaktwo worked closely with a large Arabella team. There was representation from all levels of the organization, demonstrating not only the importance of the new site, but the group culture that makes Arabella such a special place to work. And yes, large teams bring about unique challenges—building consensus, focusing on set objectives, and managing new ideas. These challenges had to be met without adversly impacting project scope and schedule.
VirginPulse Website Design
When VirginPulse—part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group—reached out to us in late 2015, we initially wondered why. They had just launched a gorgeous website with all the bells and whistles. It wasn’t until we got under the hood that we realized that was all they had: an overdesigned website that wasn’t doing much more.
That’s because websites are about so much more than pretty pictures—they need to be rooted in real strategy and measurable objectives that come alive through the design.
So, over the past two years, that’s just what we did. We first drafted a strategy tied to audience, search, and lead generation. Then every page was rebuilt to improve site responsiveness and consistency. To optimize performance, we designed and added over a dozen new pages and numerous site functionality measures, creating new user paths and better visitor engagement. To meet the global needs of VirginPulse’s diverse customers, we integrated multi-lingual capabilities in four languages. Sprinkle in some killer SEO strategies and custom analytics, and the VirginPulse site is now the engine it was envisioned to be.
Simple Legal Brand & Styleguide
Reviews
the project
Web Design & SEO for Network Automation Tool
“[W]ith most other agencies, you get a B team, but Peaktwo gave us their A team.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the digital marketing lead for an enterprise software company that sells network management and automation software to IT organizations. I manage our website, online advertising, site and organic searches, and social media programs.
What challenge were you trying to address with Peaktwo?
We needed to redesign our whole website. Our old version wasn’t responsive to different screen sizes, and we wanted to get more conversions and leads and educate people better.
What was the scope of their involvement?
90% of their work is redesigning the site, but Peaktwo is also in charge of our digital marketing, building our content management system, and handling our SEO.
What is the team dynamic?
We work with Mike Granetz [CEO], who is quite involved in our project. We have a project manager who oversees day-to-day activities, and I communicate with the lead designer and developer to sign off on-site changes.
How did you come to work with Peaktwo?
We received quotes from other providers, but we chose Peaktwo because our investor referred them and a strategic conversation we had.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began in May 2016, and the work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
When we started working with them, we wanted to optimize the number of demo requests we got for sales. Now, the site they designed has tripled that number.
How did Peaktwo perform from a project management standpoint?
Peaktwo’s team is highly responsive, even after business hours and on the weekend. We mainly use Basecamp for communication.
What did you find most impressive about them?
A lot of providers said they wouldn’t be able to finish our project in time because it was so ambitious, but Peaktwo didn’t have a problem with our timeline. They’ve provided great insight and feedback on the design and UX experience for the site.
I like that Mike is so involved because, with most other agencies, you get a B team, but Peaktwo gave us their A team. They’re dependable and highly competent.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I would appreciate more visibility in terms of what they’re working on and what the next steps are.
Do you have any advice for potential future clients of Peaktwo?
Be clear with what you want and build your content so that they can easily work with it.
the project
Digital Marketing for Customer Experience Software
"They’re really good at managing and juggling multiple projects."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CMO of Clarabridge, a software service solution company for B2C companies. We’re a nearly 10-year-old organization headquartered in northern Virginia.
What challenge were you trying to address with Peaktwo?
We needed our website rewritten, redesigned, and reconstructed. It didn’t rank well in Google searches and was very product and text heavy. It also wasn’t either mobile or user-friendly. We were on a budget and on an explicit timeframe to get things done within just a few months.
What was the scope of their involvement?
I needed the website to be redesigned from the ground up in WordPress. It needed to be approachable and highlight the aspects of our company while ensuring that we ranked for key phrases that mattered most to our business.
We showed them the designs that we were most interested in and landed on a great one, which they created along with the structure and overall look and feel. They did everything from putting in a staging platform, building out all the templates, and taking it live. My design team added in the visuals and over time, took ownership of the site.
I’ve worked with them continuously on improving our SEO [search engine optimization] and Google rankings. We get weekly keyword reports from them. We’ve also designed other microsites as well as email and marketing automation landing pages. I’m about to go through an overhaul and redesign of our website and we will use them again.
What is the team dynamic?
For the design phase, we pretty much worked directly with Mike [Founder & Creative Director, Peaktwo]. For the development phase, it was Mike, Chris [Director of Client Services, Peaktwo], and a couple of people behind the scenes.
How did you come to work with Peaktwo?
We were on a budget and had gotten recommendations from local CMOs of them being capable of delivering quality work at an affordable price. Some of the other estimates I got for the same work were 3 – 5 times as expensive. I knew that I could trust Peaktwo to manage the budget and tell me when we were going to go over and come up with a plan to address that with alternative designs.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent under $50,000 but the ongoing work is at $500–$2,000 a month.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in May 2014 and the work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We wanted to rank at first or second place, or at least in the top 5 whenever someone searched for “text analytics”. Prior to our redesign, we didn’t rank for that phrase at all but now we consistently do. There were several other keywords we wanted to rank for such as “customer experience management,” and we’re in the top 5 for that.
We had a subdomain site called CX Social, which also needed to rank for different keywords—we’re in the top 10 for the top 3 keywords we wanted for that. Our website visitors continue to increase and our bounce rates have decreased dramatically by 20% – 30%.
We built out a small, premium tool using Peaktwo that is web-based. In the last 30 days alone, that tool has brought 12,000 new visitors. When we work with them and focus, we get some dramatic results.
How did Peaktwo perform from a project management standpoint?
They communicate mostly via Basecamp to have the history, but we’ve also had direct contact. If I need to pick up the phone and talk to someone on the team, they make time for me. Communication and project management are spot-on. We were on time and able to deliver everything within the scope that we had planned for the original site, which was actually a complete overhaul and a big deal. They’re really good at managing and juggling multiple projects and I’ve never had issues with delivery.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The modern and comprehensive nature of their design is what I like the most. They’re going to use the latest and greatest technologies and deliver on the metrics that matter to you while remaining within your budget. The sites that they design work and are also appealing, which is why I keep going back to them.
There were some design aspects that I insisted on because I’d seen them in other places. While those design elements may have cost a little bit more, Peaktwo was able to bring them in at a reasonable price and make them look really appealing and mobile friendly.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They’re a small boutique firm, so they’re not for everybody. If you have a massive international website, the complexity may be beyond their ability. Having said that, they did create some multi-lingual pages for us but they didn’t do well, so we took them back down. This wasn’t because of Peaktwo, but rather because our business and our focus isn’t there. With the right sized organization, they’re perfect.
Do you have any advice for potential clients of theirs?
Make the relationship collaborative. My interaction with the team there serves to show them what good looks to me through examples. Sticking to those design principles as you go is also important.
the project
Web Design & Dev for Philanthropic Financial Organization
“They’re confident in their work and know what needs to be done to reach your goals.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the CMO and business development officer for Arabella Advisors, a philanthropic advisory firm.
What challenge were you trying to address with Peaktwo?
We wanted to overhaul our whole site since we hadn’t updated it for a few years and it wasn’t reflective of what the firm had become.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Peaktwo was involved in every phase of the dev process, from design to build to testing and launch. They built an entirely new site on WordPress, with nothing being re-used from our old site. We worked together on the vision for the site and any design questions, and they helped us streamline while still staying true to a specific experience we wanted for our visitors. Not only did they integrate with our CRM system, Salesforce, but they also gave smart guidance and feedback on incorporating calls-to-action into the site, which is primarily a research/marketing platform that requires further engagement from our clients. We launched in November 2016, so now we mainly rely on Peaktwo for monthly maintenance and light engagement.
What is the team dynamic?
Mike [Granetz, CEO] was our primary point of contact, and we also had a project manager throughout the entire process. Mike helped with the design and setting expectations, and the project manager allowed us to have consistency during the whole project. Behind the scenes, we worked with a number of people, but it was mainly virtual contact. The team was small but comprehensive and powerful.
How did you come to work with Peaktwo?
We went through two separate RFP processes. The first focused on local organizations in New York and Washington, D.C., but we were dissatisfied. We extended outside those areas for the second round, with the caveat that whoever we hired would travel for in-person meetings, and Peaktwo didn’t have a problem with that, so after reviewing their proposal and liking it, we hired them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in April 2016 and it’s ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Before this launch, an overwhelming majority of visitors only went to our careers page and rarely to the content pages. Now, visits to our content page have more than tripled, and the time visitors spend on those pages has increased as well. Our goal was to get potential clients reading about our engagements, so these trends confirm that our project was successful.
How did Peaktwo perform from a project management standpoint?
They couldn't have been better; regardless of the time of day or request, they were responsive and quick. They were on top of their work, and they never dropped the ball.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They were the only partner who was willing to push back early in the process. During the proposal process, some companies say yes to everything, but Peaktwo stood out because they said no and told us if things didn’t make sense or wouldn’t work. They’re confident in their work and know what needs to be done to reach your goals.
They also took time to understand our business and what we wanted to achieve. They have a variety of clients in numerous industries, but their work was tailored to our specific needs and protocol.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I was incredibly satisfied.
Advice for potential customers?
Go in with specific ideas, but trust their judgment. Overshare about your business and goals, and you’ll get the most out of the engagement.
the project
Strategy & Branding for Enterprise & Supply Chain Platform
"They delivered us a solid, error-free site that met our company's rigorous security requirements."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the senior director of corporate marketing for Exostar, which is a joint venture between some of the country's largest aerospace and defense companies, as well as some pharmaceutical organizations.
What challenge were you trying to address with Peaktwo?
When I started with the company, my top priority was revamping the company's image, starting with the website, and repositioning the company as a platform service provider being a joint venture. We were already positioned as a technology provider, but we had a number of services and offerings that needed more productive marketing strategies.
What was the scope of their involvement?
After considering a couple of CMSes, they moved our site to WordPress and rebuilt it from the ground up. They did strategy, branding, site design, and helped us reorganize the way our solutions are presented to the market.
What is the team dynamic?
We had an on-point project lead, and Mike Granetz [Founder, Peaktwo] was involved, as well. We also worked with a few developers, and we considered using some of their writing resources to help us with the content, but we ultimately wrote that in-house.
How did you come to work with Peaktwo?
Mike and I worked together at another company 15 years ago. When I was tasked with the site redesign at Exostar, I constructed an RFP and called Mike to discuss whether his team could support us. We went through an evaluation process with Peaktwo and 5 other vendors, and their proposal unanimously stood out to our executive team. It was clear they understood our challenge and knew how to solve it in a cost-effective way.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in November 2015 and our site went live in May 2016. They provide ongoing maintenance and support for the site and have several smaller projects to modify it further. We'll continue to work with them in the future.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The journey to get into the content has been much better. We've seen an uptick in overall brand recognition and understanding of our services, as well as pipeline growth. It may not all be due to their work, but they certainly contributed.
How did Peaktwo perform from a project management standpoint?
They're very responsive, and I can always contact Mike if I need something. It’s a good collaboration between us and their team.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They understood our challenge and weren't afraid to give specific recommendations on why we should or shouldn't do certain things. That was valuable for us as a company with a long history because trying to reshape our brand could have been a struggle, but they did a good job of reining in our unworkable suggestions. We tried to hold true to their recommendations and reinforced them with examples of why they were the best choice. Without that level of expertise to guide us, it would have been hard to convince our executives that some of our choices weren’t necessarily right for the site or our organization.
Are there any areas they could improve?
As a small company, sometimes, they don't have the deep resources we might need for larger, more substantial projects.
Advice for potential customers?
Go in with an open mind. Make sure you have your project's requirements defined and communicate them clearly. They’ll add a lot of value if you're willing to ask questions and explore a bit.
the project
Web App Dev for Refreshment Services Company
“Whatever code they're using, and whatever engineers they’ve hired, we're getting what we wanted and more.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CFO of the office coffee/pantry division at Canteen Vending Services, We’re the world's largest unattended retail organization, and we provide refreshment services to corporations who, in turn, give them to their employees.
What challenge were you trying to address with Peaktwo?
Our pantry business, which is the full ensemble of all our snacks and beverages, has grown a lot recently, and we were looking for an electronic, somewhat real-time app that our sales team and operators could use to provide the best menu offering for clients. Right now, we have a large database of client preferences and options, but developing an optimal menu offering is an extremely manual process. We wanted an intuitive app that puts all that data into an easy-to-understand format and provides various menu options.
What was the scope of their involvement?
I can’t speak much to that because they require minimal oversight. We explained to them our situation, and they quickly created a game plan to build the product we wanted. They update us a few times a week, or more if needed, but right now we’re about 80% done with the project. Whatever code they're using, and whatever engineers they’ve hired, we're getting what we wanted and more.
What is the team dynamic?
My main points of contact were Mike Granetz [CEO] and Chris Harris [VP of Customer Interaction]. My project manager runs a lot of it and interacts quite a bit with Chris and the main developer in DC.
How did you come to work with Peaktwo?
It was mainly word of mouth and references from their past clients. We went through the evaluation process with a few other providers, and we chose Peaktwo because we felt they could best address our needs and were transparent in their offerings.
How much have you invested with them?
So far, we’ve spent over $100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
It started in November 20016 and is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re still in the final phase, so we don’t have any quantifiable results. From what I've seen so far, I fully anticipate at least a 20% savings in time associated with creating optimal product offerings. That’s huge, not only in labor saving, but also in providing our clients with the best solution to keep them happy.
How did Peaktwo perform from a project management standpoint?
We interact with them about every third day, but they meet with us whenever we need. Everything has been run well in the amount of engagement, communication clarity, and the number of people involved.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They have the unique abilities of hearing our challenge, developing a solution, and seamlessly executing it. They quickly understood what we wanted, and they translated that into an actionable and efficient plan. They work hard to get tasks accomplished, and they’re experts in the field.
The team is accessible 24/7; I could pick up the phone and speak to Mike, and he’d address the issue right away. They have a great leadership team with dynamic, entrepreneurial, and smart individuals.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don't think so. We haven't had any issues.
Advice for potential customers?
Have everything planned as best as possible because, if you do, they'll digest that and get results right back to you.
Due to their small size, Peaktwo provides great customer service and is always available if any problems or issues arise. The team is responsive, insightful, and competent, tripling the number of demo requests since they started.