Propr

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a company that’s a strategic partner for life science companies focused on building marketing capabilities and enhancing marketing strategy. We work with marketing organizations of life science companies to build their marketing capabilities. A lot of our work is building training programs for other companies or building strategies or recommendation maps.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr?

We were looking to refresh our branding. As a team of marketers, we were passionate and had done a lot of work around our brand identity and brand equity. However, a lot of our branding was done in the startup phase and wasn’t sophisticated.

Since we were scaling and growing, we wanted to get a more refined and strengthened brand identity system, a set of brand guidelines that we could apply across all parts of the business, and branding assets that could support that brand strategy. Our visual representation and how we applied those elements to our products was important for our business and product development. We needed to pull the branding elements into our learning modules, class workbooks, or job aids.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The two main parts of the project were branding and web design, and our main goal was re-establishing our brand identity. We did three phases, beginning with branding and identity work. Then, we did website development, and the third phase was actually developing the brand guidelines.

An important briefing element was getting something fresh. Life sciences and consulting are conservative industries, so the stuff is very boring when they’re both together; it’s the same old stock photography and predictable and tiring look and feel. We wanted our look and feel to reflect our big tagline and be appropriate and professional while being a bit disruptive. Moreover, we wanted it to reflect the breath of fresh air we were trying to bring into the industry. All in all, the differentiation and the creativity of the design were crucial because something off the shelf wouldn’t fit our brand offer and promise to our customers.

When we started, we already had some strategy in place. We worked with Propr to refine it and develop a brand identity system with a new logo, our color set, the look and feel, and the icons or assets that were important to us. We used the assets to build a website and our own marketing efforts, as well as design products that we did with customers.

After the branding phase, we built a more sophisticated website. We were using GoDaddy with a template and their stock assets, which was fine for our early stages. Since we wanted to become a bigger player, we needed a compelling website.

Finally, Propr did the brand guidelines in an online fashion, so rather than building a static PDF brand book, they did a living restricted site so it’d always be up to date and we wouldn’t have to worry about version control. Also, all of the assets were on a site rather than sitting in a fixed folder that had the risk for version control, which was exciting to have because we work with other contractors and clients. Therefore, having a real-time and always-current brand book was something that could help us streamline work as we scaled.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Bobby (Founder & President), Chelsea (Director of Marketing & Operations), and a few others teammates. We basically worked with the entire organization.

How did you come to work with Propr?

I found them by happenstance. Bobby and I were part of a similar network, and I was intrigued by Propr’s attitude and vision. When we talked about breathing fresh life into something, there was a sort of attitude and irreverence, which really intrigued me. I was looking for someone that could do something different and unplanned so it wouldn’t be the same old corporate branding. Overall, I wanted to learn more about Bobby’s vision, and Propr’s ambition was attractive.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from December 2021–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was a brand equity investment, so we didn’t expect it to get us a ROI. Therefore, the value or impact is hard to measure with dollars; a lot of it is behind the scenes. Today, a company can’t really compete if they don’t have a brand identity, so for us, the project was a must-have in order to do bussines.

We wanted to grow and be credible players and thought leaders, so having an identity that we could use in our thought leadership work on social media, marketing, and outreach, as well as the actual work we deliver to clients, was vital. Overall, Propr’s work was like table stakes for us to be able to take our game to the next level; it was about having that level of sophistication and professionalism.

How did Propr perform from a project management standpoint?

We rather stayed focused on the creativity of the design and the quality of the final design projects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attitude of realism and authenticity was outstanding. Propr didn’t try to walk the fine corporate line of what things should look like, which allowed us to get a different kind of design instead of what we might have gotten in a more traditional agency relationship. A big differentiator was that they tried to push the needle on what things could look like, and there was a thoughtfulness to it. Propr focused on brand identity, and we felt we got something that addressed our specific challenges.

Moreover, there was a genuine realism within the team. They were great people; they did their job, cared about us and the business, and were conscious about their work. We weren’t just a number through a machine that they were trying to push through. We could have open discussions with Propr whenever we ran into any hiccups, which also set them apart.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We spoke with Propr along the way about any improvements we thought they could make.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Think about what your business offers and what your unique stance is out there. We can all get excited about the work we’re doing, but pushing ourselves to think about the value we add to our customers and what is that unique voice is important. Don’t be afraid to be you, and don’t feel like you have to be like everyone else. Try to embrace what you’re doing to make the business uniquely you. Propr will help you find that, but it’s a vital part of any branding work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at a SaaS company. We offer payment software for the healthcare industry that has been in the marketplace for several years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr?

We needed to design our company’s rebranding strategy. We realized our software’s name was more known than our company name. Our old name was a difficult word, and we wanted to rebrand our core brand and redesign our website as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Propr designed our company’s rebranding. They updated our name, logo, and company’s mission, goals, and values. Propr created new brand guidelines and designed our marketing materials, including business cards, Microsoft PowerPoint templates, and print materials. We also discussed our content marketing strategy.

Additionally, Propr helped us improve our communication and funnel our messaging to reach new clients and break out of some of the old industry terms we used. They helped us get our whole staff on board with the new branding. 

Moreover, Propr redesigned our website following the new brand guidelines they created. Our old site was developed on Divi, a popular WordPress page builder. The new site developed by Propr was custom-made on WordPress. We asked Propr for custom functionalities, including a webinar section, since we host a couple of webinars monthly. 

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact with Propr was Bobby (Founder & Principal), and we also worked with Chelsea (Director of Marketing & Operations) and other team members.

How did you come to work with Propr?

A developer from our company was familiar with Propr. Additionally, I knew colleagues that had already worked with Propr. 

How much have you invested with them?

The project was $175,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Propr from January–October 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received positive feedback about our new name and website created by Propr. Our staff agreed that our past company’s name was a difficult word. We’ve seen an overall improvement in how clients speak about our company, although we’re still working on improving our core branding. Renaming a company is a difficult task, but I knew it was necessary and the right move for us. We have already launched the new site developed by Propr. 

How did Propr perform from a project management standpoint?

Propr’s project management was good; they met deadlines and stayed on budget. Their team was very communicative and good at follow-up. For communication, I spoke directly to Bobby through phone calls and emails. We also used Zoom and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by Propr’s staff; they were a caring team and really engaged with our project. They truly cared about making our brand stronger and helping us communicate what we wanted. I spoke to other branding agencies, and I could tell they didn’t understand our company even though they were asking for more money. When I met Propr, I felt they really wanted to work with us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for Propr to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Before engaging with Propr, you need to have a clear understanding of your company’s problem. You need to have an idea of where your company is standing and where you want to go. This doesn’t only work when engaging with Propr — I’d recommend this when engaging with any company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former VP of marketing and communications at Port Discovery Children’s Museum. In my role, I oversaw all of our communications, advertising, marketing, and the various programs that went into those efforts. I was also in charge of our website, email marketing, branding, messaging, PR, sponsorships, and partnerships, among other things.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr?

We were addressing several challenges with Propr’s help. Port Discovery is a children's museum that has been around for about 25 years. Unfortunately, not many people in the area know about it for various reasons. For example, a lot of people didn’t understand what a children’s museum was about, and the organization’s advertising budget was very low.

On top of that, our audience was very limited. We were only trying to reach families with children between the ages of 0–10. As people aged out, we had to constantly grow our audience base and introduce new customers to the organization.

While at Port Discovery, I realized there was a need for brand identity, brand reputation, and consistent messaging. However, there had been so much turnover in the organization's leadership that getting alignment for our marketing and messaging became difficult.

We also had another challenge with our website. We knew it was built on Drupal, and it was coming to the end of its life. Although it was clearly our biggest marketing tool, it came to a point where it was causing more problems than supporting our business. Therefore, we decided to hire Propr to help us address those challenges.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Propr came into the project to help us with our brand strategy and web redevelopment project. Their team first worked with us on our brand architecture, positioning, messaging, and strategy. Initially, they had a number of conversations with our stakeholders, followed up by some interviews and surveys. That process intended to have some open and candid conversations with our team about some of the pain points to get on the same page about where we wanted to go.

At the time, we had welcomed a new CEO and a new VP of education, who were critical to our message and brand, so the timing for this process was perfect. Then, Propr helped us identify our pain points and opportunities based on those conversations.

As a result of this process, Propr helped us gain some alignment internally regarding who we were, who our audience was, which opportunities and challenges we had, and what our core messaging should be. They also produced a lot of documentation, including our core messaging.

After developing our brand architecture and strategy, Propr designed and developed a new WordPress website for us based on what they had previously produced. This site required a lot of custom work from them to meet certain requirements. Firstly, they built the site to make it completely compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design, which was very important. 

Propr also built the site to be mobile-responsive and high-performing on mobile devices because that was 80% of our audience. Additionally, they integrated various plug-ins to achieve certain functionalities, such as event calendars and a custom blog for content. Propr also handled the site’s maintenance and hosting, using WP Engine for that purpose.

Later down the road, Propr also created brand guidelines and flexible templates for our organization. These assets weren’t originally part of our plans, but it became very clear that we needed those guidelines, so it made a lot of sense to engage again with Propr to produce them.

What is the team composition?

I worked with many teammates from Propr throughout the process. Initially, Bobby (Founder & Principal) and Chelsea (Bookkeeper) were highly involved in the branding conversations. Gabrielle (Former Art Director) was also involved in those conversations; she came in to hear about our messaging and positioning to develop the website designs.

Throughout the website development process, I worked closely with Chelsea and Gabrielle, as well as with a person who helped us with the content. Moreover, I know that there was a developer involved. Although I didn’t interact directly with them, they were amazing at what they did.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent under $100,000 on the entire project. The brand strategy was $20,000, and the website development was around $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2021, and Propr took around 12 months to deliver the website. During the first three or four months, we worked on the brand positioning process. Then, we spent considerable time developing the website because Port Discovery wanted to work thoroughly on the brand architecture to get the templates right. Although I left the organization in December 2022, I know that the engagement is ongoing; they recently engaged with Propr for some additional work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Propr delivered a beautiful, highly customized, and high-quality website with architecture, messaging, and imagery that fit well with our brand strategy, making our message extremely easy to be perceived. On top of that, Propr built it so that it could scale with the organization, solving not only what we needed immediately but also what we could need down the road so that we wouldn’t need to redevelop the site in a couple of years. The website was also very flexible, giving us the opportunity to build new pages and move things around to organize them as needed.

I was with the organization only a couple of months after the website was launched, so I had limited information about its performance. Still, I saw that our website traffic not only increased but also the results coming from having a traffic increase were extremely great. Before redesigning the website, we had a high bounce rate, and users experienced slow loading times and had trouble finding what they wanted. The new site solved those issues, contributing to the traffic increase.

As a museum, Port Discovery was basically an attraction, so one of our primary goals was to sell tickets for people to come and visit. Thanks to our new site and positioning, we also saw an increase in people going to the ticketing website to buy tickets. As a result, we hit a record in attendance in December 2022.

How did Propr perform from a project management standpoint?

Propr’s project management was terrific — I had never worked with a service provider that managed a project in a better way than Propr did with ours. Chelsea was a phenomenal project manager and communicator, as was Propr’s entire team. On top of that, they facilitated very clear communication, gave us follow-up notes, and had conversations with us about decision points whenever timelines were shifting due to any reason. Additionally, we stayed within budget throughout the entire project.

Throughout the process, we had at least weekly meetings to keep on schedule and let everyone know what was going on. We also used Google Sheets to keep track of that schedule and see a complex and well-done to-do list Propr had developed. This list was also thorough and helpful in keeping us on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Propr came into the project with a very different approach than everyone else I‘d ever worked with for a web development project. Their biggest strength was that they took the time to understand our organization to ensure that both of us were a good fit and get to know the people involved.

For example, Propr came to the museum and walked around to see it through the eyes of a visitor. Their approach went a long way in developing a partnership in which they strived to understand our goals and help us achieve them. Moreover, they helped us understand some of our blind spots, as they were rooting for our success.

In addition to that, Propr delivered phenomenal products every step of the way. Every time I came to them with a question or challenge, their answer was always that they would figure it out. Overall, they were one of the best vendors I’d ever worked with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing Propr could have improved on; they did everything phenomenally well. I’m now looking at working with them in my current role, and I’ve even recommended them to others looking for these types of services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Although you don’t need to do initial brand positioning work, I highly recommend doing it if you’re going to work with Propr. This process made the web development project go much smoother than other web projects I’d worked on. Additionally, Propr knows what they’re doing, so rely on them, ask for their advice, and lean on their expertise because they have it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a robotics company that builds service robots from the ground up. We make everything on site, including 3D-printed parts. We’ve had a few product launches, including a telepresence robot and a UV-C disinfection robot tailored to hospitals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr Design?

It wasn’t very clear to our customers what exactly we do, as our name doesn’t even include “robot.” We needed to evaluate the external and internal understandings of our brand and then revamp it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They broke the work into several phases, starting with a brand clarity workshop, which took six weeks and consisted of a series of interviews and questions. They spoke to everyone from our founders down to individual team members responsible for managing the brand. Then, they prepared a brand foundational document and a roadmap to brand activation.

What is the team composition?

I spoke to three people during the interview process, but during the actual scope of work, we worked with Bobby (CEO) and Chelsea (Operations Manager).

How did you come to work with Propr Design?

I considered 20 total companies, interviewed five, and then finally considered three firms in total. Propr structured their branding process quite differently than everybody else. Rather than giving a large proposal containing everything they could do — including interviewing our customers and team members, redesigning our logo, color palette, font, etc — they pitched us their two-phase process.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from October 2021–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s hard to quantitatively track the effectiveness of branding, but, speaking qualitatively, our internal team feels that this was a necessary conversation to have. They gained their own clarity around who we are and what we do, as well as what our core values and principles are. We certainly achieved our objectives.

As a deliverable, we also produced videos describing our core values. They feature one of our co-founders talking on this topic, and our internal people have reviewed them well.

How did Propr Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Chelsea did a great job as the operations manager. Propr kept everything on track and moved the project along, finishing on time despite the holidays.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They broke their process into clear phases. Other proposals we received were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that is a large cost to swallow considering the lack of clarity those proposals contained. It wasn’t clear whether we’d need to move into three or even four phases with those other companies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything more for them to have done. Perhaps they could have interviewed more external customers, as they spent more time speaking to our internal team. That’s not only on them though, it’s also on us to ensure they have the opportunity to speak to those customers.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Like any relationship with a partner or vendor, you have to put in the time. Our founders allocated 90 minutes every week to working with Propr, and our other team members dedicated even more. You can’t just rely on the vendor to invest all the time, especially when it comes to brand clarity.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Brewery Tours, LLC, an economic and tourism driver that provides guided, educational and entertaining craft beer experiences.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Propr Design, and what were your goals?

Our business initially launched under the DBA York County Ale Trail and required rebranding to the larger Brewery Tours designation due to product expansion, which included the development of a new brand image and website to allow for greater growth and market exposure.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Propr Design was originally hired to create our York County Ale Trail brand and we were very pleased with the process and outcome.

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

To start, we performed a brand and marketing assessment that defined our current marketing efforts, a review of our target markets, a customer affinity and journey mapping, identification of key channels to reach audiences, and the identification of efforts to keep, optimize and end. From there, we proceeded to the strategic design of our new website, as well as the creation of social media and other assets.

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

I worked directly with Bob as well as 3 team members: Art Director/Senior Designer, Director of Marketing and Operations, and Marketing Specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Propr took the time from the outset to understand our vision and where we wanted to be. They remained open and receptive throughout the process of forming the rebrand and the creation of the website. The end product fit perfectly with our goals and has been well received.

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

We had weekly meetings with key staff through Zoom. Supplemental contacts were made through email along with drafts prior to Zoom meetings, which allowed for an efficient use of time. Propr was responsive and timely to all requests and contacts.

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

Propr took the time to understand our vision and goals. This was not a cookie-cutter project and they didn't produce a cookie-cutter product. Our rebrand and website captured the essence of our company.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at Greenspring Advisors, a Maryland-based financial advisory firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr Design?

We needed their expertise in branding and website development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve initially engaged Propr Design to help us formulate brand strategies that speak to our brand message, style, and vision. After discussing the project with our CEO and partners, they’ve helped us come up with an editorial style guide to refer to when making integral branding-related decisions.

In pursuit of our rebranding efforts, Propr Design has redeveloped our website by integrating a more functional sales tool to streamline our operations. Additionally, they’ve worked on our backend to make it SEO-friendly — we now have access to our SEO metrics and lead generation reports.

What is the team composition?

We work with Gabby (Art Director), Chelsea (Director of Marketing & Operations), and Bobby (Founder & President).

How did you come to work with Propr Design?

One of my colleagues introduced me to Bobby. I was intrigued by his offer, and I also concluded that I needed his team’s help. While we had an actual vetting process for this project, we still chose Propr Design because we were most confident that their skillset and experience could help us meet our goals.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement with Propr Design commenced in July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Propr Design has a thorough understanding of our brand positioning, and they’ve been able to translate that into the results they’ve delivered. Since we’ve launched our new website, we’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from our users. They particularly appreciate its warm and welcoming look, which says a lot about our people-oriented organization.

Additionally, our new editorial style guide has helped us make smarter decisions that help bring forward a stronger brand message among our clients. In fact, our improved branding and newly launched website have helped one of our advisors secure a $2.7 million contract with a client.

How did Propr Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Propr Design is a professional and timeline-oriented partner —  they never miss meetings or deadlines, and they always show up with creative ideas and beneficial suggestions. Chelsea’s patient and responsive nature is particularly commendable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re most impressed with Propr Design’s authenticity — their transparency and curiosity bring us to where we want to be and motivate us to do better.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We can benefit from a more flexible workflow. It doesn’t really impede our progress, but we’ll appreciate it if Bob can communicate with our team while adapting to our processes.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a real estate agent and team leader of a team under the brokerage of a real estate firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr Design?

We were looking to launch our website and develop the brand for our new team.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Propr Design helped us with our new brand and website. First, we started with brand development, which included identifying our core values, audience, empathy map, message, and tone of voice. Then, we developed our branding guidelines, and they helped us design our logo and brand look.

Once we completed the branding, we went into website development. Propr Design custom-built our website on WordPress from scratch, implementing our brand in its design. The site has just been launched.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Bobby (Founder & President). He acted as the leader for the branding development, along with his creative team. This team also included a designer, a project manager, and a coordinator, whom I worked with on a weekly basis. However, I didn’t work directly with the developers, as Propr Design coordinated that effort themselves.

How did you come to work with Propr Design?

I had been looking around for a while. It was challenging to find a company reasonably within my budget but that also could align the creative component with the sophistication of the technical side. Often, companies deliver great frameworks with bad designs or vice versa, but I was looking for a company that could marriage both aspects.

I found Bobby through a friend of mine who has a very successful restaurant. I loved the work on her business and asked her who had helped her. She told me to reach out to Bobby, and that’s how we started collaborating.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together on the branding in April 2021, and the site was just launched in July 2021. We have an additional month of engagement for technical support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As we just launched the site, I posted it on Facebook to get some feedback. All of the people loved the design, the creativity put into it, and the website’s ease of use.

Additionally, identifying our core values and being able to communicate them has been extremely helpful for me. When I talk about our brand, its name, and what it stands for, it really resonates with the public. I didn’t want a corporate look but a “know, like, and trust” brand. Propr Design achieved that, and it seems to resonate with our customers pretty well.

I recently was at a beautiful artist coffee shop where a design presentation was hosted. I stuck around and shared some of the brand elements with them. They were all extremely impressed with the quality of our logo and how well it stood out.

I was also really impressed with how well, fast, and easy this project was for me. I didn’t provide Propr Design with a lot of feedback because they understood our brand from the beginning.

How did Propr Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly meetings and updates from the beginning until they started talking to the developers, and Propr Design hit every deadline.

They managed the project very well, and I constantly knew who to address to discuss key components. The team was very open, so I felt comfortable sharing my radical ideas, knowing that I wouldn’t be laughed at. They also enjoyed the process and helped me understand everything.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The simplicity of the project was impressive, and Propr Design’s process was streamlined. Additionally, I was impressed with how easy it was to use our website’s backend to do edits and add content, considering that they built it from scratch.

As for the deliverables, there weren’t a lot of adjustments needed. Propr Design understood my personality, vision, and inspiration. I’ve worked with many teams and designers over the years, and I was impressed with Propr Design’s ability to adapt to my needs and vision quickly and with minimal input.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing that Propr Design could have improved on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear vision of your company — that was the most important part for me. If you go to them with a defined purpose for your business, it will help them have a clear vision, and they'll organize all of that themselves.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing partner at a government affairs and political consulting firm called Baker Strategy Group. We’re kind of an all-in-one shop in that we work with a number of in-house employees and external vendors to help nonprofit and commercial entities navigate through government bureaucratic structures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr Design?

We reached out to Propr to help us with our brand identity. We have a plethora of different kinds and services, which can get a little complicated. We needed a website that would explain what it is that we do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Propr went through our portfolio of services to help us clarify how we wanted to present ourselves to the public and to potential clients. They then broke down our services into categories, describing what it is that we do with specific clients on specific projects. The team outlined the information in a way that could be easily presentable on a website and on digital media.

Propr also helped out with some brand development work, refreshing our logo, color scheme, and all-around aesthetic. We provided some specifics of the work that we were doing but the team came to the table already prepared with their own research into our background and principles. In that regard, they were able to meet us halfway in terms of what we wanted to get out on our digital platforms. 

In addition, they gave us a few recommendations on what technologies and platforms to use, though we don’t have the bandwidth to implement some of these yet. They helped us connect our LinkedIn and Twitter accounts to our website, which serves as a hub for that kind of information. They also provided templates that we would need for our LifterLMS, which we have yet to implement on our end. Propr basically put in all the building blocks that we would need to jumpstart these technologies. 

Other works that they did for us included:

• Creating and staging the new website as well as designing the UI
• Building a custom WordPress backend that we could update over time 
• Developing site-wide architecture, building off our current assets, and optimizing existing content to put into the hub
• Training our senior staff members on WordPress
• Providing direction on what to post on our social media pages, how we could improve our content from an SEO perspective, and what typography and color palette to employ

What is the team composition?

Bobby (Founder & President) was the big-picture guy and held our hand through the sketching and scoping process, while Chelsea (Director of Marketing & Operations) was the project manager on the account. We also worked with a designer and web developer, so there were a total of four people working on this project.

How did you come to work with Propr Design?

They were recommended to me by a fundraising consultant who works at our firm. She had been doing a rebrand for her business and Propr did a great job with her website. I did a little research and saw phenomenal examples of their work. I gave them a call and was blown away by their presentation and proposal. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent around $15,000, give or take.

What is the status of this engagement?

They came on board in December 2020 and had already done some informal, behind-the-scenes work for us for a few months prior. We’ve kept them on retainer ever since and bring them in on a contractual basis for special projects. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Propr completely refreshed our brand identity and put in place guidelines and systems for us to stay consistent. I'm not well versed in the technical stuff, but our website and the social media apparatus they put in place all work well. 

When we put the file together, our CEO immediately began to generate a ton of press and initiatives around it. The press articles replicated most of the content that they had put up on our website, so the work that Propr did kind of reverberated in the way that people talked about our company, our CEO, and our brand. What we do is complicated, so the fact that we were able to articulate it for journalists to accurately capture speaks volumes to the caliber of their work.

How did Propr Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Propr has been super helpful on the front- and backend development of our website in terms of troubleshooting and answering any questions we might have. Anytime we’ve had issues, they've been there to help us address them, and every time we’ve had new projects or encountered twists or forks in the road, we’re able to call them to get help in navigating those situations. 

Chelsea and Bobby are always available when we need them. We communicate through Slack and email, but they’re open to hop on calls to walk me through some technical development processes. We use a project management software that allows us to monitor and track the deliverables and project timeline. We’ve helped keep each other accountable and it’s been a really great working relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The passion that they’ve brought to the project is impressive. Bobby, in particular, is really passionate about the projects that he takes on. I’ve never, at any time, felt that they were building a website or digital content just for another check. They know and love what we do and have become an integral partner in the development of our brand and digital presence. 

Their excitement and enthusiasm are pretty infectious. I think that speaks volumes about their commitment to their clients.

I've worked with other design firms in the past, but it’s the first time that I’ve been blown away by anybody’s initial pitches, mockups, and work ethic. They just get it. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve been on top of everything. Chelsea has constantly made sure that I was getting the things they needed. It was great all around. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

will help you pull the best version of how you want to present your business to the public, but you have to trust their process. When they give a list of what you need to do or provide, you must get to that immediately because the second that you do, the easier it’s going to be for the team. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a real estate investment company. We specialize in providing fully renovated single-family, affordable homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr Design?

Within the past year, we shifted our business model to turnkey investing. It was a new business venture for us, and we really needed to do a website redesign. Our old website wasn’t catering to the two main clients that we really wanted to cater to, which are turnkey investors and rental residents.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Propr Design spent the first month and a half getting to know our business. They asked us all types of questions about our business, our clients, and our goals. They took all of our answers and put them into a straightforward document that zeroed in on our focus.

They then helped us completely rebrand our website, logo, and marketing assets, and they helped us streamline our vision so that we knew exactly what we wanted to accomplish with our new business model. 

They were able to connect the website to the CRM that we use, and the team also assisted us with reestablishing our core values, identifying our target clients, and deciding on how to market to them specifically.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four different people: Bobby (Founder), Chelsea (Director of Marketing & Operations), who was my go-to contact, and Gabby (Art Director & Senior Designer). I also interacted with another teammate who did the website.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from May 2020–January 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Propr Design made our website a lot more visually appealing, which was really good as far as lead capture goes. I can’t say enough good things about them. 

I loved working with them, and they matched my style of doing business. They operated with integrity, and this new website and our new brand assets have had a great impact on our business.

How did Propr Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They used Trello, which was great because I was able to keep track of any assets that we were still working on. They gave us a scope of work at the beginning of the project. It was a very hands-on experience.

The team was prompt at meeting deadlines, but if they weren’t going to meet a deadline, they kept us updated. When we ran into problems, they would let us know where we were with the timeline. We used Slack for communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really liked the first 6-week period where we went through the brand workshop. It helped us get on the same page about what we were expecting from the project. 

There were four different people from my company on the calls, so Propr Design did a great job of helping us combine our visions. It helped us agree on where we wanted to go with the business and how we wanted to grow it.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Propr Design was good at communicating with me directly about issues, but they could’ve done a better job of providing weekly or bi-weekly updates of where they were with the project.  My company is very hands-on, so I would sometimes have to reach out to them to see if they needed anything from me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Stay in touch, and let them know your preferred method of communication and how frequently you want to keep in touch. Stay on top of what they ask of you so that you don’t hold up the project Also, dive headfirst into the brand workshop. Even though it seemed daunting, it was very helpful for us.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Pluck, LLC, a consulting organization that helps individuals and other organizations solve problems and start working on new ideas.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Propr Design?

I hired Propr Design to help me articulate what I wanted to achieve with my new business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They held a branding workshop to help me determine how to frame my business. After the branding workshop, they designed a logo, created a color scheme, and designed and developed my website.

The site features case studies and different pages for each sector I work in. This gives potential clients insight into my skillset and the type of work I could perform for them. Propr Design and I worked together to develop all of the site’s content.  

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people: the president and CEO, a graphic designer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Propr Design?

I’ve known the owner of Propr Design for a number of years. I decided to work with them because they’re very creative and approach branding in a fresh, smart, and personal way. I didn’t think I would get that with another partner.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March and wrapped up in November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with Propr Design, I’ve been able to articulate what my company does, and that was my primary goal. Now my company has a clearly defined mission and values.

The website launched yesterday, so we don’t have any metrics just yet. Still, this project was about generating leads and I already have three new clients.

The branding workshop was a great, engaging experience. The process helped me think through my business goals and how I can communicate my skills to new clients.

How did Propr Design perform from a project management standpoint?

The website and logo design processes were very interactive. They provided a good framework for feedback and checked in several times throughout the process. They were very receptive to feedback and made changes that would make the product better, but they would also explain why they did something differently if they disagreed with me.

They communicated well, too. They were incredibly responsive and met all of our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a great team. They each have different strengths, which enables them to deliver a strong and well-rounded product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Overall, I was satisfied with my experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to new ideas and be fully engaged with the process.