Ray Rico Freelance

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO, executive producer, and director at Prodigi Arts. We're a production company for film and television as well as corporate and commercial video production.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ray Rico Freelance?

We hired Ray Rico Freelance for a movie poster design.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, I provided some reference images. They set up a Basecamp client portal for me so we could all work in one space. Then, I started uploading some inspiration through imagery. 

For them to get a complete understanding of the story, we’ve had several meetings. We envisioned what the cover should look like. We discussed whether there should be people, objects, or a protagonist on the cover. They’ve taken all of that information, and they’ve done their own research. 

They came back with a few rough designs. From there, we worked on font choices, typography, and what we wanted the title text to look like. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with Ray (Principal & Owner).

How did you come to work with Ray Rico Freelance?

I've worked with them before. Our company filmed their company in the past when Ray was nominated for an award. Our client was a business journal that did an awards ceremony for certain companies, and his company was one of them. That was how we met. 

I’ve considered other design firms, but I liked Ray Rico Freelance’s work and customer service. They were easy to talk to and flexible. They seemed like a great team to work with. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2020. We’ve received the design, but the engagement is ongoing due to some production delays, which are our fault.

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

They captured exactly what we wanted, and we didn’t really have any revisions to their work. That was because of their due diligence. They were asking questions and getting an understanding of what we were looking for. They delivered, and it looked great — we love it. 

They had attention to detail. As a visual effects artist, I could appreciate those little details. Vector design is one thing, but when doing posters in the realm of artwork, details matter. On the cover, a bus had to look like it was burning, so they had to go and paint in some details. This attention to detail showcased the story visually. 

How did Ray Rico Freelance perform from a project management standpoint?

Ray Rico Freelance was prompt and very responsive. The platform we used was Basecamp, and I was new to it. However, they made it very easy and seamless to get into, so it was very helpful.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The relationship feels less formal. Working with them feels like working with a family or friend. They’re very easy to work with and flexible. They’re not too serious about the process. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, none that I can think of. Everything went very well. There wasn’t any lag, so I don’t have anything negative to say. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know exactly who on the team is working on your project. Sometimes, only a couple of people may be working on it, but you may be meeting with more people. Know who exactly is putting their hands on your work and make sure you have a lot of communication with that person or those people. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a Memphis bar called Dru’s Place Bar.

What challenge were you trying to address with Ray Rico Freelance?

We’ve been partnering with Ray Rico since we opened.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ray Rico initially did my entire rollout. They helped guide me on different ways to about my business and things like that, giving ideas on promotional products. They acted as an advisor. 

Ray Rico also designed our previous logo, and they recently did an update for us. 

What is the team composition?

I initially worked with at least two or three different individuals, but I’m not sure how many people were involved with the logo creation. Any time I need help with anything, Ray (Principal) is always available.

How did you come to work with Ray Rico Freelance?

Ray Rico is very active in the Memphis community as far as supporting different causes. Our business does a lot of that also, so it was just a match made in heaven. I wouldn’t consider using anyone else.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working with them in June 2010, and we’ve used them off and on since then.

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

Having a clearly defined logo is extremely important for me in promoting my business, and I’m pleased with Ray Rico’s work. I love the new change, and I think my customers have liked the work they did as well. 

How did Ray Rico Freelance perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive, and they communicate constantly throughout the whole process to make sure we’re on the right track. It’s always a very smooth process. They also work quickly: for the logo redesign, Ray Rico was well ahead of what I’d anticipated. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even though I’m a small client that doesn’t have a huge budget, they don’t treat me any differently than they would a $100,000 contract. I get the same attention to detail and service I would if I were a huge client, which is why I love working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind. They’re a great company and they’re very in tune with the area and the businesses in the area. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get an idea of what you’re looking for, and they’ll be able to give you that information and more. Ray Rico is really knowledgeable on the marketing side of things. If you need information on how to grow your business, they can help with that. I would highly recommend them to any small business that wants a trade partner.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the business operations manager for Lucius. We are a family owned local business offering a variety of residential home improvement solutions to our clients. Lucius also offers residential roofing and commercial flat roofing services.

For what projects/services did your company hire Ray Rico Freelance?

Lucius hired Ray Rico Freelance to help us navigate a marketing strategy for our company. We needed solutions for print as well as digital marketing.

How did you select this vendor?

Lucius Complete Home is working with another local web development company and Ray Rico Freelance was highly recommended by this company during a conversation about marketing solutions.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

In detail Rico Freelance creates and manages our Google ad campaigns, our radio, print and email marketing. The team there creates the content such as graphic designs, scripting, branding and messaging for each of these avenues of marketing.

What was the team composition?

I've been working directly with our account manager there for the last 8 months. The team their conducts biweekly meetings with me to follow-up on the ongoing projects.

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

Yes, we experience tremendous growth in the web based leads coming into our business. The Google ads along with their management of these ads increased the amount of new clients. We've also seen great results because of the print marketing they've created for us. The artwork is detailed and drives home the services our business provides.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It's been wonderful! The biweekly (catchup) meetings are very beneficial to bring us all back to the table and discuss projects. Anytime I have a question or need anything outside these meetings I can email, call or work with the team through an online company account software they've established for us.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They give attention to detail, follow-ups, and the willingness to help in any area of marketing. I love the fact that these folks are local to our company, they know the area, they know the clientele and work hard to meet any concerns we have with a focused solution.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

It's hard to pinpoint any area that could be improved upon. I think we've received exceptional service thus far.