Red Hot Penny

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I headed up the retail department at Harlequin FC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Hot Penny?

The engagement with Red Hot Penny started because we needed to rethink our e-commerce strategy. We had just recently gone to Magento 2 and were trying to fully optimize the site so we could layer on our new marketing strategy from there, and we hired Red Hot Penny to do both of those things for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had moved to Magento 2 with a web development agency originally, but we wanted to work with someone whose focus was more on the marketing element. That way, we could focus on developing our presence while also optimizing the site. We established some key online metrics that we wanted to hit for the year, and then they established goals and worked off of those.

Our budget and spend were clearly defined.

What is the team composition?

I’m not sure the exact number of people on their team, but they have an SEO expert, a creative expert, a key account lead, and a few others working behind the scenes. They were very relaxed, so I could contact anyone I needed to when discussing project specifics, but for the most part, it was always easier to go through their lead to keep communication centralized.

How did you come to work with Red Hot Penny?

We were introduced at a networking event.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the project from March 2018–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The key metrics I mentioned were our main ways of evaluating the project. We were obviously able to develop the website in order to build the marketing campaign on top of that in the first place, and then we made sure we spent as much as we wanted to and kept that on track. Alongside that, we were very satisfied with the return on that advertising that we saw.

We also launched a big creative campaign with them, which was one of our key projects for the year, and they were instrumental in helping us with that, not only in the visual aspect but also in how we turned that around to sales both online and off-line. We were actually nominated for a number of awards as a result of that campaign.

How did Red Hot Penny perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent. They were on hand whenever I needed them and had a really clear map that was easy for anyone to see and work with. Whenever they needed things from me, they would give me enough notice, so that I could work it in with the rest of my responsibilities. They essentially began to function as an extension of my own team.

Both of their leads were physically in our office one day a week, and we’d have all of our meetings on that day. We also had phone calls and emails more regularly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were always very flexible with regard to both communication and the actual work. They never refused any of our requests, whether it was technically outside their hours or not. When it came to deadlines, they knew that we were working incredibly long hours to get things finished and they were right there along with us. They were fundamental to our success throughout the entire year.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear with your requirements and objectives that you’re trying to get out of the project so that they go away and do their research, they can come back to you with a clear path and hit the ground running. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the principal and managing director of the Iver Make-up Academy. We train make-up and special effects make-up artists to work in TV, film, photo, and fashion.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Hot Penny?

Because we’re a private academy, we needed to put ourselves in front of schools and career advisors so they could let their students know about us. To do that, we needed a partner to manage our SEO and social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Besides SEO, they also do PR on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They’re currently doing interviews with a tutor and graduated student to write an article about their work in the TV and film industries. We post their articles on our website and anywhere else that will have them. They mainly do organic search, and because we have such a huge amount of visual content, they work with our internal team to have daily social media posts.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people and have one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Red Hot Penny?

They were a recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $25,000–$50,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in 2015, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re all extremely happy with the work they’ve done and the results they’ve accomplished. We’re a fairly young company, and they’ve helped us grow year over year. Our goal was to have a waiting listing for admissions, and we’ve already achieved that. We actually switched to a different partner for a while but went back to Red Hot Penny because they did better work.

How did Red Hot Penny perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re easy to deal with and are incredibly personable. They communicate well and make it easy for a layperson to understand what they’re talking about. We have in-person meetings and conference calls, including a monthly metrics report. Depending on the phase of our project, communication can be daily or once a week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve taken the time to understand exactly what we want and what demographics we’re trying to target.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re always looking for more ways to get the attention of career advisors so that we can be presented as a legitimate option for students.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re young, and so is our target audience, which makes them understand that demographic better. However, if a company’s target audience is older or too different from Red Hot Penny’s team, then that may cause some problems.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the marketing manager for the SEC Group. The company specializes in complete warehouse solutions and commercial interior fit-out for small and medium-sized organizations nationwide. I’m responsible for our entire marketing, which is closely linked to the generation of sales opportunities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Red Hot Penny?

We hired them to act as our online digital agency and generate sales opportunities via the website through SEO exclusively rather than PPC and social media advertising. We had plateaued with our existing agency and needed Red Hot Penny to help grow specific key performance indicators including organic website visits and sales opportunities, particularly for our interior fit-out division— SEC Interiors.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal for the project is to generate sales opportunities for the SEC Interiors and SEC Storage divisions. We understood the relationship between organic visitors, conversions, and inquiries, and need to ensure that not only our SEO is performing properly but that there’s also efficient click rate optimization and usability.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found Red Hot Penny after they presented at a Figaro Digital event in London. Following a selection and shortlisting process that included other vendors, Red Hot Penny offered the best value and most comprehensive proposal. Their cost was also comparable to what we had with our existing SEO agency, which represented minimal risk and additional investment.

Describe the project in detail.

We started with several meetings—both face-to-face and remote—to determine the full scope and the issues the website was facing. This formed the foundations of the project and its deliverables. Regular quarterly reviews ensure that the campaign is on track. We work with Red Hot Penny on strategy, with our in-house team carrying out website changes and content while theirs carries our all technical modifications.

What was the team composition?

We have an account/project manager, but our main contact was with an SEO executive, who we’d be in touch with on a daily/weekly basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

Our SEO metrics have increased considerably in terms of ranking positions, impressions, and click-through. Our organic unique visitors have also increased. While we continue to see challenges with conversions, Red Hot Penny is assisting with click-rate optimization and improving the UX.

How did the Red Hot Penny perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been excellent. I very much appreciate their SEO executive that works on our account daily.

What impresses you about the Red Hot Penny?

Red Hot Penny has considerable resources and knowledge, offering a friendly service that’s suitable for smaller organizations as well as larger blue-chip organizations.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Red Hot Penny could work on ensuring the success of their strategies by taking more ownership for moving the work forward when the SEC Group doesn’t deliver on specific tasks.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a womenswear company. We sell dresses and other clothing categories as well. We're also growing the branded side of our business through having other brand services on our website. Our core customers are 18- to 34-year-old women, so we offer mid-range prices. I’m the head of e-commerce.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Red Hot Penny?

We were looking for an agency to help grow our PPC and SEO channels to increase our online sales and leads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the moment, Red Hot Penny looks after both of those channels for us. They are responsible for setting up, budgeting, and managing the campaigns. They are in charge of the running the whole strategy. On the SEO front, they do that both on the site and externally. We work very closely with them to make sure the SEO strategy meets our expectations. Red Hot Penny also provides analysis, website reviews, and recommendations of what we can do to improve the site. Red Hot Penny works as an extension of our in-house team.

How did you come to work with Red Hot Penny?

They came on board while I was on maternity leave, so I didn't choose them myself.

How much have you invested with Red Hot Penny?

We’ve spent $50,000 to $200,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started in November 2014 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

That isn't something we generally share with external companies without an NDA being signed.

We're seeing profit up 400% on the year on PPC and over 100% up on the year for SEO. That's working really, really well, so we're really pleased with it.

How did Red Hot Penny perform from a project management standpoint?

Red Hot Penny manages our projects really well. They are a very professional team.

What did you find most impressive about Red Hot Penny?

Red Hot Penny is very easy to work with. They are passionate about what they do and about your brand. 

Are there any areas Red Hot Penny could improve?

No, not while I've been here.