The Red Stairs

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m VP of marketing for Notion, which is a smart home technology startup that was recently acquired by Comcast. We work through home insurance and service providers to help homeowners monitor their home for risks such as water leaks, door and window openings, smoke alarms, and temperature changes.

What challenge were you trying to address with The Red Stairs?

We were looking to ram up our B2B content production. Historically, we created very little content, usually related to press releases, but we wanted to develop a more regular cadence in order to support some of the advertising work that we were doing.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team typically runs four pieces a month, each around 800–1500 words. We put together a content calendar to identify and scope out each of those pieces, and then write and publish them on a content platform where we have dedicated sponsorship to promote what we create with them.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Janette (Content Strategist)

How did you come to work with The Red Stairs?

I originally put out a LinkedIn request, and they submitted a proposal. I narrowed it down to a few writers and was really impressed by the samples and previous testimonials that Janette had. I met one of their teammates in person and felt we could work really well together, so I decided to move forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $4,000–$5,000 a month with their team, so around a total of $12,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project first started in July 2020 and is still ongoing.

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

Since this is more focused on foundation building for us, the metrics aren’t quite there yet, but we’ve seen really great results in terms of establishing a good voice and tone and being in sync with their team around our strategies for communication.

How did The Red Stairs perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a great job of actually managing the work. We’re still figuring out the best tools for the process, but overall, it’s been a very good relationship. There are plans to shift to a project management platform in Q4, but at the moment we primarily communicate over email, Google Docs, and a weekly check-in phone call.

Janette follows up in a timely manner on all deliverables and has dedicated a lot of time learning the industry, the lingo, and how that all translates to the language we want to actually use around our brand.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive part of partner with them has been their willingness to work together and accept feedback, especially in the early stages of the project. She’s always been very willing to hear direct feedback about what we do and don’t want to use, and I think that makes her an even stronger writer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I think we have room to continue working on is just honing our voice as a company and continuing to get better as we work together through the writing process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With any writer, you need to have a content strategy in place that the writer can then help you execute. If you make sure that you have the framework and allow them to focus on filling in the gaps, the dynamic will be much more streamlined than if you need them to do everything.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company is a pavement preservation company. We apply an oil to the asphalt that rejuvenates it, thereby extending it's longevity. I am the office manager of the company, and before this position I worked as an administrative assistant.

For what projects/services did your company hire The Red Stairs?

We hired The Red Stairs to assist in creating new promotional materials, such as banners and brochures. They also created our new website and created the quarterly newsletter we send to our customers.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to create a new, fresh appearance to the company as well as update some of the older materials we were using.

How did you select this vendor?

Jack, the CEO of the company selected this vendor. At this time I am not sure how he made the decision.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They created new banners and brochures to start. They worked closely with Jack, the CEO, and assisted him in creating new designs. Jack provided the material for these items.

They also created a brand new website for our company. They again worked closely with Jack in this design, and they also included the other employees when they added them to the "Our Team" section.

Lastly, they worked with Jack to send out a quarterly newsletter to our customers. They had to assist Jack by asking him guiding questions.

What was the team composition?

As they worked with Jack, I do not know.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We have increased "hits" on our website, as it is more informative and user friendly. Our banners and brochures are informational and aesthetically appealing, which has garnered compliments from customers.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I believe Jack communicated mostly via phone and email. They worked well within the deadlines he provided. They were also extremely responsive to our questions, especially in dealing with issues with the new website.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their professionalism and friendliness. They approached the project in a way that made us feel comfortable and heard.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of Create on Call, which provides graphic design marketing, website development and support for small to mid-sized companies.

What challenge were you trying to address with The Red Stairs?

I hired The Red Stairs to produce copy for a client's website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The Red Stairs performed all the interviews to develop in-depth content for a client’s website. They assisted with the home page and call-to-action copy as well as writing the biographies for 16 different team members.

What is the team composition?

I predominately worked with Janette (Co-Founder, The Red Stairs) during the engagement.

How did you come to work with The Red Stairs?

Previously, Janette and I were contracted by the same client. I knew they would produce high-quality material, so I hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

During this project, we spent about $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We collaborated from March–September 2017.

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

The team exceeded my high standards for content. I had confidence when presenting the copy that they had developed to my clients. From disparate ideas and thoughts, the team created compelling copy.

How did The Red Stairs perform from a project management standpoint?

We met mostly in person. Given The Red Stairs’ professionalism, I felt comfortable having them interact directly with clients, too. The team was very agreeable and delivered on what they promised. They’re responsive—implementing feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were knowledgeable about best practices for writing copy. Not allowing their tone or style to dominate, The Red Stairs were conscientious of keeping to the brand. The team also offered a valuable perspective on business strategy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there's nothing they could've done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s worth the investment and time to work with professionals to generate content.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I own a branding, design, and marketing agency in Baltimore, Maryland.

What challenge were you trying to address with The Red Stairs? 

We're agnostic in terms of marketing strategy. Most of our clients hire us for high-level strategy and leadership. Often when we devise a custom solution for a business it requires us reaching out to external partners. We use The Red Stairs for copywriting and content marketing for a few clients. 

What was the scope of their involvement? 

The Red Stairs provides creative reinforcement on implementation projects for several of our partners. In particular, we have a client that’s a big data analytics firm. We brought in Janette (Principal Marketing & Digital Content Strategist, The Red Stairs) and introduced her to the client. Over the past 18 months, they’ve been rolling out a content marketing strategy targeting Fortune 2000 clients.

They lead account-based marketing to reach decision-makers and leadership within those target companies. They help us create content that’s catered to providing value to prospects. The strategy focuses on getting that information in front of the people that we've identified. We also hire Janette directly to help us write case studies and content for our own business.  

What is the team composition?

We primarily deal directly with Janette. She has a team behind the scenes that help with proofreading and editing. 

How did you come to work with The Red Stairs?

My business partner on the marketing side had previously worked with Janette. He introduced me to her when we were looking for a partner to bring in on our projects. We talked over Skype and really hit it off. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began around January 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

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

The Red Stairs helps drive immense results for the client. We review our plan every six months. After the first year, the client was so happy that they chose to up the retainer and spend more money because the work is helping them grow the business. In fact, the parent company of our client has since hired us because of the results we've brought. The client has also referred some of their big data analytics partners to us because of our work together. 

The Red Stairs is able to take what our clients do and make it approachable to a diverse audience. Their writing is fantastic. People love to work with Janette so she’s an invaluable resource. We try to bring her in for every engagement that involves long-form copywriting. It doesn't matter the subject matter because she uses interviews and research and be able to write about any topic. It’s a great skill.

How did The Red Stairs perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their team is top notch. The Red Stairs knows how to run a business and how to deliver results. They’re so efficient and professional. Janette gives us updates without us having to ask for them. She’s super transparent. I appreciate that she’s honest with us if she's stuck or needs more time. She’s very affable and a joy to work with. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

It’s important for us to build strong relationships. Working with The Red Stairs helps us achieve that goal. Our clients really enjoy working with Janette, which is huge. She delivers high-quality copywriting and editorial time and again. Janette's not right for every project, but she is a perfect fit for the projects she’s on.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

I don't have anything critical. I suppose they could bring us more referrals, but they do occasionally bring us new work. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We often see clients that want a new website or marketing collateral who think they can do the copy themselves. I always advise using an outside person to help you articulate your business, mission, and goals. Not having to write copy frees you up to handle more important tasks. In the long run, it's probably more expensive to do it yourself poorly than to hire The Red Stairs to do a great job.