Solutions for Growth

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a new and upcoming website that has been developed over a number of years for the tradeshow industry. Virtual Global Tradeshow encompasses vendors and attendees from around the world, all in one website and available 365/24/7.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Solutions for Growth?

We hired Solutions for Growth because they were recommended by Constant Contact as their premier partner. We hired them for the expertise that they have shown in initial marketing the website.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals are to sign up both vendors and attendees so that they have a symbiotic relationship and the ability to interact with each other throughout the world.

SOLUTION

How did you select Solutions for Growth?

After getting many quotations and proposals from diverse agencies we selected Solutions for Growth for their stable and sensible approach to an infant company's wants and needs.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope of their work is a fully-fledged marketing program, encompassing initial discussions on modus operandi, copywriting, graphic design and email flyers, SEO, Google Analytics.

What was the team composition?

Their whole team has been fully involved, approachable, and happy to re-work a project until it was perfect. They have created multiple ads in all social media outlets, putting our launch front and center and driving interest to our new website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As this is a fledgling project, they have proved that pushing all the media buttons have resulted in a smooth roll out of the website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We have had a great working relationship, with a good flow of ideas between our teams.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

David brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the nuts and bolts of marketing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

David Fischer and his team at Solutions for Growth have concentrated on hand holding to thwart stress pangs while executing a creative marketing program.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Pediatric Dental Associates is a pediatric dental practice with 3 dentists and 2 orthodontists. I’m the owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solutions for Growth?

I’ve been in practice for 25 years but the practice has been around for 60 years. In the past, all of our referrals have been through pediatricians, other dentists, and word of mouth. As a general dentist, the industry is getting more competitive. They no longer refer to pediatric dentists. Every week, I ask patients how they heard about us, and 75% percent now hear about us online, with the other 25% finding us on Facebook. We want to increase our online and Facebook presence, and I am not a technical person at all.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They take care of our website, SEO, PPC, email, and blog. I take care of Facebook, except that Solutions for Growth does some advertising there for us.

They created our new website and load new content every month. We had a website created 15 years ago that was a stock website, but we wanted it more personalized so that we could change it on a monthly basis.

Some of my requirements were that I wanted to be able to change the site as needed and have more individualized content.

What is the team dynamic?

I work with David and Rebecca. Rebecca sends an email every month and gives us ideas and is available when needed. Every month she gives us the articles with names of surrounding towns. Our email gets blogged on our website every month.

How did you come to work with Solutions for Growth?

My husband and David went to college together. I knew that he worked with small businesses on their web presence which was exactly what we were looking for. We looked at one other company, but we were very happy with what David had to offer.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a couple thousand dollars on the website, and $800 a month on the website and maintenance.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2013, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every year our referrals from the web have increased.

How did Solutions for Growth perform from a project management standpoint?

They are fantastic. They reach out to me every month and if I don’t answer, I get follow-up emails from them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The personal one-on-one engagement is what impressed me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’ve been very happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company provides house painting services. We operate in Westchester and Southern Connecticut.

I am a co-owner of the company. I am responsible for all advertising, marketing, and customer relationship management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solutions for Growth?

We needed help maintaining communications with previous customers. It was a combination of direct marketing in order to increase sales, and general branding, so that when customers needed our services once more, they could find us easier. We also try to stimulate word-of-mouth business. A big part of our sales comes from people referring us. We wanted to remind people who they used in the past so that, if they are in a conversation with someone looking for a painter, they'll remember our name.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Solutions for Growth does one specific task for us: creating and distributing an email marketing newsletter. This is done 6 times per year, with different themes based on seasonality or specific offers.

How did you come to work with Solutions for Growth?

We knew that we needed to have a newsletter, so we started doing it ourselves using Constant Contact. We realized that it would take us a lot of time, and we couldn't do it as well as a professional could. We had a previous relationship with Solutions for Growth's principal. We went to him, and he put together a package that made sense.

How much have you invested with Solutions for Growth?

The total cost is less than $10,000 per year. It isn’t a huge budget item for us but it has potential to make a big impact on sales.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been working with Solutions for Growth for 3-4 years. It's an ongoing relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Solutions for Growth's services are low in cost and high in impact. We think that communication with previous customers is key, given that it has a long tail. We don't expect to send an email and receive 20 calls, but it's important to do it. We trust Solutions for Growth to do it right.

We're very satisfied. The work is simple and straightforward. Solutions for Growth does it without any headaches, so I'm happy.

We don't specifically track what comes out of this one piece, because it's not the only way in which we communicate with previous customers. We know that every time we do this, we get 3-4 email replies which will typically turn into customer projects, but I don't have accurate stats. We're doing so much else at the same time.

How did Solutions for Growth perform from a project management standpoint?

Solutions for Growth gets the work done quickly, with good turnaround, good follow-up, and good analytics. The logistics of what Solutions for Growth does is excellent, and the creative quality is also good, although it could be notched up a couple of levels.

What did you find most impressive about Solutions for Growth?

There's nothing in particular. Solutions for Growth is a rock-solid group.

Are there any areas Solutions for Growth could improve?

Solutions for Growth has never networked its clients together so that we could potentially be given access to someone in need of our services. This could be a great opportunity for Solutions for Growth to give added value for clients.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our business is a comedy club, bar, and grill located inside of a casino in Connecticut. We have a large craft beer and whisky program. The focus of our showroom is comedy.

I am one of the owners of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Solutions for Growth?

We needed the ability to talk to our customers on an ongoing basis, letting them know what we had going on in our club. Historically, our primary focus has been on communicating our upcoming shows and selling tickets, but we're trying to encourage general visits to both comedy and beer fans.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Solutions for Growth manages our Constant Contact program. We talk to 50,000 customers on a weekly basis through email blasts based on our database.

How did you come to work with Solutions for Growth?

We have been using Constant Contact for a few years, managing the template and email process in-house. We felt that an outside partner might be able to do this in a more efficient way. We got in touch with Constant Contact online and asked for a list of certified vendors. From that list, we came down to 3-4 options, pretty much by looking at each candidate's website. We talked to each one of them and received proposals.

How much have you invested with Solutions for Growth?

The cost for Solutions for Growth's services is $125 per week, for each email blast. We spend around $6,000 per year with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with Solutions for Growth for around 2 years. We have some cost concerns at the moment, which we've communicated to Solutions for Growth. We're working with another marketing company and are considering bringing our Constant Contact work to them, or at least having the other company provide some directions to Solutions for Growth.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The relationship has been successful, but Solutions for Growth is too expensive for what we're getting. We have a number of different dynamics, including different sales venues which we alternate, so I can't easily attribute my sales impact to Solutions for Growth's program, either in a negative or positive way. I believe that we're communicating well to the market, and we have a fair amount of engagement with customers, so we're doing what we need to be doing. Our business has made some updates in the last few months, which have significantly improved what we are able to deliver to customers.

How did Solutions for Growth perform from a project management standpoint?

I talk to their owner every 6 months, but we have only one day-to-day contact person for Solutions for Growth. She has been very professional. I never have to follow up, and I know that anything I send her will be taken care of. She does everything quickly, efficiently, and well.

Are there any areas Solutions for Growth could improve?

Solutions for Growth could be more proactive in finding ways for me to increase my engagement with customers. It's as much my fault as theirs, but we've fallen into a routine, instead of thinking outside the box.