Stingray Branding

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and operator of an entertainment company. We do audio lighting and reinforcement, such as audio mixers. We also do special events, including weddings and corporate events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stingray Branding?

I’m not from the area. When I moved here, no one knew me, and I didn’t have a background. I wanted to have a good marketing plan to get my business known in an industry that was already saturated.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stingray has helped me get out in the local market destination services and moved beyond that local market for people coming from out of town. 

They’ve done my company’s branding, including the design of the logo, stationery, and business cards.  They’ve also developed my website and set up my Google Play Store application and social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Stingray has done SEO, PPC, and Google Ads work as well.

What is the team composition?

Initially, I’ve been working with two people: Stingray’s owner and a designer. As my company has grown, we’ve got an opportunity to work with the expanded design team. However, my communication has been direct with the owners.

How did you come to work with Stingray Branding?

In my corporate job, before having my business, I was an analyst looking at companies to know what they did and offered and who was the biggest bang for the buck. At that time, Stingray was a startup company, and I got the chance to sit down, talk with them, and learn a lot about what they did and what their credentials were. I told them I’d take the opportunity to work with them and grow the business together if they’d take it as well. That was how we started working together.

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve invested around $5,000–$7,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in 2014, and we were getting ready to hit the first of the year 2015. Everything started to come to life as far as having the URL and phone numbers purchased. The project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

If there are any changes that need to be made, we can go back and do it. Every year and a half, there have been major changes with Google, and we’ve probably done the site over three times. We’re currently in the planning process of getting it redone for the fourth time. 

We’ve grown a lot since 2019 and one of the reasons why we want to upgrade the website is to show people who we are now. We don’t want to have an image from months or years ago. We want to make sure that we keep the content relevant for people and provide them the level of service they’re looking for.

How did Stingray Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

At the beginning of the project, Stingray’s team sat down with me, went over my vision, and asked a lot of questions about how my company should look online, and how people should see my brand. They’ve tried to make sure that our service is reflected as far as what we provide because in the entertainment industry a lot of times things are taken for granted or people may not be educated. Stingray has been very smart and strategic about how they laid out all my information.

The owner of Stingray stays close to their clients. It’s more of a personal touch. I can pick up the phone and call them. I try to go through the necessary business steps. They have a website and an email address. Usually, if there's any change I need to get done, I send it through there whether it’s a page update, broken link, or if something isn’t operating correctly.

Stingray has a good call-to-action where we can go in and click on what we need and send information. Then, their support team contacts us, saying they’re working on the problem. I usually get an email or message back within 24 hours. Stingray is on top of things — they get it working right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing about working with Stingray is that I received a handwritten letter in the mail post from Afghanistan several years ago — it was from the owner. I remember it more than anything else because, to me, that makes me value them more than only being a B2B. Additionally, for someone to take time out to sit and personally handwrite a letter to their clients in this quick society holds a lot of volume and weight. 

Stingray has done a lot of great things for my company that have helped me stay profitable, but the letter is probably the number one and the biggest thing.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes, I’m very hard to please because I expect things to happen when they’re supposed to happen and how they’re going to happen. I’ve never run into anything negative that I’d say Stingray needs to improve on. I’m very happy with their work.

Any advice for potential customers?

I’d say to have their vision written down to decide what you want to get done. The marketing area is not my expertise field, so one of the things I’ve learned is to sit down, draw out what your business plan looks like, including how you want people to see you, what you want to be, and how to present yourself honestly. 

Have a conversation with Stingray because they’re very compassionate. Their team wants to make sure you have a great look and presence.