Straight North

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

We are a technology and business consulting firm in Chicago.

What is your role and responsibilities?

My responsibilities range from inbound marketing to PR [public relations] communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Strait North?

Our ultimate goal was to bring in new leads. Our old website was built four or five years ago, and it had definitely outlived its usefulness.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They redesigned our entire site. We worked with them for three to four months rebuilding the site and the content. We launched the site at the end of September of 2014, and then in October we went into the SEO [search engine optimization] portion of their services. Now, their role has shifted to support of the site, but mostly focused on SEO, content writing, back links, and just generally upgrading our level of visibility out on the Web.

I’ve worked with them closely throughout our relationship. We have biweekly meetings, and I constantly receive emails from the account manager with new blogs that they’re written. They also provide reporting every month for us.

What was your process for selecting Strait North with which to work?

We went through several Web vendors, maybe five or six. We were looking at where they were located in relation to our headquarters. We were trying to find more local design firms. We looked at their portfolio, and we interviewed them. We sent them a questionnaire, interviewed them by phone, and then scored them on a matrix.

The reason we selected Strait North is because they brought to us some branding expertise and the SEO piece. They were a finalist with two other Web design firms. Each firm had strengths in different areas, but Strait North really brought a balance of being able to not only redesign our site, but also elevate it as far as SEO is concerned. That’s ultimately why we went with them.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Based on our review of different vendors, they were in the middle of the pricing range.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

The site launched in September of 2014, and relationship is ongoing for SEO and upgrades.

Are you satisfied with their work?

The project was very successful. We were able to launch a little bit early. They were always willing to find us areas where we could trim down time if we wanted to launch early, and that was very helpful. A lot of guidance in what we needed to do, a lot of back-and-forth collaboration especially around design. As far as SEO is concerned, we’re catching that rhythm now, and we have monthly and biweekly check-ins as far as what’s going on. Collaboration is definitely very high. They’re also very disciplined. So, even if they are working with a team that’s not disciplined or seasoned in these kinds of projects, their discipline is really helpful in guiding the clients. They’re not afraid to keep the client accountable, and that’s a good thing. They’re just great people to work with.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

I don’t have any stats just yet as far as SEO is concerned, but I can tell you that the numbers are very promising. We’ve heard from our team and some of our clients that the website is fantastic. I’d say the best feedback so far is from our team. Prior to the redesign, our folks didn’t want to share the website.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

They are very adept at branding, every little thing they have is very well-branded. They really embrace their brand, they’re very proud of it, and that shows.  

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

No. I think the project was a success. I think that there could have been a smoother transition between website completion to SEO.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We are a large, multi-specialty, multi-location dental office with more than 30 dentists.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the marketing director. I’ve been with the company for almost 29 years. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Straight North?

We needed to focus on search engine optimization in a bigger way with a larger budget. Knowing that it’s very labor intensive to manage and oversee those types of programs and it requires expertise, which I didn’t have, I decided to work with Straight North. Their team has really educated me along the way as to how we can grow through search engine optimization, pay-per-click programs, remarketing, written content and those sort of activities.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

Our target market are mothers in their early 30s because they are health care decision makers. Most of them are looking for us on their laptop, their tablet or their smartphone. When they need a dentist or they have a few minutes to research it, we need to be very visible. Straight North has made us very visible in that way. They’ve monitored search behaviors and figured out how much to bid on certain keywords and which keywords should be in first position.

They make sure that the content that’s written below the search results is accurate, appealing, and effective, but also filters out people who really wouldn’t be a candidate to be our patient. As of September [2014], they developed and host our website.

What was your process for selecting Straight North with which to work?

I actually worked with a sister company of theirs. That company created our website. When we decided to do more search engine optimization, we needed outside help. The Web design vendor recommended Straight North.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

The budget has continued to climb over the years. It is a major expenditure for us.

When was the work completed?

We started working with them several years ago, and it’s still ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

We ask all potential patients who call us how they heard about us. Patients mostly say they found us on the Internet. We have more than 500 new patients this year from SEO or Internet search, which is a very conservative number. 

Right now, Straight North’s service is our number one lead generator. I predict their leads are going to increase in 2015. I see my company growing because of their efforts. They do call tracking, so I can listen to the phone calls because they’re recorded. I listen to the calls from all four of our offices. We concluded that Straight North is doing a great job of bringing the leads to the phones and the contact forms on the website. Straight North’s programs are essential to our business.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

We have been very happy with them. They’ve handled every task in such a way that they’re service is the biggest part of my marketing budget now. They’re very straightforward about budget. They give me regular status updates regarding budget.

They never try to increase our spending unless it will help us. They never overreact. I appreciate that I can call anyone at Straight North at any different level, at any time and get answers to my questions. They’re exceptional with customer service.

Is there anything unique about Straight North that really makes them stand out, compared to other online marketing companies?

Their expertise sets them apart. I’m very impressed when I’ve had some of their personnel at our owner meetings. They can explain things in terms that are easy to understand for those who aren’t digital savvy, helping the owners to know why we’re putting money into this particular program. I feel really good about inviting them in at any time to meet with my doctors. We’ve held meetings in their office on a few occasions. It has always been a very positive meeting. After the owners investigated our options, they concluded Straight North are the real experts. They know what they’re doing. This is exactly where we need to be.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

There has never been anything really difficult that would cause me to have a second thought of going elsewhere. There’s nothing I would frown upon and nothing to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Our company is a technology-enabled payment processing company. We have more than 35,000 merchants that process their electronic transactions through us. We have offices in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, two offices in Chicago and independent sales agents around the country.  

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Straight North?

Our top three goals were: We wanted to revamp our website completely so that it portrayed our company as an integrated payment technology-driven payment solution to the marketplace. We made it clear to Straight North that we needed the site to deliver leads to our sales people. More than 50 of our 150 employees are direct sales people. We wanted to take advantage of search engine marketing techniques to drive leads to them. Finally, we wanted to make sure that our website took full advantage of the money we could spend on pay-per-click and SEO [search engine optimization] efforts. 

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They were involved in the design and development of our website and with SEO and pay-per-click. They did such a good job that we also used them for virtually all of our corporate identity including things like trade show booth design, brochures and brochure ware and targeted email campaigns.

What was your process for selecting with which Straight North to work?

It was pretty extensive, taking about 60 days. We made a number of cold calls. We did a lot of searches for references. We started with local firms and then went a bit outside of local firms. Fortunately, we ended up with Straight North.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Our overall efforts for search engine marketing cover more than $1 million a year in expenditures. Those don’t all go to Straight North. We pay them for the SEO efforts. I’d say hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When was the work completed?

It’s very much ongoing. We’re on our third revamp of the website as our company has evolved. We just completed our 25th acquisition beginning in 2008, which was when we met Straight North. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

They drive an average of about 40 leads a day to our salespeople.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

They’ve done an excellent job. We’re very satisfied. They’ve done a terrific job of generating leads. Our website identity has received many compliments. They give us great reporting. We get full data on cost per lead for the various channels. When necessary, they’ve redone some targeted email campaigns, in some cases, at their expense. We’re very happy with their efforts.

Is there anything unique about Straight North that really makes them stand out, compared to other online marketing companies?

We’re extremely happy with the level of contact we have with them. We have monthly reports whenever we need them and we’re able to get quick turnaround if we decide to do a certain trade show and we need a redesign of the schemes on our booth, we have quick turnaround from them. The overall service level has been very high.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. They’re very responsive to our needs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

I work for a business-to-business communications company based in Chicago. We’re a reseller of phone, Internet, and data services.

What is your role and responsibilities?

My role is the marketing and creative director. I oversee all of our digital, marketing, messaging, communication, and advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Straight North?

I’ve worked with them for a year and a half. Our relationship started out initially doing some pay-per-click marketing, and that expanded into an entire website redesign.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

Straight North was contracted to build an SEO [search engine optimization]-friendly website. They provided the full service for that project. They provided the architecture and the design as well as the copy writing.

What was your process for selecting Straight North with which to work?

I sent out an RFP [request for proposal] to a select group of digital marketing agencies and design firms here in Chicago. I wanted to do business locally, which was important to me. I reviewed their work and their personality as well. I tend to make a lot of decisions based on whom I am best going to be able to work with on a four-month project.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Between $20,000 and $30,000 a year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

We’ve been working together for about a year and a half. They are still on retainer for ongoing SEO and pay per click work.

Are you satisfied with their work?

Absolutely more than satisfied. We started out doing pay-per-click advertising, and we saw some impressive increases in website traffic that were noticeable in a short period of time. That aided in the decision making process of awarding them the project for website redesign.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

The site has only been live for eight or nine days, but I haven’t heard a single bad thing about it. Their approach to project management is straightforward and really refreshing. It’s very transparent as to the entire process with how things are going. I’ve worked with the same project manager for both projects, and that individual is a true professional.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

Their willingness or ability to not come across as arrogant or make me feel uneducated about the topic that they specialize in. I found that many other firms walked into the room with this certain arrogance because of the work they do. It was such a turnoff to me that I didn’t even listen to what they had to say. So, I was really impressed with Straight North’s ability to build rapport and relate to their client right away.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

Nothing I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

[Our company] is a custom metal fabricator specializing in the rolling of structural shapes into rings, angles, flat bars, channels, whether it be out of steel, aluminum, or stainless steel. We do custom metal fabricating with laser cutting, robotic welding, and assembly. We service anyone in the country who has a need for something to be fabricated out of metal.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the president of the company. My main role is sales.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Straight North?

We’ve been working with them for a number of years, and they do our SEO [search engine optimization] and PPC [pay-per-click] campaigns. They’re in charge of our Web marketing, and that’s basically our main sales vehicle. We’re a small company, so that’s what we depend on to generate new business.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

It’s all SEO and PPC work.

What was your process for selecting Straight North with which to work?

We had been doing work with a different company and the gentleman who was running that merged with Straight North.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Our annual budget with them is in the range of $60,000.

When was the project completed?

The relationship started around six years ago and is ongoing. The contract is renewed annually. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Are you satisfied with your performance?

Yes, we are satisfied. Prior to the recession, we saw some really dramatic increases in new business. When the recession hit, everything had dropped off. It’s never returned to the pre-recession levels, but we generated new business, new people have found us. I’m happy with the results of the website because that’s how people find us.

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

I don’t have that information in front of me.

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

I don’t have anything to compare them to since we have stuck with Straight North the whole time. They’ve done a great job. I’m happy with what they’ve done, they listen, and they take their time to deliver quality work. They don’t come in like they know it all. They get to know what your goals are and what you want to do with your website. That’s why we keep renewing. I don’t have any complaints, and we’ve gotten a lot of compliments on the website.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

They’ve experienced some employee turnover. It’s part of that market, and I understand that. Sometimes, that makes a little bump in the road.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

The company is a vehicle tracking service. We sell GPS devices that are installed in company vehicles.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I’m the president of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Straight North?

They help us manage our pay-per-click and SEO [search engine optimization] campaigns and bring us more leads.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

They help with organic SEO work, pay-per-click advertising and website design. They do copyrighting and make changes on the site for SEO purposes. They do onsite and offsite work.

What was your process for selecting Straight North with which to work?

They had come in and presented to us, we weren’t ready at that time but we reengaged them more than a year later. I really didn’t do any research. They found us through an acquaintance who is a trusted source, so we listened to their presentation and had a melding of minds right away. 

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative in dollar terms or a personnel work-hour figure?

We spend $8,000 a month with them. 

When was the work completed?

We started in December of 2010, and it’s a monthly service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any statistics or metrics to track improvement from the project?

When we first started with them we were getting 300 to 400 leads a year from our SEO. They’ve increased that to 2,300 this year through November.

Are you satisfied with their performance?

Yes. They do a nice job.

Is there anything unique or special about Straight North that really makes them stand out compared to other online marketing companies?

They go beyond the call of duty more often than not. If we have questions about marketing they will meet with us to give us ideas. The more we grow, the more valuable they are to us. There have been issues, but they’ve always reacted in the right way.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or that you might do differently?

No. I wouldn’t say there’s anything I would have them do differently. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive of Royal Family Tours

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer VIP TOURS in Disney World Orlando, Universal and Seaworld. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• I have a couple of complaints against Straight North

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Online Search

Why did you select Straight North over others?

Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Massive Financial Loss Due to Their Mistakes
One of their biggest failures was setting up our landing page and advertising campaigns with a non-working phone number. This meant that countless potential customers called a dead number, and we lost an enormous amount of revenue—especially during our busiest season.

This wasn’t a minor mistake—it directly impacted our sales, customer retention, and overall business growth. Because of their lack of attention to detail, we lost not only immediate revenue but also returning customers who would have continued using our services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Google Ads Blocked Due to Their Incompetence
More recently, Straight North caused another major financial setback when they set up a contact form on our website that contained malware. As a result, Google flagged our site and completely blocked our Google Ads campaigns.

When we contacted Straight North for support, their team ignored our calls, failed to provide any specific details about the malware issue, and refused to take real responsibility.

For reference, when Google detects security issues, they provide detailed reports pinpointing the exact problem areas—but Straight North never shared any of this critical information with us. We had to reach out to WP Engine ourselves and discovered that the malware was embedded in the contact form they had built.

Because of their incompetence and lack of urgency, our Google Ads campaigns were completely shut down, meaning we couldn’t reach new customers, drive traffic, or generate sales for an extended period. This is unacceptable for any business that relies on paid advertising.

Zero Accountability and Terrible Customer Service
Their customer service is non-existent. In over five years of working with them, I have never spoken to their customer service representative. Emails go unanswered, phone calls are ignored, and when I finally got through to someone, I was given excuses instead of solutions.

At one point, I had to call six different people in their company, and not a single one picked up the phone. I reported the same issue multiple times, yet no one provided a real answer or took responsibility.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Final Insult: They terminated the Contract Without Fixing Anything
Instead of correcting their mistakes and restoring our Google Ads account, Straight North ended our contract without solving the problem. They left us with a website flagged by Google, blocked ad campaigns, and significant financial losses.

Warning to Future Clients: DO NOT Work with Straight North
I have documented proof of everything—emails, conversations, and evidence—should we decide to pursue legal action. I strongly urge other businesses to avoid Straight North at all costs.

Their leadership ignores clients, their team is unreliable, and their customer service is among the worst I have ever encountered.

If you value your business, DO NOT trust Straight North with your website, advertising, or digital marketing needs. We will be sharing this review on multiple platforms to ensure others don’t make the same mistake we did.

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

there is nothing impresive with this company, they are terrible a customer service and delaling with mistakes and emergencies. they do not care about their cusotmers. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder of Elevate Counseling

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Mental Health counseling services

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• Revamp the website to amore modern and functional design
• Improve the customer experience
• Improve SEO

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Online Search

Why did you select Straight North over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Completely redesign my current website into a more modern and attractive design, while improving functionality and SEO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered a beautiful design that reflects my business's values, along with engaging content that attracts clients to the practice.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team at Straight North did an excellent job of informing me of their progress and providing a timeline that they successfully met.

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The design team listened to my business's needs and understood some of the challenges of behavioral mental health.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Straight North could have done differently?

NA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a Manager of HDCI

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We design and sell heavy duty, commerical and industrial storage spaces. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Straight North to accomplish?

• Design a website for our new product launch

SOLUTION

How did you find Straight North?

Online Search

Why did you select Straight North over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Straight North were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

This was an initial website build. We determined a new product that we would like to begin marketing/selling. StraightNorth assisted us in:

• Designing a logo
• Building each of the pages that were needed
• They made recommendations on information and pages that should be included

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• We were consistently provided with updates on the status of the new website build. 
• Our project manager was easily accessible for any questions that we had. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• Yes, all of the items were delivered on time. 
• We would recieve responses and follow up in a timely fashion. 

What was your primary form of communication with Straight North?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

• The customer service that was provided by Straight North was outstanding. 
• Each team member that we have worked with is very knowledgeable and respectful. 
• They are always able to provide recommendations for questions that we have. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Straight North could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Natalie and the Straight North team was great to work with. Natalie really spent the time to understand our business and to help bring our site together. She was flexible and always hit the given timelines. We are super happy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Straight North, and what were your goals?

No challenges as we started with a clean slate.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Natalie was able to compile quite a bit on info and help lay out our site appropriately.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a kick off meeting and then filled out a questionnaire that helped the Straight North team understand our needs and our business. From there, the put together the website structure and helped us with some content.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Natalie was our lead and was great.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Nothing yet, we just launched

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Very timely and helpful

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were flexible to our needs while still maintaining structure.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

work more closely with godaddy and out IT company to launch