TTBA Group

Please describe your company and your position there.

Th Canadian Marine Industry Foundation is a nonprofit aiming to increase interest about careers in Canada's marine sector. Specifically, it aims to engage in dialogue with youth to recruit their imagination. As Director of Communications, I lead all comms strategies and projects, including the Imagine Marine campaign.

For what projects/services did your company hire TTBA Group?

The web design for the Imagine Marine website.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a visually enticing and youth-forward website aimed at increasing interest in Canadian marine sector careers. At the same time, be able to display a lot of sometimes complicated information and ressources in a UX friendly way.

How did you select TTBA Group?

Our creative partners shared their successful working partnership and following a general comms pitch, TTBA and cour creative partners were selected.

Describe the project in detail.

The web page design and set-up included months of preparation in terms of set-up because the content is so vast and complex. Although the project itself was to design a visually appealing and informative website, one of the biggest tasks was structuring a whole lot of information in a way that was still visually appealing and that made sense from a storytelling and UX perspective. In addition, solutions for including huge amounts of information (database) in one easy place had to be found.

What was the team composition?

On the client side, two directors of the foundation attended weekly meetings and gave the final approval for each step. As intermediaries, the foundation's Communication Director and a representative from Griffintownmedia worked directly and closely with TTBA and suggested approvals to the directors. On the agency side, web developper Leo was on board for the entire project. This was supported in terms of project management by Kosta and additional problematics were tackled by Sasha.

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

Following the website's go-live we received several emails and calls praising the fresh look and feel of the website - something very much needed in Canada's marine sector.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I always felt like we could reach out to TTBA for anything at anytime. They did their best to deliver on numerous unplanned changes and revisions. If anything ever through a wrench in the project it was not because of TTBA.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their willingness to think outside of the box to find solutions to complicated problems.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Double internal quality control before delivering on a product or part of a product.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a nonprofit organization that conducts research to support safe and sustainable marine shipping in Canada. I am the manager of communication.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

Because we are an online business, all of the content that we produce is made available online. Therefore, to fulfill our mandate and inform as many Canadians as possible about key marine shipping issues, we need to maximize the reach of our research and communication products.

Social media is helping us generate awareness about marine shipping in Canada and is a key component of what we do.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TTBA Group helps to manage our social media channels so that we can spend more of our time creating new content. When we brought them on board, there was also no French capacity on our team, so they have helped us to expand our market to French- as well as English-speaking audiences in order to appeal to all of Canada.

They manage our social media calendar, proposing content every month that we approve and then they post on specific dates. Their team also sets and manages our ads, the budget that we allot for those, and recommendations for types of campaigns that we should pursue in order to meet our objectives.

What was the team composition?

We have two main points of contact Konstantin (Customer Acquisition Specialist) and Kristina (Social Media Manager), but I believe there are more people working on the project behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

I joined the organization just after we brought them on, but I do know that their capability to provide bilingual services was a large factor in the decision. They also have some experience with other maritime industry clients, so that was an element that worked in their favor as well.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2019 and are continuing to partner together.

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

It has been a learning experience for everyone, but they have consistently met the engagement objectives that we set for them. They’re very knowledgeable in social media campaigns and how to effectively the ad budget, so everything is working well in that department.

We’ve been learning how to work together over the past year, in large part because my colleague and I who were in charge of communicating with TTBA had just joined the organization when they started. We have settled into a rhythm together by now, but there was certainly a learning curve for everyone. 

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m not sure what they rely on behind the scenes, but with us, they use a software called Gain, where they submit all the content they intend to publish. From there, we can review it and leave recommendations within the software’s interface, and that system has been very efficient so far.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Throughout the process, they have been very open and receptive to learning about our approach and dealing with unexpected requirements that pop up during our work together. We like to be in control of the content we put out there, and sometimes we change our minds, but they are always patient, listening to what we have to say and then making the changes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We could probably do a little bit better in terms of reporting the results every month. We have other web-based providers that provide very comprehensive and detailed reports, so we have a relatively high bar, and TTBA Group does a good job of providing reports but could certainly come up a little bit in terms of detail and frequency in those.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I think it’s always good to be completely honest and straightforward about your objectives. The better you are able to define those for their team, the better they will able to help you. They have a wide scope of services that they can provide, so they just need to know what the end goals are and can work toward them effectively from there.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Joane L’Heureux Chocolats. I’m a chocolate maker.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

The web was very brand new to me, and I didn’t know anything about it.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started selling online last year on our website, and this year, we started doing web marketing with them. TTBA Group really helped me to do the website as well as the text, pictures, and everything involved. They did everything, and still do everything. They’ve also helped me with SEO. When we decided to do web marketing, they really explained to me what they will do. 

What is the team composition?

I have worked with Konstantin (CEO) and Sasha (CTO), but I don’t know the names of the other people who worked on the campaigns. We are starting a new project with them, so I know it won’t be the same people.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

I made an announcement on LinkedIn looking for someone to do my website. At the time I decided to create a website, I had just appeared on Shark Tank, and I had a shark that wanted to make an investment. He knew a lot of people and we picked five people. Via a conference call, we asked them questions regarding the price; we wanted to find something in the middle.

How much have you invested in them?

We've spent between $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started with them in August 2019, and I’m still working with them.

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

In the beginning, we had some problems, but they fixed them very fast and even on the weekends. They did it very well and within 24 hours, they put the campaign up.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Since we started doing more web marketing and sold a lot online, I didn’t have time to have meetings with them because I had too much work. We communicate by phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I liked that they explained things to me. I told them they have to talk to me about the web like talking to a kid. I didn’t understand things the first time and they’ve been very patient, and they take care of me. They don’t judge me because I don’t know about the web and they always try to help me. If I call Konstantin and have a problem with something, he will try to find the best way to make things faster and will take care of it for me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Konstantin speaks French but I don’t think the other people that work with him speak much. I am from Montreal and speak French, so I speak with him and not the other people on the team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They really take care of me, and for me, they have done everything well. My husband has a company and wants to work with them as well because he has seen the difference.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Poulet Rouge, a fast-casual food franchise. We have 13 locations and are constantly growing.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

I needed the right marketing partner who could give me the best advice and ROI. I also needed them to create some brand awareness around my locations.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TTBA Group helped develop and design a WordPress website. They wrote code and collaborated with another vendor of ours on the design. They did all the technical parts of the website. 

We already had an Instagram and Facebook account, but they helped us take it to the next level. They put on the right content and invested in that content to get us the results we were looking for. The team continues to manage our social media accounts and do the content as well.

They also act as advisors if I receive other marketing promotions on the site or any ideas. I contact them to get their opinion. Konstantin (Founder/CEO, TTBA Group) gives me his honest opinion of whether it’s a good thing to do or not.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Konstantin. I work with 6-8 people.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

One of my franchises of one of my locations did his own research because he wanted to do some local marketing for his location. At that time, we only had four locations and weren’t as strong on marketing.

He found them, met with Konstantin, and really liked him. He had me meet him to make a decision together as a brand. We decided to move forward for his location. We liked the way we were interacting and the relationship we were building with them. Then we expanded with them to other locations as we were growing.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested between $10,000-$49,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2018 and the work is ongoing.

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

We’ve been constantly growing since we started working with them. The website is simple and on point, everything we need to have is there.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a meeting every month or two to go over where we are, how much we invested, and they show the metrics on how much we grew. We calculate the ROI and how to go forward.

They do a really good job. I recommend them to anyone because they will do what’s necessary to respect deadlines. If there are going to be delays, they’re honest about it. We use email for non-urgent matters. If it’s urgent, I just call Konstantin. It’s rare that we have urgent matters.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Konstantin’s business is built from the heart. You always know you’re in good hands. His focus is on quality of service and growing with the client. This differentiates him from bigger offices.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, our business and their business are growing the right way at the right timing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be patient. Things will be perfect with time. If you give time to introduce your brand to them, let them get to know it, and exchange the mentalities. You’ll be satisfied you took the time. Then it flows naturally. Give it time and it will work for sure.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing manager at NoviFlow. Our company is a networking software provider. We work with enterprise-level companies to manage their internet flow. 

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

We hired TTBA to work on our website and provide SEO services.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an existing website, but they essentially had to develop a new site from scratch since there were so many things we wanted to change. They found a WordPress template and customized it for us. Their team also did a lot of graphic design work for the site, including touching up photos of our products.

They provided SEO services and educated me on how to do it myself in the future. 

What is the team composition?

I had two main points of contact. Igor (Lead Web Developer) was responsible for coding the site. I also had some contact with Sasha (CTO & VP Business Development). There was another team member that worked on the design, but I didn’t communicate with them directly. 

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

I found TTBA Group on Google when I was searching for firms in our area because I wanted to be able to meet with our developers in person, if necessary. They responded very quickly and were easy to communicate with. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $15,000-$17,000 CAD (approximately $11,000-$12,600). 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from December 2018-April 2019.

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

Our website metrics improved greatly. We have a much lower bounce rate and users stay on the site longer because it’s more user-friendly. As a result of their SEO work, we’re getting more leads from our site. Previously, we were only getting one lead per week, but now, we get three or four. 

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive to deadlines and even worked to keep our in-house team on track with the timeline we agreed upon. They used Asana to manage the project, but that was mostly for their internal team. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were responsive to every request we had. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always room for improvement, but overall, I’m very happy with them. In the beginning, they chose a WordPress template that needed a lot more customization and made their work harder. It didn’t affect the final product, but I think they made the process more complicated for themselves. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would tell them that they can really trust this company. I would definitely recommend working with them. They’re very professional. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former head of the Canadian division of a global coffee company.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

We needed to give more attention to our brand within the Canadian market. It was important for us to build the brand in terms of consumer engagement and awareness.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided us with digital marketing services. We launched a Facebook and Instagram page for Quebec. Together, we also started running email marketing campaigns. In addition, we were looking at doing both organic and paid marketing on Google as well as both influencer and event marketing. 

In those efforts, they provided full-service efforts. They handled everything from developing a brand strategy for creating content that fits within that strategy. They made sure the content was unique and relevant to the Quebec market. Their team even ran a photoshoot that was designed to create specific marketing aspects for our company. That was important to us because the Quebec market is different than markets for other regions.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with Konstantin (CEO, TTBA Group) and Christina (Social Media Manager, TTBA Group), but I’m sure there were others in the background. 

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

We were looking for a partner with strong English and French language skills. As our team was moving marketing efforts to more digital platforms, we wanted a digitally savvy team with a lot of manpower. During this time, Constantine reached out to us on LinkedIn. After looking them up, I realized that they fit the criteria. So, I hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We were spending $4,000–$5,000 each month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the spring of 2018, and our efforts are ongoing. This is an evergreen effort, so they continued running campaigns even after I left the company.

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

While there was a bit of a learning curve, they ramped up really fast by digging into our copy and brand identity. In the end, they got us to a strong place with our customer engagement metrics. Our posts have high numbers of likes, comments, and shares. Their content was clearly resonating with Quebec consumers. It’s difficult to connect them directly to our in-store results. However, everything indicates that the impact would be positive. They greatly boosted our e-commerce sales and made an impression with English Canada specifically. That was impressive because we had been working on that market for a long time.  

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive, often chasing me more than I was chasing them. They use a project management app that allows us to review content, comment, and approve their work. That makes it very easy to engage with them. That allows my non-technical teammates to collaborate with them. They don’t rush us because they enjoy giving content time to breathe as we work together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even after hiring them, they kept surprising us with how digitally astute they are on how to run their business and deliver value. While they’re not cheap, they provide amazing value. The results from our collaboration exceed the money we pay them. They truly try to act like a partner, with our best interests at heart. That’s important to us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everything they do is impressive. I don’t have any critiques. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve never found communication to be a problem. Judge them on the value they offer for your money. They have all the automation and latest technology implemented into their systems. You’ll be impressed with what you’re able to accomplish with your budget.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of Apollo Scooters, one of the largest vendors of electric scooters in Canada.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

We reached the limit of what we could do ourselves in terms of Google Ads and Facebook Ads, and just needed help with our digital marketing. We realized if we wanted to improve at digital marketing it would require a significant time investment, or we could invest in an outside partner like TTBA Group. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

They mostly worked on paid search ads through Google, though they also ran ads on Facebook and Instagram.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people, Leo (President, TTBA Group) and Konstantin (Founder and CEO, TTBA Group). As they were a small agency, we were able to get more personal attention from their higher-ups.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

We were looking for local agencies in Montréal that did web design and digital marketing. We ultimately decided not to redesign our website, but because they were rated highly in both segments on Clutch we decided to hire them.

The combination of the good relationship we developed with them from the start, their value, and their positive reviews on Clutch, made the TTBA Group a successful partner.

How much have you invested with them?

If you annualize it, our investment is somewhere in the $8,000–$9,000 range spent each year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began collaborating with them in October 2019, and the relationship is ongoing.

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

Our metrics focus on how many conversions they’re able to deliver, and what that cost per acquisition is. In terms of conversions, we set a new record for monthly sales the second month after we began working with them. While that’s due in part to the shopping extravaganza that is Black Friday and the holiday season, it’s also probably because of their expertise and strategy.

In terms of ROI, we have longer-term KPIs. However, I do know that we’re producing some gains each month.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re quite hands-off, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As long as we tell them what we expect and what we need from them, they’ll deliver in a timely manner.

However, they’re not proactive. They don’t reach out to us, nor do they initiate a conversation on how we can improve. But, if we initiate the conversation, they do a great job getting back to us.

Communication is a bit irregular. We’ve had maybe two calls so far to recap our work. We don't have a monthly sit-down with TTBA Group. Rather the communication is on an ad-hoc basis, which works fine for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that we have a one-on-one relationship is impressive. No matter how last-minute the request, how small the ask, or how incorrect our ideas are, they’re always there for us and for our requests. This unwavering support means a lot for our small business.

We have experience working with bigger agencies, and we would get lost amongst their many clients. With TTBA Group, we can count on personal and undivided attention.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish they were a bit more proactive. It’ll come with experience, but I want them to develop a schedule and a calendar with deliverables.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about your expectations. The more KPIs, details, and objectives you can share with them the better their work will be.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal of an Adult Education Center. The center I represent belongs to the English Montreal School Board, the largest school board of this type in Montreal.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

In the Adult Education Center, we have three different programs. One of our programs is a basic English course for immigrant students or immigrants that have moved to Quebec and are looking to learn English. We advertise to promote our center. Traditionally, we’ve used newspapers that are commonly distributed in Montreal. I thought it was time to do something different and transition to digital advertising. I asked TTBA Group to see if they would be interested.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team operated a Google Ads campaign to increase enrollments to the school. TTBA Group designed and developed a landing page. Using performance tracking, they used algorithms and tools to monitor people who go to our landing page. Their team also tracked and researched keywords. I was not familiar with the technology, so I let them manage everything.

What is the team composition?

Konstantin (CEO, TTBA Group) is our main point of contact. When we went to their office over the summer, we spoke with other team members.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

I was looking for something different than traditional advertising. Some friends recommended Konstantin, and I called them to enquire. He said that he'd be happy to work with us and was very open-minded.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work began in early 2018. The project is ongoing.

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

The project was very successful. We ask how students were referred to us, and many say it was through Google advertising. Because of this success, we decided to run it in all of our centers. We continued the project for another school term. It’s well worth it and offers a return on investment. The landing page looks great.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

I’m very satisfied with the project management. I got what I wanted and I’m very happy with them. I call them, they set up the ads, and invoice me. It’s very user-friendly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

While they’re the only company I’ve used outside of newspaper advertising, I have found them very easy to work with. They don’t make things complicated. Their team is efficient and respects your time. They’ve never been late and make last-minute changes as needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not right now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They want to make things happen, They’re very competent.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and owner of Griffintown Media, a publishing company that specializes in graphic design and concept creation. We have a long history of working in the Canadian marine sector and doing multi-media, rich media, translations of French and English, and more.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

One of our clients suggested that we reach out to their customer that needed help developing and growing their social media outreach. They wanted their message to resonate throughout Canada and British Columbia. Our goal was to develop their content in English and French and then use social media tools to perform outreach to a growing audience.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TTBA Group created content in French and English and programmed our client’s website. They’ve targeted audiences on their site and social media platforms, and they’re continuously growing these audiences by measuring hits to the site and how people receive their message. TTBA Group manages social media, for which they often work directly with the client. They manage all content.

TTBA Group is developing a grassroots website for a nonprofit client out of Detroit. Much like the project mentioned above, they’re programming the website and developing and managing the content.

What is the team composition?

There is one full-time social media person, who has a director above them. We work with 3–4 people on the website. Our main point of contact is Konstantin (Founder and CEO, TTBA Group).

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

Their office is two doors down from us, which is how we got to know them and discovered that we do similar but not overlapping work.

How much have you invested with them?

My company has spent $40,000–$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and the work is ongoing.

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

Our client went from having average to incredible social media results. All indicators on social media show growth in their messaging success rate.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams manage the account together. The aspects of the project that TTBA Group manages is very informative and instructive to my team. We communicate in-person and via email and phone calls. We use Gain to post schedules and content approval documents for our client to vet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

TTBA Group understands how to reach target audiences. They see social media as a process in which they develop the strategy and focus the message to get the best results. My instinct is just to put it out there and think someone will find it, but that’s not good enough. What they do is target and tweak; they’re very good at engaging people without being overbearing. They use a very systematic and respectful approach, so we never feel like we’re spamming or annoying a client.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re a graphic design company, so image is everything to us. An incorrectly used color is a big deal. In some cases, TTBA Group has deployed colors to instigate reactions on the web. When it comes to the creative and trying to get an emotional response, I’d say that they should defer to our choice of graphics, images, or language. Sometimes, we have healthy debates over what works best for the overall project, and we don’t always agree on the visual approach. We step in or give input when we need to.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about scheduling and what you want to accomplish, and provide information that will help them target the right audience. You should also be reasonable in your expectations, because everything is constantly changing, including social media. You need to talk a lot and communicate well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Project-Carry, a video game carry service. We help players succeed in one of the most popular videogames currently on the market.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

We needed someone to develop our e-commerce website. The guys I’d previously worked with decided to stop making websites.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TTBA Group designed and developed our WordPress site. They didn’t develop the website completely from scratch, but they built 75% of it.

They did some SEO work; we already had a top ranking on Google, so they needed to optimize the stuff that they did on the website.

What is the team composition?

There were three people. I had their phone numbers, and I could talk to any of them.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

I knew TTBA Group and decided to hire them. It’s really hard to find people who understand the concept of what we do and understand what we need done. I explained to them what I needed, and they said they’d be willing to try. It was a good choice.

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in June–December 2018.

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

They did a good job. Everything is working perfectly fine.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management, communication, and response times were good. We communicated mostly through phone or text.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The communication was good. It was always clear what they were working on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They improved over time, but it took them a while to process my requests. They might’ve been short-staffed. They should focus more on certain customers and process requests faster.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be straight with them about what you want. Don’t try to micromanage the project too much. Let them do their work; you’ll be happy with the results.