TTBA Group

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Marketing Manager for North America at a Global SaaS company.

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

We needed a group to help us manage our social media as we expanded into Quebec, as our team did not have the necessary tools, including the Quebec language. From content and post creation, to paid ads. Our goal was to increase our followers, and increase engagement.

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

They were the best fit for us based on their portfolio and what we were looking for.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They handled all of our social media. They not only wrote the content and captions based on our English versions, but helped us strategize and maximize our footprint.

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

We worked with the Founder and CEO, Kosta, as well as the head of PPC and Paid social Berkay, as well as social media coordinator Marie-Elena.

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

We grew our social media following in Quebec.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was great. We had frequent check-ins and catch-ups to go over strategy, posts, KPIs, and data analysis. We had a slack channel but got a lot done on the calls.

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

The people at TTBA are really excellent. It has been a very collaborative environment and we really enjoy working with them.

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

Cracking the Quebec market was hard for us and we didn't have enough content or a solidified strategy to really make use of a lot of TTBA's talents.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Hanbay manufactures electric valve actuators in our facility in Pointe-Claire. We sell our product worldwide to many different types of industries.

For what projects/services did your company hire TTBA Group, and what were your goals?

We hired TTBA to take care of our Google Ads campaigns. We felt as though we needed experts to be able to target the right people and companies. Our product is very niche so it is important for us to have very specific and targeted ad campaigns. Our goals were to increase our website conversions/

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

They were a local small company. We worked with large companies in the past who never really produced the results we were looking for and did not check in with us. We felt this would be much better with a smaller local company. Also the price they were charging for their work was very reasonable.

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

TTBA does all of our Google Ads management for us. They create/change/modify campaigns and keywords and fine tune them according to what is working and what is not. They track conversions for us, which includes where the conversion is coming from as well as cost per conversion. They also help us with understanding Google Analytics better and making changes there wherever necessary.

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

I am not sure, but we get monthly updates on how things are going as well as what was worked on and what needs to be improved.

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

Our conversions from our website paid ads improved as well as our cost per conversion.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was good, when we decided on changes in our strategies they were implemented within the next month.

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

They are professionals, who know all of the details on how Google Ads work and how to optimize results. They continue to work on our campaigns month after month, fine tuning our keywords.

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

Sometimes we were unaware of when the monthly meetings were scheduled for. Also a report was sent to us every month of our performance which was rarely mentioned or examined in our meetings. I don't know how effective these reports are.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of Outgo Experiences, a company specializing in the sale of experiences (activities, outings and gift ideas) in the Province of Quebec, Canada.

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

We had a good online presence, but very little engagement and success on our social media. We called on the experts at TTBA to help us increase engagement, our following and ultimately conversions through social media.

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

I first searched on Google for agencies specializing in media strategies and I came across their site. I read about them, the members of their teams and their achievements, then I decided to book an appointment with them. They are young, dynamic and very professional. The determining factor for me was the "fit" between us, I felt comfortable and listened to, they sincerely want the well-being of their customers and partners and this is very important for me.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

TTBA uses a very detailed questionnaire which allows them to learn more about their clients. I completed this form of approximately 7-10 pages and then we had a few strategic meetings during which we discussed our objectives, our means, our tools and the options available to us. The rest is at the execution level, we can follow the work in progress through their communication tools which are at the cutting edge of technology, then we have access to performance reports in order to take cognizance of the results and provide our comments, if necessary.

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

4: Web designer PPC/SEO/SEM pro Social Media strategist/expert General manager

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

Strong growth in our follower base, community, engagement and sales. Overall, our social media looks a lot better too.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective.

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

The quality of the deliveries, their talent and their level of execution. They know how to deliver the goods.

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

I don't see anything negative or for improvement. Ultimately the customer would always want more, but for the price charged we couldn't ask for more.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of sales and marketing for a floor coating distributor. We distribute products to our authorized and trained applicators.

What challenge were you trying to address with TTBA Group?

The primary objective or challenge was to attract new applicators who either want to start a new business with our product and process or add our product to their current offerings. Truly, we wanted to generate phone leads based on a specific geographical target market. Additionally, we wanted to drive social media engagement.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They develop posts for us on Facebook and Instagram, as well as drive leads in terms of phone calls in our target markets. Their processes are very data driven.

What is the team composition?

One of the partners handles targeting and campaign management. There are three resources on the creative side — one person who works with graphics and two others who develop the content of our posts.

How did you come to work with TTBA Group?

We’ve used other agencies in the past, and although they were generating followers and likes on social media, we weren’t seeing leads. What attracted me to TTBA originally was their website and their literature, which states that they’re data-driven. I interviewed several agencies, and TTBA seemed to be the most competent in terms of campaign management and targeting.

Additionally, we needed someone who could work in Spanish, French, and English.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $2,5000 per month with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since November 2019. The engagement is ending in mid-May 2021 because our budget is shrinking due to COVID-19 considerations.

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

TTBA Group’s posts and ads for Facebook and Instagram are innovative and creative. They also delivered on the data-driven side, consistently generating 2–5 leads per week depending on our ad spend. Although we don’t close all these leads, they are all qualified leads.

How did TTBA Group perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a fantastic team. They meet with me on a monthly phone call to discuss what’s working and not working, which a lot of agencies don’t do. Moreover, we discuss what we want our future to look like and if there are any changes they need to know about. TTBA is a small company, but they’re focused on keeping their customers happy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

First, we can have intelligent conversations with them.

Second, although other agencies talk a good game, their campaign management and targeting have been less than expert. TTBA truly customizes their work for our business, whereas other agencies have templated proposals that they generate for every company. They take the time to understand our business and generate custom campaigns.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, there’s very little I could say. Perhaps some of their ads have grown a bit repetitive toward the end, but it isn’t a big deal. TTBA has done a fabulous job throughout.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

In the beginning, I had a face-to-face meeting with TTBA’s team, including a mini-training on our product and objectives. Invest in that training time upfront.

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.