A boutique digital strategy firm
Usman Group is a boutique digital strategy, market research and web design firm that helps organizations plan and execute successful communications and technology initiatives that are elegant, cost-effective and easy to implement.
- Analysis: We are research-driven, and dig deep to understand the needs and desires of your customers and how you want to better serve them.
- Strategy: We collaborate with your team on creative, proven, actionable approaches that will bring your organizational and business goals to fruition.
- Execution: We have an extensive, trusted network of experts whom we work closely with to ensure that your strategy has a practical way forward.
- Measurement: We help our clients articulate what success means to them, develop metrics to measure them and establish feedback loops for continuous improvement.
headquarters
other locations
Focus
Portfolio
National Safety Council, Priceline.com, Robert W. Baird & Company, Davita, Chicago Sun-Times, and the University of Chicago.
Internal Communications Development for Priceline.com
Priceline.com helps people get discounted rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel reservations. The challenge for Usman Group was to design a robust company intranet that was as engaging as its consumer-facing marketing and serve as the primary hub for all internal company communications. The team developed an attractive and easy-to-use internal communications portal that their global workforce could rally around and truly adopt.
Web Development for National Safety Council
The National Safety Council engaged the Usman Group to create a stand-alone branded website that would provide information about the latest automotive safety features and provide answers to drivers' questions. The challenge was that the site would have to appeal to drivers of all backgrounds and ages. The Usman Group decided to make the site direct, intuitive and highly skimmable to capture and keep attention. They used easy to recognize icons in lieu of text with quick, fun quizzes to help steer users to crucial car safety information. The NSC was so happy with the website, they promoted it through multiple traditional media channels and outlets, including outdoor, print, TV, radio, social, paid search and web banner ads.
Web Development and Marketing for Cressey & Company
Cressey & Company is one of the most experienced and successful healthcare-focused private equity firms in the country, but they were frustrated with their website. The main issue was their brand identity which was all over the place. Usman Group took on the content development, strategy, and web design. They developed a strategy to augment the content experience that would bring the pages to life. The end result was a site that worked flawlessly on a variety of systems.
Poplar-Prairie Stone Crossing
Vantage Leadership Consulting
Strategic Mobility Group
Selective Search
ShopperTrak
Achieva Wealth Advisors
Michelle's Interiors
Lincoln Park Institute
University of Notre Dame
Lifeline Vascular Access
Specless
Gordon Salon
Chicago Sun-Times
Make Up First
Merel Family Law
Lambs Farm
North Shore Trust & Savings
Myefski Architects
Reviews
the project
Web Dev, Design & SEO for Welding Technology Company
“We’ve had nothing but success with everything they’ve touched.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the HR and Sales Administrator for Cloos Robotic Welding, Inc, a subsidiary of Carl CLOOS Schweisstechnik GmbH.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We decided that, as a subsidiary, we needed our own website. Instead of having a German-based website, we wanted one based in the States, where everything was primed for the US market.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Usman Group developed and designed a website for us from scratch. They added videos and photos of systems that weren’t on our other site that allow the consumer to look at the solutions we provide. Their team continues to provide SEO and keyword analysis.
What is the team composition?
Our main point of contact is Naveed (Principal & CEO, Usman Group).
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
The person handling our IP at the time reached out to Usman Group.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our ongoing engagement with Usman Group began in 2010.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The quality of their service has been great. Our parent company ended up including a specific landing page for the US subsidiary so we’ve gone ahead and gone back to using the main website.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
When Usman Group gives you a timeline, they stick to it. They continue to follow up and make sure things stay on time.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’ve had nothing but success with everything they’ve touched.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, everything went smoothly.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
You can’t go wrong with Usman Group, I would definitely recommend them.
the project
Digital Marketing Services & Web Design for Medical Clinic
“I’ve worked with a handful of firms throughout the years, and I’d say Usman Group is hands down the best.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
At the time, I was the COO of an anti-aging concierge medical clinic.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
My company needed a new digital marketing agency to help with our digital strategy, SEO, and PPC. We were in a very niche market. Additionally, our patients were located all over the world and came from different socioeconomic backgrounds, so we had to manage various patient personas.
What was the scope of their involvement?
First, Naveed (President & CEO, Usman Group) helped us with digital strategy. I led him through our business model and digital marketing strategy, and he helped us come up with a new plan to market our clinic to various patient groups. This included new messaging to get our business in front of different patients. He also did keyword research.
Naveed provided SEO and PPC services. He also wrote content and did copy for our webpages. We were branching into adult stem cell therapy treatment, which is a topic that has a lot of red tape around it; there are things you can and cannot say. Naveed was paramount in putting the right copy on the website for digital marketing purposes while ensuring that we were saying the right things legally.
At the time I left the company, Usman Group was rebuilding the entire website.
What is the team composition?
I worked very closely with Naveed. We also had a project manager.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
I asked around and Googled digital marketing agencies in the Chicago area. I wanted to find an agency that went deeper than just SEO or PPC; anybody can do paid ads, but what I really needed was somebody who could understand our business strategy and where we wanted to go to take it to that next level. With our previous agency, I had to spell out exactly what we needed to do. I wanted somebody who had expertise that I didn’t have.
I came across Usman Group’s website, and it really spoke to understanding the client’s needs, acting as a consultant, and providing an outside perspective. They seemed capable of going beyond the stereotypical digital marketing services, and that’s what really attracted me. I interviewed Naveed and four other companies, and Naveed struck me as a genuine, caring person. I ended up working with him, and we’ve stayed in touch throughout the years.
How much have you invested with them?
I believe we paid a few thousand dollars each month for their SEO, digital marketing, and digital strategy services. I don’t know how much the website rebuild was, as I’d already left the company when it happened.
What is the status of this engagement?
My company began working with Usman Group in 2013. The partnership continued after I left the practice in October 2015.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Usman Group was excellent to work with. Naveed definitely left a positive and lasting impact on the company with his work. One of the physicians at the clinic was very happy with the website Usman Group redesigned.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
Naveed laid out a very thorough plan. We used the work process management platform Basecamp, so what we were doing and when it would be done was very clear. We also had monthly check-in calls to review the metrics.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I’ve worked with a handful of firms throughout the years, and I’d say Usman Group is hands down the best. I was very impressed by Naveed’s business acumen and ability to walk into a new industry and very niche market. He wasn’t just trying to sell me something; he had a higher-level thought process. Naveed really considered what the strategy should be and pointed out things I didn’t see. He was even able to provide additional insights that impacted us, such as questioning whether we had the right processes set up to convert certain leads. He took it one step further than what you traditionally get from a digital strategy firm.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Honestly, I don’t think so. I hadn’t been happy with our previous firm, and Naveed was just excellent. Throughout the years, I’ve done freelance digital marketing work, and to this day, Naveed still stands out as the best person I’ve worked with.
Any advice for potential customers?
Be prepared to discuss what you’re currently doing and where you’d like to go. One of the best things about working with Naveed is that you can bounce ideas off of him. If you’re not sure how to flush out an idea, don’t be afraid to share it with him; he’s definitely going to surprise you.
the project
Wordpress Website Dev & Design for Manufacturing Company
"We appreciated Naveed’s (CEO, Usman Group) expertise and the excellence of his communication."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the former director of marketing at a small manufacturing company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We engaged Usman Group for a range of digital marketing and advertising tasks. We needed a more robust website and a strategy to make our company more visible online.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Our existing website was somewhat raw and static. We relied on Usman Group to manage the lifecycle of designing and developing a responsive and mobile-friendly WordPress site that we could edit and maintain ourselves. Usman Group also built up the content regarding all of the products that we offered—a process that included categorizing about 200 items and making them easily searchable. Additionally, Usman Group coordinated SEO and PPC campaigns to drive traffic to our website and increase our search rankings. Lastly, they established our social media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
What is the team composition?
Naveed (Principal/CEO, Usman Group) led much of our project, but he worked alongside a full team of people to help fulfill our needs.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
The company initiated the relationship with Usman Group before I started in my role, so I am unsure of how we made that decision.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent between $50,000–$200,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
I worked with Usman Group from February 2016–February 2018.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We were very pleased with the results of their work—going from a website that was basically unseen to one that is seen by thousands of people and companies. They drove awareness and traffic to our website. Given we started with almost nothing, everything Usman Group provided was a net positive.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
I remember them being structured well—very organized. Naveed was responsive to any questions or situations that came up.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We appreciated Naveed’s expertise and the excellence of his communication. Everybody in his organization exhibits an impressive breadth of knowledge. They served our needs very well.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, they provided everything that we needed.
the project
Website Redesign and Dev for Law Firm
"The informative website is significantly easier for clients and visitors to use."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m an attorney and shareholder at Clausen Miller. We provide legal services.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We retained Usman Group to revamp and modernize our outdated website.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Usman Group completely redesigned and relaunched our corporate website on WordPress. Their team updated the entire format. They assisted with photography and rewriting our attorney biographies. Usman Group also provided website support.
What is the team composition?
Naveed (Principal & CEO, Usman Group) was our primary contact. He had a team of developers working with him on our project.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
We interviewed around five web design agencies. Usman Group was responsible for creating a website for an alternative dispute resolution group in Chicago that I’ve worked with previously. I was impressed with how their website looked, so I invited Usman Group to pitch to our firm.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with Usman Group between March–July 2016.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The informative website is significantly easier for clients and visitors to use. It’s been received positively internally and externally.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
Usman Group was easy to work with. Their team is skilled and responsive.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Naveed is smart and pleasant to be around. He understands his clients and doesn’t crack under pressure. Naveed delivers on what he says. Usman Group responsively meets deadlines.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, we were pleased with Usman Group’s work.
the project
Digital Advertising Campaign for Safety Advocate Group
“Integrating seamlessly with our internal creative teams, they built something from scratch that's highly visible and has received positive reviews and universal acclaim."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of transportation safety for a nonprofit dedicated to ending preventable death.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We were tasked with creating a national education campaign that was largely web-based. The purpose was to educate the public about advanced driver assistance systems in cars.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Usman Group built a website on a platform that would allow our internal team to develop, expand, and update the content as needed. Their creative team collaborated with ours to produce web art services, interfacing together to determine the best way to present our content. We structured the taxonomy of the site, and Usman Group brought it to life. In total, they worked on design, dev, and SEO for our campaign.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
We interviewed various local companies, and Usman Group had the most creative energy, so we hired them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together form March 2015–2017.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Together, we created something from scratch that’s highly visible and has received positive reviews and universal acclaim. We launched at a press conference with numerous national leaders in transportation and automotive safety. The web products are the backbone of our campaign, and the site is used by national organizations and state departments. Even car dealers and safety advocates refer to our site to help people understand the safety features in their cars and how they work.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
They were responsive and never missed a deadline. The team was collaborative and held weekly meetings to iterate on ideas and improve our products and processes.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They had high standards and creative problem-solving skills. They understood what we wanted, fostering a great working relationship.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No.
the project
Website Design for Aviation Association
“The website the Usman Group developed far exceeded our expectations...”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the executive director of NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), an independent labor advocate that represents the interests of 2,500 pilots.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We engaged the Usman Group to help redesign and develop our website.
What was the scope of their involvement?
The Usman Group redesigned and developed our website, pulling together the different online tools we previously offered our network of pilots under separate logins. In addition to unifying the utilities we offered (i.e., message boards and profiles), they also created more cohesive design elements across the platform. They provided wireframes, launched the site, and continue to make enhancements or changes as needed.
What is the team composition?
I have one main point of contact, but Naveed (Principal and CEO, Usman Group) is also highly involved.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
I researched the top 10 web development firms in the US and came across the Usman Group. After considering others, we ultimately chose them based on their previous work, the way they explained their approach, and how they presented solutions during a discovering meeting.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in May 2016 and launched the site by January 2017, but they continue to maintain it as needed.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The website the Usman Group developed far exceeded our expectations; it works seamlessly and is very professional. We've seen a significant increase in online traffic and engagement on our internal message board, as well as a robust registration rate within our community. Our pilots are very happy with the tools and features we're now able to offer them all in one place.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
They're very transparent and committed to projects. I've never had any issues reaching them, and we generally track progress through Basecamp.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They took the time to listen to our unique challenges and goals, designing a website that's not only beautiful, but also incredibly functional and meets all of our requirements. Their creative process, willingness to provide feedback, and attention to detail sets them apart. Naveed had a very good understanding of our vision and we could trust that he had our best interests in mind from start to finish.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything worth mentioning.
the project
Web Development for Marketing Solutions Company
“Usman Group was proactive in their approach and recommendations.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the EVP and general manager of Integrated Merchandising Solutions (IMS).
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We hired Usman Group for two projects. For the first, we needed them to create a custom website and admin page for our branded merchandise division. The second collaboration focused on revamping our company’s website.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Usman Group began working on the project for our merchandise division, but we ended up halting the project due to internal decisions. We chose to go with a cloud-based solution and no longer required Usman Group’s development help.
From there, their team updated and redesigned our company website with new images, wording, and other features. They gave us recommendations for moving forward with the best site practices. Usman Group made several changes to evolve our platform.
What is the team composition?
Naveed (CEO, Usman Group) was my main point of contact on a daily basis. There were a few other teammates but we didn’t work as directly with them.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
I’m not certain of how we found them, but after seeing the excellent work they produced on our first unfinished project, we chose them again. They were easy to engage with and gave us a great experience before.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from April–October 2013.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The quality of the work they produced was excellent. The updated website fully satisfied our CEO and brought our company into the 21st century. Comparing our old platform to the one we currently have shows Usman Group’s skills and we’re very pleased with the results.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
They were very engaged and managed the project from the very beginning. We had a singular point of contact, so we were in the loop on every stage. They took the time to explain the process to us and communicate important information to our stakeholders.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Usman Group was proactive in their approach and recommendations. They guided us through the project and broke down complicated terms to keep us informed. Even though we don’t work together anymore, I still maintain a professional relationship with Naveed because of his team’s strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There’s nothing specific that comes to mind for them to improve.
the project
Web Design for Office Supply Retail Business
“Their professionalism stood out. They knew their field and they had a good grasp of the technical elements.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m currently a marketing manager for an office supply retail business in the Chicago area. When I worked with Usman Group, I was an SEO manager.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
Our company was undertaking a new marketing strategy, so we needed a fresh design for our website and blog to accommodate that.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We’d originally intended for them to develop multiple blogs devoted to different topics like workplace ergonomics or dorm startups. Since we have a B2B audience, we wanted our new platforms to showcase user stories, share advice, and highlight successes by small business owners.
Initially, they helped us develop a mood board and plan mock-ups for the new site so we could narrow down our options for the new look and feel. After that, they developed and designed the site and blogs using WordPress. Once that was ready, they worked with our IT team to get everything set up on our internal servers.
Unfortunately, our company decided to table these projects before the site was able to go live.
What is the team composition?
Most of our conversations were with their founder, but we had access to the developers and designers as well.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
I like working with local, smaller agencies, so I searched for companies that met these criteria. We met with their team face to face and got along really well. They understood what we were looking for right away.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent about $25,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with them from November 2014 to January 2015.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They definitely met our expectations. They’d done a good job with all the work up to the point at which we stopped. Everything was completed efficiently and matched the goals we’d laid out at the start of the project. It’s unfortunate that nothing ever went live, because I would’ve liked to see how they handled the support elements of the project.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
They collaborated well. When we met in person, everyone was engaged and ready to discuss ideas. We also communicated through Basecamp and I was able to keep track of everything as it was happening. It was fairly easy to clarify things or suggest ideas on the spot. I found that very helpful.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I found the mood board approach very helpful in coming up with the design for the site. It was exciting to get to be creative since our company is very particular about branding. This was an opportunity for us to pitch new things to them.
Generally speaking, their professionalism stood out. They knew their field and they had a good grasp of the technical elements. Since my background’s in SEO, their team was a good fit with my own expertise. Working with their experts was enjoyable and they gave reliable, sound advice.
the project
Website Redesign for Mediation and Arbitration Services Firm
“They were as invested in our project as we were.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
ADR Systems is a company that offers alternative dispute resolution services, including mediation, arbitration, neutral evaluation among others. I'm the executive director of business development and marketing.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We were rebranding our company, so we were looking for a vendor to create a new website for us.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We met with Usman Group and discussed the concept and our vision. Starting from scratch, they worked with us every step of the way, creating a website that was user friendly and easy to navigate. We wanted our clients to be able to contact us and submit cases for mediation and arbitration through the website and Usman Group helped us reach that goal.
What is the team composition?
We mainly worked with Naveed (CEO, Usman Group).
How did you come to work with them?
We put out an RFP and they responded to it. We brought them in for a couple of interviews and decided they’d be a good fit.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in September 2013 and the website launched in August 2014.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The website has been very useful to both our clients and our internal team. Now, attorneys can submit new cases and people can ask us questions through the website.
How did they perform from a project management standpoint?
It was a seamless process. We had great communication and they always updated me on the progress.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They were as invested in our project as we were. It was a true collaboration, which is why the project was so successful.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Get to know the people you're working with. Respect their time and trust them to deliver what you need. They'll do a great job.
the project
Website Design for Healthcare Company
“It’s been a long and fruitful relationship.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of marketing for Lifeline Vascular Care. We’re a healthcare company and human services organization that provides management to physician practices across the country.
What challenge were you trying to address with Usman Group?
We were looking for a full-service development firm to build our website. Specifically, we wanted the site to promote the existing outpatient vascular centers within our network and also entice physicians to open more outpatient facilities with us.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Initially, we spent a considerable amount of time with the Usman Group them to understand their capabilities and scope out the project. Once we had clear vision communicated between all parties involved, Usman Group designed and developed our multilayered website. The site has a customer-facing aspect, as well as a password-protected intranet that’s only accessible by staff. That level of security exists because the intranet houses all of our policies and procedures. The site also includes an e-commerce section that isn’t open to the public. Instead, the feature is used by centers within our network to purchase marketing materials. Lastly, a couple centers in our network have subdomains built into the main site so they can list unique information. It's a fairly comprehensive site with a lot of functionality.
How did you come to work with Usman Group?
Our director of strategy had a consulting relationship with Usman Group after working with them from previous roles. They were a good fit for our organization.
What is the status of this engagement?
This project took place between July 2012 and June 2013. We’ve gone back to them periodically for functionality changes and new developments.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We have over 700 teammates that utilize the secure portion of the website to do their jobs on a daily basis. The website is aesthetically pleasing, professional, and captures the culture of our brand. Usman Group created site backgrounds that are mosaics of our actual teammates and physicians. They also helped us integrate photographs of our staff into the site that would resonate with users more than stock photos.
How did Usman Group perform from a project management standpoint?
They utilized a project timeline with built-in milestones and check-ins to ensure everyone stayed on schedule. They were also extremely proactive in reaching out to us and getting approvals in a timely manner so that we wouldn’t delay the project. As a result, they never missed a deadline during our engagement.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We greatly appreciated their willingness to collaborate. They got to know and understand our business intimately after spending the necessary time with us up front. That initial understanding enabled them to guide us through the process and implement the functionalities we needed to succeed. They jumped right in and that was key to designing the complexity of our site. It’s been a long and fruitful relationship.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Usman Group was always open to meeting with us face-to-face. They worked hard to build a relationship with us and that sets them apart from other vendors.
The website met the expectations of the internal team. Usman Group establishes a smooth workflow, consistently following up with the client to ensure the project stays on track. Their team is hard-working, creative, and easy to work with.