Vital Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CMO of Marshall University, a public research institution that empowers students through accessible, flexible, and life-changing educational experiences.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vital Design?

We needed help with our digital marketing strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vital Design has been focused on deploying the backend of our PPC and SEM campaigns. Their deliverables include creating and deploying targeted digital marketing campaigns, which involve keyword research and Google bids. They also provide a custom dashboard with bi-monthly reporting, blog creation focused on SEO and organic traffic, and monthly project suggestions.

What is the team composition?

We work with three teammates from Vital Design.

How did you come to work with Vital Design?

We found Vital Design through an online search. We talked to a bunch of firms, and they understood our specific and unique needs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in October 2023, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our monthly metrics, including conversion rate, click-through rate, and cost per conversion, have been best-in-class. Our enrollment growth has mirrored the success of our partnership. Our location-based keywords routinely hit 10–14% conversion rates, and our cost per conversion typically falls between $50 and $70, which is well below the benchmark.

How did Vital Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Vital Design has been a great partner. They are very willing to find creative solutions. The team has always been responsive and professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've had great success with nearly every campaign. It's been impressive how they continually tweak behind the scenes to ensure campaign success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren't any.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of marketing and communications for Semester at Sea, a nonprofit that conducts comparative study abroad programs on a floating college (cruise ship).

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vital Design?

We initially hired Vital Design for a website redesign. Our goals were to improve navigation, SEO, and reduce the page count and duplicate pages. We’ve since expanded our partnership to include digital marketing services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vital Design has redesigned and rebuilt our website. The process has included research and development, implementation, and post-launch support. The team has helped us develop a brand voice and conducted interviews with our customers to help define a voice specific to each audience. Vital Design has also collaborated with our in-house designer to create a new logo and brand launch and has provided useful feedback. We’ve been able to combine two design options to create an ideal solution. The team has also provided copywriting support and conducted extensive keyword research to ensure each page and high-traffic pages have appropriate keywords.

Currently, Vital Design is our digital marketing partner. The team is responsible for increasing our website strategy through blog posts, rewriting web pages with keywords to improve page ranking, creating digital pieces, managing Google Display and social media ads, and assessing and refining email campaigns.

What is the team composition?

We have one primary contact and 2–3 regular contacts. Vital Design pulls in experts as needed.

How did you come to work with Vital Design?

I initially met Vital Design’s founder, Zac, at a conference. Later, when we were looking for a partner for our website redesign, Zac was one of the vendors I reached out to. During the scoping process, Zac and his team were very detail-oriented and attentive in addressing our needs. I felt we would have personalized support, even as a small nonprofit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Vital Design in January 2023, and our website redesign took about a year. We’re still working with them as our digital marketing and paid media partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen an increase in page views and form submissions. We’ve also received positive customer feedback.

How did Vital Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Vital Design has delivered on time and has great communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Vital Design has a knowledgeable team and is communicative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with Vital Design.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Senior Director of a severity reporting data analytics firm.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a severity reporting data analytics firm that assesses severity reporting under the MS-DRG system at all levels of the organization, including down to the individual provider, and then provides actionable data to focus hospitals' severity improvement efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Vital Design to accomplish?

• Increase leads
• Increase brand awareness

SOLUTION

How did you find Vital Design?

Referral

Why did you select Vital Design over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Vital Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Vital Design was tasked with figuring out how to create more brand awareness for our firm as well as bring in more leads. As a result, Vital Design worked with us to come up with projects that:

1. Remove any roadblocks for the audience to access our content or communicate with us, such as improving the backbone of our website.
2. Create digital offerings such as an eBook, blog, or case study and promote those contents through ads and email promotions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

PCC metrics such as:

• Impressions
• Clicks
• Conversions
• Avg. CTR
• Avg. CPC
• Cost / Conv.
• Conv. Rate

Email metrics such as:

• Open rate
• Click-throughs rate

Other:

• # of leads generated
• # of leads converted to sales
• Website traffic

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

Vital Design is incredibly organized and excels at communicating expectations. They always deliver items on time and if not, communicate ahead of time and is very responsive to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Vital Design?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The individuals at Vital Design assigned to the project are kind, attentive, and experts in the field. We clicked with these individuals very quickly and can feel that they genuinely care about our brand and where we're heading.

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

There's not much I can think of, and this is not a deal breaker for us, but perhaps having a clearer view of how long each project ended up taking would help me understand what was estimated versus the actual time it took to complete a project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of Texture Plus, a faux wall panel manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vital Design?

We were looking to grow our revenue.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially hired Vital Design to develop an e-commerce website. Our partnership has since evolved into providing us with SEO and digital marketing to grow our organic traffic flow.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a number of people from their team over the years, including different account managers, strategists, developers, and SEO specialists. There’s a different team they bring in depending on the project, so it’s been a collaborative process.

How did you come to work with Vital Design?

We did outreach for a web development provider, and Vital Design came out on top of the RFP we posted.

How much have you invested with them?

Throughout the partnership, we’ve invested over $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership started in January 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching the site, our monthly revenue has gone up by almost 700%, and Vital Design has continued to deliver great results for us. Since 2017, they’ve consistently averaged about a 20% growth in organic traffic YOY.

How did Vital Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very collaborative and responsive from a project management perspective. We utilize Basecamp for our projects and communicate through Google Meet on a bi-weekly basis.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with how much they care for us as clients. They’re dedicated to our success on a personal level, and I feel like a partner, rather than a number.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re great communicators who provide terrific results and if there are any issues, they’re quick to address them.

Other than that, they’re very transparent, have a high level of integrity, and I'm always confident that they’ll work through anything that comes up.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My only advice is to hire Vital Design.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a top 50 Film Festival located in Portsmouth, NH. Every year 10K plus film makers, industry reps, actors and fans watch over 100 films at 5 venues, with afterparties, workshops, panels, special events and more. This amazing weekend contributes over 1MM to the local economy. I am the Executive Director of the event.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Vital Design?

When we started in 2001 Film Festivals used "magazine like" programs to bring their events to the public. Vital built us an industry leading eCommerce website and app for our schedule, films, events, filmakers, panelists etc to highlight the weekend. We needed a site that could direct our guests, attract sponsors, sell tickets, and plan the weekend.

What were your goals for this project?

Build an industry leading brand, e-Commerce website and mobile app to bring our top 50 Fiilm Festival to guests and industry people from around the world.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The Portland ME, Boston MA, Portsmouth NH corridor is loaded with marketing companies. They've all contributed to the fest throughout the years. Vital's the team of brand strategists and digital marketers were a team that always stood out.

We had over six companies compete and contribute between 2015-207, and when it came time to pick a team we already knew Vital could perform at a higher level than the competition from a strategic and execution perspective.

Our event ramps up and takes over, we need a team that can do over 3000 hours of work in a 4 month period. Smaller firms just can't get the work done. Throw in a Website redesign and app and we needed an agency with some serious horse power. Vital has ~100 digital marketers, they are big enough to handle whatever we throw at them.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The job was to take our 100 page program, bring it online and allow us to do eCommerce for ticket sales and merchandise.

What was the team composition?

The NH Film Festival Marketing pod we used on this project was about 10 people. Our account and project team has been with us for years, our design team including Ali Baxter is brilliant. Our dev team led by Jesse and Matt can make anything happen.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We now sell over $350k of tickets and merch online. The App has been downloaded by close to 50k people in the last two years.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Our Festival is a deadline and they never miss a beat. Their attention to deadlines and their ability to scale is what set them apart

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Design, detail oriented, architecture, SEO, they have it all... I'm blown away by the quality of people there.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They are such an integral part of our team, It's always hard when the festival is over to answer this question. We always want to do more than we can fit in.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the marketing director at Nalgene Outdoor, a consumer products company. We're makers of the original reusable water bottle and the trusted companion of adventurers everywhere.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Vital Design?

We needed help with SEO, SEM, and website development. Our key challenges were maintaining a solid e-commerce platform and keeping up with the digital advertising landscape.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Vital Design provides website security and maintenance services. They’ve built a cloud-based management software that serves as an alarm to our support team when major or minor plug-in/extension updates are available. The team also conducts proactive and scheduled maintenance checks, performs site backups when executing platform upgrades, and handles new platform upgrades and installations.

Moreover, Vital Design troubleshoots all platform upgrade install issues and fixes bugs. They also update all extensions and plug-ins and troubleshoot and fix plug-ins and extensions when upgrades are installed. On top of that, they provide digital marketing services, including SEO, to generate traffic from free, organic, editorial, or natural search results in search engines.

What is the team composition?

We work with five teammates from Vital Design.

How did you come to work with Vital Design?

We found Vital Design through a personal referral. We were impressed with their team and process, so we chose them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $800,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2023, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our overall experience with Vital Design has been absolutely phenomenal. Their entire team is fantastic. They’re proactive and super responsive to any needs we have. Everything has been successful, and we’ve seen improved ROI through SEM tactics, improved SEO, and revenue growth.

How did Vital Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is fantastic. They deliver on time and respond well to our needs. We communicate via email, instant messaging, and a teamwork platform.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Vital Design cares about their clients more than any other agency I’ve worked with, and they’re incredibly responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner, CEO & President of TWI Institute

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Consulting Agency providing front line leadership development and continuosu improvement skills 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Vital Design to accomplish?

• website design
• digital marketing and SEO optimization

SOLUTION

How did you find Vital Design?

Online Search

Why did you select Vital Design over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Vital Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Website redesign, develop a digital marketing strategy with SEO 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Very typcial digital marketing and SEO metrics that have seen a doulbe digit increase year over year. 

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

weekly project meetings and project managment tools to drive OTC

What was your primary form of communication with Vital Design?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their personal touch was most impressive. 

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

not really. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Massage Chair Store

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are the largest manufacturer of luxury massage chairs in North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Vital Design to accomplish?

• Lead creation
• Website optimization
• Digital project management

SOLUTION

How did you find Vital Design?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Vital Design over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Vital Design were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

1.Product pages

2. BLOG SEO

3. Lead forms

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Revenue production through lead conversion, Cost Per lead, Cost per impression

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

Vital is always on time and accurate

What was your primary form of communication with Vital Design?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Consistentcy of employees being professional and capable

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

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Content of ApexDrop

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We connect consumer product brands with micro influencers to generate awareness and user-generated content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Vital Design to accomplish?

• Establish Core Messaging

SOLUTION

How did you find Vital Design?

Referral

Why did you select Vital Design over others?

Other

What was the size of Vital Design’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired Vital to help us create core messaging for our brand. Key deliverables included:

• differentiated positioning
• copy
• benefits
• tone
• tagline
• guidebook for the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• It is tough to measure the benefits of a core messaging strategy. But we were pleased with the outcome.

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

Vital Design was easy to work with. They delivered on time. They managed the project communications through Basecamp, which was new for our team so there was a bit of a learning curve there. But it worked.

What was your primary form of communication with Vital Design?

Virtual Meeting

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

Vital has deep expertise in core messaging and website development. Even though we did not end up using them for our website, that was our original intention. Of all the vendors we interviewed, Vital had the deepest expertise of being able to drive leads through content and website, and they demonstrated it with real examples.

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

No suggestions.