Volterra

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Digital and Content Marketing of People Corporation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are the largest Canadian-focused provider of group benefits consulting and administration services, with an expanding suite of value-added wealth, health, disability management, and human resources solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Volterra to accomplish?

• Social media management
• Social media monitoring
• Social media training

SOLUTION

How did you find Volterra?

Online Search

Why did you select Volterra over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Best expertise required for the project

How many teammates from Volterra were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We're a relatively newly formed, small marketing team looking for help and consistency with our social media output. We were looking for a vendor to manage our social media, help with content, and also take on social media monitoring/listening as well. 
The key deliverables were minimum three (3) posts per week on LinkedIn, slowly ramp up our dormant Twitter account, help source and create two (2) blog posts per month, and continuous social media monitoring/listening. Monthly reporting on all of the above.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Consistency and frequency of posts (2-3/week). Increased engagement, increased follower count, visibility into share of voice, competitors.

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

Working with the entire Volterra team has been an absolute delight. Always deliver things on time, exceeded expectations, and as an unexpected result, helped breathe life into our content marketing.

What was your primary form of communication with Volterra?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their level of expertise in social media management, listening/monitoring, as well as content production.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I was the Director - Open Innovation of Nesta

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Nesta is UK's innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale new solutions to society’s biggest problems, changing millions of lives for the better.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Volterra to accomplish?

• To research whether social networks are the new cities.

SOLUTION

How did you find Volterra?

• Online Search
• LinkedIn

Why did you select Volterra over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Volterra were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

We were exploring whether or not the emerging social networks were reflective of cities and the communities with them and if social networks would indeed become the new city or city of the future. 

We asked Volterra to review at social networks by comparing them to attributes of cities, from the perspective of where and how they were similar and different to cities including demographics, governance, commerce, etiquette, culture and how communities formed and how trust was established as well as lost.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This research was the foundation of the most popular session at a major international conference that was trending globally on twitter and raised significant awareness of the work and our organisation. While the overall conclusion of the research was that social networks exhibited many city-like qualities, the prospect of them becoming the new city was unlikely. 

Having said that, there were numerous signs that showed the unique qualities (i.e. followers) and inherent behaviours (i.e. like, comment and subscribe) of social networks would continue to evolve and grow as these virtual communities continued to grow and interact.

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

Very good and effective project management. All items delivered on time and on budget.

What was your primary form of communication with Volterra?

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

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

Their research was deep, iterative, and experiential. That, combined with the practical application of the outputs, was impressive.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr Mgr Human Resources of Campbell Company of Canada

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are committed to providing Canadian families with simple and affordable food, meal and snacking solutions they are looking for.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Volterra to accomplish?

• audit of our social media platforms
• proposed actions to take as a result of the audit
• inspiration

SOLUTION

How did you find Volterra?

Referral

Why did you select Volterra over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

What was the size of Volterra’s team?

1 Employee

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

We asked Volterra to do an audit of our current social media platforms and provide some data and benchmarking work. From the audit, we were looking for some recommended actions to take at tiered levels to meet industry benchmarks (here's what you need to do from a bare minimum, here's what good could look like, and here's where you could knock it out of the park). Finally, we wanted to see some unexpected inspiration from companies within and outside of our industry who were making a real mark.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• The external inspiration piece gave us a glimpse of what could be possible with even a minimal, but clever, effort. Biggest takeaway was the list of recommended actions that Volterra suggested in order to up our game in the digital space. These have become a part of our roadmap and future planning

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

Volterra did a great job of listening to what we were looking for and they were right on the mark with everything we asked for - and delivered on time.

What was your primary form of communication with Volterra?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What I found impressive was the dedication and commitment to ensuring they delivered what we were looking for specifically, not some sort of canned solution or program

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was VP of communications for a wealth management organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volterra?

My former company and its lines of business didn’t have active social media capabilities. Thus, after creating an internal department to handle content sourcing, we hired Volterra to develop content creation and implementation strategies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Volterra helped us create and implement content for our social media pages, mainly focusing on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. We also worked out a system where they had a standard set of answers for common questions, but they were able to recognize and alert us when a customer needed a higher level of support. Additionally, Volterra worked in conjunction with other agencies within our organization in a coordinated effort.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Andrew (Principal). As VP, I supervised my director to work with him, and I also joined during higher-level meetings.

How did you come to work with Volterra?

I knew Andrew through a networking organization.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around late August 2019, and Volterra keeps working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As I left my former company, I no longer have access to metrics. However, according to the KPIs that we established at the beginning of our engagement, I recognized regular growth over my tenure.

How did Volterra perform from a project management standpoint?

Andrew had a mature and almost scholarly approach to communications in general.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Volterra applied their communication skills really well to the social media requirements of our industry, which is largely driven by trends and reactionary tendencies. Andrew always had the why behind the what.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I was very happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to Andrew and appreciate his expertise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the President of Integram Training Group, a business training firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volterra?

We needed their social media marketing and creative production efforts to acquire new customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our team strategizes and formulates our marketing preferences and brand message. Volterra then executes those insights through social media marketing campaigns to expand our reach on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. Additionally, they help us develop and refine content for our campaign and training materials, depending on trends, clients, and special events. In line with this, they’ve produced a video for our YouTube account and managed that platform as well.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Andrew (Principal).

How did you come to work with Volterra?

I met Andrew through one of my long-term clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent under $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing collaboration commenced in January 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can’t say enough good things about Volterra’s work — they understand the demands of my customers and are capable of bringing in innovative marketing and production solutions to address those. Andrew’s knowledge of the ins and outs of social media marketing rewards us with lucrative results.

How did Volterra perform from a project management standpoint?

Volterra is a well-coordinated team with top-notch presentation and communication skills. I’m not always working actively on the project, but I know they’re keen on providing thorough documentation and managing their time effectively.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stands out about Volterra is their ability to present their ideas cleverly, which assures us that we’ve entrusted our needs to the right people.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand the scope of work needed to address your goals and present a comprehensive project brief to Volterra’s team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of a specialized marketing agency focused on small business content for banks and brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Volterra?

We hired Volterra to help us focus consistently on building our social media channels. We were time-pressed and focused on giving our clients the service they deserved. Additionally, we were not experts on social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team helps us establish our presence on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. They also craft content for those channels, and they reuse some of our existing content. Volterra usually posts articles and blogs such as business articles, how-to business news, business tips, and other things our target audience wants to hear. After curating our content, they send out a mix of original and shared content. They post several times a day or a week. 

They also set up strategies to increase our followers and connections. Overall, they’re in charge of one of the most important pieces of our marketing so that we can focus on other revenue development opportunities. 

What is the team composition?

My main contact is Andrew (Principal), and he has a team behind him.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend under $12,000 annually. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began collaborating together in February 2018, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve been very good at finding relevant content to share on our social media platforms. I also have evidence that our followers have gone up on Twitter. Additionally, we’ve gotten around two dozen or more high-value connections on LinkedIn. Then, on Facebook, we’ve got hundreds of likes. Overall, we’ve experienced enhanced visibility and way more shares — Volterra has created an audience for us that wasn’t originally within our reach. 

The team has taken the time to understand our business so that they can design an appropriate and tailored social media program to meet our needs. On top of that, they execute their strategies flawlessly. I don’t have to think about my social media other than giving them full access to my accounts. They’ve taken the social media function completely off our plate, and the content that they’ve been sharing is precise and appropriate to my industry. For me, that’s the key to posting — you don’t just post for the sake of posting. 

How did Volterra perform from a project management standpoint?

We usually have monthly check-ins by phone and in between that, we email each other. I appreciate their attention to detail. My team can still jump on our social media pages, but we don’t have to because we know that Volterra keeps the engine running. As a result, I’ve recommended them to a few other business owners. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to elevate our visibility on social media channels has been impressive. Volterra certainly knows how to do things well. Other companies who are interested in working with them can expect increased referrals, leads, engagement, and visibility. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I just wish more people know what Volterra can do for their business. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust Volterra’s process, and let them guide you with their expertise. They have a lot of experience, and they have a lot of clients in different industries. Above all, trust them to get the results that you want. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a PR agency that creates media-dominating pitches to news media across Canada and the USA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Volterra?

We needed expertise in how to amplify the fruits of our earned media on TV, Radio, Online etc. through social media audiences. Andrew and Volerra were brought in to help us in our goal to sell out 'dump trump ties' ASAP.

SOLUTION

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

We shortlisted 3 social media providers but we were particularly impressed with Andrew Jenkins himself as a well-established leader in the social media consulting industry. His storied career and range consulting with major Canadian banking institutions and notable Canadian startups made him an ideal choice.

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

Things were happening fast and furiously for us in terms of media coverage and interview requests etc. so we really didn't have time to develop a social media strategy to complement PR efforts. Andrew and Volterra hit the ground running and immediately added value by helping us target potential customers on facebook and selecting the best media clips to use. Frankly, he took the pressure off of us to also have social media expertise and insights while we were insanely busy with earned media.

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

We worked with Andrew as the primary team member and felt very well serviced and responded to.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With the added social media boost from Andrew and Volterra's efforts, we sold $25,000 worth of silk 'Dump Trump' ties for charity in less than a week! Volterra helped us execute a flawless victory for the client.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We threw a lot at Andrew right away and always had a responsive, thoughtful and insightful response. The rubber hit the road and Volterra never disappointed us.

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

I truly think we would have missed out on major sales opportunities if Volterra had not been able to consult, manage, troubleshoot and execute an excellent social media strategy on the fly.

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

No, they really did it all very well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the President at Grierson Consulting, a business development consulting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Volterra?

I was conducting a competitive analysis for a client and one of the areas we needed to look at what the strength of their social.

SOLUTION

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

Andrew came highly recommended by several contacts of mine.

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

My client needed to improve their presence on all social platforms. Their level of activity was low and sporadic with no real plan. The goal was to create a social strategy that would hit their clients in multiple touchpoints across LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Create engagement and convert to leads.

The stages were:

• understand the current status to identify the gap
• create a strategy to close the gap
• execute

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

I worked mainly with Andrew.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we started to implement the recommendations, our views have increased by 43%, and we have started to get engagement in our post's activity.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We met on a regular basis to ensure that I understood the information and recommendations. Any issues and needs were addressed quickly and effectively.

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

The first thing they did was clearly identify the gap between my client and their top 3 competitors, and I have never had a social company do that. My client and I were very impressed.

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Sore Thumb Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Digital marketing agency that delivers websites, branding, and social media marketing

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Volterra to accomplish?

• To report on current social trends for our client and recommend new target groups.

SOLUTION

How did you find Volterra?

Referral

Why did you select Volterra over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Volterra were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Volterra helped us with social listening and competitor reports for two products for our client. They delivered a huge amount of information that will help us to expand our targeting and make informed decisions about future social media efforts on our client's behalf.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were given a full, detailed report with data from not only our brands and related keywords but also their biggest competitor products. Volterra walked through all the results with us and dove deeper into certain data points where clarification was needed. They went above and beyond to help us understand everything they provided and how to implement the data to make informed choices for our client's social media.

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

They were timely, responsive, and communicative. They were able to answer our questions quickly and in a detailed manner, and delivered a huge amount of valuable data to us in a digestible format.

What was your primary form of communication with Volterra?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Volterra is helping to sort out the noise of social media so that we can create content that is more likely to connect with the audience we need to reach. This is an investment I would absolutely recommend for larger brands on social media.

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

No, they were great.