Brafton

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the content and design manager of a technology and strategic consultations provider for parcel and LTL shippers. We work with some of the world's largest brands to help them manage their shipping spend from audit and pay, network optimization, opportunity modeling and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Brafton?

Content marketing is a critical component of our demand generation and growth strategy; however, Google loves consistency, and churning out quality and timely articles, infographics, case studies, white papers, videos, and more is no small feat. I started looking for the right partner to not only help me execute these important content pieces, but also a partner that understood the transportation industry (my readers) in a way that helped showcase my company's industry expertise.

SOLUTION

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

After speaking with roughly ten content marketing specialists across the U.S., I felt the most comfortable and confident with Brafton. Overall, they offered the exact content services I was looking for, I was able to speak with their team to understand their level of experience in my industry, and they were very realistic in laying out what they could and could not provide as a partner. They were also very clear about pricing, which was extremely fair compared to the other content providers I was exploring.

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

During the initial exploration of what a Brafton partnership could look like, we had already settled on what types of content Brafton would assist me with, as well as what those subjects would be. We had a brief kick-off call to setup milestones and assess content/team needs, and then we established a weekly call where we could touchbase on where content was in the pipeline or any lingering questions.

Agencies like Brafton are true partnerships – you have to give as good as you get – so I've tried my hardest to collect as much info as possible upfront, as well as to provide clear instructions and outlines for content where possible.

I get excited about this partnership with each new draft, as Brafton has always brought me outstanding work. It's clear they do their own homework, and the team has been very clear about expectations, questions, or content/project improvement opportunities.

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

For this project, I work with a variety of Brafton's team members, including a helpful account manager and project manager (who are both clear about needs and often provide SEO suggestions/best practices), a stellar content writer that never misses the mark, and an equally stellar graphic designer that helps create visual documents that relate and match my company's brand image.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In addition to helping increase our content output by more than 50%, Brafton's quality writing and practices have helped me create more consistent content pieces.

In addition, it's clear Brafton has thought through these pieces from an SEO perspective, as they suggest the best keyword placement for content titles, a crosslink strategy for the main site when pieces are published, as well as strong research on their own end for the writing component. As someone that's worked as a content and digital marketing strategist in a marketing agency before, I know these are no small tasks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Again, Brafton is very clear about needs and milestones. We have never been delayed or missed a deadline, even when I asked to add a project addendum and increase the content deliverables. Brafton is clear about when I will receive drafts, as well as when they require feedback to ensure any requested revisions are completed in a timely manner.

To date, I haven't had to request any content revisions, and I think that's largely due to the Brafton team's clear communication and execution. They obviously care about delivering quality components.

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

Overall, I'm impressed with the quality of their writing. I do my best to provide helpful insights, as well as clear instructions as far as what I would like to see in the articles/case studies/white papers, and Brafton listens to that feedback and delivers tenfold. I'm always impressed by their drafts, which are almost always the final documents.

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

No. This project is my company's first endeavor with Brafton, and because of that we've kept the project relatively focused on key content needs. That strategic focus combined with Brafton's best-in-class execution has lead to a very successful first project, and this is a partnership that I am returning to for continued content execution.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Senior Manager at JTB Corp. Global headquarter in Tokyo, Japan. Our company offers a wide variety of products, services, and solutions ranging from business travel, MICE, and employee benefits to publishing, merchandising, and digital solutions. Our company has about 20,000 employees in 30 countries, and we serve individual clients and B2B partners around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Brafton?

We have been working with BRAFTON to build content creation strategies to create the international identity for our Global Inbound and Outbound businesses. We rely on BRAFTON to be creative in content development.

What were your goals for this project?

We aim to increase and strengthen the awareness of our business segments. We were seeking to create a variety of content for our Global inbound & outbound business segments. We were seeking a partner who understands the needs of our global clients and connects the dots to help us create exciting content.

SOLUTION

How did you select Brafton?

Our team searched the number of companies in Japan and abroad. We started with a list of 7 companies based in Japan and the United States and narrowed it down to 2 after receiving their initial pitches. Being stationed in Japan and not knowing about this company, honestly, it was not an easy decision to select an unknown partner in the U.S for our project. Still, after having an e-meeting with BRAFTON, we felt a vital sign of willingness to work alongside our team made it easy for us to work with them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After selecting BRAFTON as our business partner, we had a series of e-meetings explaining our businesses, goals, and JTB's company brand. Both sides were eager to know more about their ins and out of our work and our companies. After sharing the initial thoughts of our plan, they worked with us on creating the content strategies for our global inbound and outbound businesses. The understanding and teamwork brought us to this point, and today, we have gathered great content for our B2B clients.

What was the team composition?

We have worked closely with several team members in 4 different States, and I believe there were more than six members involved in our project and the size of their team remains the same till today.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the beginning of our partnership with BRAFTON we have experienced valuable content for our businesses. We have experienced tremendous traffic to our websites, social media sites.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Everyone assigned to our project is straightforward to communicate with, and we always exchange ideas regularly. We connected via e-meetings at least once a month. They met timelines swiftly. And they shared the final material via their internal portal system, a convenient and time-saving tool.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have an excellent knowledge of our industry and our market and we appreciate their cooperation and patience. I like their efforts to be flexible with us and loved the solutions offered during difficult times. We have worked with other companies in the United States, but this was an exemplary collaboration. Because of their tremendous help and support, we recently have extended our content creation contract with BRAFTON.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Of course, things can always be done differently, but we are satisfied with their understanding and exceptional support to our people under the circumstances. We prefer quality over speed, and I am proud to say that we have supported us and help to present great content to our business partners.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Quite simply, we are “all in” on client success. Allitix was founded in 2017 to focus on providing the best experience for all stakeholders: management teams, project teams, and employees.

Our focus is delivering high-value industry solutions through connected planning & analytics. The team has an average of 15 years of consultative experience and over 60 successful projects.

We bring data, people and plans together. I am the Marketing Manager at Allitix. I handle all things marketing: the website, social media, events, sales collateral, sales messaging, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Brafton?

My company hired Brafton to create the content we needed to elevate our consulting to the next level. We have so many brilliant people and ideas, but we don't always have the time to push those ideas out to prospects and clients.

Writing for internal business process and analytics can be tricky and it takes time and skill. With Brafton, I can utilize my brilliant consultants and their expertise to bring ideas to Brafton, and they will create content around their ideas.

They have the technical writing skill to write about difficult topics but make it interesting to read. Brafton has the marketing skill to make content that can be hard to portray very readable and interesting for clients and prospects.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals were to have content for our website and campaigns that were well written and got out message across. This would bring our campaigns to the next level, spread brand awareness and encourage new business.

SOLUTION

How did you select Brafton?

We selected Brafton after speaking with them and trusting them with the process. We are a smaller organization so we wanted to be sure we were spending our money with a company that understood our goals.

I can't remember now who else we considered or how many other vendors there were. During the decision making process I was involved, our Solution and Innovation Director was involved, and the CEO was involved.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope has remained mostly context creation and SEO work. Brafton has done a lot of creative work and some tracking and reporting. I have been involved in the process by providing materials, providing the guidelines of what we wanted, giving feedback, passing on new projects, etc.

Brafton has been responsible for taking our ideas and information, and creating blogs, videos, articles etc.

What was the team composition?

The people on the team have changed but normally there are 3 people working with us! There will be more working with us on our most recent project because we are doing an informational video and that is a new team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our SEO has boosted tremendously, our campaigns are more significant, our messaging is more impactful, we would have a much harder time marketing our services without Brafton.

Our software parter, Anaplan, has appreciated our content and it is always good to differentiate ourselves as a partner. The work Brafton does has continued to exceed our expectations and we will continue to use them moving forward as we continue to grow!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Normally, it is just me from the Allitix team. There may be the lead consultant on the call or someone that is helping with a current campaign on the calls. Brafton has been great about scheduling and keeping our projects on track.

Feedback has never been an issue, they just listen and adjust. We have never had a problem communicating.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They can take a base idea or topic and elevate it to the next level. Consulting in data analytics and planning processes can be hard to express to people that aren't in the industry. Brafton takes our outlines or slides, breaks them down and delivers exactly what we are looking for.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications manager of a marketing technology consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Brafton?

The business shifted focus in 2019, so our marketing efforts needed to change. Brafton was brought on board to fulfill our need for top-of-the-funnel content on our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As we changed our brand messaging, we outlined how we wanted them to get our ideas across and provided some guidelines.

Brafton does keyword research and writes regular blog posts to help us become more visible. For the most part, they focus on marketing technology topics. For example, they’ve written blogs about “Modern Market for Traditional Financial Services” and “Marketing Automation is Transforming How We Reach People.”

What is the team composition?

We’re regularly in contact with four people, including one writer, a chief editor, a project manager, and a content strategist.

How did you come to work with Brafton?

Brafton was brought on board before I was hired.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $80,000 annually (approximately $160,000 in total), but we expect that to increase as we expand our engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in September 2019 and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Brafton has surpassed my expectations. They’ve done an incredible job at taking the information I gave them and owning the new brand messaging and voice. They’ve been able to emulate our style, while successfully putting their own spin on it.

Whenever we receive a new piece, I can’t wait to read the content that they write. I never have to change more than a word here or there. The research they do is on-point.

They develop content that is so valuable for our business. Not only can we post their articles to increase traffic, but we can also use their content for social media and sales enablement tools. As a result, they’re helping us establish our position in the market.

Now we’re looking to increase our investment in them because they’ve blown it out of the water. Our CEO thinks their work is amazing.

How did Brafton perform from a project management standpoint?

I look forward to every meeting with them. We communicate with them via email, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Hangouts.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listen to our needs and work hard to create content that aligns with our brand messaging. When we shifted our brand messaging, they took the information I provided and adjusted as needed. They’re really good at what they do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think the world of them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Gather all the information and guidelines that you want to share with them and be honest about whether or not you’re happy with their work. Do that, and you’ll be successful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior content marketing manager for a sales enablement platform. We provide sellers with content training to help them provide an engaging buyer experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Brafton?

We wanted to increase organic traffic and keyword rankings. To support those goals, we needed to create a significant amount of content but had a limited number of in-house resources to do so. We pursued a partnership with Brafton to help us create website content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Brafton writes an agreed-upon number of words per year. Their team’s content creation ranges from writing new blog posts based on our keyword strategy to optimizing content that already lives on our website. Their team writes two blog posts a week ranging between 1,000–1,200 words. The bulk of their work’s content creation, but they also recommend keywords and report on organic traffic and keyword performance.

What is the team composition?

We work with Darla (Senior Content Marketing Strategist)  who’s our account executive and serves as a project manager. Brafton has an editorial team that guides how to write about our space. I’ve also worked with a more senior account person. On our regular content calls, there are about four people from Brafton.

How did you come to work with Brafton?

One of our investors recommended Brafton as a resource if we had any SEO content needs. Their team also worked in our building.

How much have you invested with them?

At this point, the total cost falls between $60,000–$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our relationship with them around May 2019 and then renewed the contract for 2020. We’re currently evaluating whether or not we’ll continue working with them in 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our organic traffic has significantly increased. We’ve seen about a 140% increase year over year, which is fantastic.

Their team also understood our space very quickly. Unlike other content creators, Brafton quickly picked up our audience and product. They have a strong editorial team that can write about various topics well. They’re also receptive to feedback. Both quantitatively and qualitatively, I’ve had a good experience with them.

How did Brafton perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team takes on a lot of project management activities. We have to follow up on tasks and make certain requests for clarity purposes. Their project management’s average, so I wouldn’t say it’s a differentiator for them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team researched our products and our competitors. I’m impressed by their ability to write about our space in a way that matches our style and tone. It’s unique for content creators to be able to write relevant content that sounds like it was created in-house.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Based on the scope of our contract, Brafton has delivered.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come to the table with a strong keyword strategy. If you know that you need SEO content that can’t be done in-house, I definitely recommend partnering with Brafton. They’ll quickly ramp up and start delivering content to help impact your organic traffic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO of a public insurance adjusting company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Brafton?

We rebranded our company name and created a new website in support of that brand. However, we were at the point where we needed to do blogs, marketing, SEO, and Google Ads. They’ve been filling those needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re doing a wide range of work for our team. The least of their work is creating some print ads for us. They’re also writing bi-monthly blogs with our input. At this point, they’ve written about 40 of those blogs. They’re helping us edit our WordPress website for SEO best practices while also handling keyword research for our site. We also rely on them for managing our Google Ads account across 17 states, keeping track of their performance using Google Analytics. Lastly, they made some e-book and graphics for email campaigns. They’re particularly focused on vector graphics and cartoon-type graphics. We’re starting social media marketing on LinkedIn and Facebook with them in the near future. 

What is the team composition?

When we first started working with them, we had a large meeting with about 12 people. I enjoyed getting to meet everyone behind their work at the very beginning. Because of our broad range of requests, we’ve worked with about all 12 of them over the course of our relationship.  

How did you come to work with Brafton?

I was tasked with finding a company to handle this work after we put together our website. After finding around 50 possible providers, I narrowed my search down to about 10 main contenders. Based on my research and interviews, we selected them. They have a unique way of scoping work, using the idea of “units.” Each unit amounts to $100 and can be moved from one effort to another pretty freely. That keeps us from having to be re-quoted for work when we make slight adjustments. That really interested us in them.  

How much have you invested with them?

So far, we’ve spent more than $50,000 on their services.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since around August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s still too early to tell the direct results of their work because we’ve spent much of our time building up these marketing assets. Hurricane season is our peak season for business, so we’ll know by then how their work has affected our company. However, I’m very confident that we will see a good ROI from their work.

They’ve been easy to work with. With past providers, we’ve seen our projects become all about money to them. That hasn’t been the case with Brafton. It’s easy to shift our spending around using their unit system. It’s been a pleasant experience from the beginning.  

How did Brafton perform from a project management standpoint?

We avidly use Monday to manage their work and hold weekly meetings to get updates on progress. Between their scheduled deliverables and the information they need from our teammates, any hold-up has always been on our end.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even early on, their blogs were very well done. Our services and industry are pretty unique, so it was great to see them understand our business well from the start. Their early blogs may have needed a few more details and specifics, but they were very strong from the start.   

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re working with another company to design digital ads to attract clicks because they don’t specialize in that area. That’s been the only disappointment. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re not the least expensive, but their work and team are very good.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an electronics company that focuses on microphones and headphones for consumers as well as professionals. Our business spans the world with locations in 65 countries. As for my role, I’m the market insight manager for education solutions. However, when I was working with Brafton, I was filling in as a marketing manager with a focus on our B2B segment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Brafton?

Audio technology can be quite complex, especially in the B2B space, because there are several target groups involved in the decision-making process. As a result, it can be difficult to really pinpoint the main benefits that our product offers. We contacted Brafton to help raise awareness around that solution. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Brafton created white papers to generate awareness around one of our new audio products. After an initial consultation, they introduced me to my assigned team so that I could brief them on my project. I gave them our target market, explained the purpose of the paper, and suggested an initial structure. This made it really easy for me to ensure that everyone was on the same page. 

From there, Brafton took about a week to develop their own structure and content. They did a great job doing secondary research to develop a strong knowledge base. The team gained a good understanding of our product and its benefits, and they asked the right questions. The end result was a white paper that sounded like it was written by a professional within the audio industry.

What is the team composition? 

They provided a content writer, a data specialist, and a client support resource. Adam (Consultant) was my main point of contact. Having a go-to person throughout the project was helpful in ensuring that the entire process went smoothly. 

What made them unique was their working culture. They had resources across London, Boston, and Florida. However, I never felt like the team was disconnected from each other because they took a one-mission approach.

How did you come to work with Brafton?

I found them on Google. When I approached Brafton, I knew that I needed a white paper for our product. I immediately noticed that their website was really well laid out. The content explained their services well and helped me get a first-hand idea of their expertise. I could just tell that they had the right experience.

On the day I reached out, a person contacted me to walk through what my project was about. I liked that they were really interested in getting into the crux of my problem rather than focusing on the solution. That constative sales approach was the main reason I chose them and also why I ended up returning for a second project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $7,000. I should add that they didn’t force a specific quote on me at the start. Instead, they offered a bouquet of solutions that allowed me to pick and choose what was best for me. The final cost was based on what I chose.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first project lasted from June–August 2020, and I returned to them again for a second project between October–December 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I initially had doubts if they could do it, but they did fantastically. We ran a typical B2B campaign for the white papers where readers could enter their contact details to download our content. Within two weeks, we saw over 800 downloads.

It was also a success from a business point of view because we tried a new marketing tactic and saw good results. Our sales team can now use those white papers as marketing tools to raise awareness about our product and convert leads.

How did Brafton perform from a project management standpoint?

They wrote the entire white paper on Google Docs, which allowed us to give feedback on specific points rather than going back and forth through emails. That was where we made last-minute corrections or checked if we were going in the right direction. If we needed to discuss any large changes, then we would have standing meetings. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Brafton is a professional agency that’s able to understand their customer needs well. They deliver the project in time, and can even work with very strict deadlines. For one of our projects, a colleague of theirs was willing to cut her holiday short so that she could complete our white paper. That was really commendable.

I’d highlight their attention to detail and customer-centric approach, too. For example, they’d send the link to the Google Doc with each email so that I wouldn’t have to hunt for it. It’s those small things that really matter.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything at the moment. They should continue doing what they’re doing now.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Businesses often have problems selecting the right marketing partner because many agencies are like Swiss Army knives — they’re able to do everything for you. You’re faced with a barrage of services, and you don’t end up choosing anything.

I’d suggest going to Brafton only if you have content marketing-related projects and know exactly what you’re looking for. You need to have a key focus first so that you know what you want from the engagement. Once you have that, you could line up at their doorstep and ask them to help you out, and I’m pretty sure they’d build a complete city for you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Co-founder of a Digital and Cyber Security Consultancy who provide tailored digital and cybersecurity solutions across the following broad areas of:

1. Organisational Change Management
2. Strategy & Organisation
3. Risk & Compliance

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our organisation required a new website, content marketing pieces (Articles/E-Book and infographic) to support the launch phase of the business. The key goals were to ensure that the deliverables reflected and communicated our proposition aligned to our company mission and brand values.

SOLUTION

How did you select Brafton and what were the deciding factors?

We reviewed several web development/marketing companies and concluded that Brafton were the best partner to work with for the site development. The key decision making points for us included:

1. Understanding of our target customer and the customer journey.
2. The importance of clean design and alignment to the overall branding and marketing strategy,
3. Value and ease to work with.
4. The understanding of the need to ultimately support lead generation and build a business.

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

The key deliverables included a new website, an e-book, numerous thought provoking articles, infographic and design work that can be utilised across the company content pieces. The website development followed a logical approach that included ensuring that Brafton had as much information as possible to support the design and build of the website.

The site included the build of a custom Wordpress theme. All other deliverables included a requirements and iterative review phase to ensure that the outcome was aligned to expectations.

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

A Project Manager coordinated and managed the overall delivery and was supported by a marketing strategist, web developer, graphic designer, content writer and web tester. The core team were complemented by the wider specialisms that are part of the Brafton family.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The key deliverables were all on brand and enabled the business to take a step change in how we communicate and engage with our current and prospective customers. The deliverables all were delivered within the agreed cost and timelines.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Project management was always there to provide both feedback/status updates and support the overall smooth running of the engagement. Nothing was too much trouble! The style was engaging, supportive and goal orientated. A web portal enabled us to communicate and see the status of deliverables throughout their lifecycle.

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

They get it! Marketing is all about driving leads and ultimately new business. Every deliverable had this at the heart of what they do. By combining design, content/ marketing strategies and active monitoring of effectiveness this ensured that Brafton could continually learn and refine what was most effective not just now but for the future.

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

None of note.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the manager of digital marketing at a manufacturer of home comfort appliances, headquartered in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. Our company creates portable electric fans, space heaters, air purifiers, humidifiers, and more for the consumer market and distributes internationally.

Additionally we build installed home environment equipment (bath fans, indoor air quality devices, range hoods), industrial and commercial fans, as well as products for the water damage restoration and janitorial/sanitation industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Brafton?

We lacked capacity to create informational videos about our various products and consumer self-help issues and common questions. We worked with Brafton to create many short videos that we could use on our various owned channels and on retailer websites to help consumers and customers understand our products and how to use them.

What were your goals for this project?

For each of the video projects, we had separate requirements, but we also wanted a full set of videos that looked cohesive and brand-right overall. Additionally we wanted videos that quickly and clearly addressed consumer FAQs or communicated the top key points of a particular model.

SOLUTION

How did you select Brafton?

Lasko has been working with Brafton for many, many years. We continue to work with the team because of the quality of output and ease of working with the Brafton team.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

They regularly work with us to learn about products and video goals. Next, the team writes a script and provides to us for review/editing. We talk about voice over/talent options.

Once the video is produced we have a chance to review and provide any feedback or change requests (we usually don't have any changes). Brafton finally provides the final video links, which are easy to download and use on various platforms/channels.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We have been working with Brafton for so long, that our feedback process doesn't need to be complicated. It's all a very well-oiled machine at this point! We usually provide script feedback, select the talent, and then review/approve the final videos.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have one Brafton video that has been viewed more than 90,000 times in just 2 years! Usually our videos, particularly the FAQ-focused, have thousands of views within several months. We usually share frequently on social media, our own websites, as well as on retailer sites, as appropriate.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow with the Brafton team is nearly effortless. We always clearly understand timelines, scheduling, and other expectations. They provide excellent suggestions and explanations. The new online project management tool is terrific for giving me easy visibility to our projects -- current, future, and past.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The most outstanding part is Brafton's ability to meet deadlines and other requests. I appreciate the level of understanding and trust we have developed over the years, as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing and brand development with FFVA Mutual Insurance, a regional insurance carrier that specializes in workers’ compensation. We’re licensed in ten states in the Southeast. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Brafton?

Our biggest challenge and obstacle was content creation. We have a very small and nimble marketing department here. I needed content services because we were starting a blog. We wanted to position ourselves as brand experts and champions in that area.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our original scope started with writing and content marketing. However, we gradually expanded that because of Brafton’s capabilities. Their scope of work has expanded to other areas such as illustration, infographics, SEO strategies, and e-books. 

The best project that we’ve worked on with them was on a “return-to-work” campaign. It started with an e-book, but then it expanded into a re-optimized page on our website, where they created illustrations and additional 3–4 blog posts. We were also able to do a direct mail piece off of the infographic and the e-book. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with several people from their team, including three writers, 3–4 managers, a couple of strategists, one designer, and a person for email marketing. 

How did you come to work with Brafton?

When I was researching different content marketing companies, it was strictly for copywriting. Originally, I was looking at a couple of their competitors. However, Brafton was their own brand champion. We do one thing, and we do it really well, so they resonated well with us. 

What I really like about Brafton that I thought was unique is how they do their units. I’ve worked with many different agencies and companies by retainer or monthly expense, and accountability isn’t always there. I like Brafton’s approach to that because it was more of an a-la-carte setup based on what worked for their customers versus a monetary value for that month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership started in November 2017, and it’s ongoing. We kicked the e-book project off in February 2019, and it’s also ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Brafton has been a great partner for content and other areas I wasn’t originally intending. Truthfully, they’ve been an extension of our department. They’ve allowed me to build and grow what we can produce for content and other areas. 

We’re actually on our 12th statement of work with them, and we’ve completed nearly 130 projects to date.

Since our “return to work” campaign was far-reaching, it was very well received. We measured results via the email open rate. We were also able to track the page visits from organic and existing site visitors, and we saw how many times the infographic for the blog post was viewed. 

When we started working on SEO and keywords for a web page, we went from pretty much unranked for that campaign to consistently being on page one or two, depending on the region in terms of analytics. We continue to look at the metrics and even toy around them.

How did Brafton perform from a project management standpoint?

I feel they’re an extension of my team, and they keep us accountable. We have weekly calls, and the project manager always follows up with a recap of action items needed on both sides. 

They recently implemented an online platform where I can go in and see what’s in progress on their side or any to-dos for our end, whether it’s a Google Docs file or an illustration. 

Communication has been seamless, and it’s been outstanding because they’re always responsive and informative. Whenever I have a question or want to reach out to them with a specific need, they immediately look into it and make it happen for me.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with several of their qualities — their consistency, relationships, quality of work, flexibility, and adaptability. 

Often, during our calls, we don’t just talk about projects and progress or to-do lists. We use that time as an opportunity to brainstorm strategic initiatives, like how we can use content in other ways and beyond just words. We then see opportunities for each project to become its own campaign. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re checking off all the boxes, and that’s the reason for our long-term relationship and partnership. 

However, perhaps they can have a little more depth in writing tones and styles. That was our challenge in the beginning. We went through a couple of writers to find the best fit for us, but we eventually found that person who knows our tone and voice very well. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice would be to see working with Brafton as a partnership, and the success is based on open communication and willingness to look at the big picture and not to try to limit their abilities. They position themselves for content, but they do so much more than that.