DEKSIA

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CMO for Sherpack, a warehousing a fulfillment company for online retails. After products are manufactured, they come into my warehouse where we store and send them out to end-users. We ship to consumers, box stores like Walmart, wholesalers, and more boutique-style shops.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

We formally went by another name that people had a hard time understanding. So, we decided to go through a rebranding process, giving them the reins to redesign our site and rename us as well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

After thinking through our options, we decided that it would be helpful to have a full-scale outsourced marketing department to take on all of our marketing and advertising needs. DEKSIA handles everything from basic Facebook posts to rebuilding our entire website.

In the rebranding process, they interviewed all the key players at my company to learn more about our vision for the company. From there, they conducted more interviews with current clients to make sure our goals lined up with their expectations for us. Then, they went into the marketplace and surveyed 100 potential customers. The questionnaire covered their fulfillment company preferences and pain points. They did this prior to launching any sort of campaign.

Following that preliminary research, they started with the rebranding efforts. They helped with remaining our company, rolling out an overall marketing plan, SEO implementations, storyboard, and logo design. I’ll write blog content, and they’ll edit it for clarity before posting. When they needed to, they brought in contractors. They did this for a video creation project for our site. In addition to the site, they’ve also spent time designing Facebook and LinkedIn ads.

The website and logos went live in July 2019.

What is the team composition?

Originally, our main point of contact was Ken (Director of Sales Marketing, DEKSIA), but Monica (Account Manager, DEKSIA) came on later as our project point person. Over the course of our engagement, pretty much everyone on the team, including the owners, has been part of our conversations with them. 

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

Initially, we just did a Google search for local firms. For us, it made more sense to have a partner who could visit our office to actually see our daily operations. We interviewed three local firms. DEKSIA brought a personal touch to their work and was willing to essentially serve as our company’s marketing department. Based on that, we chose to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

To date, we’ve spent about $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s still early days but, our current clients are excited about the rebrand so far, saying that its easier to pronounce and makes more sense for the company. When we are discussing our work with others, our name resonates more and sounds more like the name of a fulfillment company.

I personally appreciate their work on case studies that detail why specific clients chose to work with us. That was a cross-marketing opportunity too because each company with a case study has a link to their site.

Additionally, the team is enthusiastic about the new name. Its root word is “sherpa,” which is perfect because our team’s mission is to guide our clients to their business. “Sherpack” speaks to what we actually do, in that sense. We wanted to focus more on our human side and connections with clients in our marketing work because we work hard to give our customers a personal problem-solving experience. DEKSIA has done a great job capturing that in the rebrand.  

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication has been fantastic. They’re a responsive team that doesn’t go more than 24 hours without addressing questions or concerns. Both of our teams agreed upon schedule delays to make sure that marketing content was perfect before launching. Those delays were mostly on our end, but they were accommodating. 

In our efforts, we used a Microsoft Teams board to track timelines and tasks. We were able to assign individual team members responsibilities on that interface, which helped us track progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They added a personal touch to all aspects of their work. For instance, Ken personally delivered his team’s quote along with a gift basket before we’d even selected them as our partner. They’re really responsible and genuinely care about both their work and our company’s success. That speaks volumes. I can tell that they’re just as excited as I am when we make good progress.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing is really jumping out at me. For us, things could be better in terms of lead generation, but it's still early for us, so I don’t see that as room for improvement on their end.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re getting information to them as they request it. That’s what slows us down in the process. Our team would often take too long to respond to their requests. Remember that you can hold up the process just as much as they can.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own Alfresco Landscaping, a firm that does maintenance on plant material and lawns.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

We hired DEKSIA to provide branding services and enhance our digital presence.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DEKSIA developed a new website and subsequently provided services for SEO and Facebook advertising. The team has since done updates and maintenance.

What is the team composition?

I have one point of contact. He has a team working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

A colleague recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

Our annual spend has scaled from $25,000 to $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2010 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site has received positive user feedback and performed well form an SEO standpoint.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

The team’s open communication benefits the partnership because they keep us on track. We talk every three weeks via phone and email. My primary contact and I have monthly in-person meetings. Always patient with me, he also updates the strategy on an annual basis.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are responsive and have quick turnarounds.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We’re happy with the partnership and have no desire to go elsewhere.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients should know the direction they want to go in because that will help DEKSIA succeed. Personally, I know the team had a hard time reading my mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Shannon Orthodontics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

We wanted to streamline and improve our social media marketing efforts, as well as our marketing strategy in general. We had worked with a company previously that didn’t deliver on their promises to improve our approach.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To begin, they performed an audit of both the market and our business. They did a needs assessment within our office to narrow in on our primary issues and areas for growth. Together, we put together a social media campaign to move forward with. Their team also made adjustments to our website and enabled online scheduling for our office. We review their work and modify our approach with them.  

What is the team composition?

At any given point, we’re working with 2–3 people. Josh (Managing Partner, DEKSIA) is our main contact, but Lauren (Digital Specialist, DEKSIA) and Monica (Account Manager, DEKSIA) also support us throughout the project.

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

I’m a part of the same entrepreneur group as Josh, so I had built trust and confidence in him and his team through that connection. After the unsatisfying experience with the previous vendor, I was excited to work with a team that I knew and believed in.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $40,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Deksia has been ongoing since November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since starting our work with DEKSIA, we’ve seen a significant increase in new customers for our company. The patient call volume has substantially grown, and our Google Analytics shows the overall improvement of our business.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They have been incredibly responsive. I’m able to message their team and get an answer quickly. We also have frequent check-ins and scheduled meetings to review our progress and make any adjustments.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve delivered the measurable, substantial results they promised, which not all vendors can do. They’re a fantastic team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they’re great, so there’s nothing they could do better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to new ideas and forthright in your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of a Whole Sale Smiles, a recently opened orthodontic dental lab.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

We hired DEKSIA to help us create a recognizable, fresh name and logo for our company. With their support, we wanted to have a well put-together brand image that helps our marketing efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Before we opened the lab, we met with DEKSIA to discuss our goals and ideas for the company. They helped us come up with ways to set ourselves apart in our industry. Their team created the name and logo for our company based on the concepts we put together.

From there, we dove into the website development process with DEKSIA. We told them what we envisioned the platform looking like and the information we needed included. They designed and built the site to be user-friendly and appealing.

What is the team composition?

There were typically 8–10 people working on the project. Spencer (Senior Developer, DEKSIA) helped us with the web development, while Joshua (Managing Director, DEKSIA) was our go-to contact and pulled the project together.

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

We heard of the work they’d done in the past and were impressed with the brand-name recognition of some of the companies. We really wanted to work with their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with DEKSIA from May–September 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although it’s only been a short time since we launched the site, we’ve received positive feedback. There has been a significant amount of traffic to the site and companies that order products from our platform. Without even advertising yet, we’re delighted with the rapid growth in engagement we’ve seen so far. We’re planning on attending an industry trade show and we’re confident DEKSIA will strengthen our brand advertising efforts.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They were amazingly responsive. Monica (Account Manager, DEKSIA) was always organized and answered our emails quickly. They helped us stay focused on tasks and were a helpful partner. During our meetings, their team was attentive and detailed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The look and creativity of the website they created blew us away. We were very satisfied with their team and the results they produced. Everything they created looked great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of for them to improve on, they were very helpful and organized.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make time to meet with their team and discuss options. They’re open to ideas and truly listen to what you have to say.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the product owner at a health and wellness brand. We provide information from medical doctors to consumers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

We were looking for a vendor to help us scale our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a clear idea of who our target audience was, so DEKSIA went through a discovery process with us and did the user research. Then, they developed our brand guidelines and created our website. It's a WordPress site and they mostly used CSS and HTML for development. They're currently doing productization of concepts and handle everything else related to our brand, from our website to e-commerce merchandising.

What is the team composition?

We work with Joshua (Owner, DEKSIA) and Monica (Account Manager, DEKSIA).

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

We found them through an online search.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2018 and the relationship in ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our brand identity is very clear and easy to understand. They've helped us disseminate the information on a really complex topic, so we're starting to reach our target audience.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive and good communicators. We usually use email, phone, and Slack to stay in touch. They're helpful and easy to work with, so we haven’t had any issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They turn everything around very quickly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Establish clear benchmarks of what success looks like and follow DEKSIA's process. They have everything under control.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an owner of GR Filtration, a company that builds filtration equipment for construction and industrial wastewater.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

We were a new company that needed to work on our website and online marketing, but we weren’t tech savvy. We needed a partner who could take care of those things.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave DEKSIA a description of what we wanted, and they began their work. They conducted market research on our competitors and told us what we needed to do to be competitive in the market. They created business cards, advertisements, and even info sheets we can give to our customers. They built our website and currently do SEO.

What is the team composition?

We work with one of the partners at DEKSIA.

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

Someone who had worked with them before referred us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $20,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with DEKSIA since 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone’s commented on how much more professional the site and logo look—they’re more simplified and appealing now. We’ve had our website up for the past year, but we just recently started promoting it, so we don’t have any quantitative results yet.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re thorough and complete everything I ask them to do. We communicate via email and in-person visits. They also call about once a month to see if there’s anything new I need.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re always willing to help, no matter the project. We’re not a large account, but they still drop what they’re doing and promptly get to what I need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Jonathan Kamps Carpentry. We're a custom remodeling company and we work primarily on referral.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

My main goal was to make my company more inclusive of the rest of the team that works with me, instead of just focusing on my contributions as the owner.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

DEKSIA started by learning my company. They spent time with my team and came back to me with a synopsis of how they understood my business, as well as notes on how both employees and customers viewed the company. After that, they rebranded for us. They designed a new logo and did some work on our website, restructuring the content and adding more visuals. Beyond that, they also act as a sounding board for marketing advice.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with our project manager.

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

I got a referral from one of my subcontractors who spoke highly of them. I was hesitant at first because the price they quoted was a lot more than I'd normally spend, but the same was true for the person who referred me, and he said it was worth it.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2015 and that relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I've been very impressed with how they listened to what I asked for and what they've done for our image as a company. They definitely exceeded my expectations on the impact of rebranding.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

They respond very quickly to phone calls or emails, and I've never had a problem making sure my needs are understood. They also provide help and resolve questions effectively.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very professional and they provide good feedback, no matter what kinds of questions I have. I may not always go in the same direction as their advice, but I value their insights.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of a website that covers information and news and has resources for Uber and Lyft drivers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with DEKSIA?

I was having trouble trying to be an authority and earn credibility in my space. I needed help with my branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a 3-step process. First, they gathered as much information as they could about what my goals were. Second, they rolled out a few preliminary ideas for us to brainstorm. Finally, they put those ideas into place. They were helpful along the way in making sure my voice was heard and working to achieve my vision.

They produced a brand standards guide that showed who we are and what we do. There were creative elements such as a new logo, fonts, and other things that helped shape my brand in a way I hadn’t done before. Using those standards, they’ve added new pages to my website and used those types of digital assets to provide a better customer experience.

What is the team dynamic?

I work with Lauren [Digital Specialist, DEKSIA]. He has his whole staff, but he’s my main contact.

How did you come to work with DEKSIA?

I found them through Clutch.co. One thing I liked was that they had a much lower price point than other agencies. They provide many services at an affordable rate.

How much have you invested with them?

$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August of this year, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve had multiple people comment positively on the clean branding, the site, and elements they’ve helped pull together.

How did DEKSIA perform from a project management standpoint?

I've worked with multiple agencies over the years, and DEKSIA are among the best communicators. We communicate through email and regular conference calls. Lauren is great about keeping in touch. If I have a question about my project, they respond very quickly, which is unusual for an agency.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re great at putting themselves in the client’s shoes and are fun to work with. You can tell Lauren is passionate about what he does. The whole team is very good at what they do and have many ideas to provide me. They’re always on their toes and see the project from my standpoint instead of just trying to make money and move on. They truly care about what they’re doing, and it shows throughout the whole process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best thing you can do is fully communicate what you’re trying to do, whether it be your vision or its strategic implementations. Give them as much detail as possible. Once you do that, they will take it and run with it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Hard Topix Precast Concrete designs and fabricates high-end architectural precast products like concrete countertops, sinks, fireplace surrounds, and outdoor kitchens. I’m in sales and estimating.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deksia?

We were to the point where we had established ourselves in our market, but we didn’t really know who we were. We needed some solid direction in terms of understanding our identity and our mission. We didn’t really know the best way to relate to our current and potential customers. People needed to be educated in order for them to purchase our products because there are so many misconceptions with concrete. We needed a good game plan on how we were going to approach the market to be more relatable and educational.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first thing they did was some market research. Deksia generated a survey, which was very in-depth. They questioned all of our past customers to understand their perceptions of Hard Topix. What were we doing right? What were we doing wrong? They polled potential new customers that we might have been talking to but who hadn’t quite pulled the trigger in working with us yet. They interviewed the members of our team and our company as a whole. They took all that information, compiled it, and generated our working motto of who we are and what we do. That slogan turned out to be “educate and relate,” and we couldn’t have agreed more. From there, they built us a new website, which we are about to launch. They gave us a new logo for marketing materials and business cards. We just wrapped up a sample package kit for our concrete samples.

How did you come to work with Deksia?

One of their reps approached us. She came out and talked to us at our place of business. She ended up leaving the company, but she introduced us to Aaron VanderGalien [Senior Partner, Deksia]. When he came in and sat down with us, we had a really open conversation with him. He was really easy to talk to. He didn’t try to pitch us with fluff stuff. We started bouncing ideas off of him, and he was really straightforward. Sometimes, he just told us it was a bad idea. It seemed like he wanted to help us for the right reasons, not just take our money, so we felt like we could trust him.

How much have you invested with Deksia?

We’ve spent between $20,000 and $25,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2016, and we’re still working with them. They’re helping us with a marketing piece right now for our samples.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We’ve had really good feedback about our new look and our new campaign. It’s definitely helped us. We have a clear vision now of how we’re going to do everything going into the future. If we’re going to put an ad in a magazine, we know that it’s going to be an educate-and-relate ad. Since we have a consistent focus on how we’re going to build this brand, we definitely feel more confident moving forward.

I liked the fact that Aaron was open and honest. He didn’t want to do anything for us unless he really believed it could work. I had to learn that I’m good at doing what I do, and Aaron’s good at doing what he does. As we’ve continued to work with them, that just becomes increasingly clear.

How did Deksia perform from a project management standpoint?

They did really well with project management. Every time they start a project, they get right on it. Aaron’s always been our point guy. Corey is a guy that we occasionally deal with. If Aaron’s unavailable for some reason, Corey’s really good at helping us. Aaron is a good communicator, and he’s extremely responsive. That’s one of Aaron’s good qualities. He’s always communicating with us. He was even on vacation one time and when the plane landed, he called me and gave me an update.

What did you find most impressive about Deksia?

I’ve always felt that they try to tailor a solution specific to our business instead of taking a cookie-cutter approach. Our website and our logo are really creative. We did a little packaging product for our sampling, and they came up with a responsive packaging kit for our samples. Most people would have just given me a box, but they were really creative in their approach, and I was pretty impressed by that. They’re a fantastic company.

Are there any areas Deksia could improve?

I’m really happy with them, but sometimes there is confusion with the cost side of things. I always just get a bill from them in the end, and I never really know how much something’s going to cost. Part of that could be on my end, where I just trust Aaron, and I don’t always establish a budget.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a real estate agent. I assist buyers and sellers with real estate transactions, and I’m a broker at a real estate company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Deksia?

I wanted to update my branding and push out some marketing ideas, including the literature that I give out to my clients such as my book, business card, and all other materials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It’s taken a couple of years, but they started out with a questionnaire that asked me to investigate my own business practices. The questionnaire narrowed down on the clientele that I am going after. Then after those questions were completed, there was a lot of paperwork that I filled out.

They came up and submitted a marketing tag and slogan based on that information which then helped them to further develop my whole image and graphics. They came up with my logo and created a website for me. They also created informational materials that I could give to buyers and sellers that would assist me in my listing presentations and meetings with clients. They also made materials for me to hand out at closings such as utility information and ways that they could rate me as an agent.

I work primarily with Aaron [VanderGalian, Senior Partner at Deksia].

How did you come to work with Deksia?

I knew Aaron from a mutual client. I’ve seen some of the work that he had put together for a builder in our area and knew of him socially, so I decided to meet with them based on my knowledge of the work that he had done for other people in the area. This is my first experience working with a branding agency.

How much have you invested with Deksia?

I would say close to around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them roughly in June 2014. It’s still an ongoing thing. We initially created some materials and a website. Over the years, I’ve added things like newsletters and different informational packets that I can give my buyers and sellers. Each year, I look at my branding and marketing budget and figure out what projects I’d like to do with them to expand on some of the things that I already have.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I know that I get a lot of positive feedback from my clients as far as the materials that I’ve handed them. As far as direct numbers and results, I really don’t have any concrete figures on that information.

How did Deksia perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed very well. Their turnaround time is very quick regarding print materials, quotes, and pricing. They get ideas back to me.

What did you find most impressive about Deksia?

They have very creative ideas. Their team tends to think outside the box and comes up with unique branding and marketing ideas. As far as the content of the newsletters I’ve given them, they really made it look amazing. They have great designers but also have some really great ideas about how to reach clients in a different way and what you should be spending your money on.

Are there any areas Deksia could improve?

There could be clearer communication about budgeting and pricing and sticking within the budget.