Disruptive Advertising

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the administrator and one of the owners of a private duty in-home care agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We did PPC advertising through Google AdWords and other self-managed options for several months. We understood the principals of paid advertising but felt we could be more efficient with the money we spent if we worked with a specialist company. We looked at other firms but wanted someone who could explain their methods and be effective.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They do PPC work for us and some retargeting. We wanted to increase our revenue and our client base. The goal is to find as many appropriate clients and potential caregivers as we can to get the most out of our advertising budget. We also wanted measurable results. We used Google Analytics when we did this ourselves, but transferred to Disruptive’s reports.

They set up a system that improves the quality of our leads. We’ve reduced the number of generic search terms we use, which limits the mistake calls we get. They’re generating more meaningful inquiries through different landing pages and better marketing.

What is the team composition?

We have a dedicated account manager.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

We did an online search. They partnered with another company we’d worked with and explored them through that connection.

How much have you invested with them?

We started working together around February 2018. We’re working on ongoing campaigns with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We pay them about $1,000 each month for their services and spend about $4,000 for monthly campaign expenses.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure our work in hours per week. When we started working with them, we did about 900 hours per week and are currently doing around 1,800 per week. Not all of that can be attributed to them, but they helped us double our revenue. It certainly helps to have them on our side.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a fantastic job. They clearly explain spending and our expectations. If we make any changes, they are quick and responsive. They send weekly reports and answer our emails in the same day, sometimes within a couple of hours. If our account manager is ever away, they let us know and set up an alternative point of contact. It’s very well organized.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re strong in communication and understand what we want in our PPC campaigns. They show me where my money is going and help me refine my spending each month to make it more worthwhile. They show us their results each week, analyze incoming phone calls, and give us more quality leads. It’s the ideal experience. They break down a complex system and make it understandable and manageable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they should change. I’m very pleased with their work in the last six or seven months and am happy to work with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a plan for what you want to spend and what you want to accomplish. They will help you shape your ideas and will work within your budget.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a sales manager for a construction company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We needed help managing our paid advertising campaigns, and understanding what direction to take or how to monitor and adjust our approach based on performance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Disruptive Advertising helped us first understand the type of customers we wanted to target to help guide their advertising strategy. They oversee all of our paid advertising campaigns, including Google AdWords, and monitor our Google Analytics.

What is the team composition?

We mostly work with a marketing consultant and an analytics product manager.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

I searched online for some vendors with good reviews and decided to work with Disruptive Advertising based on what others had to say about their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested $8,000–$10,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Disruptive Advertising has helped double the number of visitors we receive on our ads. We're seeing consistent growth each month, so we've been very happy with their results.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

We only need to meet once or twice a month, but they're very responsive whenever I need to reach them otherwise. I typically get responses back to my emails within five minutes. If I decide to change the direction on an ad, they're flexible and willing to adjust it at the last minute if necessary.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to understand that the relationship is a partnership and requires some of your time and willingness to collaborate with their team for the best results. Be open to feedback and possibly changing the direction of a project—they're the experts, so it's worth taking their advice to heart.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of sales and marketing for Lifestyles Unlimited. We’re an education and mentoring group for real estate investors, empowering people to buy and hold single/multi-family properties to create passive income. We believe that we have a strong message and methodology that makes retirement more accessible to people regardless of age.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We were looking to open additional marketing streams to increase our outreach. At the time, we had a strong radio presence but realized that we needed to expand into more online strategies. Disruptive Advertising was able to amplify our message and grow our digital footprint.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our initial goal was to set up our Google AdWords, refine our keywords list, and track our metrics more efficiently. We were also creating our first landing pages at the time and had Disruptive Advertising take over all of our AdWords purchasing. It was really a question of seeing what worked or didn’t work.

As we continued to expand as a business, we started to target new cities and markets and had to consider more of a national strategy. They established our social media platforms across multiple channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Not only did they use those platforms to find new audiences, we’re now able to register people directly to our events through social media. Customers no longer have to learn about an event on one site and register on another.

At each phase of our growth, they’ve consistently implemented new strategies and campaigns to support our offline efforts. We’ve been able to launch a national radio program, and they’re working on deploying video content in the near future.

Currently, they continue to nurture our social media marketing while preparing to introduce SEO tactics. For the last few months, they’ve led the development and testing for our site redesign. We’re trying to figure out where the optimal placement for our messaging would be on the new WordPress site. In addition to managing our landing pages and looking at effective placements, they work closely with our Infusionsoft consultant to work out bugs and make routine site changes.

What is the team composition?

We originally had a single account manager who’s taken excellent care of us. As our companies mutually grew, they’ve assigned additional representatives for each service line we’ve added. We now work with a dedicated account manager for social media and another for site testing, but our first manager is still the overarching account lead.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

They actually reached out to us with a proposal. They were also a growing company at the time and have been gaining traction ever since. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to evolve with them as they developed their business.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in September 2014 and is ongoing. We launched our first set of landing pages in October 2014 and are currently working on a site redesign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s just been a progression of growth and change. When we first started the engagement, we had about 1,000 likes on social media and now boast over 8,000. They’ve also helped us expand our market from an exclusive audience in Texas to a national stage. Our click-through and engagement rates have increased substantially, resulting in a higher conversion rate. Moreover, the cost-per-click has decreased. I appreciate that they’re conscientious of our budget and ensure that we get the most out of our investment.

In terms of our working relationship, we always consult their expertise whenever we need to add something new. They’re available to meet to talk things through and patiently teach us about different approaches. If we can dream it up, they’ll do it for us.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Once every other year, we meet in person to discuss any changes to our strategy and plan for the future. Beyond that, they communicate fairly consistently, sending emails, updates, and even packages during milestones in the relationship. They also keep us up to speed with new opportunities that we might not have considered before.

Furthermore, they’ve cultivated several strong business habits that make us feel heard and understood. For example, they send notes after every meeting to summarize our key points and actions. If they don’t understand something, we’ll explain it to them, and they’ll repeat it to confirm. As for scheduling, they realize that we often have to focus on other initiatives, so they respect our time. However, they always make sure to follow up and remind of us our goals, which helps keep us accountable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Unlike other vendors who are more focused on metrics rather than understanding the client’s business, Disruptive Advertising took the time to learn about us. We felt like we could share anything with them, and they’re happy to review our work and give suggestions. Their service level is exceptional, and they respond quickly to our inquiries.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind regarding their performance. They’re actually working to improve the interface on their reporting tools to facilitate our tracking process. This way, even though we’re not physically tracking everything ourselves, we still have an idea of what’s going on. This has been particularly helpful so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It depends on the type of customer. The dynamics for a client with a lot of digital marketing experience who just needs a service provider will be different compared with a client who doesn’t know anything.

Either way, Disruptive Advertising can help people at any level of expertise, so don’t be intimidated. There’s a lot to learn, and you can ask as many questions as you need. They’re happy to slow down and explain their insights.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a van rental service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We needed an experienced marketing firm to run a PPC campaign for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Disruptive Advertising manages our PPC campaign using Google AdWords. They track our progress using Google Analytics and keep us up-to-date on the results as much as our schedule allows. We’re a seasonal business and just wrapped up some of our more hectic months of the year. Therefore, I haven’t been as engaged in their efforts as I should be other than occasionally checking the AdWords tool. We’re about to enter our slow season, so their real test will be generating business during the upcoming fiscal quarter. However, they’ve communicated to me a number of things they have in place to ensure that happens.

What is the team composition?

Kevin (Marketing Consultant, Disruptive Advertising) is our primary point of content.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

We initially used the firm that designed our website to provide marketing services. Unfortunately, they weren’t delivering the results we wanted. I conducted a lot of online research to find reputable vendors and Disruptive Advertising had positive reviews from previous clients. As a result, they were at the top of my list for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

In addition to the AdWords themselves, we pay Disruptive Advertising $1,500 a month for their services. Our total advertising budget comes to about $3,500 a month.

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them in January 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have meaningful metrics available because we started working with them at the time of year when our services are naturally in high demand. A large part of Kevin’s current participation with the project involves establishing reliable metrics and analytics. He’s implementing a tag manager to all the ads, so we can better track the amount of traffic their efforts are generating. Anecdotally, we’ve seen an increase in sales as a result of their work. The AdWords campaign is staying relevant alongside the efforts of our competitors.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They offer enough contact and availability to serve us as a customer. In terms of communication, clients will get as much out of the engagement as they put in. We’re supposed to have a weekly call with them to go over results and brainstorm how further refine the campaign, but we’ve had to deprioritize that due to frequent business. They took control of the project during that time and haven’t let us down. Whenever I voice concerns, Kevin quickly responds and does everything within his power to resolve the issue.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They proactively reach out to us and are straightforward communicators. The information they provide is top-notch and I only wish I had the time to work closely with them. I also appreciate their accessible pricing model. Other companies incentivize their clients to spend more by charging a percentage based on the number of ads purchased through Google. Disruptive Advertising charges a flat fee regardless of how much we spend on ads. I find this approach to be more honest. Overall, they’re doing the best they can to manage our campaign and find new ways for our ads to remain relevant.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Become familiar with AdWords before starting a project like this one. That way, you’ll know what to do with all the information they provide. Conversely, being able to speak their language while pitching ideas of your own will only improve the collaboration process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As the strategic account manager, I ensure the efficacy and productivity of all client digital marketing campaigns 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We hired them for PPC, Google, and Facebook advertising services. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to produce professional ads that mirrored our company branding and reached our target clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our firm spent a good deal of time interviewing and courting multiple PPC firms. Disruptive had both the technical knowledge and the customer service we wanted to manage our accounts.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We met immediately upon contracting to review the goals of the agency and of our individual accounts. They then developed an updated advertising campaign. 

What was the team composition?

We work directly with an account manager, but we also communicate regularly with the management and owners. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their remarketing campaign consistently produces results well above established goals. If they notice unfavorable trends in the accounts, they adjust and recover before the client even notices. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow is flawless. We meet via conference call for weekly reports and the email communication is fast and efficient. Always eager to help with any internal training, Disruptive definitely employs an engaged team approach. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We measure success by results. Not only does Disruptive produce them, but they take great care throughout the process to make sure we feel important.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They quickly resolved the singular issue with email reporting.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the operations manager for a monthly underwear subscription company called BootayBag.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We needed SEO assistance and help designing Google Ads.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal from the SEO assistance was to increase our sales and gain more awareness for our company.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They were a professional reference.

Describe the project in detail.

Disruptive Advertising helped us understanding and execute the SEO marketing strategy they devised for us. They also helped design the Google Ads and directed them to our target market.

What was the team composition?

Our team primarily worked with Disruptive Advertising’s marketing consultant and vice president of operations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

Since our engagement began, our subscriber count has significantly increased.

How did the Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They are great at keeping us updated throughout the process. They explain their work in a way that we can understand and benefit from. They complete everything in a timely manner and are extremely professional.

What impresses you about the Disruptive Advertising?

Their amazing communication and the results we've seen make them stand out.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We’ve only had positive experiences with Disruptive Advertising.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of marketing and strategy for Techna Glass, an auto glass services provider that operates in 150 locations across 30 states.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We needed a partner to manage our Google Ads projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Disruptive Advertising takes care of Google Ads for most of our markets. They make sure that our daily budgets are correct, we stay on schedule, and we optimize keywords. They also provide feedback and data that we’re able to review, such as rankings, conversion percentages, and click costs.

They analyze our campaigns daily and tweak whatever needs to be changed to improve our advertising. They look at every single campaign and every single location to determine how to best allocate our resources.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with two people.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

We interviewed quite a number of providers and found that Disruptive Advertising was professional, forward thinking, and incredibly skilled. They understood exactly what we needed and took the time to figure out how to best interact with our customers. They’re also a local company, which we preferred.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $50,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clicks per month have increased from 5,000 to over 20,000, we’ve reduced our costs of conversion from over $20 to under $10 in most markets, the average cost per click has dropped from about $6 to under $3, and the number of monthly conversions has gone up from 1,200 to over 5,000.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a weekly phone call and quarterly in-person meeting to enhance our partnership and get the most value for our spend. A lot of our business is seasonal, so our spend fluctuates quite a bit, and they’ve been incredibly responsive to that and made sure things have all lined up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Other agencies tend to just plug you into a formula and let that do the work, but Disruptive Advertising isn’t like that. They invest a lot of time in reviewing our account on a daily basis to optimize every campaign every month.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d love to see them do more local market research. I want to see what our competitors in the market are doing and their average spend. However, overall, I’m quite pleased with Disruptive Advertising’s work.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

In the beginning, outline exactly what you hope to gain from working with Disruptive Advertising. They’re incredibly responsive and great at meeting expectations, but they need to know what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of Wasatch Covers. We manufacture and install custom-fit window well covers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We wanted to increase volume and reduce costs of our PPC campaigns. We were struggling to get results with our previous firm, so we were looking for a new company to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We target mostly homeowners, which are our primary customers. Disruptive took charge of our PPC campaigns and helped us brainstorm new strategies, providing in-depth information upon request. They're very clear about their steps, so I never have to wonder what is going on.

What is the team composition?

I have one main point of contact with whom I talk once a week.

How did you come to work with them?

They were referred to me. They had the expertise that we needed, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We've paid $5,000 in management fees and about $20,000–in ad spend.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Within 7–8 weeks of starting to work with Disruptive, our volume increased by about 30%, while our ad spend dropped in some areas as much as 50%. Their efforts helped generate record numbers of sales and leads.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're responsive, prompt, and easy to work with. We usually talk via email or phone. Also, they're exceptionally organized and knowledgeable. We asked them for some unique data reporting, so they're doing custom work for us as well. They're great communicators and very thorough in their reporting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They knew what they were doing from the beginning. They answered all of our questions and provided recommendations, staying on top of things throughout the onboarding and the sales process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They've done a great job on all levels.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They know what they're doing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the social media and communications specialist for a sustainable energy retailer called Kiwi Energy. We also run a sister brand called Spring Power & Gas. Our organization focuses on environmentally conscious products, supporting individuals, groups, and organizations that run eco-friendly projects through the Ecogold Environmental Fund.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We needed resources to lead PPC campaigns for both of our brands.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase online and phone enrollments while also improving our call center call quality.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them through research and discussions.

Describe the project in detail.

For over a year, they’ve run our PPC campaigns and worked with us to optimize our site for keywords. They’ve also supported us with other ad hoc projects such as building out and updating landing pages for various sign-up promotions.

What was the team composition?

We work with a dedicated account strategist who is very responsive to our needs and objectives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

They’ve been excellent to work with. Knowledgeable and adaptable, the team is extremely responsive and has exceeded our management expectations.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Every two weeks, we have a thorough phone conversation to analyze the campaign performance, discuss the next steps, and identify any updates we need to make.

What impresses you about Disruptive Advertising?

Our account manager has gone above and beyond to help us achieve our desired results. He's always responsive and quick to provide solutions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It would be great if they had some additional tools to research competitors and their PPC strategies.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing program manager for GoReact. We sell video feedback software primarily to higher education institutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We were starting to look at paid advertising to open new avenues of lead generation as our company grew. We tried doing it ourselves, and we even did a direct partnership with Google to run some ads. However, we weren’t seeing a lot of success. We didn't feel like we even had a good grasp of where things went wrong.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They handle all of our PPC strategy, primarily Facebook Ads. They work with us to continually improve the targeting of the ads to drive the best results.

What is the team composition?

I primarily interface with Derek (marketing consultant, Disruptive Advertising) and we’ve recently started working with a second marketing consultant.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

They're located just down the street from us so we'd heard their name. We thought it was worth taking a look at them so we reached out to them through a cold call. They came to our offices for a meeting and we really liked what they had to say.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $75,000 in a combination of ad spend and their management fee.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results weren't exactly what we were looking for when we started, but we knew there was going to be a learning curve. They were getting us a lot of leads but they weren't necessarily the right leads. As we worked on refining the ads, they became more effective.  Now we’re to the point where we’re getting qualified leads that are turning into business for us, which is awesome. Facebook has been a successful channel for driving more leads to our company.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Derek and I have a standing biweekly call but we interface at least once a week. We mostly communicate by phone or email, and we do some face-to-face meetings. They’re super responsive and always willing to take on anything we ask. Any slowdown in terms of the process has all been on our end. We’re not always great at making sure we're getting back to them quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're really good at staying on top of us even when we’re prone to having balls dropped on our end. They don't just let it drop. They will stay on top of us. Some other contractors are content to sit back and collect their fee, but Disruptive Advertising is really good about being proactive. They push the initiatives forward and don’t just let them sit still. They've been exactly what we'd been looking for.

Any advice for potential customers?

Lean on their expertise. We came in with a lot of preconceived notions that probably slowed down our success at the beginning. Our results have definitely gotten better since we let them take the lead.