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What services does Sleight offer?

We are a full-service agency and offer every aspect of a marketing campaign that you would ever need. We offer branding, digital marketing, website design, video, TV and radio production, social media, and media buying. We are your one-stop shop for all your marketing needs.

How long has Sleight been in business?

We have been developing marketing campaigns for our clients for 30 years. When we launched in 1988, our specialty was in media buying and negotiation. Throughout the years, we have progressed and developed into a full-service agency. While we still offer traditional marketing, we have expanded into digital marketing and stay on the forefront of new marketing techniques.

Where is Sleight located?

Our headquarters are located in Omaha, NE, but we also have offices in Kansas City, MO and Atlanta, GA.

What kind of reporting does Sleight provide?

We provide very detailed reporting for all of our services so you will know exactly how your marketing campaigns are working to grow your business. Whether you prefer monthly or quarterly reports, our team will gladly walk you through each report and answer any questions you have based on performance.

What type of clients does Sleight work with?

We have a large variety of clients that we work with all over the country. We work in the home improvement sector, medical sector, with car dealerships, churches, financial institutions, non-profit organizations, and many more. We’ve found one of our niches to be in the home improvement industry and have worked with many different foundation, waterproofing, and crawl space repair companies.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. When anyone goes online to search for a product or service and they enter a search term into Google (or any other search engine), they are not searching the whole Internet for results. They will get results from the database that the search engine has complied by crawling the Internet and indexing the results according to their complex algorithm. Since 93% of people go online to search for a product or service, showing up on the first page is critical to any company or organization’s success in finding new leads and generating business. Sleight’s team is a Google Premier partner and part of Google’s exclusive Elevator Program.

What is PPC?

PPC stands for Pay Per Click. At the top of most search engine results pages are ads of companies that are paying to appear there. These leads are a great way to generate new business if you have enough of a budget to be able to compete. Also known as Google AdWords, pay-per-click gets you on the top of the page today for people searching for your product, service, or practice.

Is it better to do SEO or PPC?

We always equate SEO to an antibiotic and PPC to a pain pill. If you turn on PPC, the phone is going to start ringing right away, just like taking a pain pill usually quickly removes your pain. However, if you stop PPC, those leads will also stop. On the other hand, SEO takes longer to start working (usually at least 6 months to really see real growth), just like an antibiotic takes time to get into your system and resolve the core issue.

Does SEO work for B2B businesses?

SEO is important for all business whether you sell to other businesses or to consumers. Our strategy is different for B2B, but in most cases, people are searching online for your business. Sleight has many other strategies for B2B marketing.

How much should I spend on my PPC?

This is the single most frequently asked question in the paid search department. And the answer is that there is not a single number that we can give you for what your paid search will cost. Every market and industry varies so greatly based on demand and competition that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. We always encourage customers to find a budget that works for them and then to let us run the campaign for 30 days. After 30 days we can tell you whether you need to increase or decrease, or even decrease your budget. Sleight is a full-disclosure agency. Many agencies and digital companies do not tell you how much of your budget is going to Google for the AdWords clicks, and how much is going in their pocket. With Sleight, you know exactly how much is being spent on Google and how much is our management fee!

How much does it cost to manage a PPC campaign?

As a Google Premier Agency, our results have been ranked in the top 5% in the nation in our tier. We are confident of the work our team does for our paid search campaigns and we have chosen to be a full-disclosure agency, which means that you pay Google directly for your ads and we charge you a set percentage of your ad spend. There are no hidden fees.

I'm already showing up in the first spot on Google, do I need SEO?

When you perform a search on your computer, your results are often skewed by where you are physically located (in your office) and which sites you have visited in your browser history. Often companies will think they are showing up first in the results due to these skewed results, but when we run a clean search (with a cleared cache or an incognito window) we find that they aren’t showing up at all. We offer a free online consultation that will give you an accurate picture of your online presence. There are hundreds of keywords that people could search for your business, and you will not show up first for all of those keywords.

What's the difference between Mobile First and Mobile Responsive?

While Mobile First and Mobile Responsive sound the same, they are designed and built in vastly different ways. With Mobile First Design, we initially design with mobile users in mind first vs Responsive design which focuses on the desktop version and trying to scale down. Mobile First is faster and fits every screen perfectly, in comparison to Responsive, is slower since it tries to fit everything. 

So, what's the difference between Mobile First and AMP?

Mobile First is designed with Mobile devices in mind…first, not only is it a design concept, but it is also a development framework type. AMP = Accelerated Mobile Pages, AMP pages are directly loaded from Google servers which have stripped out extraneous code, making AMP sites load in under 1 second. Our Mobile First sites are built with AMP. What a bonus! Sleight is one of the early adopters of the AMP technology in the country.

Why build websites on WordPress?

We build most of our websites on WordPress because the framework is flexible and easily modifiable. We also find that it is an easy Content Management System (CMS) for our clients to edit their sites versus other platforms. WordPress also frequently updates its framework and plugins.

How much does a website cost?

Our website quotes are completely custom for the client and the type of website, the amount of pages that are on the site, the amount of copy we are writing/editing/proofing, and the amount of custom elements and designs. We work with each of our clients on the best strategy for their budget.

How long does it take for a website to be completed?

Just like variable factors when it comes to pricing a site, timeframes for websites vary greatly. How big it is the site? How many custom designs? Custom images? How much are we writing? And more. We are always making our clients aware of our timelines, their deadlines, and any other factors that are needed.

Can I have a unique website?

At Sleight, we customize all of our sites. Our more affordable business pro sites are built using a template, however, we handpick each image. Our other websites are fully designed from the ground up, based on the client’s brand and they are always approved by the client at each step of the process.

Are load times that important?

Low load times are extremely important not only Google but to your users. The longer your site takes to load, the higher your bounce rates will be. Load time is important to Google and fast load times help your online rankings. Find out more about the websites we design.

Why invest in a new website?

Does your site have high bounce rates? Are you losing leads? Had a dip in traffic? While there are many factors that affect your search engine rank, often times it’s having an ineffective website. Information could be hard for your users to get to, your site could be too slow, or unappealing. We can fix all these problems by building an up-to-date site which keeps everyone happy: search engines, potential customer, and you!

Why do I need a branding strategy for my business or nonprofit?

Developing an effective branding strategy should be one of the highest priorities for your organization. Most companies start their life with a generic brand that mimics the competition. The problem with this approach is that it provides little or no distinction for prospective customers who are comparing you to other offerings. A professionally developed brand strategy can increase customer acquisition, satisfaction, and retention. In addition, branding will increase the value of your company, and help attract and retain the best talent.

How do you develop a brand for businesses?

Sleight Advertising has developed a proprietary process for researching your company in order to develop the optimal Brand and Brand Strategy to help you “stand out” in the marketplace. Once we develop a brand strategy for your business, our team can develop your logo, website, brochures, business cards, or any other marketing materials that you may need. The important part is that every piece of branding material is consistent, and aligned with the strategy.

What is the single most important fact to remember about Branding?

Branding isn’t just a one-time exercise; it is taking place either by accident, or by design, every moment of the day. So instead of just letting your brand “happen”, the best option is to create a strategy that grows your brand equity and adapts to the inevitable challenges in your marketplace.

Does Sleight have in-house equipment?

Yes we do! SA Production Studio is our own in-house production studio where we house all of our video production equipment. Depending on the client, we often shoot video or photos on-location, but we are happy to use our own studio if we are not able to shoot on-location.

How much does video production cost?

This varies greatly on the project. Whether you’re looking for a company profile video, TV commercial, short web video, or animation, the cost is determined on a project-by-project basis. It also depends on if we need to hire talent, which will impact the price. We charge an hourly rate for our production work and we’re happy to provide a free estimate for you.

How long should my video be?

The length of your video depends on what the video is being used for. Company profile videos tend to be longer between 1-2 minutes, whereas TV commercials tend to be shorter between 15-30 seconds. Depending on the objective of your video and where it will be shown, we’re happy to provide recommendations on the length.

Does Sleight hire actors for commercials?

Yes, we have relationships with a lot of local talent agencies and can easily pick quality talent to star in your TV commercial. Sometimes clients prefer to be in the commercials themselves, which is perfectly fine, or we can hire professional talent.

Does Sleight write, create, and concept TV & radio campaigns?

Sleight can develop and write campaigns for your TV, radio, and online creative. We have a full creative staff that will create captivating campaigns for your marketing strategy.

What exactly is a media buy?

A media buy is a schedule of advertisements in a given medium. A TV, cable, or radio buy consists of a number of spots (1 spot = 1 ad) that are scheduled to air within a specific day & time of the week called a daypart. Buys are also called campaigns or flights. Digital campaigns consist of targeted placements across targeted networks and websites and are calculated based on impression numbers (# of viewers within a certain radius that fit target audience parameters). A print buy is the number of insertions (1 insertion = 1 ad) in newspapers (national or local) or magazines and an Out-of-Home (Outdoor) “showing” is the number of individual outdoor (digital or traditional) boards.

What are my campaign goals?

Identifying goals is critical when it comes to media buying. We need to ask what goals do you have in place right now? Are they specific, measurable, relevant, and attainable? Are we driving conversions? Sales? Is the goal lead generation or branding or a combination of both? Are we building brand awareness or are we increasing foot & site traffic? The key to success is staying ahead of emerging trends and learn from past experiences; goals must be specific, measurable, attainable & realistic.

How do you identify and target the market/audience effectively?

We identify the target audiences of each campaign prior to any negotiating and well before buying begins. Defining your target audience is one of the most crucial steps in developing media strategy; strategy includes identifying who the audience is, what their needs are and when their needs might present themselves. At Sleight, we analyze media consumption habits specific for each vertical and medium. Identifying the target allows us to create actionable content, which in turn builds trust among potential customers. As content is crafted to explicitly appeal to that particular market segment, we are then able to create target oriented and lead specific campaigns, giving clients the best ROI possible.

How do you negotiate deals with a station/digital partner?

We as buyers rely on our knowledge of the marketplace, stations & digital networks as a starting point beginning market negotiations. While it’s possible to negotiate on any number of relevant criteria, we at Sleight concentrate our efforts on negotiating the best reach and frequency and/or share of voice. We as strategists/buyers look at ratings, impressions, cost per points and cost per thousands and many other factors that are part of our “secret sauce” and our proprietary negotiation. Additionally, we have access to research that provides cost estimates for standard demographic targets across all measured markets.

Understanding your customers make purchasing decisions

To build and track leads & conversions, you need a holistic overview and understanding of your current customers as well as potential customers. At Sleight, we use research information along with years of experience to better define an in-depth understanding of how the target audience searches for products and what information triggers an actual purchase. We use a combination of campaigns across various mediums to ensure that customers are seeing relevant messaging throughout multiple touchpoints. Potential buyers will have different needs depending on their stage in the buyer’s journey. The channels that we choose to advertise across also depends on our targeting metrics.

How do I stay relevant?

Media consumption habits are shifting rapidly and one of the greatest challenges we constantly face is staying relevant to our target audience. The world is changing and so are our customers. Consumers have far more distractions, opportunities, choices and ways to communicate so to stay relevant and engaged we need to make sure we are getting the right information about needs, wants and expectations from our target audience and giving them what they need. Spending time with your customers is crucial as once we’re disconnected, our relevance diminishes. The challenge when it comes to staying relevant is ensuring that we are communicating in ways that are relevant to the market and in the manner, consumers want to connect. We need to spend time where our customers spend time and not only engage our audience but effectively engage our audience.

How should I spend my advertising budget?

The answer to this question depends on the nature of the company, the size of the marketing budget, and the company’s specific goals (i.e. branding, lead generation, website traffic, etc.). While many businesses may need to initially focus on a strong website, search engine optimization, and pay-per-click advertising, which can provide a stronger return on investment than some traditional advertising strategies, the ultimate goal is to have a strong mix of advertising mediums that will support and strengthen each other as the consumer travels down the path from brand awareness to purchase. With the help of television and radio ads, potential customers will be aware of you and, with SEO and PPC and other digital advertising strategies in place, your customers will easily find you, and/or be found by you, when they are closer to making a purchase decision.

What budget do I need for an effective TV or radio campaign?

At Sleight Advertising, we have specific reach and frequency goals that guide us in planning TV and radio campaigns and in advising clients as to a specific spend level. Many factors will influence this amount, including the company’s target demographic, the size of the market they are trying to reach, and unique campaign goals.

What social media platforms does Sleight offer?

Sleight offers management for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. If you are interested in another platform that is not included in this list, feel free to reach out and we’d be happy to discuss if there is an opportunity.

What platforms should I be on?

A lot of business owners believe they should be active on every single social media platform. While the exposure is great, this isn’t necessarily true. It all boils down to who your target audience is and where they spend their time. There’s no sense in putting time and effort into managing a platform if your audience is never there. Our team is happy to perform research and recommend the appropriate social platforms for your business.

What if someone leaves a negative comment on my profile or post?

We’ve got you covered! If you would like us to monitor the comments and engagement on your page or posts, we are happy to handle any negative (or positive) comments. Depending on the severity of the comment, we can either respond on your behalf or completely delete the comment if it is inappropriate.

How comprehensive is Sleight’s social media management?

We’re flexible. We can either handle every single aspect of your social media – from organic posting, to advertising, to engagement monitoring – or we can do more of an al-a-carte approach if you prefer. Some clients like to manage their own organic posting while we run ads on their behalf, or vice versa. Whatever you’d like, we’ll accommodate!

How much does social media management cost?

The cost of social media management varies based on how many platforms you’re on, how involved Sleight is with managing your campaign, if creative services are needed, and many other factors. We have set packages that include organic posting, advertising, monitoring, and reporting, and we also have a “build your own” package where you can choose everything you’d like in your social media campaign.

How do I know if social media is working for my business?

A huge benefit to social media marketing is the fact that each platform offers very detailed analytics. With our monthly reporting, we’ll be able to show you how many people saw your post or ad, how many people clicked or visited your website, who commented, etc. No matter what piece of data you’re looking for, we’ll show you through our detailed reporting and can see how it’s driving your ROI.