SoMe Connect is the Chicago digital marketing agency building online brands for companies of all sizes. Simply put, they make it easy for their clients to be online engaged with their audiences and drive new traffic.
Aalap Shah and Madhavi Rao, the brains behind SoMe Connect, are the two digital marketing leaders that have put the Chicago agency on the map. They were even recognized by a fellow Chicago agency as a local marketing influencer they most admired. People continue to sing the praises of the independent agency. See what all the commotion is about!
Inside SoMe Connect
In Chicago Since: 2011
Core Services: Digital Marketing
# of Employees: 9
1. Their origin story…
Yes, our agency was founded by two friends who came from very different professional backgrounds. Madhavi Rao was a consultant at Deloitte and Aalap Shah was also at Deloitte, but with a background in financial accounting. Both were entrepreneurial and watched the online marketing industry evolve from the “other side” in professional services. This different perspective lead to opening up a digital marketing agency that was born from an acute understanding of business needs. The competition has often evolved over time from traditional marketing channels, missing the boat on what really makes a business need and see value in online marketing.
2. What you’ll find inside:
On the 5 th floor of our office, we have a rotating beer top featuring and spotlighting local beers.
3. The meaning of #agencylife…
Our office is very different in that it let’s employees decide what’s most important to them. Rather than us deciding that bean bag chairs and hot lunch are “perks,” we let each person define what they need to succeed. Sometimes it’s flex time, sometimes it’s a certain kind of technology – we are open to anything that allows talented people to apply themselves everyday.
“Don’t exist in your space, own it.”
Chicago Creative
4. Why SoMe Connect loves CHI Town:
The “neighborhood” feel that lends itself to rich experiences (food and culture) and the diversity.
5. National campaign SoMe Connect is proudest of:
Potbelly Sandwiches came to SoMe Connect hoping to tap into these emerging mobile preferences to highlight its ‘Skinny’ sandwiches and mac and cheese products. In the first year, SoMe increased awareness of these products by more than 100 percent on three social platforms. SoMe created a microsite to capture email subscribers and pumped-up Potbelly’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter presence. Over the life of the program, SoMe’s efforts captured more than 20,000 valid marketing emails and each social page increased engagement by at least two-fold.
6. Most admired Chicago brands:
bethie b., Citizen Made, Do Rite Donuts, Flowers for Dreams, ShiftGig, SpotHero
7. Most admired influencer in Chicago:
Jim Jacoby, MYTSQ & Nicholas Kinsport, Notice Agency
8. The best restaurant in Chicago:
Butterfly Sushi
“When you target your social ad to a list of engaged emails, you’re 30 to 50 percent more likely to convert. Build an engagement machine to feed this list.”
– Aalap Shah, Co-Founder
Partners in Crime
9. What they do for their clients:
We create and distribute engaging content to the best audience.
10. Want to work with SoMe Connect? This is what they look for in potential partners…
- Mindful of the value of online marketing.
- Have a specific problem to solve.
- Responsive and active within our engagement.
11. Clients love SoMe Connect because…
We work to drive momentum and traction. We listen and learn from each other and our partners. We are honest and straightforward and deliver on our promises. We are family centric and our business interactions are respectful of work-life balance.
12. Who they helped:
Byram Healthcare, Ocean Tomo, Vantaggio HR, Transunion, Medcor, Potbelly Sandwiches, Apollo Education, Hammacher Schlemmer, Bar Louis, Belgravia Group, Yum!, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU), Famous Dave’s
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