In early 2022, AnchoRock, a young technology start-up based in San Diego, California, headed by co-founder and CEO, Taylor Thorn, had its sights set on growing the business and becoming a premier construction safety software company in a market lacking options.

Being a small team of about 5 employees, they faced a series of pressing challenges that threatened to impede AnchoRock’s growth and scalability. The startup grappled with a significant shortage of human capital, sales and marketing experience, and time, constraining their ability to expand and innovate.

On top of that, the absence of a compelling online presence meant that AnchoRock struggled to get in front of potential customers and investors, marking an even steeper uphill battle for market penetration.

These obstacles underscored an urgent need for strategic intervention from a marketing partner with a deep understanding of b2b startups. They needed to not only elevate AnchoRock’s digital footprint, but also chart a path towards achieving an initial market share and attracting the attention of venture capital firms for a potential acquisition.

In this case study, we’ll discuss the challenges faced by AnchoRock and why they chose a SaaS content marketing agency like Estes Media to be their complete digital marketing agency on the journey to their acquisition by KPA.

Construction and Technology Expertise: Estes Media has unique expertise in both technology and construction, something rarely found in the digital marketing space. Taylor Thorn believed the crossroads of talents would be crucial in developing successful marketing strategies.

Full-Service Approach: Estes Media offered AnchoRock a comprehensive suite of services, including content creation, advertising, social media management, email campaigns, and website development, all with measurable KPIs.

Flexibility: Estes Media’s experience in technology start-ups meant they knew when and how to pivot and make adjustments to better serve their clients, making the reallocation of resources on the fly a breeze.

Communication and Understanding: For AnchoRock, the ability to meet daily or weekly with their marketing team was not an option. They needed a team they could trust to execute a shared vision with minimal supervision, acting as an extension of the company.

The most significant impact of AnchoRock’s partnership with Estes Media was the dramatic increase in inbound leads, attributable to a revamped website and targeted SEO efforts. This validated the company’s value to its customers as well as played a crucial role in the business’s success and its eventual acquisition by KPA in late 2023. By developing and growing AnchRock’s other digital channels, namely social media, email campaigns, and public relations, Estes Media was able to increase brand recognition and nurture additional streams for lead generation.

Estes Media refined AnchoRock’s go-to-market-strategy, making sure to accentuate the benefits that came with the construction industry’s custom safety compliance across all of their channels. Founder and CEO, Taylor Thorn credits Estes Media with delivering a top-to-bottom digital marketing experience that felt like they had hired a full-time marketing guru to help grow their business. Throughout the engagement, the AnchoRock team learned just how valuable a digital content marketing agency was for them.