Leap Works is a results-driven web design and branding agency based in New Hampshire, United States. Founded by Bret Carmichael, a seasoned problem solver, trainer, agile coach, and designer, the agency strives to deliver impactful solutions that drive revenue growth for clients. In this case study, we hear from Bret about how InstaWP has enabled Leap Works to deliver higher-quality websites in less time.
About Leap Works
Bret Carmichael has worked at Fortune 100 companies and led lean agile software delivery and DevOps teams; he started Leap Works to offer his expertise to various customers to help them achieve growth targets.
Key services:
- Creating brand positions and identities that resonate with a brand’s target market and customers
- Building attractive websites that are fast and optimized with SEO best practices, have good UX, and clear calls-to-action so that users won’t feel any friction
- Connecting businesses to their customers through various communication channels and good search engine results
- Solving different business problems, such as getting a lower acquisition cost and increasing customer lifetime value
What problem were you trying to solve when you first considered InstaWP?
We make high-converting, optimized websites with excellent UX that tells the brand’s story.
And while each website is different for every client, my agency already has a list of recommended software that we usually install to make it run better. However, to secure client approval for the proposed design changes, we needed a demo site where our clients could preview and test the solution.
Making a test site is time-consuming, though. I needed a way to reduce the time required to deploy WordPress development sites and install necessary plugins, those too easily accessible via the web.
When Did You First Hear About InstaWP?
Part of what I do in Leap Works is active social listening. And I listen for tech stuff on Twitter, and that’s where I found people talking about InstaWP as an excellent WordPress Sandbox builder. I had to check it out for myself.
How did you evaluate InstaWP and competitors before making a purchase decision?
I was already using other tools in the past to manage test environments. They were more convenient than manually installing WordPress, but InstaWP’s higher level of convenience was the game-changer for me. After I tried the personal plan, I just had to upgrade!
I can confidently say that InstaWP is a must-have for any WordPress agency, large or small!
Bret, Leap Works
How do you use InstaWP daily?
I use InstaWP to build test sites for my clients to try out. As I mentioned earlier, I love the convenience of having a template for making these new sites. And in case I want or need to make staging or test sites, I love how fast InstaWP spins out ones.
Oh, and one thing I love is being able to test plugins. See, some plugins add tables to the WordPress database that don’t disappear even when you remove the plugins. With InstaWP, at least, I find out what bugs I need to fix before making an actual website.
What specific features of InstaWP do you find most valuable?
I love how InstaWP makes a test WordPress site almost instantly. I also like its Templates features, so I don’t have to keep installing the same plugins in all test websites – I can make one based on a test site I’ve done before.
It’s also amazing that InstaWP produces websites that I can tweak to my taste with various site tools and editors. I can even view the website’s errors like an accurate WP site.
Have you experienced any challenges while using InstaWP, and if so, how did you overcome them?
To be honest, I find InstaWP pretty easy to use. I appreciate that you update it regularly. For example, the recent update has made it easier to migrate InstaWP to production hosts and make cPanel environment management tools less sticky for their convenience.
How much time do you or your team save daily by using InstaWP?
We reduce the time spent setting up sites, migrating them, and experimenting with them. So I estimate that we save around 5 hours for each site we develop.
Can you share specific results or metrics demonstrating the impact InstaWP has had on your business?
That time saved that I mentioned? That all affects the bottom line of my agency. And I bet the hours I save will increase over time as I continue to exploit more of InstaWP’s capabilities.
And the more hours I save, the more positive impact I’ll have on my clients, and the more I’ll make in the long run.
How do you see InstaWP fitting into your long-term business strategy?
All my new projects and development testing start on InstaWP. It’s “THE” go-forward infrastructure for my agency. I now deploy templates in seconds, not hours.
With customizable URLs, I deliver personalized, high-touch services to clients. The client experiences feel top-shelf, start to finish. This would never have been possible without InstaWP, so I’m sticking with it for a long time.
Would you recommend InstaWP to other businesses, and if so, why?
Oh, definitely. InstaWP adds margins to my agency. The low subscription investment returns a high amount of value to my business.
I can confidently say that InstaWP is a must-have for any WordPress agency, large or small!
Conclusion
Bret has nothing but good things to say about InstaWP, and now considers it a core part of his long-term business strategy and development workflow for Leap Works. He’s saved time and delivers a better and faster experience for his many customers. What’s not to love, right?
And if you’re an agency that wants to enjoy the same thing, what are you waiting for? Sign up for an InstaWP account today and experience the convenience it brings you and your clients.
