"Eight years of learning together, growing together, and building something awesome together. We love celebrating every single achievement."

Mastello x Brandfirm

We’ve worked with Sophie, Mark, and Nicoline from Mastello since 2014. A close collaboration, where we get together often to celebrate our successes. And when a client compares you to top athletes competing at the Olympics, you know you've got it right (see our final question). Read below how we moved forward together.

What problem did you want to solve by choosing Brandfirm, Sophie?

Sophie: "Mastello started out selling teak furniture, solid surface sinks, and wash basins. Later, we added black taps. Because we were one of the first companies in the Netherlands to sell these, they pretty much sold themselves, but we slowly started noticing more competition. To stay ahead of our competitors, we wanted to strengthen our position within the market, reach new potential buyers within our target audience, and increase our brand awareness. For this, we turned to Brandfirm for help. That was eight years ago and we’re still working together to this day."

How did you approach the problem, Kevin, what was the strategy?

Kevin: "We started eight years ago with a focus on SEO. The goal was simple: we wanted to rank #1 for the search term 'black taps'. As Sophie mentioned, there was very little competition back then and demand was on the rise, as black taps were an emerging trend. That worked out well right away! Then we added Google Ads (AdWords back then) to our services and that's also when I joined Mastello. Besides the excellent SEO results, we also boosted visibility and sales through Search Ads and Shopping. At first for products like black taps and colored taps, but later on, we added solid surface furniture and teak furniture.

What we noticed was that the trend for black taps had stabilized and competition was growing. Because Mastello (and the Meir brand) were not yet that well-known, our search engine strategy was not hitting the mark. The conversion rate decreased and competition increased. We started losing in terms of pricing.

Three years ago, Sophie and I started working together more closely. We went back to their roots: being a frontrunner in trends. We made sure we had a unique offer across all online channels and worked together to make the Mastello (and Meir) brand bigger. We wanted the product to be more top-of-mind for people so that they developed brand preferences. At the same time, we put more focus on attracting visitors to the showroom, because you don't just buy a bathroom sight unseen. People want to see and feel the products. At the showroom, there's also plenty of time to ask questions, create mood boards together, etc. That’s how we help people get the complete package; a stylish, fully equipped bathroom.

We mapped out the customer journey and linked Mastello's brand and products to it. We also continue to distinguish between different target groups and address them differently. Mastello has a target group of consumers, but also a B2B side with stylists, contractors, architects, and plumbers we want to reach.

Meanwhile, we also work a lot with DRIIVN, a social media agency that does email marketing, social ads, and posting. We pulled everything together into one strategy, focusing on SEO, Google Ads, conversion optimization, and content. This way, everything comes together."

Sophie, can you tell us about your experience with Brandfirm so far?

Sophie: "It’s been great! What I enjoy is that you guys are proactive. You don't just come running when I say, "There's a problem, how do we solve it?" There's always proactive thinking and that makes you guys unique. Ultimately, you’ve also helped me to continue to develop on a personal level. We learn together, grow together, and build something great together. Because there are so many and such quick developments, I can't always keep up with everything, and I love that you keep up-to-date with those developments.

You’re also not afraid to experiment. It's not all boxed-off or conservative. If it doesn't work, that’s okay, because at least we tested it. And if it does work, we know exactly what to do and we’ve struck gold. That's also marketing: learning what not to do, then using that to plot the course.

At the same time, I feel like I can let go. Every specialist is knowledgeable about their field and on top of things. The customer journey has become increasingly important, but also more complex. That is why it’s important we have synergy within the different areas of expertise. Otherwise, you’re missing the mark. That's why it's great that we’ve drawn up a clear strategy together with Kevin.

And last but not least: you’re my friends. When I come to your office, I think: yes, I look forward to this, it's fun."

And what’s your experience, Kevin?

Kevin: "After all those compliments, of course, I can't fall behind now, haha. Sophie gives us plenty of space, trust, and input from Mastello, allowing us to flourish together. Her positive attitude, aimed at growing together, keeps the team super motivated and productive.

On top of that, working together is just great fun. We have regular drinks together and laugh a lot during our meetings. Last year, Mastello gave us a keychain, symbolizing our friendship: BFF x Mastello."

Sophie, what would you say to people considering Brandfirm?

Sophie: "If there were an Olympics for marketing agencies, Brandfirm would deserve to win the gold.

The specialists are top athletes, who individually but also as a team, understand their craft and encourage each other to grow as people and as a business.

A mentality they manage to convey to their customers, proactively and full of enthusiasm. Driven by intrinsic motivation, they stay on top of fast-changing developments in the market and operate as a team to deliver their best performance for their customers.

For me personally, it is a very valuable collaboration, where there's not only hard work but also room to play. Do I recommend working with Brandfirm? YES (wholeheartedly)."