Catalyst | Company Book

The recognition and references we’ve garnered along the way

Start with Why

OUR MISSION, VALUES, TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE, AND GOLD STANDARD

Ideas to Open Doors™

STUDENT HOUSING

MULTIFAMILY SENIOR LIVING

MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

Catalyst is an award-winning, Google- and Meta-certified, fullservice branding, digital marketing, and communications agency. Since 2007, our multigenerational research and data-driven approach has generated measurable results. We see ourselves as a strategic partner to each of our clients, and working together with you to create marketing strategies that help you meet your goals is what drives us. We do what we do because we love it, from start to finish, and we strive to show it with every interaction.

Our Mission

We are on a mission to create and promote brands that foster community and add value to people’s lives.

Our Triple Bottom Line

PROFIT PEOPLE PURPOSE

We strive to measure our success as a company by three metrics: profit, people, and purpose. These quantitative aspects can be traced back to our mission statement, and alongside our Gold Standard service principles, help inform the decisions we make as a company — from mental health initiatives to career growth opportunities and finding ways to give back that align with our core values.

WE ARE ON A MISSION TO CREATE AND PROMOTE BRANDS THAT FOSTER COMMUNITY AND ADD VALUE TO PEOPLE’S LIVES.

Our Values

INTEGRITY

We live the Golden Rule, always trying to do the right thing to make our families proud.

INTELLIGENCE

MOJO

We attract and charm others through our success and outlook on life. We take our work, but not ourselves, seriously.

EMPATHY

We listen to those around us and put ourselves in others’ shoes to understand their perspective.

PASSION

We believe that learning is a lifelong endeavor, and we strive to stay ahead through innovations. We desire to do our best, and we never, ever give up.

THE HOUSES

As a way to keep our company values fresh and on the forefront of our minds and work, Catalyst team members are broken out into five separate houses — House of Integrity, House of Intelligence, House of Passion, House of Mojo, and House of Empathy. These teams meet multiple times throughout the year to test their knowledge, compete in fun games (quidditch!?), collaborate on ideas, and provide fresh insight to co-workers they might not interact with on a daily basis. It’s truly magical.

THRIVING RELATIONSHIPS

We live by our values. We center our relationships on clear goals and success definitions. We serve people on good days and bad.

PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

We are proactive, positive, and partnership focused. We build trust and rapport by matching or lifting) tone. We connect through the proper medium efficiently and effectively.

STRATEGIC MARKETING

We drive leads and build brands with our marketing plans. We are compelling thought leaders and qualified educators. We measure, report, and iterate on results to maximize ROI.

POWERFUL CREATIVE

We offer high-quality craftsmanship at every budget level, in every medium. We create original work that evokes emotion and inspires action. We deliver trendforward, award-winning work.

PUNCTUAL DELIVERY

We are on time, every step of the way. We communicate timelines early and often to avoid delays. We go above and beyond to surprise and delight.

IT’S TIME TO HAVE AN ACTUAL CONNECTION WITH YOUR MARKETING AGENCY AGAIN.

When it comes to marketing companies, good isn’t enough anymore. What used to set agencies apart a few years ago — transparency, trends, target audiences, and top-notch creative — are table stakes now.

At Catalyst, we hold ourselves — and our work — to five core standards: thriving relationships, professional communication, strategic marketing, powerful creative, and punctual delivery. These standards drive the best results for our partners, and lead to award-winning work.

THE GOLDIE AWARDS

Given annually to three Catalyst team members and two clients who have exemplified our Gold Standard values in action.

It’s Who You Know

THE INDIVIDUALS AND PROCESSES BEHIND EVERY PROJECT

Leadership Team

Provides strategic and cultural direction that leads us to accomplish our mission, with a focus on triple bottom line results.

Aligns client needs with agency solutions and establishes the foundation for strategic partnerships built around shared values.

Oversees agency project management, billing, and accounting, and ensures Gold Standard service is top of mind.

Oversees agency’s brand and digital strategy teams with a keen focus on thriving relationships.

Upholds our promise to deliver powerful, award-winning creative at every turn, for every client.

Designs and develops the architecture for web platforms and DataLYST™, adding key intelligence to each user experience.

CHRISTY MCFERREN President

THOMAS DEMIRANDA VP of Business Development

LAUREN GOODMAN Creative Director

DANIEL RUSSO Technical Director

MELISSA CORNINE VP of Client Strategy

KATIE DEGUTIS VP of Operations

Our Departments

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Our Business Development team is responsible for identifying and building new business partnerships in the real estate space, including multifamily housing, student housing, senior living, and more.

OPERATIONS TEAM

Our Operations team supports our day-to-day project management, workflows, outreach, billing, and financials so that we ensure maximum satisfaction for our valuable clients.

CREATIVE TEAM

From logo design to print and digital marketing to the latest innovations in social media and lead generation, our Creative team is responsible for the initial concepting, writing, and design of client work.

CLIENT STRATEGY TEAM

Our Client Strategy team is the center point for thriving client relationships through their strategic oversight of both brand and digital strategies. Brand strategists help set the initial direction for a successful new identity and oversee the collateral that follows. Digital strategists focus on driving success for clients by implementing digital services, reporting on results, and implementing innovative approaches to maximize results.

INTERACTIVE TEAM

Our Interactive team strives to create a seamless online experience for our clients — including web design, innovative user experiences, SEO, and more — as well as developing the framework for our DataLYST™ reporting tool.

Our Process

Supported by the Brand Strategy Team

1 PARTNER AND DISCOVER

We gather all necessary information, review your key milestones, outline goals, review your target audiences, discuss differentiators, and outline your challenges.

2 STRATEGIZE AND START

We conduct an in-depth synthesis of market research and leverage that information into a game plan for project strategy, visuals, audiences, and timelines.

3 CONCEPT AND DESIGN

We establish core brand standards, and then use those as a guideline for concepting and creating other brand elements: print collateral, digital campaigns, and more.

KICKOFF CALL SCHEDULE DELIVERED CONCEPTS PRESENTED

4

Supported by the Digital Strategy Team

5

EXECUTE AND IMPLEMENT

We extend those brand standards into the development of a seamless digital presence, including web design, SEO, SEM, SMM, geofencing, and integrated campaigns.

REPORT AND COLLABORATE

We monitor and share your ongoing, real-time results, while collaborating and communicating to fine-tune your messaging and strategy on future deliverables.

LAUNCHES AND DEPLOYMENTS ROUTINE REPORTING CALLS

OWN YOUR RESULTS — AND ENJOY COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY — WITH DATALYST.

Each DataLYST ™ dashboard is linked directly to the data source (Google, Facebook, etc.). The results you see are transparent, allowing our partners to see the real-time performance of every marketing dollar. These dashboards elevate the conversation to strategic discussion based on real-time reporting. Discussions about your data now become collaborative partnership moments, giving you a real connection with your marketing agency again.

Set the Tone

BRAND LAUNCH SERVICES THAT BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

Set Your Brand Up for Success

BRAND DISCOVERY

NAMESTORM ™ AND LOGO DESIGN

BRAND STANDARDS

MARKETING MATERIALS

SIGNAGE

You can’t create an impact with a new development or property relaunch without the foundation of a solid brand. Let us help you craft a brand that tells a story and sets the tone for all your marketing. Then, make a lasting impression with a consistent visual identity across a variety of marketing collateral. Our team takes the time and care to ensure your brand and message are carried consistently through every piece, and your call to action inspires the desired response.

Discovery Process

The Catalyst team will use this phase of the project to understand primary objectives, collect key target opportunities, and identify the marketing tactics that should be used in reaching them. This phase of the project begins with a project kickoff to meet and understand all project stakeholders and roles. Topics discussed during this initial meeting include alignment on goals, review of timeline and deliverables, and more. Once complete, research will move into the next step — an in-person visit to the site, or in instances where travel is not an option, a thorough online discovery.

The Discovery process will result in a comprehensive summary of all findings from the research conducted, including:

• Brand challenges or hurdles (both macro and micro)

• An audit of all current marketing tactics

• A market landscape and competitive analysis

• A competitive set digital analysis (SEO rankings, reputation, messaging, offers)

• Target audience research and data collection

• A collection of anchor business marketing opportunities

• Unit rate assessment and recommendations

• Brand opportunities and next steps

Namestorm™ and Logo Design

Let us help you craft a brand that tells a story, beginning with a name that stands out from the crowd. Our innovative Namestorm™ process dives into every possible detail — from locations and landscape to design treatments and community traditions. After a robust brainstorm of initial ideas, our team then compares each concept against the market to ensure your new identity is one of a kind. Name options will also be initially vetted for viability in the market by conducting search engine research, domain name availability tests, and an informal review of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database.

Catalyst will prepare and present a custom logo concept for each name, allowing you to immediately get a feel for your new identity as a whole. This isn’t just a list of words on paper — it’s a complete brand package. These concepts will be presented to key stakeholders in context with strategic rationale, tagline suggestions, and competitor logos as identified by your team.

Brand Standards and Stock Imagery

Catalyst will develop a comprehensive brand guide — ranging from a few pages to a full book, depending on your needs — to establish core brand standards, including appropriate logo treatments, colors, fonts, and patterns based on market demographics and property appearance. This brand guide will be the cornerstone of the brand and used as a guideline for all expressions of the brand, ranging from the website to social media, digital ads, printed collateral, and even interior design. Once approved, Catalyst will also package and provide all approved assets for use by the on-site team.

Depending on the level of deliverable, Catalyst will also choose a selection of lifestyle stock images as part of the brand standards package. This stock imagery will be chosen in accordance with property demographic information and reflect the colors and mood established in the brand guide.

Marketing Collateral

Make a lasting impression with a consistent visual identity across a variety of marketing collateral, from streamlined business cards to show-stopping brochures. Catalyst will develop a core set of print marketing collateral, ensuring your brand and message are carried consistently through every piece and your call to action inspires the desired response

Services offered include:

• Paper system (business card, letterhead, and envelope)

• Full-page sales sheet

• Half-page flyer

• Pocket folder

• Direct mailer

• Brochure booklet

• Social profile art

Signage

Catalyst can develop a range of permanent signage designs for your brand, including monument signage, wayfinding, and unit labels. We can work directly with a vendor to ensure designs are high-quality, legible, and onbrand, no matter the size or material.

In addition, Catalyst can create temporary signage pieces to promote the new brand and bridge the transition while permanent signage is being replaced, including:

• Construction signs

• A-frames or sandwich boards

• Vinyl wraps

• Fence wraps

• Leasing space signage

• Vertical and horizontal banners

• Pop-up banners

• Bandit signs

• Window and wall clings

Make an Impression

BRAND PRESENCE SOLUTIONS THAT TAKE YOUR MARKETING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Make an Impact with Your Online Presence

TEMPORARY WEBSITES

CUSTOM WEB DESIGN

SEO AND CONTENT STRATEGY REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

LEAD GEN CAMPAIGNS

A digital presence is the first impression most people have with a brand. Your website’s design and functionality are more important than ever before, as is your online reputation and location within search results. From first click to signed contract, we’ll help you craft a digital brand identity that tells a story, shows off your best features, and converts visitors into leads.

Temporary Websites

One-page temporary websites are great options for new starts and websites in transition because they create buzz and excitement while building important brand recognition. These pages serve as an interim website presence while also allowing for lead data collection of potential prospects through a VIP form or similar method. Temporary websites can be used to successfully showcase key branding elements, offers, conversionfocused content, and social media links while a more permanent brand presence is being established.

Once the full site design is complete, the transition from a temporary to a permanent website can be a seamless process for both client and consumer, maintaining a consistent visual standard and all valuable data and functionality.

Custom Website Design

Your company’s website is the central hub for your prospects’ and customers’ interactions with your online brand. Whether you choose to customize a template or create a one-of-a-kind design, your first impression is sure to be a good one. Following ADA and WCAG 2.1 guidelines, Catalyst will create a custom, responsive, and user-friendly website that can include features such as:

• SEO-focused custom copywriting

• Interactive floor plan displays

• Branded location map

• API integrations with all major leasing platforms

• Photo galleries

• Specials/announcement banners

• Contact forms

• Virtual tours

• Instagram integration

• Resident testimonial sliders

Search Engine Optimization

Helping potential customers find your website online through search engine optimization is a critical component of your marketing plan. We take a twofold approach to our SEO formula: technical optimizations on your site and its connections to the outside world, and content strategy and creation. Catalyst will develop a strategy to help you reach more potential customers online and optimize the site to its full potential.

SEO services can include the following:

• Technical optimizations

• Keyword research and optimizations

• Website performance analysis and optimizations

• Local SEO optimization and directory listings in Google, Yelp, and many other platforms

• Tailored content strategy

• Monthly reporting

• Analytics and conversion tracking

• Comprehensive SEO keyword ranking tracking

• Competitor research and tracking

Reputation Management

Your brand is what they say when you aren’t in the room. Online review sites increasingly stand as the gatekeeper determining whether online leads garnered by marketing services will translate to website or in-person traffic where leases are ultimately signed.

Catalyst provides a comprehensive reputation management program spanning more than 200 review platforms. We provide hands-on support to your operations team’s efforts to reinforce best practices and rectify problems while ensuring each review — whether positive, neutral, or negative — receives a customerfriendly response customized and written from scratch in a timely manner. Our team will work with your team to understand the background on any review necessary, and we compose and post every single response for you.

Lead Generation Campaigns

Your audience deserves a tailored approach that speaks to them where they are. Our customizable subscriptions offer flexible media placement options and allow you to maximize your spend budget. Not sure which social platform to focus on? Want to know if geofencing will work for you? Our team will help you pinpoint the best platforms for reaching your prospects — anywhere, anytime.

• Google Search Network

• Google Display Network

• Google Search with Display

• Facebook advertising

• Instagram advertising

• YouTube marketing

• TikTok marketing

• Remarketing

• Geofencing campaigns

• OTT ads/commercials

Check the Credentials

THE RECOGNITION AND REFERENCES WE’VE GARNERED ALONG THE WAY

TRUE TO OUR GOLD STANDARD OF AWARDWINNING WORK, CATALYST HAS WON 50+ AWARDS FOR REAL ESTATE MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS.

We Work with the Best

HERITAGE LAND & DEVELOPMENT

“Since working with Catalyst, I feel that we’ve found a true marketing partner. Their caliber of customer service has raised the bar on high-touch communication. The Catalyst team takes the time and has done a great job of educating our team on various digital marketing strategies and how they will impact our leasing in a tangible way. I know that I can trust the strategies they put forward, and their transparent reporting makes it easy to make realtime adjustments as necessary.”

JASMINE TONEY, TAM RESIDENTIAL

“Catalyst has done an amazing job for the Realco Capital Partners portfolio over the past year! They are constantly tuned into the needs of the properties and are very responsive to those needs. We are thankful to have them as our digital marketing partner.”

BOBBY CHILD, REALCO CAPITAL PARTNERS

“I love working with Catalyst. They have designed our websites that look great and helped so much with our digital marketing through Google and social media. Looking forward to continuing our partnership to benefit our properties’ leasing initiatives. The staff is very friendly, helpful, and responsive, and they consistently contribute new ideas to help our staff market and lease our properties as best as possible.”

STACEY RENNER, LRC CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Go Out on a High Note

FOSTERING COMMUNITY AND ADDING VALUE FAR AND WIDE

THE GOOD MOOD MEDIA™ STUDIO

Good Mood Media™

Stay connected to Catalyst through our two podcasts: Good Mood Marketing™ and The Lone Star Podcast! Sparked by our Gold Standard values, our vision is to offer a unique and optimistic outlook on real estate marketing, agency culture, and really, just life in general. These two flagship podcasts are produced and edited right here in Austin, Texas, under our new media brand, Good Mood Media. Episodes are now available on your favorite streaming platforms.

GOOD MOO D MARKETING ™ PODCAST

Hosted by Christy McFerren, Thomas Demiranda, and Katie Degutis

We believe that marketing, agency culture, new ideas, and finding purpose should put you in a good mood — and our flagship podcast does just that. In a world that can all too often dwell on the negative, join us as we shine some light on the good.

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY AND APPLE PODCASTS

THE LONE STAR PODCAST

Hosted by Mark Renkens

Join us for candid conversations about one-star reviews that may be familiar, funny, fake, fearful, or fantastical. Each special guest will offer their real-world experience and insight — as well as a helpful takeaway or two. If you’ve ever had to answer for a frustrated customer, this is the podcast for you!

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY AND APPLE PODCASTS

The Catalogue Newsletter

The Catalogue is Catalyst’s bimonthly digital newsletter and a publication of Good Mood Media™. Spanning everything from company culture and recent creative work to industry news and editorial takes, The Catalogue gives our clients and partners a behind-the-scenes peek into our work as a full-service marketing agency, including features such as:

• Letters from the President

• Voicing values articles

• Recent case studies and podcast episodes

• Marketing industry updates

• Client award wins

• Long-form interviews

• Portfolio work spotlights

• Gold Standard moments

• Nominations from our team

For-Purpose Partnership Work

At Catalyst, we have set our sights on a triple bottom line — including a strong element of purpose in our work. We believe a team without a higher purpose is just a group of people held together by project deadlines and paychecks. As a result, we regularly poll our team for initiatives they want to give back to — including DEI, women in leadership, local organizations, and more — and then prioritize work for those causes.

One major area of our for-purpose work involves addressing poverty and homelessness as a direct response to our place in the housing and real estate industry. Through collaboration with organizations such as Shelters to Shutters and City on a Hill, our team and community continues to benefit from a sense of shared mission.

The Catalyst Culture

MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES

Mental health is a massive priority at Catalyst. As a result, we’ve intentionally woven it into our work routines and policies — including frequent surveys, roundtable discussions, allotted mental health hours each month, and more.

FRIDAY TEAM CALLS

Each week is capped off with a Friday morning team call — a place to celebrate good news and company updates, discuss weekend plans with each other, and cheer our teammates on.

CONTINUED EDUCATION

Fueled by our core value of intelligence, Catalyst makes learning accessible to all team members through access to webinars, books, conferences, mentorships, and peer coaching.

GOLD STANDARD NOMINATIONS

Each week, team members are encouraged to recognize their peers for Gold Standard-worthy moments — including their communication, decisions, work, and more. These nominations are read aloud during our Friday team calls, allowing the full team to celebrate.

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to our for-purpose work, we make it a priority to give back right here in Austin. From walking events and fundraising to Christmas gifts and hands-on support, we intentionally set aside time to serve our community.

SUPPORTIVE TEAM

At Catalyst, we believe in working together, winning together, and celebrating together. We are always willing to jump in and problem-solve, no matter the project or department. There are no rock stars here — only team players.