Investortools

Challenge

Despite managing a massive portfolio of institutional assets, Investortools’ digital presence felt antiquated and overly technical. A recent acquisition of Merritt Research further fragmented their user experience, creating severe friction for enterprise buyers trying to understand the product suite. Operationally, they had only one dedicated marketing person. I was working directly with their C-suite executives, which meant a core part of my role was actively educating leadership on the tangible business value of branding, information architecture, and optimized user journeys.

Leadership & Strategy

I directed a cross-functional team of 7 (including a PM, Design Lead, Visual Designer, Marketing Strategist, Copywriter, and Developers). Beyond driving the creative direction and UX strategy, I led the project planning and operational oversight across departments to ensure seamless delivery. To secure executive buy-in, we began with intensive, upfront discovery. I personally led a Google Brand Sprint, competitive analysis, customer and stakeholder interviews, and a dedicated discovery workshop. These qualitative insights drove all subsequent design decisions.

We discovered that enterprise buyers weren't looking for a dense list of features; they wanted clarity. We made the strategic bet to reposition them as "financial software with a human approach," intentionally simplifying their complex architecture into solution-driven pathways.

Execution

• Brand Strategy & Design System: Led a foundational brand evolution. We built a comprehensive design system that their team still leverages today, extending our work across multiple mediums, including physical trade show booths.
• Brand Messaging & Story: Shifted the narrative focus to speak directly to executive buyers rather than just end-users. By elevating the messaging from granular credit analysis features to portfolio-wide efficiency and institutional confidence, we repositioned their highly technical software as a strategic business asset for the C-suite.
• Product Sub-Branding: Developed a clear sub-branding architecture and logo system to unify their diverse products, which previously had disjointed or non-existent branding.
• Information Architecture: Reorganized 8 complex product structures into intuitive drop-downs, significantly reducing cognitive load and friction.

Impact & Reflection

• +50% Increase in Sustained Conversions: The redesigned user experience and targeted messaging resulted in a massive 50% sustained increase in key conversions during the first full year post-launch.
• +57% Growth in Total Traffic: Post-launch, the new site architecture helped secure and hold a much larger audience, driving a 57% increase in total user visits compared to the pre-launch baseline.
• Streamlined UX: The new design drove higher conversion rates despite fewer total pageviews, proving that users found high-value information faster without needing to hunt for it.
• Modernized an Industry Leader: Successfully launched a new visual identity and digital presence that matched their status as a premium software leader, gaining full buy-in from historically conservative stakeholders.
• Ongoing Partnership: The trust established during this foundational work evolved into a long-term relationship. We continue to support them today with web insights, creative services, and marketing consulting.