Founded on a passion for analyzing business models and digital marketing, Nakima Digital is an Italian web marketing agency that helps small businesses fine-tune their communication and acquisition strategies to drive better-performing sales funnels. Data is a core element of this work. When looking for a business dashboard to aggregate and visualize data from different sources, Nakima found 9Spokes. The company uses the 9Spokes business tracker to share simplified visualizations of otherwise complex metrics with clients. We spoke to Nakima’s founder Michele Valentinuz to learn how he’s growing his business with 9Spokes.
A well-crafted digital communications strategy drives impact. It ensures you invest strategically in activities that advance your business goals — whether they're raising brand awareness, increasing lead volume and sales, or building a loyal and engaged customer base.
Of course, there are some universal pillars to an effective communications strategy. Nakima Digital focuses on three areas: identifying the target audience, building the customer acquisition funnel, and increasing relevance with targeted content.
Focusing on sustainable business growth, the team works closely with its business clients on differentiation, lead generation, and skills development.
Getting to know Nakima Digital
Tell us about your business, Michele. What does Nakima do?
Nakima develops web strategies for lead generation and conversion. We’re passionate about analyzing business models, understanding the ideal target audience, and building funnels around that audience using the power of content and online advertising.
When did you start Nakima? What motivated you?
I started my business in 2017 after stepping back from the previous company I founded with three other partners. It had been quite a stressful year. Leaving gave me the capacity to hone my skills in lead generation, funnel marketing, and defining customer personas.
I immersed myself in some instrumental courses taught by Aaron Fletcher, Ryan Leveque, Wilco de Kreij, Shane Melaugh, and others. These armed me with the skills and confidence necessary to start my freelance business. Self-training, I think, is the key to overcoming challenging times!
The customer acquisition challenge
Speaking of challenges, what are the biggest challenges you face in your business?
The main challenge for me is customer acquisition, which seems paradoxical considering that my business centers around lead generation! When speaking with potential clients, I meet companies and entrepreneurs who don't feel the need to undertake lead generation through digital communications.
They often view their websites as just an online brochure, so my funneling and lead generation services are not a top priority. Maintaining messaging that attracts sweet spot customers while crafting a compelling value proposition for the naysayers is key.
Attracting the right customers — and customer acquisition in general — is a common challenge for small businesses. How are you tackling this?
The services we provide target other small businesses and those starting up. I'm focusing on developing educational content that explains the benefits of lead generation and funnel marketing.
I also run webinars — covering areas such as web marketing and budget limitations — and I’ve participated in a few speaking engagements, more recently speaking at SMAU Milano’s event on lead generation. The culmination of these efforts is slowly increasing the indexing of my website, which is positive.
Simplifying business data
When did 9Spokes come into the mix?
I found 9Spokes on Google. I was looking for a business dashboard that would help me aggregate and visualize data from different sources. While I can use it in my own business, I found the concept particularly attractive for showing summary data to my customers to avoid jumping between different apps.
9Spokes provides a simplified visualization of otherwise complex metrics that can be shared with clients
For the most part, my clients are small companies or freelancers in the startup stage. So, while apps like Google Analytics and Facebook are wonderful to use, the data and insights they provide are often too complex. That’s where 9Spokes comes in. It provides a simplified visualization of otherwise complex metrics that can be shared with clients.
In my view, significant metrics must be simple. There is a gap that separates the consultant from the client, and it often centers on technology. If you present complicated analytics to a client, they can feel overwhelmed, lose the desire to monitor data altogether, and ultimately, miss a critical opportunity to improve their business.
Targeted and digestible metrics are useful for me to help clients understand how their business’ marketing is performing. This way, I can also help educate clients and bridge the skill gap to facilitate their growth. 9Spokes is a wonderful tool to help achieve this.
Interesting! Did you have any reservations about 9Spokes?
No, not really. I remember that I contacted customer success at 9Spokes early on for information, and they were very kind and helpful. This aspect left a very good impression on me, and I was happy to try it out.
What impact has 9Spokes had on your business? Where are you finding the most value?
The platform is very convenient because it tracks and displays key metrics from different sources in one place, so I don’t have to open specific apps as often. It addresses a key productivity problem that many business owners face, I think. Constantly checking various apps and systems — such as Google Analytics and Facebook — can be extremely time-consuming.
It saves me time and helps me stay focused on the most significant aspects of my business. The platform displays key metrics from different sources in one place
With 9Spokes, I can see highlights of all these activities through a single pane of glass. It saves me time and helps me stay focused on the most significant aspects of my business. I’m looking forward to creating multiple boards so I can manage different areas of my business and, potentially, even various clients, all from one place!
Planning for the future
What's next for Nakima?
My main goal is to continue growing my website to reach an audience interested in lead generation. More traffic for me means more chances of finding customers.
I’m also focused on increasing my social media activity, especially through LinkedIn, to create meaningful professional relationships. Lastly, I’m excited to start creating some online courses to educate small businesses on how to scale — helping businesses to grow and increasing the profitability of my skills and services. Watch this space!
Thanks so much for your time, Michele! It sounds like an exciting future for you and your business! We appreciate you sharing Nakima’s story.
It was my pleasure. I hope my business story can help others and that the downloads, online courses, and digital marketing tools available on my website aid in inspiring and educating entrepreneurs worldwide.
Small business readers interested in Nakima’s digital marketing services (such as omnichannel lead generation strategies and customer persona creation) can visit Nakima's website for more information.
To book a digital coaching session with Michele, reach out to Nakima.