Inside NPS Design Studio with Founder Christy Smith

As the founder and president NPS Design Studio in Springfield, Missouri, Christy Smith has spent nearly two decades helping businesses large and small grow through creative branding, strategic marketing, and expert Wix and WordPress web development services. In this Q&A, we spoke with Christy about the history and evolution of NPS, the changing digital marketing landscape, and where the industry is headed next.

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Let’s start at the beginning. Can you share a little about the history of NPS Design Studio and what inspired you to start the business?

A. NPS Design Studio opened its doors in 2008 after my family’s business shut down following 30 successful years. The closure was largely due to the economy at the time and major changes in our industry. I had worked there for 22 years, serving as VP of Marketing and Design, and when it came to an end, I decided to take everything I had learned and launch a business focused on graphic design, website design, and outstanding customer service.

To set myself apart from large agencies (and I say “myself” because it was just me in the beginning), I offered competitive, cutthroat pricing on my services. Right out of the gate, I landed a major account designing and coding email creatives for an internet marketing company in Kansas City. It went so well that they offered me a full-time job… which I accepted. I worked there for about a year and a half while continuing to grow my business, and I learned a ton about internet marketing during that time.

Over the years, my services expanded to include web development, branding, search engine optimization (SEO), reputation management, social media, print marketing, and digital marketing services, along with compliance policies and accessibility services (which I’m certified in).

My team also grew. Around 2010, I started collaborating with my friend Steve Scearce, who specializes in content strategy and SEO. We’ve worked on countless projects together, and to this day, he manages all of our on-page SEO services, blog writing, social media content, SEO reporting, and more.

In 2018, I added Google Ads services to our offerings by partnering with Jubilant Digital. In 2023, I hired Gretchan Pudliner as our Admin/Marketing Manager (she’s taken so much off my plate!). We also work with Brent Edwards, a fantastic web developer. He’s currently a contractor, but I hope to bring him on full time by the end of the year.

Seventeen years later, as of April 2025, we’re stronger than ever, and now when I say “we,” it’s real!

Q. Over the years, how has NPS evolved to meet the changing needs of your clients, especially small businesses and startups?

A. Great question! Over the years, NPS has really honed in on the services most appreciated by the clients we work with, especially small businesses. What works for one company doesn’t always work for another, and I’ve learned to focus on what I do best and partner with others for the rest. For example, I discovered I don’t enjoy running paid social media campaigns, but I have a partner who’s fantastic at it. I also don’t have time to write website copy, but my good friend Steve Scearce at KCWMS does!

But I digress! As we all know, websites and how they’re built change constantly. When I built my first website in 1994, I used a program called NetObjects Fusion. It worked really well and allowed us to do some custom coding. From there, we moved on to fully custom-coded websites using ColdFusion, and later PHP, which is still the backbone of WordPress today. These days, website builders and content management systems (CMS) are the norm. There are a lot of options: Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, Duda, Webflow, WordPress, and many more.

Lately, we’ve been building a lot of database-driven or dynamic sites. These are sites that build pages on the fly from a database using page templates. You set up one template, upload your data, and the system generates as many pages as you need based on that data.

And then there’s SEO and social media. SEO developed gradually over time. Websites have always been about marketing to your ideal audience, but as thousands (and then millions) of websites came online, reaching that audience got more difficult. That’s where SEO came in and eventually paid marketing too. Paid marketing is pretty straightforward: you pay for leads, and platforms such as Google send people to you.

SEO is more complex. In the early days, it was mostly about keyword placement and manipulation, but that has changed considerably over the years. Today, SEO is focused on improving user experience through high-quality content, intuitive site architecture, reputation management and on-page optimization. Keywords have become long-tail and location-specific, backlinks are now more valuable when they’re industry-specific, and website content must be carefully planned section by section, page by page. Metadata for both static and dynamic pages is essential. If you’re using a website builder, you also need to make sure SEO tools are available for all apps tied to your products or services. There’s a lot to it! And now, SEO reporting is also a major part of the picture, and it continues to evolve.

Social media, honestly, is both a huge challenge and a blessing for marketing agencies. Who would have guessed, back in the MySpace days, that social media would turn into the marketing platform it is today? Now, if your business isn’t consistently active on social media, you risk missing out on valuable opportunities. Even that landscape is shifting. Platforms like Facebook are becoming saturated with ads, while others are getting more creative. On video platforms, influencers are now telling us what to buy. Who knows what’s next?

Q. NPS offers a wide range of services, from branding and web design to SEO and content strategy. What’s your approach to helping clients choose the right mix of services for their goals?

A. It’s important to listen. My dad, who was a successful salesman and business owner, always said, “Be interested, not interesting.” That reshaped the way I approach conversations with clients. If you listen carefully, they’ll tell you what they need. From there, I can start mapping out how we can deliver those things and help them achieve success.

We also believe in educating our clients. Everything starts with a Discovery Meeting, which we record using an AI tool. We then drop the transcript into another AI tool to help us outline not just what the client says they want, but also what they may actually need.

The final proposal often looks different from that initial conversation, but that evolution happens in collaboration with the client. We work closely with them and guide them toward the solutions we know will have the most impact. And even then, strategies change over time. Not every marketing approach works for every client, and that’s okay!

Q. NPS has quietly become a go-to partner for other marketing and design agencies. What kind of support do you offer to agencies, and why do you think those partnerships work so well?

A. Working with other agencies is fun! We offer whatever support they need most. Just like I outsource some of our SEO and digital marketing, other agencies do the same… in fact, most of them do. It’s how we all deliver the best of the best.

Some of the services we provide to agencies include SEO, UI/UX design, graphic design, business branding and logo design, website development, and reputation management. Our support allows agencies to focus on what they do best while we help fill in the gaps. It’s a win for everyone.

We also offer white-label services when needed, including joining Zoom meetings as part of their team. We’re always happy to step in and act as an agent of the agency we’re supporting!

Q. For business owners who feel overwhelmed by digital marketing, what advice would you give them about where to start and how to build momentum?

A. Digital marketing is overwhelming, and we have clients reaching out daily who don’t know where to start. Maybe they’ve built their website, but now what? Did they do it right? When will the people come and do the thing they want them to do?

We help put together strategies for recommended marketing efforts and can often automate many of the everyday tasks they’re spending too much time on. For example, when a client comes to us because their website isn’t getting traffic, almost every time it turns out they’ve skipped the basics: verifying the site with Google Search Console, setting up Google Analytics, or creating a Google Business Profile. Many also aren’t familiar with metadata, such as meta-titles, descriptions, and clean URLs, which are critical for visibility and probably weren’t set up properly.

On top of that, you have to connect all of these tools to the website, run basic SEO and accessibility checks, and so much more. If you want this done right, have a professional review what you already have in place. And don’t be afraid to pay for a meeting if it saves you time, money, and confusion.

If you’re on Wix, work with a Wix Partner who can train you on the marketing CRM and everything that’s available to you. If you’re on WordPress, work with someone who can ensure your site is compliant and secure. And no matter what platform you're using, whether it's Webflow, Squarespace, Shopify, or another website builder, there are experienced professionals and agency partners available to help. Most platforms offer directories or partner programs designed to connect you with a support professional, so you don’t have to tackle the problem all alone.

In conclusion, reaching out to an agency for help isn’t just a service, it’s an investment in your business, and it frees you up to focus on what you do best.

Q. What are some of the most common mistakes you see small businesses make with their branding or web presence, and how does NPS help fix them?

A. Even today, most businesses still have the mentality of, “Build it and they will come.” That might work in the movies, but in real life it does not. Your brand and website are the visual identity of your business. Your website is also an extension of your business, and it has to evolve and expand along with you.

If you don’t have a marketing strategy in place, then you’re essentially handing your competition opportunities. The businesses that succeed are the ones with strategies… and yes, they’re watching you.

At NPS, we help ensure your brand stays consistent and cohesive across everything: social media, blogs, printed collateral, and of course, your website. We work with you to set schedules, define goals, and build smart strategies to help you grow.

Q. You recently launched a fully redesigned NPS website and continue to expand your service offerings. What part of that growth are you most proud of?

A. I’m proud that even though we’ve doubled year over year for four years in a row, we’ve stayed focused on what works best for us. We’ve actually let go of a few things we used to offer because we didn’t have the bandwidth to do them well. Staying focused on the services that bring clients back month after month (or year after year) is what drives our success.

Residual income is something every business wants, and it’s been a core focus for us for several years. Building a new website was a big step for 2025. This year is already outperforming last year, and I know the new site has helped us put our best foot forward and close more business. In the end, it comes down to consistent strategies, thoughtful planning, and adapting to the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.

Q. AI is changing the digital landscape quickly. What role do you think AI will play in the future of digital marketing, and how is NPS adapting to that shift?

A. AI is here to stay, and while there are plenty of mixed feelings about it, when it comes to automating tasks and making your work life more efficient, it’s phenomenal. At NPS, we use AI to respond to all of our reviews and to automate our initial outreach emails when prospective clients contact us through the website.

Having an AI webchat has been a game-changer. It can answer basic questions, direct visitors to book a meeting, provide contact info, and help people find the right service page or product. It saves time so your team can stay focused on what they do best, and we can set it all up for you.

Most of the services we offer now include AI features in some form, and we’d love to show you how to put them to work for your business!

Q. What makes working with NPS different from hiring a freelancer or a large agency?

A. Freelancers are great, but some tend to disappear, leaving clients with unfinished projects. That’s often because they have to take on a full-time job to make ends meet. Freelancing is hard… I should know, because that’s how I started. In the beginning, I worked a couple of full-time jobs while building my business until I could finally dedicate myself to it full time. Honestly, things didn’t really start to change until I made that commitment.

More than anything else, what sets us apart from a large agency is what we charge. We offer the same agency services to our clients, but as our old tagline used to say: “Big agency services, without the price tag.” These days, our tagline is “Design and Conquer.” Why? Because that’s exactly what we help our clients do… start with great design and go on to conquer their market!

Q. What’s next for NPS Design Studio? Are there any new tools, services, or innovations you’re especially excited about?

A. What’s next? More AI! We’re continuing to build out our reputation management services, which are all powered by artificial intelligence. This is a key SEO service for strengthening your presence on Google. We’d love to show you how our tools can help automate reviews, social media posting, lead tracking, surveys, competitor analytics, and more.

We’ll also be using AI in new ways to help with scheduling, pulling data like email lists, setting reminders, tracking new leads, and even responding to leads until we can follow up personally. And we’ve got a few surprises in store, including new service offerings geared toward a couple of industries we work in often. Stay tuned!

Want to learn more about how NPS can support your business? Let’s find out! Reach out to NPS Design Studio and set up a discovery meeting. We’d love to hear from you!

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