As we all know, last Thursday was the official release of the infamous iPhone 4, complete with new features, such as FaceTime and multitasking. People camped overnight, stood in long lines, and even missed work to buy this hot commodity. All day long, I was surrounded by talk of the new phone on Twitter, Facebook, the news, and chit chat between friends. But amongst all of the hype, I started thinking about all the commercial commodities that have been popular throughout my own life. Some of the things that came to mind were Furbys, Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, Harry Potter books, Halo, Backstreet Boys CD's, etc. Then, I asked myself what do all of these have in common? They are all physical, tangible products, and all of them have generated a "raving fan" following.
In recent years, most businesses have transitioned into the service industry, even if there is a product component to their business. Service, in layman terms, is intangible work completed for the benefit of others, and I would venture to say that it is harder to create the "raving fan" mentality for a service as opposed to a product. In the last week, we have seen the raving fan mentality with the iPhone 4, and it is just as much a service as it is a product, even if the product component is what initially rives the customer to your service. So how do you create the "raving fan" if you're in the service industry? Here are some ideas:
1. Provide a quality product.
It doesn't matter if you have great service if you don't have a quality product to back it up. For example, as a website design company in Indianapolis, we have to give our customers not only an aesthetically pleasing website, but one that fits the client's web based strategy. The final product is what the client is going to see and use every day, so creating the product with care and precision will ensure client satisfaction.
2. Provide exceptional customer service.
This might seem obvious, but you won't retain clients without giving them a reason to stay with your business. Respond to your client's emails/calls quickly, ask questions about what they need, give them all the information they need to make an informed decision, and work with them to give them what they want without sacrificing your business. It is your job to make your clients happy without giving up your ideals, as well as producing a return on investment for each project.
3. Execute and represent an effective brand.
Clients want to be able to identify with a brand when deciding on who to use for a service. A well-defined brand is one of your greatest marketing tools if executed properly. If you say you're a "green" company, practice environmentally safe policies. Do as you say and say what you do.
4. Provide value by advertising your clients' products/services (B2B).
Instead of just marketing for your brand, feature your clients in blog posts, or mention them to your social media community. By doing this, you can provide extra value for both you and your client. It helps promote their brand and services while enhancing your testimonials and portfolio.
5. Give back to your community.
Whether it be a national corporation or a small business, people are more attached to businesses that provide their communities with resources and a helping hand. It's a way of showing that you care about the people who have contributed to your business.
These tips might seem simple and obvious, but it's important to revisit the basics of what makes a customer drawn to your brand. You want raving fans? Provide them with raving fan business!
In recent years, most businesses have transitioned into the service industry, even if there is a product component to their business. Service, in layman terms, is intangible work completed for the benefit of others, and I would venture to say that it is harder to create the "raving fan" mentality for a service as opposed to a product. In the last week, we have seen the raving fan mentality with the iPhone 4, and it is just as much a service as it is a product, even if the product component is what initially rives the customer to your service. So how do you create the "raving fan" if you're in the service industry? Here are some ideas:
1. Provide a quality product.
It doesn't matter if you have great service if you don't have a quality product to back it up. For example, as a website design company in Indianapolis, we have to give our customers not only an aesthetically pleasing website, but one that fits the client's web based strategy. The final product is what the client is going to see and use every day, so creating the product with care and precision will ensure client satisfaction.
2. Provide exceptional customer service.
This might seem obvious, but you won't retain clients without giving them a reason to stay with your business. Respond to your client's emails/calls quickly, ask questions about what they need, give them all the information they need to make an informed decision, and work with them to give them what they want without sacrificing your business. It is your job to make your clients happy without giving up your ideals, as well as producing a return on investment for each project.
3. Execute and represent an effective brand.
Clients want to be able to identify with a brand when deciding on who to use for a service. A well-defined brand is one of your greatest marketing tools if executed properly. If you say you're a "green" company, practice environmentally safe policies. Do as you say and say what you do.
4. Provide value by advertising your clients' products/services (B2B).
Instead of just marketing for your brand, feature your clients in blog posts, or mention them to your social media community. By doing this, you can provide extra value for both you and your client. It helps promote their brand and services while enhancing your testimonials and portfolio.
5. Give back to your community.
Whether it be a national corporation or a small business, people are more attached to businesses that provide their communities with resources and a helping hand. It's a way of showing that you care about the people who have contributed to your business.
These tips might seem simple and obvious, but it's important to revisit the basics of what makes a customer drawn to your brand. You want raving fans? Provide them with raving fan business!
I recently completed a couple of weekend trips with my family, and it occurred to me how much technology has changed the way we approach travel. At one point, I was reclined in the passenger seat with my laptop while my wife drove. That's nothing new, but what made me think about technology was the fact that I was connected to the Internet via my Motorola Droid using Bluetooth. At the same time, my Droid was connected to the stereo system in our van, streaming Internet music from our Rhapsody playlists. Droid would occasionally interrupt our music to give us navigation instructions.
As Director of Internet Services at Fusework Studios, I have the pleasure of working with many different parties on any given project: project managers, designers, clients, executive staff and other developers. Whenever you have many different intelligent people working on any given project, there are tendencies in which opinions can cloud an objective web based strategy. The goal of any project should be what needs the project addresses and the long-term plan after completion to carry on the goals.
Corporate video production techniques have changed. Let's face it. Businesses are no longer hiring production companies to produce the token "Eight to Ten Minute Corporate Video."
Search Engine Optimization in Indianapolis can be tough to find. Not only is it hard to get help with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in Indianapolis, but it can be difficult to find agencies who are experienced and have successful SEO track records. In fact, a quick trip to the source code of some of the large Indianapolis website and internet marketing firms, will result in a suprising summary:
This week I was almost literally banging my head against the wall of my office trying to come up with a great topic to discuss. Usually I have a few ideas on my plate, but the words and topic just wouldn't come to me. The idea suddenly came to me as I visited a site I frequent, and the site was experiencing some major programmatical and server issues. Coincidentally this site was a social media community for gamers such as myself.
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