Whether you are in the product or service industry, it is a requirement for any business in this day and age to provide their clients with exceptional customer service. This includes responding to customers quickly, providing a quality product/service, meeting their goals, conceptualizing their wants, etc. The business relationship doesn't end at the sale anymore; it is a continuous relationship that has to be maintained and nurtured in order to be successful.
While we all know this, what we don't realize sometimes is that there is a distinct line between providing exactly what the customer wants (ultimately, superb customer service) and what we think works better for the customer. It is the time old question of whether the customer is always right. As a project manager for a website design company, I am faced with this dilemma on a weekly basis. I want to give the customer exactly what they want, but I do have knowledge about web based strategy that could be better suited for their needs. Some clients will be receptive and be open to our knowledge, but others know what they want and how they want it, which is perfectly fine. But at the end of the day, the "Fusework Studios" name is on this project as well, and we want to produce something that we are proud to show others. So where do I draw the line? How do I handle this situation? Here is the process that I follow:
1. Ask them why.
If you don't ask the question, you will never know the answer. Maybe they are trying to accomplish something by placing an image in that spot, maybe they just think it looks nice there. Either way, asking them why they want to do it a certain way will give you insight into what they really want to accomplish, which helps you provide them with better service.
2. Provide reasoning and examples.
If you don't necessarily agree with your client, tell them why! Don't make them assume that you're the expert (because sometimes, you aren't). Show them why you think the way you do. Make sure that you provide examples and past experience in order to back up your reasoning. Examples will help your client put trust into your advice and into your company!
3. Evaluate the situation.
Think about the positives and negatives of doing a project "your way." For example, if I have a client who isn't concerned about being "web savvy," but they're more concerned with communicating a message, then I'm not going to push the issue of advanced functionality. On the other hand, if I have a client who wants to be recognized as credible and who needs a web based strategy, then I might try to persuade that client to look more closely at their other options.
Regardless of this dilemma, my main concern is to make my clients happy. I have to use my own judgment to figure out what is in their best interests and how to provide the most value for them. Client management is about creating the best results for your clients, giving your client what they need and want, and producing something that you are proud to represent. Make your client relationship a partnership, not a power struggle.
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!
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past month, you’ve probably heard about the oil spill that had caused a fair amount of damage to the Gulf of Mexico and to British Petroleum’s reputation. In order to “rectify” the situation, BP has released a number of press statements over the past couple of weeks that have not satisfied an overwhelmingly disgruntled public. In response to BP’s lackluster statements, a man, who has dubbed himself as Leroy Stick, decided to take matters into his own hands; he created a Twitter account, cleverly named @BPGlobalPR, which pokes fun at how BP executives are dealing with the current situation. According to Stick, he started @BPGlobalPR because he believed that BP did not offer anything to ease the nation’s concerns. As a result, @BPGlobalPR has already accumulated over 150,000 followers since May 19, and it continues to grow on a daily basis. Leroy also supports the campaign that sells “bp cares” t-shirts to fund the activities of the Gulf Restoration Network, and his team recently made a $10,000 donation to the charity. All in all, he has become a celebrity within the social media community overnight and has molded BP’s brand into the punch line of his own joke.
His popularity or humor, however, is not what has captured my attention; it’s his message. Leroy Stick felt the need to create an entire web based strategy with @BPGlobalPR because BP wasn’t responding to the general public with urgency, sincerity, or solutions. Instead, Leroy argues that BP has been doing whatever it can to maintain a positive image and to keep making money. In other words, the executives are paying Internet marketing and PR representatives to promote a positive brand image that has been destroyed by employees of the company instead of trying to fix the problems at hand!
“So what is the point of all this?” Leroy asks. “The point is, FORGET YOUR BRAND. You don’t own it because it is literally nothing. You can spend all sorts of time and money trying to manufacture public opinion, but ultimately, that’s up to the public, now isn’t it?”
This is exactly what marketers do not want to hear, but it’s the truth. Companies can pay agencies tons of money to create marketing campaigns that represent integrity, quality, service, etc. But at the end of the day, none of this matters unless the client perceives the company (or the point of contact) as such.
So what does this have to do with me? Well, as a project manager for Fusework Studios, I am charged with providing my clients with the best service possible in order to create a positive brand image for the company. I will be a point of contact for clients, and I have to face the truth that Leroy Stick presents. Despite this challenge, I am excited to take on the responsibility of embodying the brand of Fusework Studios while maintaining my own values. Regardless of whether it is a global, multibillion dollar company or a small Internet Marketing and Website Design Company (with offices in Indianapolis and Muncie, Indiana), the point is to represent your values by making ethical business decisions and providing your clients with the best possible solutions; something that both the public and Leroy Stick feel BP is lacking.
As a result, I am even more motivated to practice what I preach in response to Leroy's skepticism. So, thank you, Leroy Stick, for encouraging me to face this challenge.
Jenn Lisak is a new Project Manager for Fusework Studios, and obviously, we're excited to have her join our team! Look for more posts from Jenn soon.
While this does not mean they shouldn't redesign the site, it certainly should not be the #1 reason. We promote the concept of looking at your business and what you are really looking to accomplish online prior to starting on a new look. Is the main objective to gain more leads? Do you want site visitors to sign up for your email marketing list? These are just a couple of questions that help spark a very beneficial discussion.
Below is a video with more information and a closer look at the recently redesigned Fusework Studios website. The main goal of the redesign was to drive traffic to our Internet marketing packages such as the business blogging package or the computer network management package. These packages are now much easier for you to find as you will see in the video! Enjoy!
Search engine optimization is one of the most cost effective ways to generate traffic and leads. A website design full of flash elements, graphics and with little to no content will not assist you in these goals. I'm not condoning ugly websites because there must be something pleasing to the eye, but when a customer goes to a search engine looking for information about a product, service or vital information on your industry, you want your business to be found.
Fusework Studios can help you form a plan structured to create leads through inbound marketing and SEO value. Give us a call, and let's talk.
Fusework Studios has played a major role in the new marketing for the American Advertising Federation of East Central Indiana (AAF ECI). Specifically, Fusework Studios Project Manager, Laurie Foster, recently completed a new website for AAF ECI (www.aafeci.org), which launched just before the 2010 ADDY Awards Banquet. The timing was great! The community saw not only the new face of the organization at the Awards Banquet, but also were reminded of Fusework Studios' offerings in Muncie as a website design company.In addition, we volunteered to create the mainstage presentation for this year's ADDY Awards ceremony. This was a great opportunity to support several of the advertising agencies in Indiana, and the work they have done for their clients. We started months in advance, and I personally enjoyed working with Executive Director, Anne Condran, and Addy Chair, Christy Jones, in crafting the detailed presentation.
The presentation of the 2010 Addy Award Winners is on the new website for all to see, but I have also included it in my post below, so you can take a quick look.
A third-party service called SlideShare facilitates the display of PowerPoint presentations on any website in a very user-friendly format.
As a social media marketing company, we encouraged AAF ECI to alert their fans and followers of their new online presence, which they did on Facebook. Now the organization is setup online to further fulfill their mission to:
- CONNECT members to other advertising industry professionals and resources;
- Encourage, support, and recognize members in their quest to CREATE the very best in advertising; and
- INSPIRE young professionals to enter the advertising profession.
The website design was complicated and built in many layers. There was a need for a rotating image section on the home page and the placement of a flash piece representing the ProCLAD engineering wheel. Additionally, there were many angles incorporated into the design that would make any developer cringe.One of the immediate challenges we addressed was the ability for ProCLAD to be able to easily update the rotating images on the home page. To save the client trouble from using Photoshop or other photo editing software, a transparent image was placed over the top of the slideshow to create the angled look while the full images are located below the white angle. The photo gallery module was implemented with a JQuery rotation script for smooth transition from image to image, and the client is in full control of the imagery that is implemented.
The site is also tied into a content management system to allow the client to fully customize the content that is entered from page to page and to allow control over search engine optimization properties including page title, keywords, description and web URLs.
Fusework Studios is proud to work with ProCLAD, Inc. on this project, and as a team, we love to be challenged. We hope this is one of many Indiana website development spotlights to come. Check out the new site at www.procladinc.com.
Almost all content management systems now have tools for search engine optimization and other tools to complement your web based strategy. A company can spend from nearly no money to thousands of dollars for the top-of-the-line CMS. Unfortunately, all that money will do no good without a keyword and search marketing strategy behind your content.
Tips to utilize your CMS' capabilities:
- Title your pages with keywords in mind
- Use keywords in your links
- Use keywords early in your content (first or second paragraph)
- Use keywords in header tags
- Create inbound marketing by generating buzz or links to your content (preferrably with keywords) by utilizing your social media community tools
- Utilize business blogging to drive traffic to your site
Contact Fusework Studios for tips or if you have questions regarding search engine optimization and your content management system.
For most people it's an ugly word. It makes you think of a dog that misbehaves, an athlete making wrong choices during a sporting event or sometimes even more frustrating of a child that just won't listen and needs...discipline.
Throughout 2009, I spoke of many different ways to utilize tools and third-party programs to enhance your web based strategy, and I spoke in many ways how Fusework Studios is a great Indianapolis web development company that can help touch all facets of an effective strategy. In 2010, I want to focus on things that are a little more intangible.By now, most of you know about the tangible objects that go into a web based strategy such as business blogging, web development, website design, social media communities, search engine optimization and an email marketing strategy. When used correctly, all of these tools work, but there are things that are never seen that go into a successful strategy.
Discipline is accepting a challenge and having the fortitude to see it through. When embarking on a new marketing strategy, whether it's television, radio, print or the web, you will never know the true extent of its results until you see it through.
What are ways you can practice discipline in your web based strategy?
- Make a plan. A web based strategy is a plan to achieve a goal. Put it on paper and keep it where you can see it.
- Make a habit. Practice working on your strategy every day until that goal is achieved.
- Do it when you don't want to do it. Some days it feels like too much work to participate in a social media community for your business, but those days are probably the most important to do the work.
- Have a coach. Even professional athletes have a coach to help set goals and achieve them.
- Form a team. Don't try to do this alone. Find skill sets that are needed to accomplish your goals, and find the people with similar discipline and passion to achieve your goals.
Need a coach or a team? Contact Fusework Studios today to discuss your goals and ambitions in 2010 and to create a web based strategy to work for your business.
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.My colleague, Jim Switzer, approached the sometimes difficult task of designing by committee with a great article. Many of the steps are no different.
How can you proceed on a web development project with an objective mind set?
1. Follow the leader.
Much like picking a leader in design, you must be willing to follow the direction and leadership of a project manager or head. They have to make the tough decisions, but their goal should be to ensure all parties are working to the final objective.
2. Know the full web based strategy.
No matter what your role is, you must be aware of what the team is trying to accomplish. Every cog in a clock is working to keep time. Each cog has a specific role, both small and large, to reach success.
3. Communicate.
This can be the most difficult task of any team environment. The left hand must know what the right is doing. Lay out a to-do list for everyone. Set some milestones and make sure everyone is aware. This is similar to creating a site map, but you are creating a map for a successful web based strategy and team.
Each member of the team must be committed. When hiring a company to assist you, be sure they are as completely vested in the project as you are. Contact Fusework Studios for an expert team of web consultants to develop a solid website strategy for your business.
As a website design company, we encounter many different types of projects...from simple projects like a blog redesign all the way to a total rebranding of a company with new collateral and a new web based strategy. Each project can present its own set of challenges, but one of the most challenging approaches to a project can be working in a committee. How do we make a decision on a design? Who is responsible for what? Where do we start?!
It's simple. Follow the five simple rules below when working with a website design company to develop your next web based strategy, and your project will go a little easier.
1. The Odd Man Is Not Out.
When choosing a team for a committee, remember to keep the number of people odd. This way if a decision needs to be reached on an aspect of the project, a majority vote can be made. Also, try to keep the number of people as small as possible (3-5 team members).
2. Pick A Leader.
Every Committee needs a Chair. This is someone to delegate parts of the project to members, as well as a mediator for meetings. Ideally, this person will have power within your company to make final approvals on the project, so it can continue to move forward.
3. Listen To The Experts.
When working with a website design company, such as Fusework Studios, treat them as an extension of your team. Keep all of their suggestions to the forefront in the design and development phases of your project. Remember, we're the experts, and you hired us to come up with ideas that will best meet your project goals.
4. It's Not Personal.
As you and your team work through the design process, try not to let your personal preferences effect the design. Purple may not be your favorite color, but it might be the best choice for your target market. Always keep the overall goals and target audience in mind throughout the entire project.
5. Watch The Calendar.
In any project, the calendar is key. Make sure that deadlines are being met, and team members are meeting their goals. Obviously, if a deadline is missed, the schedule will need to be adjusted accordingly. It's always best to schedule a little buffer room just in case this happens. Meet weekly, if possible, and celebrate milestones when they are met.
If you keep these five steps in mind throughout your project, you and your team will have a web based strategy that won't be compromised by opinions. You'll have a great product that will help your business grow.
Many people want a colorful website with animated graphics, flash logos and other cool features. The Flash technology from Adobe, but created by Macromedia, has been around since 1996 and become very popular over the last ten years. Some website designs use Flash to display an animated logo, a fancy header or banner, and there are still many websites that are designed entirely with Flash. It's pretty easy to tell when a website is using Flash, but it's not so easy to determine if your website should use Flash. Before you use Flash on a website you should ask questions, learn about disadvantages and avoid possible problems.1. Why Do You Want to Use Flash?
This is probably the most important question. Are you using Flash just to be using Flash, or is there a real need to incorporate multimedia and interactivity with your website design?
2. Search Engine Optimization
Most Flash-based websites have little to zero text on their homepage and other pages. The text is usually displayed with the use of images, so there is no text you can highlight to cut and paste. That means there's also no text for Google and other search engines to read! This is a big deal because in the world of Search Engine Optimization - content is king.
Those are probably the two most important factors, but are you still wondering when it is appropriate to use Flash?
- Do not design a website entirely with Flash. Instead, you should use HTML pages with <div> tags that include search engine optimized content. You can call Flash objects with the swfobject Java script method to confirm if the visitor can view Flash files, which would automatically replace the content in the <div> tag.
- If you must use Flash, make it only a small portion of your website.
- Do not design your website navigation with Flash.
- Avoid using a Flash header because it can be an obstacle for the search engine spiders.
- It is important to test and confirm accessibility is addressed with Flash files in your website design.
- Make sure your website design is focused on content first, and then, you should use Flash to draw attention to that content and conversion.
- The best use of Flash is to display a lot of information that you cannot fit in one small area and for calls to action to get visitors to engage and convert.
Every company has the same dilemma when it comes to building a new Web site: There's so much to say, but how do you say it in a way that will connect with your audience, lead to a positive return on your investment, and how can I use it to retain customers (i.e. revenue, conversion and interaction)
Web design, and website strategy is not an exact science, but many basic principles still apply. Here are some tips to help you sort through the challenges associated with organizing web content to tell your story in a way that attracts results:
- Can you place your content in video form? Video can often be more compelling than written word. If you can use video, have you considered utilizing YouTube or other social media?
- Is your navigation simple or can it be simplified? If your customer is viewing information that is relative to other content, make the navigation consistent for that section so your customer can find each piece of information in one click.
- Is your content specific and relevant? Sometimes it's very easy to divulge all you can into your site and have pages of content that confuse the customer. If you see that many of your pages are not being viewed by those who visit your site - it may be time to adjust them or remove them altogether.
- How long is the content on the page? If your customer has to scroll down several pages to get to the content that matters to them most, you may need to make it a separate page completely or skim down the verbiage you're using.
- Finally, don't forget to target your content around one specific topic and a few specific keywords per page. This will ultimately help you raise the organic search ranking of your site.
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