Glide Interactive Marketing, Design and Custom Web Development
Thanks for joining us here at Xemion for another awesome interview. This installment is with Heath Jordan, the founder of Glide Interactive, which he launched back in 2002. Glide, a Florida-based design company, works with clients on projects that include SEO, mobile apps, custom web development and more. Here, I’ll let Heath tell you the rest.
1. Hey Heath, it’s great to have you here on Xemion and I’m sure that you have lots of fantastic stuff to tell us about Glide Interactive. But, first things first — I heard that you’re quite the entrepreneur, what types of businesses did you create/manage before you launched Glide Interactive in 2002?
Heath: Beside Glide Interactive, I currently own a computer store and IT company. Previously, I’ve owned an eBay store and several other online stores.
2. Custom web design and development isn’t exactly easy. Every new project brings about new challenges and helping create something real out of your client’s ideas and vision is never simple. As Glide Interactive the company, how do you face these challenges and make sure that you’re always producing the best work possible?
Heath: Our team has a thorough consultation with each client to ensure that we have a complete understanding of the client’s vision. Our team is innovative; therefore constantly setting trends and raising standards in the design, development, and marketing industries.
3. I also see that you offer custom web application development, too. How does this differ from custom website development and can you give an example of a web application that you’re built recently?
Heath: Custom website development refers to the unique design and functionality that meets the needs of your business and customers. On the other hand, custom web applications are tools developed to precisely meet the needs of your business’ workflow, productivity, and overall business management. Both aspects are essential to success for most businesses and are required to make the website an effective tool in the business’ marketing strategy.
4. You of all people know that there are lots of things that someone needs to think about before they begin looking for help with getting a custom website built. Let’s say that I need a new website for a new project I’m starting, what are some of themain things I need to think about and have in order before I start searching for someone like you to build it?
Heath:
- A Business plan or outline
- A Marketing plan or outline
- A general understanding of the functionality needed
- A general idea of your target audience
- A Marketing budget
The website development should be included in the marketing budget. Most startups assume that the website is the business, when in fact it’s a valuable piece of the marketing plan and strategy.
Our marketing department helps each client create and/or refine each of these items in order to provide the best chance at success.
5. Of course, you’re not just a design shop as it seems like you offer a ton of services that have to do with online marketing and SEO. Do you feel like this is a big part of creating a new website? Why or why not and is it something that most of your clients feel like they need help with?
Heath: The website is actually a big part of the marketing strategy. The fact that we develop a marketing strategy specific for each client’s industry and needs is increasingly becoming more important to each client’s evaluation process when deciding on a firm to work with. We work hard to be innovative in this industry; and one of the ways we do that is by the way we approach marketing. There’s no “cookie cutter” marketing strategy. Each business is at a different level, industry, and market. We get to know each business that we work with, their industry, and target market in order to execute each initiative efficiently and effectively.
We use a combination of traditional and non-traditional marketing methods. Some of the methods we use are strategic marketing, partnership marketing, internet marketing, advertising, public relations, and business development.
6. For all of the emphasis you put on the digital side of your business you still do print design for clients too, right? Do you feel like traditional print design is still in high demand and how does working with a print design client differ from working with a digital design client?
Heath: Print design alone isn’t in demand as much as it used to be. Most of our print design clients want a digital version, and many of the digital design clients want materials for printing as well.
7. I see that you give free proposals for potential clients. Can you please walk me through the proposal process and how it goes from someone needing a website, to submitting a proposal to actually becoming one of your clients?
Heath: The potential client first provides information about the website project to us along with contact information through our website or by calling our office. Then someone from our business development department reaches out to discuss the project in further detail. Usually, we discover that the potential client needs and wants much more in a website than they originally thought. Therefore, this conversation is very important, and it’s crucial that we are as thorough as possible to determine all of the client’s needs. We will then draft a proposal for the client’s review. We refine the scope of work as needed, and then move into the agreement phase. We draft the agreement, which includes the scope of work, and send it to the client to be executed.
8. Well, it looks like we’ve come to the end — thanks for all of your awesome answers. Is there something that you feel like I left out and should have asked you? Well, this is your chance to let us know all about it and I promise that I didn’t skip it on purpose (please don’t take it personally).
Heath: What about mobile applications? Mobile apps have become a significant part of all of our lives. We help businesses develop their mobile app concept into an impeccable and deployable revenue generating asset. Mobile applications can keep a brand at the forefront of consumers’ thoughts throughout the day. These robust apps are becoming the quickest and most effective method of direct-to-consumer marketing.
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