Reach

Video Samples

2009-12-01T22:45:00.004-06:00

Eventually I am going to create an actual section displaying some of the videos I've put together, but for now I'll post a few of my most recent here on the blog.

The first is from a local elementary school winning an award as one of the top schools in the state. I filmed and edited:

Here are a few family mini-movies I put together. Again, I filmed and edited:

I'm planning on doing more and more with video through Lift Development, so be sure to contact me if that's something you'd like some help with. From planning to filming to editing, I really enjoy the process of producing HD videos.

Dusting Off the Reach Blog

2009-11-23T11:26:00.003-06:00

Once again, like the plumber who has a persistent leak in his own home, I've neglected updating this blog for some time now. I've been blogging a-plenty, just not here.

So what's new at Lift Development? Besides some great new clients in the past few months, I've also launched a few sites, updated some old ones, and been putting plenty of work into a few in-house projects that I'm excited about. One is an app and the other is a marketing-related site that I'll be hopefully launching within the next few weeks.

Speaking of launches, we launched Noitworld.com in beta back in June. Todd and Sean at Noitworld have been awesome to work with, and they definitely have a vision. I describe Noitworld as a classified-posting site that is prettier than craigslist and easier and cheaper (free!) than ebay. If you're looking to sell anything, check it out.

Like I said, I've been doing plenty of blogging. After officially launching AnywhereMan.com, my blog for freelancers and telework pros, I'm now on post #50 or something like that. It's been a blast and I've met some great folks through the process. I've got a good streamlined process for video posts now, so I'm excited to do more and more of those on that site.

As I've done more video, I am opening up that service to clients of Lift Development. If you'd like to include a custom video in anything you are doing, please talk to me about it. I've got a great setup now for pushing out HD-quality video content in a relatively short amount of time. I'll update with some more information on this in the near future.

I hope that all of you had a good summer and are excited for the upcoming holiday season. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Thanksgiving!

Message versus Medium

2009-07-09T14:42:00.001-05:00

In today’s video I discuss some thoughts on a marketing message or company mission versus the medium(s) used to spread that message. And of course I talk about nothing I learned in school or books, but instead look to Michael Jackson’s career for inspiration. :-)

BizConf here I come

2009-07-02T16:47:00.001-05:00

So as you’ll see in my previous post, I was trying to win a trip to BizConf in Florida this August.

Well, guess what?

I’m excited to go, and I’ll be sure to report back with some of the valuable things I learn. Thanks to BizConf and Jason at IWearYourShirt.com for this opportunity!

Network and Learn at BizConf

2009-06-28T17:32:00.001-05:00

Hey folks, just a quick post here to tell you about BizConf, and networking and learning conference in Florida limited to 75 participants. I’m trying to win a trip to the conference, and here is my entry video:

You know I love a good contest. :)

Deep thoughts with Dave Yankowiak

2009-06-16T16:52:00.001-05:00

Okay, so this won’t really be a Jack Handey-related post, but I did start another blog called AnywhereMan that deals with topics concerning non-traditional working arrangements. By non-traditional I mean freelance, telecommute, or any other arrangement where a person can basically work from anywhere. That’s what I do, so I am “AnywhereMan.” :-)

Anyways, here the first video for my new blog and I’ll probably post some more here in the future, but you’ll be able to view ALL of them over at AnywhereMan.

Introducting Google Wave

2009-06-09T09:30:00.001-05:00

In case you missed Google’s demo of the new Wave platform at I/O 2009 a few weeks ago, here is the video:

I am excited for this release. Collaboration tools just keep getting better and better, and Wave looks to really bridge the gap between email and instant messaging.

They’re Fresh!

2009-05-28T07:47:00.001-05:00

If you’re a client of Lift Development, you’ve probably received a nifty, emailed invoice. These invoices are generated based on the exact hours I’ve worked on your project and each time entry usually gets inserted as it’s own detailed line item. If you happen to forget to pay on time, after 30 days you receive an automatic (and friendly) email reminder to get you payment in on time. Once you pay your invoice, you receive a notification that your account is now current and paid in full. I have FreshBooks to thank for all of this.

Since branching off with Lift Development full-time at the start of last year, the one thing that I have NEVER had to worry about is my invoicing system. I use FreshBooks to set up project estimates, track my time on existing projects, do my monthly invoicing, keep status on payments, and run reports for tax purposes at the end of the year. Honestly, I have never even had to think about these things.

I’m a pretty big evangelist for these guys so I was happy to see that FreshBooks will be featured in this month’s Entrepreneur Magazine, one of my favorites. Congrats to them and thanks for designing such a fantastic web-based invoicing system!

PS – Follow the link above to get a free copy of the magazine.

Gary Vaynerchuk on Twitter

2009-05-01T16:38:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to quick post this excellent description of Twitter by super-duper social media master Gary Vaynerchuk. He explains why Twitter is so powerful and game-changing in a very short video:

Taken from iReport.com. I love Gary – he gets it.

Site Launch: Pulse Home Technology

2009-05-01T10:48:00.001-05:00

This week marked the launch of another site built by Lift Development. Pulse Home Technology, a cutting-edge company that focuses on sales and installation of home-related automation and entertainment systems, enlisted my help in creating their web presence. We are both very pleased with the final product.

Pulse's site was built using a custom Lift Development design implemented for the WordPress blogging platform. WordPress has some really cool features that make it not only good for blogs, but also as a full-featured content management system (CMS). I've done several of these setups now and people seem to enjoy WP's admin panel for managing their site.

Pulse owner Scott Robberstad had this to say about the experience of working with Lift Development:

"Lift Development will take your ideas of what you envision in a website and make it reality. Dave did a spot on job in speaking to my customers through my website. Not only did Dave incorporate what I envisioned but when I was stuck, I was able to bounce ideas off of him to figure out what would work and what wouldn't. I highly recommend Lift Development to any business looking to stand out from the whirlpool of mediocre websites out there today."

Let me say that working with Scott was a fantastic experience. He is one of the absolute nicest guys I know (and he's smart too!), so if you are looking for a professional home technology expert, Scott is your guy. He has also informed me that he can usually beat the prices of "big box" stores on home electronics, so give him a call if you're looking at buying a plasma TV or high-end stereo.

Book Review: What Would Google Do?

2009-04-21T08:41:00.001-05:00

I recently finished reading the book "What Would Google Do?" by author/blogger/journalist Jeff Jarvis. Jarvis is probably recognized primarily as proprietor of the popular blog Buzzmachine.com. I had an interest in this book right from the start because I am fascinated with the approach Google takes to everything they do: Offering premium services for free and finding alternative ways to make their money. A lot of money.

Without giving too much of the book away, Jarvis first dives into the "Google Rules." These are concepts which he feels Google (and other successful web companies) follow which make them successful in the growing world of social media and instant search.

One of the firsthand stories that really summed up the status of marketing and customer relations in the Googlefied world today was Jarvis' own example of typing "Dell sucks" on his blog after a bad customer service experience. The buzz from that single post grew and grew, and it eventually reached the front page of Google for the keyword "dell," at which point Jarvis got a call from Dell and they tried to make it all better. Dell has since changed their approach to service and actually uses Twitter to keep a finger on the pulse of their customer base. Marketing has become less of a bullhorn and more of a conversation.

The concept that I really took away from this book was the idea of being a platform. Google is a platform. Facebook is a platform. Twitter is a platform. We as users of the web can create our own online brand using these tools. Businesses can do the same. Give people control to create and improve...and they will. From my own standpoint, so much of my business is Google-based. Get up in the morning, check my Google-hosted Gmail, read my favorite blogs on Google Reader, browse news topics from the past 24 hours on Google search, etc. The platform is alive and well.

As for making money, Jarvis argues that the idea of a "side-door" is where it's at in the Web 2.0 world. If your platform itself is not free or at-cost, someone can easily come in and undercut you. However, if you are running free services and able to create a side-method for income (think Google's ad-words/ad-sense concepts), your user base will be much greater and your income will instead be generated from marketers.

The last half of the book was Jarvis' attempt to apply Google concepts to other business types: media, advertising, retail, utilities, manufacturing, airlines, real estate, money, welfare, etc. Some of these were really interesting, and some were kind of "out there" in my mind. But Google is an "out there" company and I guess that's why they're so successful.

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in the direction of business in a Web 2.0 world. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. Enjoy!

National press for founder of Lift Development

2009-04-15T08:44:00.001-05:00

Okay that title is a totally inflated, but I did receive some props in the May '09 issue of Mac|Life magazine. I won a contest by sending in a picture of my old cell phone. How old is it? Well, take a look.

Thanks to Mac|Life for the great prizes!

A plethora of great web apps

2009-03-25T14:14:00.001-05:00

Before I go any further, the only reason I know the word "plethora" is because of the movie The Three Amigos. That being said, if you want to experience a plethora of fantastic Web 2.0 apps that range from simple and useful to entertaining, in-depth, and complex, you need to check out Go2Web20. I've been bragging the site up for a long time but have neglected to publicize it here on my blog. It's awesome, and some of the apps I use on a regular basis were first discovered on the site. Have fun!

Visit Go2Web20

Search relevance and It's a Small World [Wide Web] After All

2009-03-12T12:35:00.001-05:00

In case you haven't heard, rock legends U2 released a new album last week. Feeling the need to promote this release, they spent an entire week as the musical guest on the Late Show with David Letterman. Sounds like a decent gig.

Being a U2 fan, and also being one of those weird families that doesn't subscribe to TV, I decided to jump on YouTube one night and run a search for clips of each night's appearance. I typed in the phrase "U2 Letterman." The first clip that came up was a performance of the track, "Breathe." While watching that, I peeked over at the related clips, and one of them was for the track, "Get On Your Boots." I like that song, so I clicked on it.

Actually, the title of the clip I had just clicked on was "*NEW* U2 - Get On Your Boots LIVE David Letterman NOW ON iTUNES (The Wrecking)". Yes, it was the right song. No, it was not the right band nor the right show.

The true owner of this clip was a band called The Wrecking, and they were performing a really cool version of U2's "Get On Your Boots." Thanks to some nifty titling and tagging of their clip, they were attracting many people like me searching for the Letterman clips. Normally I'd be super annoyed at something like this, as it's almost a form of YouTube spamming, but in this case I dug their version of the song enough to look into the band further. Here's the clip:

I started by checking out their website and I also looked them up on Rhapsody so I could listen to their album. They actually have a great sound and I added them to my library for further listening.

So is it a good idea to mis-title YouTube clips or web pages for the sake of search? Does it compromise your integrity? I'm not sure. I did notice that this clip had been viewed 126,000 times already, which is a decent amount of exposure for an up-and-coming band. Like I said, I was impressed enough with the quality of the clip to forget the fact that it wasn't actually U2.

What do you think?

Now here's where it gets crazy. While I was watching this, part of me was thinking a few of these guys look strangely familiar. I just kind of left it at that. Well, today while I was back on YouTube to find the clip again, one of the related clips was a group called "Kingpin Wrecking Crew". Now that caught my attention as I used to be the guitarist of a rock band (called Big Fat Jam - we were loud), and we had actually played a few shows out in the New England region at one point with a group by that name. I really liked their sound especially due to the fact that they had an organ player, which I love. After some further digging, I found out that KWC was now called "The Wrecking."

It is indeed still a small world. And all because I don't have network TV.

Engage your users

2009-03-03T09:45:00.001-06:00

In my last post I talked about keeping your online presence fresh and updated: The first step to getting people to visit your site more than just once. The next step in getting your visitors to really feel drawn to your site/company is to keep them engaged.

What I mean by "engaged" is to make it a two-sided relationship. Make the experience one where they are not coming to your site just to "take" from you. Interact with them. Make it a unique experience for every visitor. Give them a voice.

With Web 2.0 and the surge of social media, there is no reason not to have these types of features as part of your online presence. Set up a Twitter account. Create a Facebook group. These are easy enough to do yourself and you can simply link to them from your company's main website.

One of the oldest, yet still effective, methods for engaging your audience is the use of forums. Yes, they are old-school, but with the growth of features like OpenID and RSS functionality, they are as relevant as ever in my opinion. I would say that most if not all of the online tools I use have forums as part of their support system. They are a great way for you visitors to not only interact with your company, but with each other.

In this day of the Web and all the anonymity that it offers, forums can be a great way to build relationships that are less anonymous. For example, I visit many different guitar-related forum communities and have recently made several trades with other members. There is something about putting your trust in someone you've never met and actually making a successful deal that, in a way, restores good-feelings for other people once again.

Another real-world example of engagement in action is the forum-functionality I recently set up for GraceNet. Martha Grace Reese is the author of a series of books on Christian evangelism. The first of these books is called "Unbinding the Gospel", and many churches use this book as a training tool with their congregations. Last week we launched an online forum called the "Unbinding the Gospel Community" where readers of the book could go and discuss things related to the text and process. There is also a section where Reese can post news, thoughts, etc, whenever she has something to share - similar to a blog but within the Community. All the forums have RSS feeds so people can subscribe through their favorite reader application. This is engagement in an effective manner, and Reese is already seeing information from the Community members that will be useful in her current research project.

So get out there and engage. Create an interactive relationship with your users. Listen to them. Adapt to them. And most of all, value the things they have to say and offer.

PS - I am not a Trekkie. But I do love Trekkies, the film.

Keeping it fresh

2009-02-17T12:32:00.001-06:00

Confession: I am the world's biggest hypocrite for writing about keeping your online presence relevant and up-to-date, but I'm going to do it anyway (see my lack of blog posts for 3 months). It's one of those "I'm not only the president, I'm also a client"-type problems.

If someone who visited your site last year, last month, or even last week visited again today, would they notice a difference? If they don't, what impression does that give regarding the success of your business?

Obviously you might be too busy running a successful business to have time for regular updates, but that still doesn't minimize the importance of timely, relevant content. Your online presence should give the impression that you've got something good going on. Your presence should be reactive to trends in your industry as well as larger scope items like the economy or culture as a whole. How does your business fit in with those things?

Why should consumers and end-users engage with your company when they have less money to spend (these days) or less time to think about it? Give them a reason through content that makes sense, gets to the point, and is RELEVANT.

The growth of Web 2.0 means nobody has an excuse anymore NOT to keep things fresh:

Add a blog to your site and push the lead story to your front page. Even updating it once a week keeps you looking current.
If you use Twitter, publish your latest status updates to your site.
If you keep a YouTube or other video channel going, make sure that content is readily accessible from your site.
Publish weekly specials.
Create an RSS feed of specials, news, etc. and add it to the home page.
Even just swapping out graphics on your home page on a regular basis can make a big difference.

If I visit a site and the content is exactly same time as my previous visit, I am much less likely to return. My assumption is that it will be the same the next time I return, so why come back?

You'll notice on my site that I follow a few of these rules. I keep blog headlines on my home page and I swap out the main site graphic on a regular basis. The portfolio page is updated once in a while with new designs and customer quotes.

I still have a long ways to go to keep things truly fresh. I shouldn't tell you this, but on my "ABOUT" page I talk about the family dog. Yeah...we had to put him to sleep about 6 months ago.

How are YOU keeping it fresh? Give us some more ideas...

The Name Game revisited

2009-02-04T09:56:00.001-06:00

A little over a year ago, I blogged about the trend of tech companies using goofy names for their applications. I specifically looked at the mobile-related industry. Looking at five apps with names that kind of make sense, and five with what I would call "made up" names, I recorded their unique visitors for that particular month (Nov '07). As promised, I am going to compare the numbers at that point in time to where things are now *.

Yes, I understand there is more to the success of a web application than its name alone. This is just an experiment. :-)

Okay, here are the "normal" names and November '07 & December '08 unique monthly visitors:

SignalMap (signalmap.com)
Nov '07: 2698
Dec '08: 7858
+ 191%
MindJot (mindjot.com)
Nov '07: 546
Dec '08: N/A (that's not good!)
- 100%
Smart2Go (smart2go.com)
Nov '07: 2021
Dec '08: 150
- 93%
BuddyPing (buddyping.com)
Nov '07: 596
Dec '08: 1051
+ 76%
CallWave (callwave.com)
Nov '07: 2,033,668
Dec '08: 350,714
- 82%
Average % change overall: -1.6%

So far nobody looks like they are doing very well with the exception of SignalMap. Now for the "madeup" names:

Jaduka (jaduka.com)
Nov '07: 4152
Dec '08: 13,657
+ 229%
Zedmo (zedmo.com)
Nov '07: 4056
Dec '08: 373
- 91%
Joopz (joopz.com)
Nov '07: 4274
Dec '08: 3473
- 19%
Foonz (foonz.com)
Nov '07: 2706
Dec '08: 1453
- 46%
Zannel (zannel.com)
Nov '07: 21,867
Dec '08: 27,695
+ 27%
Average % change overall: +20%

In each category, only two apps actually increased their traffic, and in the case of Jaduka, it was enough of an increase to carry the "madeup" category into a +20% overall increase versus the 1.6% decrease for the "normals." Only four of the apps overall increased their monthly visitors, perhaps a sign of the economy. Who knows if the "madeups" would have performed better than they did if they had used more descriptive names for their apps, but in a random sampling they appear to have performed better than their "normal" counterparts.

Nothing too deeply scientific about this experiment, but interesting!

* All statistics obtained from Compete.com

What's goin' on, and a good blog...

2008-12-02T10:30:00.001-06:00

Yes, I am still here. And I am busy. I apologize for the lack of blogging recently and while excuses are never good enough, Lift Development has been picking up some new and wonderful clients. Most of these clients are coming through referrals so that is very encouraging. In the coming weeks and months I'll be profiling new clients right here on this blog.

So while my own blogging frequency has been at an all-time low, I would like to introduce you to a blog that has captured my attention as of late. It's http://garyvaynerchuk.com, by Gary Vaynerchuk of course. He's big on the social aspects of the web, and I find his videos and posts both entertaining and educational. He's got a lot of energy which makes it fun. Check him out if you're interested in social media and web marketing trends.

Also, in a few weeks I will be blogging about my findings in the "What's in a name" experiment which started in December 2007. For now, I hope everyone's Holiday season has gotten off to a great start!

The Chrome Review

2008-09-03T11:35:00.001-05:00

Remember the 80's? There was a trend of using the word "bad" to imply "good." A statement you might hear would be, "Man, those shoes are BAD!" That person didn't really mean the shoes were inferior in any way; it was a compliment. The word took on an opposite meaning from its original intent.

Google has followed a similar concept with the naming of their new browser, Chrome. In the world of web browsers, "chrome" is a reference to the screen real estate that exists outside of the page you are viewing. Things like the address bar, scrollbars, bookmark bar, add-ons, tabs, etc. are all considered chrome. The irony of this is that this browser contains the least amount of chrome of any browser I've ever used.

The Chrome browser is the definition of a simple web experience. As stated, it has minimal visible features: forward/back navigation, an address box, and a few buttons. It allows for tabbed viewing, and the tabs themselves are located at the very top of the application. The status bar at the bottom of the application is only viewable when pages are loading. Chrome leaves a ton of room to display the page, thus putting the emphasis on the web experience as opposed to the software itself.

My first impression upon using Chrome is that I like it. It will not replace FireFox for me, simply because I use a lot of the add-ons specific to web developers that FF offers, but I will probably recommend Chrome for Internet Explorer users. There are so few settings in Chrome, it almost seems impossible to mess up the web experience by accidentally turning on a feature you didn't really need.

There is also a useful "incognito" mode for browsing without leaving a history. I'll be using that the next time I'm buying birthday presents for my wife online. This seems like a useful option.

I really love the single text box for search, bookmarks, history, and address lookup. Bookmarking is incredibly easy too. There is a star next to the search box that instantly bookmarks the page and allows you to quickly choose a location for it.

The idea of putting the tabs at the top is a nice touch as well. Arranging those tabs is easily done by dragging them in the order you prefer.

File downloads are really simple, and the browser actually places links to the files at the bottom of the page once they are complete. Forget those annoying pop-ups common in IE and FireFox.

One really useful feature is the browser's ability to keep track of the sites you visit the most, and then displaying thumbnails/links to those pages on the browser's "home" page. I've used that feature a lot already.

Aside from all the bells and whistles (or lack thereof), Chrome seems fast. I don't know if that's because it breaks everything running behind the scenes into separate processes, or if it just has less going on. Either way, it does seem to load sites faster than IE and FireFox.

The only problem I've noticed so far involves sites with plugins, such as sites that require Windows Media Player. When I try to run these pages, I click the link to install the plugin and am not sure which browser option to choose because Chrome is not one of those options. I assume this is a problem with Chrome being all of 1-day old and I expect this problem to be solved shortly.

I highly recommend Chrome for every day browsing and web applications. Go ahead, close your Internet Explorer browser and start using Chrome. It's simple, puts the emphasis on the web itself, and works great. Nice work, Google.

Visit the Google Chrome homepage for more information.

Here comes Google Chrome

2008-09-01T22:03:00.001-05:00

As if I don't already have enough web browsers to target with various design and functionality quirks, tomorrow Google will be releasing the beta version of their new web browser known as Google Chrome. I'm sure I'll download it and take it for a spin, and once I do I'll be sure to post a review. It will be interesting to see how integrated it is with Google's other services (my big 3 are Gmail, Reader, and Google Documents). I have heard that it is a lot more "application friendly" than any other web browser currently out there.

The amazing thing is that I had not heard about this until today, and it seems to be the buzz of the web. In other words, Google did a great job keeping a major release undercover for a few months.

Here's a link for more information on the release: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html

Buzzwords: And a 1.0, 2.0, 3.0...

2008-08-28T10:00:00.001-05:00

Depending on how involved you are with the web, you may or may not have heard the terms given to the various web "movements." We are currently living in the Web 2.0 movement and rapidly approaching Web 3.0. Speaking of which, I am wondering what happened to 2.1, 2.2, etc. But I will save that research for another time.

So what do these numbers mean? I'll try to give you a short description and examples of each, and you can figure out where your existing online presence falls.

Web 1.0 is the static web. A Web 1.0 site exists on it's own, with no interaction from users or other sites. It might look good, contain relevant information, but it really doesn't do anything that involves the user. A plain brochure site would be considered Web 1.0.

Web 2.0 is a move towards a more interactive, user-driven web. Sites now have a social element and often base some or all of their information on user-provided content. YouTube is a great example of Web 2.0 because it is entirely driven by user content. Facebook is another example with it's social networking aspect. Even Amazon.com is very Web 2.0 with it's dependence on customer reviews and ratings. The interfaces of Web 2.0 are also much more interactive and AJAX-driven. AJAX allows for things like drag-n-drop functionality and smoother interaction with the site.

The new kid on the block is Web 3.0. To me, Web 3.0 involves a push towards a limitless, machine-independent web. Basically, the web is your computing interface. All your software, data, etc becomes web-based. Web 3.0 has also been called the "semantic web." It's a movement where your online presence is really defined by a variety of sites and sources. For example, have several Blogger sites, a LinkedIn account, a Facebook page, a GoodReads account, and more. Factoring all these sources together becomes my online presence. A site like Plaxo that integrates all these profiles could probably be viewed as touching on Web 3.0.

So how would you classify your current online presence? If you're still in 1.0-land, it's probably time to re-think your strategy.

New client agreement

2008-08-15T15:33:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that I have created a new page/document called "The Flight Plan." It's my fancy way of titling the new client agreement. It's got all sorts of fun clarifications on what Lift Development does and does not do, how we invoice, what we bill for, how projects are organized, handling of late payments, and more!

Click here to view the agreement, and I'll also include a link on upcoming invoice notifications for ease of reference.

I hope everyone is enjoying this final month of summer. It goes way too fast!

Okay, Twitter, you win

2008-08-13T17:12:00.001-05:00

For the longest time I have been avoiding Twitter. I set up an account about a year ago and simply never saw the point. Those of you who are unfamiliar with Twitter should just know that it's a micro-blogging platform (140 chars or less in a post) where you simply answer the question, "What are you doing?" I know...it sounds really really stupid.

But now that I've taken the time to set up my profile and actually "follow" some other people, I absolutely love it. How did I live without this? Let me explain further.

I did a few searches for other development firms or companies whose applications I use frequently (FreshBooks, 37Signals, FreelanceSwitch, etc) and added them to my "Follow" list. In turn, a few people have started following me as well. Now when I log in to my Twitter account I can see the recent "Tweets" for each of people I am following. I can even send them reply Tweets if they are asking questions or talking about something I'm interested in.

Still sounds stupid doesn't it?

It's not! Trust me! Because here is the thing that's great: By following individuals in the same general profession as myself, I am able to keep up with the latest and greatest talk in the "biz." I can now keep up with the newest Web 2.0 apps, programming platforms, design standards, etc without even putting much effort into it.

What has made it SUPER easy is the TwitterFox plugin I set up in my Firefox browser. Now as I'm in front of my PC during the day, I can update my status easily, and other people's Tweets come across the bottom of my screen as they are posted. It's incredible: I feel well-informed without even really thinking. And that's what we all strive for, right?! :-)

So if you are looking into Twitter, be sure to follow me at http://twitter.com/daveyank I apologize in advance if following me is a complete bore, but try to find people with similar interests or professions as you and you'll love it. It's a great way to publicize your company and stay informed with the concerns of your client-base.

Client Experience Contest

2008-08-12T21:19:00.008-05:00

One of the sites that I really enjoy as a freelance web entrepreneur is FreelanceSwitch. I actually referenced that site quite a bit when I was considering branching off on my own full-time. (Great decision!) Recently they ran a contest where readers submitted suggestions on "creating a word-of-mouth worthy experience for clients." I sometimes submit ideas in these contests, and this time I was a winner!

Here was my tip titled Brand The Experience:

There are a ton of talented freelancers out there who are as skilled as you, if not better. But you are unique and the experience of working with you is part of your brand. When you sit down to create your website, look, branding, etc. include (in writing) the unique ways that you communicate, resolve conflict, offer support, encourage clients, etc. as part of that brand.

One example is rewarding clients for meeting their OWN deadlines. You are expected to meet deadlines set ahead of time because you are getting paid the big bucks. But how often are you waiting on deliverables from your client like feedback and content? Set some deadlines for them and offer rewards for meeting them. Maybe something like a discount, free eNewsletter blast, book related to their industry, or a gift certificate would do the trick.

If you can do the special “extra” things, you will become the freelance version of George from “It’s a Wonderful Life” and your clients will never want to wonder what business might be like without you.

So there it is. I guess I'd better start taking my own advice and brand the experience for my clients!

Achieve Your Dreams

2008-08-11T12:27:00.004-05:00

Okay the only reason I chose the title "Achieve Your Dreams" is because everybody is talking about the Olympics today and I wanted to fit in. This post has absolutely nothing to do with the Olympics, while it does have a great deal to do with your dreams.

And by dreams I don't mean what you want to be when you grow up, or the mountain you hope to one day summit. I mean the dreams for your business: the times during your workday when you start your sentences with "I wish there was a way to {fill in the blank}." These are the dreams that I like to make come true.

Whenever you think there's a better way to do things, chances are there is. Whether you want to improve communication amongst your staff, better inform your customers, handle support requests more efficiently, or plan out your projects better, more often than not you can use the web to greatly improve your life (in business that is...I can't fix your personal life, unfortunately).

There are a number of existing solutions out there for just about every possible situation. I've talked before about the ProWorkflow project management web application. It allows project teams to collaborate, track time, plan schedules, and more, whether they are working in the same building or scattered througout the world. This is just one example of how someone's professional life can improve through a web-based solution. In this case, the life of a project manager or team member.

But what if you have a very specific need and can't find an existing solution that meets it? That's where a custom web application built by Lift Development can make your life great (again, your professional life).

Let's say you own a distribution company and you want to find a way to keep your sales people updated on product quantities, pricing, etc, without having them call in all the time. Put this info on the web. We could develop a custom inventory application where the rep can simply log in from their computer and check. Better yet: we could develop a mobile web application where they can simply check directly from their web-enabled phone.

So what are your dreams? Do you want to put your scheduling functions online? Would a web-based knowledgebase application free up the time of your customer service representatives who are bombarded with the same questions every day? Could a powerful content management system help your company keep its website relevant, useful, and fresh?

One of the goals of Lift Development is to be your "Michael Phelps" of web-based solutions. I specialize in developing custom web applications that solve everyday business needs. If you've got a "dream" for something big or small, let me know and I can work with you to achieve it.