Martin Blumenfeld

WWDC: What's your name and position in the company?
Coastal Extreme: ”My name's Martin and I'm a freelance web developer and designer”

WWDC: Describe your company in 5 words.
Coastal Extreme: ”We get it done!”

WWDC: What's your business philosophy?
Coastal Extreme: ”Be a trust advisor and treat your clients well. You aren't working for that first project with a client, you want them to come back and tell all of their friends.”

WWDC: Describe your office environment.
Coastal Extreme: ”Relaxed and very casual work environment.”

WWDC: Describe how your team interact and work together.
Coastal Extreme: ”I work with myself very well. :) I also have other developers and designers that I can call on when needed.”

WWDC: What makes you different from other web design companies?
Coastal Extreme: ”I always put the client first. If you have a question just pick up the phone, catch me on GTalk, or Skype or send me an email. I don't work a standard 9-5 so I can be flexible and get the job done when a client needs it. It's important that you LOVE your site when we're ready to launch and you should also feel confident that you can keep it up to date yourself with minimal input from me.”

WWDC: How do you get the majority of your business?
Coastal Extreme: ”99% of my business has come from referrals, so I guess I'm doing something right. If I treat my clients right, they'll tell their friends and so far it's been working great!”

WWDC: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
Coastal Extreme: ”I have been bouncing around to a number of different project management solutions, though ultimately email works best for most clients. I have my own internal check list of what needs to get done and when I need something from my client I drop them an email with a list of things I need.”

WWDC: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
Coastal Extreme: ”Communication is key! Talk to your clients, ask lots of question and make sure they understand what you're talking about. ”

WWDC: How do you manage demanding clients?
Coastal Extreme: ”I wouldn't say any client is really demanding. They're spending good money for your services and you need to deliver. Get to know your client and gauge how best to work with them.”

WWDC: If a client was trying to decide between a shortlist of web design companies, how would you recommend they go about selecting the right one for them?
Coastal Extreme: ”Obviously there are comparisons between the design styles of the various companies and also price, though ultimately once you've made a choice on those two, then you need to consider, which person/company you like better and think you can actually work with.”

WWDC: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
Coastal Extreme: ”Over the next ten years I suspect there will be a lot of growth in the company. We'll probably have to add a few extra employees since WWDC will bring tons of new leads our way.”

WWDC: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
Coastal Extreme: ”The web industry will finally be rid of IE 6, 7 and 8. And the internet will be a much prettier place than it is now.”

WWDC: What computers do you have use in your offices, PCs or Macs?
Coastal Extreme: ”Both PC and Mac”

WWDC: How was your company name chosen?
Coastal Extreme: ”I have had this company name for a LONG time. Back when I started my company I thought the name was cool.”

WWDC: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
Coastal Extreme: ”Don't stop adding new content. A website should be organic and slowly grow over time.”