Catch22 Marketing

Q: What's your name and position in the company?
A: Cameron Clark - Owner

Q: Describe your company in 5 words.
A: Design. Optimise. Convert. Our Process!

Q: What's your business philosophy?
A: We believe strongly in the PROCESS. I like comparing it to food. Fast food can be a great fix. convenient, cheap and can do a job if you're desperate. Really good food like top class web design requires more time and thought in planning, choosing the right ingredients, and then using the best methods to get the best results. If Catch22 was a chef we'd be Jamie Oliver. No Michelin stars yet but we love what we do, and we create stuff that people love. The proof really is in the pudding! That came together quite nicely I feel:)

Q: Describe your office environment.
A: Currently overlooking the Mediterranean Sea! Catch22 used to be based in central London but since spring 2010 I have run projects remotely. As we've always had international clients (from Canada, South Africa and Australia) it was never much of an issue. Most of our long term clients are London based and such is the nature of modern business it's very email based with the occasional Skype conference call which are great for creative meetings.

Q: Describe how your team interact and work together.
A: Incredibly well. Because we don't sit next to each other excellent communication is key, but as designers and programmers naturally work better uninterrupted or focused on specific tasks the remote set-up improves creative output and efficiency.

Q: What makes you different from other web design companies?
A: Background and value provided. I started in sales and marketing, so from the outset I was always more interested in business goals than design awards. As things progressed it was became clear that I had a holistic understanding of web development - and the greatest value to clients was the ability to unpack all the different design, technology and marketing elements into a great business solution.

Q: How do you get the majority of your business?
A: Referrals and Google searches. We are top of Google for "Seo Web Design", "website start-up guide" and a number of other relevant search terms which keeps enquiries coming in and our clients are fantastic at passing us on to others. In fact, in 6 years we have never spent a penny on advertising.

Q: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
A: Design Brief > Proposal > Agreement/Deposit > Design and Build > Sign-off/Final Payment > Launch

Q: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
A: Tough to choose but probably mutual respect with rapport a close second. The smoothest projects tend to start with "We really like what you do" and me saying "I like your product / business / idea". Then as it's such a collaborative process being 'on the same page' really helps. That can be from the first hello to a couple of calls in but getting along is so important.

Q: How do you manage demanding clients?
A: I also believe that responsibility falls on the web design company to set out and explain the process. From experience, demanding clients are usually fearful clients. Once you establish confidence in your expertise and trust in your ability to deliver, the rest tends to fall into place.

Q: 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?
A: I believe in gut instinct. After common sense comparisons and due diligence you should trust your instinct about a company.

Q: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
A: A decade is a long time in web years. The three most popular sites in the world didn't exist 6 years ago so I'll take a wild guess at developing apps for iPad 10 or consulting on the future of web development for charities and start-ups.

Q: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
A: Thriving. The future is incredibly exciting right now and we're entering a time where great ideas, creativity and technology are being used together to produce amazing things.

Q: What computers do you have use in your offices, PCs or Macs?
A: Mac

Q: How was your company name chosen?
A: Because every business faces the same predicament, the same pivotal point in it's life where it must choose between one option and another. SEO or PPC? Wordpress or custom CMS? This company or that one? It requires a leap of faith because you never know until you choose...hence Catch22.

Q: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
A: Enjoy the process! Designing a website can, and I think should be, one of the most fun parts of running a business. So make sure you choose a good company for the experience.