Ionic Media Ltd

Q: What's your name and position in the company?
A: My name is Adam Holt and I am Co-Founder and Head of Online Marketing at Ionic Media

Q: Describe your company in 5 words.
A: Young, Creative, Exciting, Bold, Ambitious

Q: What's your business philosophy?
A: To achieve success for our clients, by working closely, personally and creatively with them to offer a level of service not offered by larger agencies.

Q: Describe your office environment.
A: We are a young and creative agency, we want our employees to enjoy being here. We encourage creativity and the flow of creative ideas. This creates a relaxed environment which has been proven to increase creativity, morale and enjoyment, which our employees will express, provides job satisfaction. We allow our employees to listen to music and use social media networks. Our coffee machine is always the source of our energy, and we regularly go out for after work drinks, or lunches together.

Q: Describe how your team interact and work together.
A: We are a small agency, therefore communication is key to our operation. When a client signs with us, we will all sit down and brainstorm ideas. Everyone gets involved. From here we can start to form a strategy that will work for that clients needs, requirements and goals. Our office space is small, and this allows us to communicate really well. We also use Skype to communicate with each other (I like to listen to music in my earphones as I work") but also with our clients, again ensuring that our clients are kept in the loop and are able to contact us and ask questions at any point of their online journey.

Q: What makes you different from other web design companies?
A: We work closely with our clients. We listen to their ideas, form our own, and from there design and build websites that reflect our clients vision. All our websites are bespoke, hand coded and rigorously tested to ensure that we only provide the highest calibre of web solutions. Our designers and developers are artists and architects of online web solutions, they take pride and satisfaction in their work, and this is apparent in each of our websites.

Q: How do you get the majority of your business?
A: Through email outreach, networking, referrals and word of mouth.

Q: Describe how you manage projects from the initial client contact to completion and handover.
A: A new client will meet with us, we will gather all the information regarding the project then take that away and build upon it. This may happen a few times until both parties are happy to proceed. The designers will then create a few mock-ups for the client. This them to pick and choose the ideas and elements of the design that they like, and disgard those that they don't. We will also advise as to what we think is best. Once a design is signed off it is handed to our development team. On completion of development the site will be thoroughly tested, before being handed over to the client. We have a client login on our site, where clients can access a library of training documents to help them understand and learn more about maintaining and using their new website.

Q: What do you think is the most crucial element of creating a good client relationship?
A: Transparency.

Q: How do you manage demanding clients?
A: By working closely with our clients we are able to adapt our approach to suit each individual client and project. In doing this we find that clients accept that we are on board with their ideas and ambitions, this strengthens the business relationship and makes it less demanding.

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: It is my opinion that any agency you sign with, be it a web design agency or online marketing agency, should express a keen interest in your business. If the agency can relate or share your enthusiasm then you will gain the best service and results.

Q: Where do you see your company in 10 years time?
A: We hope to be an established Digital Agency here in Scotland. We want our Blog to grow as a community and become a top resource for Web Design, Online Marketing and Business Advice and Ideas. We have a few internal projects that we would love to see take off. Most importantly we wish to maintain our tight and unique work force. We would rather be a small and elite Agency, rather than large faceless company.

Q: Where do you see the web design industry in the future?
A: I think with the advances in technology that we have seen in the past 5 years, this is an industry that can only grow and evolve. These are exciting times and we are excited to be apart of it.

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

Q: How was your company name chosen?
A: I was going on a Snowboarding holiday and my girlfriend at the times Mum bought us Ionic Magnesium to help build up some kind of immunity to bruising and pain. Don't Ask. Anyway, we had a few good names, but nothing was standing out. I was leaving the house one day and I saw the bottle of Ionic Magnesium and the metaphoric light bulb came lit up. Having been in bands, I know the importance of a good name, but a lot of that comes down to what you make of the name.

Q: If you were to give your clients one tip on how to get the most from their website what would it be?
A: To Engage with it Everyday.