It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s ... a drone? That’s right. On August 28, 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handed down new regulations governing the use of commercial drones. thunder::tech’s Manager of Multimedia Services, Matt Stevens, stopped by the thunder::cast studio to discuss his recent blog post “Commercial Drone Regulation Explained for Marketers.” Matt breaks down the new requirements in Part 107 of the Federal Aviation Regulations covering small unmanned aircraft systems, the remote pilot certification process, drone operation limits and compliance concerns, and the potential economic impact of drone technology. So how are these new guidelines impacting marketers and revolutionizing the way we serve consumers? You don’t want to miss this insightful conversation that just might help keep your company out of hot water with the FAA.

The regular thunder::cast crew is joined by thunder::tech’s Senior Director of Development Department, Bruce Williams, to discuss his recent blog post entitled “How to Get the Most Out of Your CRM.” Bruce outlines some useful tips for anyone considering investing in a customer relationship management (CRM) system or those who already have one up and running. Businesses big and small can maximize their investment and benefit greatly from a CRM to increase leads, boost closing rates and deliver superior customer service. A CRM is a unanimous purchase for most operations, so you should make every effort to get the entire team on board with your CRM and ensure that it’s customized to suit the needs of everyone from the legacy sales force to brand new customer service reps. You don’t want to miss this conversation covering CRM, ROI and other exciting TLAs (three-letter acronyms).

In this episode, we talk with Mike Conley, Vice President of Digital for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their related organizations. In addition to bringing home two championships in 2016 (shout out to the Lake Erie Monsters!), Mike was Co-Chair of Digital Tools for the Republican National Convention in August—it was a busy year. Mike shares how he focuses on solving problems by aligning teams with partners to develop creative campaigns that deliver a strong ROI. Mike delivers insight into how to leverage technology, build a strong team and manage it well so it can grow and remain agile—all the while continuing to deliver the outstanding experience fans demand. 

We sit down with entrepreneur, speaker, author, podcaster and chief evangelist Joe Pulizzi to talk about how “content marketing” has fundamentally changed the way brands are connecting with their customers. What started as a few advocates in big companies has now become an established interdisciplinary strategy embraced by companies of all sizes. We explore how middle market companies are well suited to adopt content marketing strategies because they aren’t burdened with layers of momentum-killing bureaucracy and look at the long-term strategy. Pulizzi also gives us a preview of Content Marketing World 2016, the event he helped build from modest beginnings to a paradigm shifting spectacle that draws more than 3,500 attendees from 60 countries, including representatives from 40 Fortune 100 companies.

In this episode, we explore the craze that’s sweeping the nation, Pokémon GO! Eric and Craig talk to two of thunder::tech’s in-house PokéExperts to explore the hows and whys of the new augmented reality game that’s created the perfect storm of nostalgia, additive gameplay, competition and community. Most importantly, we discuss how smart businesses are tapping into the craze to turn the hordes of cellphone wielding fans into new customers. If you don’t know a Pokéball from a Pikachu, then this podcast will get you up to speed and maybe even motivate you to “catch ‘em all” for yourself.

One of the 5-part series of podcasts connected to our 2016 Trends Summer Reader publication. This episode discusses how brands can get more out of their digital proprieties by using an iterative design philosophy. Senior Director of the Development Department, Bruce Williams, and thunder::tech President, Jason Therrien, talk about commonsense ways in which companies can avoid the typical build/bust cycle. That is, getting out of the habit of building a website, ignoring it until it becomes obsolete, tearing it down and starting all over. Instead, plan on building a website that can easily be edited and tweaked over time to end up with a better functioning site developed with a smaller investment.

One of the 5-part series of podcasts connected to our 2016 Trends Summer Reader publication. In this episode, Social Media Team Manager Madison Bender discusses how the always-on nature of social media can perfectly support real-world events. By preparing carefully and leveraging FOMO (fear of missing out), you can dramatically increase engagement with your audience before, during and after the event itself. Bender also discusses how and why to create a social media command center by sharing her experiences in building the #ASKCLE Social Media headquarters to support visitors, delegates and other attendees of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

One of the 5-part series of podcasts connected to our 2016 Trends Summer Reader publication. This episode discusses how personalization and relationship marketing can use data from a variety of sources to create a truly engaging and motivating experience for your customers. Our Marketing Automation Specialist, Kyle Coughlin, and our Senior Director of Development Department, Bruce Williams, lead a discussion that covers everything from collecting data points across platforms to connecting offline behavior with online engagement to how to get personal with your marketing without getting TOO personal with your marketing.

One of the 5-part series of podcasts connected to our 2016 Trends Summer Reader publication. This episode outlines “Moment Marketing,” an approach to engaging with customers that is as much a philosophy as it is a tactical execution. By connecting with your customer at the exact point in time when they have a specific need and are willing to do something about it, you can improve engagement, further the customer relationship and provide solutions that satisfy customers’ needs. This wide ranging conversation covers how Moment Marketing goes beyond digital and can include traditional advertising formats like direct mail, print and point of sale, as well as how to get the most out of your marketing budget.

One of the 5-part series of podcasts connected to our 2016 Trends Summer Reader publication. This episode outlines the whens, whys and hows that brands should consider when approaching either an evolution to their brand (a slight change or escalating changes over time) or a revolution (a completely new look, feel or approach). Using examples such as Starbucks, Federal Express, Lube Stop and our own agency brand to illustrate the point, we interview thunder::tech’s Creative Director, Craig Israel, who provides ideas and insight fueled by his nearly 20 years of marketing experience.