How should we improve our products? What new services should we offer? More often than not these questions are not asked to the customer. Companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars on market research, data analysis, customer focus groups and often forget to simply ask their customer – what else would you like?

Recently Google, one of the more innovate companies out there, launched an initiative to include its customers in the brainstorming process. Using two new web sites, Google Product Ideas as well as Product Ideas for Google Mobile. Although the concept of using the Internet to include customers in the brainstorming process is not new, it is surprising how few companies develop open lines of communication with their customers as part of their market research and strategic planning process.

Using the Internet and social networking tools can not only serve as a resource for developing new ideas for products and services, but can in almost real time improve customer loyalty and can help avoid costly mistakes. Although it can be difficult to hear that your idea for a new product or service is not good, it is undeniably better to get that feedback before additional resources and investment are committed.

Over the last few years better tools and widgets have continued to make both the solicitation of ideas and feedback on those ideas much easier. From simple voting tools like the thumbs up and thumbs down used by Stumble Upon to more complex ranking systems, there are a wide range of inexpensive and well designed resources that can allow any company to tap into the collective creativity of thousands of people.

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Ask Your Customer, The Downside

St. Louis, MO (Jan. 14, 2009) Moving Off Campus, a leading integrated marketing company announced today the launch of the next generation of its website for college students.  Specifically the new site features:

-  Improved design and navigation for visitors and members.

-  An apartment directory featuring millions of apartments around college and university campuses

-  Over one hundred thousand business listings around college and university campuses.

-  Ability to search by distance for apartments, business and events from over 2,000 college and university campus.

-  Expanded community content pages.

-  Free coupon posting service for businesses.

-  Free listing service for businesses wanting to reach college students at universities around the United States.

-  Daily specials sections featuring what is going on off campus.

MovingOffCampus.com completed its second phase of expansion last year to a handful of college and university campuses in St. Louis, Chicago and Boston. After working with focus groups and making several major design and technical upgrades, MovingOffCampus.com is now available to college students at over 2,000 university campuses around the United States.

“We’ve learned a lot from our initial launch and are excited to introduce our platform to college students across the country,” said Mark Sawyier, founder and CEO of Moving Off Campus. “We are confident that the time and resources invested in the website will pay off as we continue our national expansion”.

MovingOffCampus.com, although still in its infancy, has exceeded expectations in both campus market penetration and advertising click-through rates. At its first six campuses MovingOffCampus.com signed up over 8,000 student members and advertising click through rates were consistently five to ten times industry averages.

“Our focus is on college students,” said Robert Dowling, content manager for MovingOffCampus.com. “Our listings of apartments near universities, our reviews and features cater to, and are often created by college students – we create a more relevant and valuable experience for college students.”

MovingOffCampus.com is a completely free site for business and property owners interested in being more visible to college students. MovingOffCampus.com hosts one of the most comprehensive apartment listings in the United States through its own database of off campus housing around universities and the integration of apartment data from Apartments.com.

In addition to the free listing services, MovingOffCampus.com provides integrated marketing services that leverage the Internet, social media, peer-to-peer marketing on and off campus and a broad range of advertising activities.
In support of its national expansion Moving Off Campus is recruiting college student campus ambassadors to support marketing efforts, help increase awareness of the web site, and develop local content. Students interested in internships or ambassador positions should visit the jobs section of MovingOffCampus.com.

About Moving Off Campus -

Founded in 2006, Moving Off Campus is an integrated marketing company focused on effectively connecting advertisers with the 18 million college students in the United States. Through a combination of on-campus marketing, off-campus events near universities, social media and a content rich Internet sites, Moving Off Campus produces superior results for college students and advertising partners alike. Moving of Campus is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.  For additional information visit http://www.movingoffcampus.com