Fidelco client SSgt Michael Malarsie, USAF (Ret) with his Fidelco Guide Dog “Xxon”

Heroes will again be honored at the fourth annual Ride for Independence to benefit the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in Bloomfield, Connecticut on Sunday, July 20th. This family-friendly motorcycle fundraiser celebrates the freedom and independence that Fidelco Guide Dogs bring to men and women who are blind across North America, especially blinded military personnel.

The family-friendly event begins and ends at Fidelcos beautiful Bloomfield campus. Riders enjoy a scenic, police-escorted 50 mile route through the Farmington Valley and return to Fidelco for a gourmet barbeque lunch by Black Eyed Sallys, a live concert by the Southern rock band SHOVELHEAD and more. Non-riders are encouraged to attend to cheer on the riders and enjoy lunch, vendors, entertainment, on-site K-9 demonstrations and Fidelco puppy visits.

The 2014 Ride for Independence Grand Marshal is a blinded military hero and Fidelco client, Staff Sergeant Michael Malarsie, USAF (Ret). Malarsie was blinded in an IED attack while serving in Afghanistan in 2010. One year later, with his Fidelco Guide Dog Xxon leading the way, Michael returned to work as the only blind airman on active duty in the Air Force.

Fidelcos Field of Flags — a tribute featuring more than 500 American flags planted in honor of fallen military heroes, first responders, veterans and personal heroes — will be on display. For a $ 10 donation, a flag will be added to the Field of Flags on the day of the event or online at http://www.fidelco.org/honoryourheroes.

WHO: Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, blinded military hero SSgt Michael Malarsie (interviews available) WHAT: 2014 Ride for Independence motorcycle event to benefit Fidelco WHEN: Sunday, July 20, 2014; Registration 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; ride leaves at noon, lunch served at 1:30; K-9 demos all day Day-of registration: $ 40/bike (includes passenger) Non-rider: $ 15 each (includes lunch) WHERE: Fidelco, 103 Vision Way (formerly Old Iron Ore Road), Bloomfield, CT 06002 WHY: To support Fidelcos mission of promoting increased freedom and independence to men and women who are blind, especially blinded military personnel, by providing them the highest quality German Shepherd Guide Dogs

ABOUT SSGT MALARSIE: On January 3, 2010, in the remote mountains of Afghanistan, then-Senior Airman Michael Malarsie was blinded and severely wounded by a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) that killed four team members and blew him off a bridge. Blinded and broken, Michael stayed in the fight loading ammunition for his comrades. He was later awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for heroism on the battlefield.

Exactly one year later, following months of determined rehabilitation and painful facial surgeries, Michael was partnered with his Fidelco Guide Dog Xxon. Michael returned to active duty status as the only blind airman serving in the United States Air Force, leading a Wounded Airman Recovering Mentorship Program to help other wounded veterans transition to civilian life.

About Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Bloomfield, CT. Fidelco is an internationally accredited organization and an admired expert throughout the world for its highly valued German Shepherd Guide Dogs.

Each Fidelco Guide Dog takes two years, 15,000 hands-on hours and $ 45,000 to produce. They are given to clients at no cost. Fidelco provides 24/7 client support for the entire working life of its guide dogs typically 10 years. Fidelco relies solely on the generosity and financial support of individuals, foundations, corporations and civic organizations to help Share the Vision.

Fidelco has trained and placed over 1,350 German Shepherd Guide Dogs throughout North America in 41 states and five Canadian provinces. Fidelco pioneered In-Community Placement in the United States a process that allows all guide dog users to be trained in the communities where they live and work.

Fidelco also has placed hundreds of its German Shepherd Dogs with law enforcement agencies, first responders, search and rescue, and missing child recovery organizations to help protect our fellow citizens and keep our communities safe.

For more information, please visit http://www.fidelco.org or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/fidelcoguidedog

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The Two Pillars of Customer-Centric Marketing

“Change the only constant in life style”. This is a simple yet profound truth that is lived out daily as the market changes to change the epicenter of marketing. Today is a customer-centric environment which businesses, big or small must acknowledge and embrace to survive in the harsh business world.

Google recognized the impacts of change to adapt quickly to keep pace for survival and attain market greatness. It is not surprising then that Google continues to excel with its rapid adoption of changes year by year from its search engine algorithms to SEO indexing requirements.

Customer-centric Environment

A growing emphasis is placed on adopting the best features that contribute to a dynamic user-centric search experience for users. There is a changing shift in the market towards dynamic content marketing where brands are re-structured intensely to provide valuable information for enticing potential leads to the brand and business.

Such customer-centricity demands changes in modern marketing practices which would boost the brand and business to stay ahead of the competition. Businesses today must establish two imposing pillars of customer-centric marketing to be successful in the marketplace.

Pillar 1 – Reshape Content Creation Strategy
Customer-centric marketing refers to customers’ demands and expectations which should be fulfilled satisfactorily by business marketers. The Internet offers diverse, dynamic tools such as Quora.com that permits easy access to understanding customers’ requirements and preferences.

These online tools allow marketers and business planners to identify the needs of potential leads as well as current customers quickly. Those indulging into such activities proactively over time would be deemed as market leaders in their respective industries. There would be a stirring of favorable sentiments such as respect and confidence towards marketers who are deemed innovative and bold to venture into new areas of advanced technologies in leading the way on better marketing developments.

Such proactive approach could also generate inspirational ideas and themes for interesting and new blog articles that users find relevant and fresh that connect them to the brand and company. Inbound marketing is known to be strengthened with relevant concerns being addressed effectively in the contents.

The market comprises diverse consumers who require market expertise in many areas of life where excellent and useful answers would boost the marketers’ leadership in the industry and market. This is part and parcel of adding value to the content that would be re-constructed to be rich and delightful. Hence, content is now designed and developed in a new structure that is fresh and more appealing to modern consumers.

Quality content in a customer-centric environment is associated with key focuses like storytelling narration and empathy with feasible solutions. Such approaches stir up interest and curiosity in consumers to initiate a self discovery for solutions which they could apply and benefit.

The bottom line in customer-centric marketing is to add value to consumers through quality content which they would benefit using effective marketing campaigns with the right mindset of pleasing or satisfying customers. This marketing approach focuses on the customers and not the brand or business.

Pillar 2 – User-centric Marketing
When marketers or business owners change their thought pattern and approach to be user-centric, they would design and develop marketing strategies and campaigns that would satisfy consumer needs and preferences. Businesses today must work ‘selflessly’ to satisfy consumer demands and expectations rather than their own ambitions in the market which becomes secondary.

This is the profound revelatory principle that is now established in the market for business success. The onset of the social media revolution changes branding approaches to be customer-centric where successful branding focuses on the targeted community and meeting its diverse needs and requirements using customized processes that present business brands more palatably.

Today’s form of marketing is having the tables turned on businesses as givers and not takers. When this change happens or is adopted by business brands, there would be a definite change in the marketing strategies and plans developed to win over consumers as customers who know what they want and whom they want from.

The new form of marketing happens when marketers research on changing market trends and customer demands to reward customers the way they want and not according to the whims and fancies of the business or brand. This would flood consumers with unique and fresh brand experiences that resonate in trust, confidence and reliability in the brand and company. Consumers are drawn into a special relationship that is underpinned by mystery, sensuality and intimacy.

A strong customer relation creates more business opportunities for the marketer and business owners to promote the business brand and offers. Marketing efforts become less intense with an established relationship that has trust and confidence incorporated to enjoy the best of user experience with the brand and business if proper interaction is engaged between marketer and potential leads or customers.

Reaping Results – The right application of this customer-centric marketing philosophy could bring about exciting business opportunities that would include favorable business results and outcomes. More traffic would be drawn to the website and brand awareness would be intensified with wider market recognition as more consumers are made aware of the brand presence in the market.

Word-of-mouth advertising is activated more readily from this marketing philosophy as customers are more satisfied and willing to spread the brand to their circles of contact and influence. Hence, marketers save huge amounts of money on intense advertising as satisfied customers prove to be the better alternative that is more convincing as proven by testimonies in the market. Consumers are more readily influenced with success stories from their own kind than professional business promos which are ‘white-washed’.

Conclusion – When potential customers recognize the unique and different approach the marketer is adopting in promoting their brand and business using a different mindset that caters to meeting their needs, their attitude and response would be favorable towards the marketer and brand.

This user-centric attitude changes the perspective of brand and business to put their priorities on customers who become satisfied with the favorable customer services to pledge their loyalty towards the brand and business.

Customer centric is a way of doing business with your customer in a way that provides a positive customer experience before and after the sale in order to drive repeat business, customer loyalty and profits. And a customer–centric company is more than a company that offers good service

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This video is a brief introduction into basic obedience. Obedience is the fundamental means of communication with any animal. Through obedience training your dog will learn what, when and how to do what your asking.