“No one rises to low expectations” Jesse Jackson http://amplify.com/u/byv8a
April 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Are You Using Mobile Marketing?
April 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mobile marketing is expected to explode and that explosion will dramatically change business marketing. But the mobile marketing explosion will require business owners to rethink how they market. Not only will they have to change thir search engine marketing strategies but they should also plan on adding the following;
1) Businesses will need to get their website converted to mobile sites.
2) Businesses should claim all of their online real estate (Twitter, FB, Local etc)
3) Businesses should adapt attraction (inbound) marketing strategies
4) Business owners should start collecting customer info including cell phones
These changes are a good step toward preparing for mobile marketing and every business needs to take these steps.
Amplify’d from www.mobilemarketer.com
Many experts believe that Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo will increase their mobile search market share. And, as mobile search grows exponentially, marketers will need to rethink their search engine marketing (SEM) strategy and consider a different approach to mobile search.
Bing’s mobile search engine emphasizes categorization and depth in search results.
Mobile search provides a great opportunity for marketers. Many should take advantage of smartphone capabilities such as GPS and voice and image-recognition technology and incorporate those into their multichannel marketing efforts.
“We’ve found that when advertisers run a mobile-specific campaign, they experience, on average, an 11.5 percent increase in mobile click through rates compared to their mobile click through rates on a hybrid campaign that runs both on desktop and mobile.
“Advertisers should be constantly measuring, analyzing, and re-testing, always with their marketing objective in mind,” Mr. Slinger said. “If their goal is calls, they could measure the close rate on Google-supplied calls.
“Mobile is just another way to reach an individual that you’re trying to have a relationship with,” she said. “You should be looking at the different key data points, what’s causing the most inertia and what types of products are being sold on mobile devices today.”
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Who will win the Mobile Payments Push
April 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
There is a war going on. No, not the war in Afghanistan or the war in Iraq and it’s not the war in Libya. This is a war being waged by every major player on the online and mobile business. This war is a war to get you to use your smart phone as a way to pay for goods and services and while it seems to be a war about payments, it’s really a war about fees.
Here is what I mean. I recently read a report that said that 1/3rd of US profits came from the financial services industry and that industry generates most of its profits from fees.
If Google or Apple or Amazon or Paypal can get you to pay for stuff with your cell phone they can charge fees and in many cases fees are pure profit.
So , here is the question. Who do you trust to process your mobile payments.
Amplify’d from mashable.com
Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft and others have their eyes on the NFC mobile payment market, setting the stage for a potentially brutal battle over the future of payments.
NFC, or near-field communication, allows for wireless transfer of data over short distances between two devices. This makes it an ideal technology for financial transactions between a phone and a device at a brick-and-mortar store.
- Google: The search giant may be the farthest along of the big companies. Android already includes NFC support, but most Android phones don’t yet carry NFC chips. This hasn’t deterred Google from running in-store mobile payment tests. More recently, Google reportedly partnered with Mastercard, VeriFone and Citigroup to create an NFC payment system that could launch later this year. It also acquired NFC startup Zetawire last year.
- Apple: The iPhone maker is reportedly considering adding NFC to the iPhone 5, though rumors that it would be added to the iPad 2 turned out to be false. From what we’ve heard, Apple has been testing NFC payments on its Cupertino campus for months, but is unsure about whether it should be made available in the next edition of the iPhone.
- Amazon: The ecommerce giant is reportedly exploring the idea of its own mobile payment service to compete with Apple and Google. Amazon already has Amazon Payments, and has popular apps on both iOS and Android, but it doesn’t have an NFC product.
- AT&T, Verizon & T-Mobile: Three of the four major networks teamed up last year to announce Isis, a joint venture between the networks to facilitate the addition of NFC technology into their phones.
- Microsoft: The software giant is also reportedly getting into the mobile payments game. It hopes to get NFC into its OS this year, which would be a huge boost to its Nokia partnership. Nokia is already committed to NFC, and its reach could instantly make Microsoft a major player.
And then there’s Amazon. While it doesn’t control a mobile OS or millions of smartphones, it does have the most payments experience and clout of the group. It has also proven adept at developing strong mobile apps. And even more important is its potential ability to convince brick-and-mortar stores to include its own NFC devices in their stores.
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bxekm
Podio Opens App Store in San Francisco
March 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Creating apps to help with your productivity is growing. Companies that help users build apps include Appmakr and Appdiction but Podio has taken app building to a new level by opening an app maker store at 224 6th Street in San Francisco.
The goal of the store is to help users build apps and is offering working lunches designed to demonstrate how Podio can help create apps for increased productivity, I’m going tomorrow
Amplify’d from venturebeat.com
Podio is launching what it calls the world’s first business app store and business app builder to help people at work create productivity apps with no need for technical expertise. The approach is a good example of how company’s can try to snare users by making it dead simple for them to create what they want themselves, as part of a “creator economy.”
The Copenhagen-based company will sell its Podio App Builder, which allows people to create custom work apps for business processes from recruiting to expense reporting. Users can build those apps within a matter of minutes. Podio is also unveiling its Podio App Store today with more than 200 business applications available for free.
The Podio app can replace multiple apps from others, such as Yammer, Box.net, and Sharepoint, said Amit Gupta, vice president of development at InMobi, a mobile ad network. Podio costs $99 a month and can be used by up to 25 users. A free version is available for up to 10 users.
Podio has opened up a physical store in San Francisco where it will work with users to help them create their own apps. The company has raised $4 million in funding from Sunstone Capital, in addition to an earlier angel round.
The company’s chief executive is Tommy Ahlers and it has around 15 people.
“The key point here is that a user-created environment is much easier for people to work in,” Ahlers said in an interview. “We feel like we are putting all of these different web apps together.”
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bwivy
Is Anyone Using Your Mobile App
March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The buzz in the mobile space is creating a “app” for your users but this latest study show that just having an app doesn’t mean that your customer will actually even use the app.
The lesson is “creating an app” ain’t easy. Just like with your blog, social media, videos and other marketing efforts, your “app” must provide value to your user. Massive value.
Here is the lesson, instead of focusing on creating an “app” focus on understanding your customers and creating compelling value on your major media. Once you create compelling value, then you can use an app as delivery mechanism for that value.
Dedicated to your success
Amplify’d from www.mobilemarketer.com
Fewer than 20 applications are installed, on average, on the Web-enabled devices that mobile consumers use, with only 50 percent of those apps actually used, according to a recent MRM Worldwide study.
The company rolled out a mobile attitudes study that interviewed 1,717 Internet users between the ages of 16-70 years old from Germany and Britain. The study tracked current mobile Internet and application usage patterns.
Apps dilemma
According to the study, applications are no easy game.
The problem is getting on the screen and then getting the user to regularly use their applications.
In addition, developers and marketers have challenges.
There are so many applications in app stores that it is difficult for marketers and developers to know what the user will choose.
User behavior
The study also found that there are four characters with a clear and distinguished profile – The Rookie, The Rationalist, The Everday and The Restless.
The Rookie shows a very low usage intensity, where the mobile Web is being used selectively and is still reduced to a few basic services.
“I think there are three surprising findings from the study,” Mr. Kiefer said. “Even among the most active user types, smartphones are not that dominant – although they have the majority among the Restless user type, there are a large percentage of people who use Internet-enabled phones to connect with the Internet and its services on the go and that should be recognized.
“We are also going to see an increasing sophistication in the types of mobile offerings and services as consumer demand for constant mobility continues to rise.”
“Mobile will leave the playground and will be taken more seriously,” he said. “We are going to see more integration with other marketing initiatives.
“Marketers should try to understand your target audience and what they do and expect in the mobile space first, then think what you can do mobile,” Mr. Kiefer said. “For a mobile marketing effort to be successful, knowing the target market is critical.
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bujoo
Your Mobile Phone Is Subject To Attack By Malware and Viruses etc!
February 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Your iPhone or Android is NOT a PHONE. It is a very small computer with the ability to place calls on a cell network. It can and way be vulnerable to all of the attacks your computer experienced including virus attacks, malware and phishing.
As mobile phone usage grows, your phone can become more vulnerable. One of the most vulnerable areas are mobile phone apps. This article describes the threats and ways to prevent your phone from being hacked
Amplify’d from www.mobilecommercedaily.com
Analysts predict an increase in malware – malicious software – and other security threats that hackers spread through mobile devices, especially as sales of smartphones continue to explode worldwide.
While mobile viruses have been uncommon to date, hackers do have the ability to exploit mobile security, per Frost & Sullivan. Given that mobile users are increasingly surfing the Web, as well as downloading and using applications, many in the industry are not surprised to see a growth in malicious activity.
“TRUSTe believes that mobile apps and Web sites should only obtain information appropriate for the service provided,” said Janet Jaiswal, director and mobile product manager at TRUSTe, San Francisco. “In addition, sensitive information such as geolocation, credit card info and social security number should be encrypted before it is transmitted.”
Human error
A recent New York Times report cited a case from September when a virus infected 1 million-plus mobile phones in China.
Ironically disguised as an anti-virus application, the virus known as “zombie” let hackers access the phone’s SIM card and automatically send spam text messages to people listed on the phone’s address book, per the Times.
Many of the points made in the New York Times article are valid, accourding to mFoundry Inc., the company that powers Starbucks Card Mobile applications.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that non-banking mobile applications fail to take security seriously,” said Rodney Aiglstorfer, cofounder and chief technology officer of mFoundry Inc., Larkspur, CA.
“When a user’s Groupon account is compromised, and the credentials used are the same as those for their banking service, that user is at serious financial risk,” Mr. Aiglstorfer said. “For this reason, education is the best weapon.
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bqiu3
Outsourced Lead Generation Creates Better Results Than In-House
February 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
This makes perfect sense. An outside company can focus on lead generation, it is how they make their money. In-House lead generation people often have other responsibilities that take their focus off generating leads.
In todays world, lead generation is a fulltime job requiring fulltime focus and attention.
Amplify’d from www.customerthink.com
Using outside professionals to help your company implement B2B lead generation gives 43% better results than hiring your own person. Case closed!
So many firms try to do b2b lead generation in-house, (Just do a search on Linkedin for “lead generation” to see how amazingly popular it is.) it’s useful to share some facts from NNC Services white paper which did a great job of comparing in-house and outsourced b2b lead generation. (Click the link to see the original post.)
- Clear client profiling. (Buyer Personas) Lead generation experts use multiple methods to find out every bit of useful information about a prospect and to draw out a complete picture: likes/dislikes, need and behaviors. These specialists also understand how customers buy, so they translate your selling process to the customer’s perspective.
- Correct Targeting. Outsourced experts ensure you talk to the person(s) who make the buying decision — through deep research.
- Qualified Leads. You don’t waste time on a meeting with someone who hasn’t expressed a clear need for your products or services, or who lacks the budget to purchase them. You only get meetings with people who understand what you are selling, need it and can afford to buy it.
- Follow-up and feedback. All opportunities are followed up until they become qualified leads or are determined not to be valuable. Also, the outsourced lead-gen team has the ability to use market feedback to get more leads.
- Multi-channel approach. A good lead gen partner will use a complex mist of lead generating channels — including networking, online and off-line, as well as social networks. This significantly improves the results of the campaigns.
- More confidence. It takes 6 months to a year to consider if an in-house team member is qualified and producing results. By comparison, you can usually evaluate an outsourced lead generation resource in a month or two.
An outsourced b2b lead generation partner can can deliver better sales leads than you can, at much lower cost, with reduced risk and increasing your opportunities for improved fiscal results. 3 months of b2b lead generation outsourcing brings you the same results as 12 months of in-house lead generation.
Conclusions:
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/apntc
In Honor of Black History (Mastery) Month, Discover Yourself
February 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
On Dec 25th 2009, I purchased a program that changed my life. On that Christmas day with much of my life in shambles, I decided to spend $199.00 and buy Veronica Conway’s Black Mastery Program.
The Program Changed My Life
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a lifelong student of personal development, studying , listening too and reading such greats as Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, James Allen, the great Napoleon Hill and of course Anthony Robbins. So I was no novice to great personal development programs but what attracted me to Black Mastery was its focus on helping me overcome looking at myself as a victim.
Let me explain, By Christmas 2008, my life had become a mess, before 2005 life was grand, I sold my business for 7 figures, took a year off from work and started a new business but by 2005 things began to change. My new business failed almost as soon as I launched (If you are thinking about buying a franchise call me first), my marriage was going bad and lastly my only child died from cancer.
On Christmas 2008, I was a mess. I then bought Black Mastery from Veronica Conway and slowly my life changed. Don’t get me wrong everything didn’t change overnight, (I had to undo the mess I created and recover(???) from the loss of my child) but slowly things began to get better.
Slowly I started to resolve the busted business issues, the personal issues and to some degree even the loss.
I learned to forgive myself, see my higher self, not associate my failures to me personally. I learned that I had greatness in me and I could recreate my past success.I discovered all of this and much, much more and I have Veronica Conway and Black Mastery to thank.
So why and I writing this long and personal story. Well two reasons.
1) I feel strong enough to start telling the story (even the painful parts)
2) I believe strongly in Veronica’s program
So, If you are stuck, want a better life. If you are struggling with money, marriages, children or just life, Veronica has created a great deal. For Black History Month (she calls it Black Mastery Month), Veronica has reduced the price of the Black Mastery Program in half. Instead of what I paid $199, she has reduced the price to $97.00. An amazing price.
So take my advice, start Black Mastery Month off with a bang. Buy Black Mastery NOW. www.blackmastery.com
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/apnrb
Android to be a One Billion Dollar Business
February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Looks like Google has figured out how to track Android revenues. Android will be a great opportunity for mobile marketers in 2011
Amplify’d from tech.fortune.cnn.com
Piper: Android to become billion dollar business in 2011
When you have two separate internal businesses, mobile and advertising, who do you give credit to when money is made in mobile advertising? Do you give full credit to the mobile business and take the revenue out of the advertising wing? Or, do you split it up between the two with some arbitrary percentage allotted to each? Google (GOOG) and its analysts are stuck in that conundrum.
We believe Android could provide over $1 billion in revenue from advertising to Google in 2012. We believe that Android generated $5.90 per user in mobile advertising in 2010 and expect ARPU to increase to $9.85 in 2012. In comparison, Google search generated $18.85 per user and Google advertising in total generated $25.77. Additionally, we expect Google’s revamped Android Market will enable users to download apps on Android more easily and could increase monetization per user from in-app advertising over the next two years. We maintain our Overweight rating on GOOG.
See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/apdys
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