This report comes amid other statistics that indicate that smartphones and mobile devices are, and are going to be, primary tools for a large amount of the U.S. population. Mobile advertising giant AdMob reported that smartphone penetration is now at 19 percent in the United States , while still other experts project that number to rise to 49 percent by late 2011.
Across the pond, mobile devices appear to be taking root in Europeans' hearts.
One study conducted by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) found that Europeans spend more time browsing the Internet with their mobile devices than they do reading newspapers and magazines. Around 71 million of Europeans turn to their mobile devices weekly to search the Web, the report stated.
“Indeed, new age patterns of media consumption indicate that marketers should be looking to develop multi-platform strategies that reach and connect with consumers more effectively and increase ROI,” Alison Fennah, Executive Director of the EIAA, was quoted as saying. “This is opposed to making media decisions based on an ‘either or’ basis if they want to reach all demographics.”
Basically put, businesses are being urged to utilize multiple advertising platforms, and for small businesses trying to make their presence online, increasing compatibility among mobile users appears to be a crucial step.
Other data the ComScore's report provided: activities such as text messaging, gaming, and listening to music all increased from the November-December in 2010 versus the same three-month period in 2009. Of all mobile subscribers, 61 percent used their smartphones to send text messages, up from 62.1 percent in 2009; game playing rose to 21.9 percent in 2010 from 21.4 percent in 2009; and listening to music was up to 13.1 percent in 2010 from 11.8 percent in 2009.
ComScore also reported that 18 percent of mobile subscribers use their devices to access social networking sites, an increase of 2.8 percentage points.
For small businesses hoping to enhance their online advertising, this provides further evidence that mobile devices are entrenching themselves as a primary way people access the Internet now and in the future.
Smart businesses should prepare for smartphones and the rise of the mobile marketing platform.
More Americans (45 million) are using smartphones than ever before. Why your small business should be prepared for mobile users.
When customers hear your company’s name, what thought comes to their mind? Do they think of your friendly staff? Maybe a great price on a product? Free shipping? Excellent technical support?
If you are a budding entrepreneur with a great idea for a product or service and you’re ready to build a website to launch your online business, then add branding to your list of things to do for starting an online business. If you already have an online business and it isn’t succeeding like you want it to, then it’s time to start branding.
What is a Brand?
A Brand is more than a logo. A logo is a symbol. A brand is a promise. Your logo doesn’t mean much if you don’t have a solid brand. A brand is used to create trust between your company and your customer. When they think about your company, you want an automatic impression to come to their mind.
A campaign can have a brand. A company can have a brand. An individual can have a brand. Logos, advertising campaigns, and websites are used to create a brand. Some well-known brands include BMW, Coke, McDonalds, and Ferrari.
Why Should you Care about Branding?
Branding can help make your online business successful. How? A brand will help build trust between you and your customers. This trust leads to loyalty. Loyal customers become raving fans of a product or service and start to advertise for you—t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, and the all important word of mouth.
Are you willing to pay more for a product if it was created by a brand you trust? Look at the clothes you wear, the car you drive, the food you purchase. Why did you purchase those items? In part at least, your purchase was based off of the brand name— you trust the makers of those products.
Can your customers trust your company? Do they feel like they know your company? A strong brand introduces your company to your customers. The customer can relate with your company on an emotional level if you’ve got a strong brand.
To build a brand you’ve got to create a brand. After you’ve created a brand, you’ve got to market it to your employees first, and then the rest of the world. In order to keep your brand intact, you’ve got to keep the promise(s) of your brand. So, what is Your Company’s Brand? If you’re not sure, don’t worry. This series of articles will help you determine your company’s brand and how to market it.
Don’t let your company get swallowed up in the Internet wasteland. Bring it to the forefront with branding.
What words listed below best describe your company or your products/services?
• Customer service
• Established
• Community service
• Great deals
• A name you can trust
• Industry Expert
• Reliability
• Free Shipping
• Unique products
• Innovative
• Experienced
• Products that last
The list above is nowhere complete. Use it as a starting point. Really think about what you want your company to be known for. Identifying what sets your company a part from others is an important step in identifying your brand.
Many companies make these claims “the best customer service in the industry,” “over 50-years of experience,” etc. For your branding to be effective, you’ve got so do what you say. Some of the claims listed above are easy to back up. You offer free shipping, or you don’t. Others are more difficult to back up, but have a lasting positive effect if you do. Let’s take a look at Ben & Jerry’s as an example. As you visit their website you will notice one of their page names is “Activism.” Click on the link to the page and you find out how they’re involved with everything from supporting family farmers to reducing CO2 emissions. Read Ben & Jerry’s mission statement and notice how it is part of their branding effort.
After you know what makes your company unique, it’s helpful to see how your completion is branding themselves. First of all, you need to identify your competition. After you have identified them, take a look at their site and see how they are branding themselves. Finding out what you do better than your competition can help you establish your brand.
I looked at some websites to see if I could identify a company’s brand. I Googled “lawn care company” and looked at the page descriptions for the first 2 pages of web results for examples.
World's largest landscaping and lawn care company. Describes residential services, presents special offers, and features extensive lawn care and landscaping ...
We are St. Louis' premier lawn maintenance company. Beautiful Lawns in the St. Louis, MO area. Missouri, Lawn Mowing company, Total lawn maintenance service ...
Industry-leading lawn care & gardening advice. Indoor & outdoor lawn and garden products and services. Great tips on gardening, yard care, landscaping, ...
The Tree Expert Company is one of the oldest and most prestigious tree, shrub, and lawn care companies in North America, we provide a number of ...
Compare these with HIT Web Design’s page description.
HitWebDesign.com
HIT Web Design creates innovative custom web design starting at $199. Providing small to medium businesses with affordable website design and management ...
What are these companies saying about themselves? They are saying “we’re affordable,” “we’re experienced,” “we’re specialists,” “we’re innovative,” “we’re a leader in our industry.”
After you know what you want to say about your company, it’s time to think about how you want to say it.
In previous branding articles, we’ve talked about what a brand is and why you should have one. We also talked about identifying your company’s brand. Once you know how you’re going to brand your company, you need to start thinking about how you’re going to share your brand with your customers.
Branding your organization is an important step in promoting your competitive advantage, distinguishing your business, and establishing a strong customer base.
Advertising your brand begins with your organization’s name and includes your logo, the central message, motto, or point you are emphasizing, and your customer service efforts.
This branding package gives you everything you need to begin creating a distinct identity for your organization, both online and offline.
Your branding should include:
All of these and more are available through HIT Web Design. Ask about our branding package, which includes free information on how to brand your business.
For more information about our branding package, call us at 866-211-0743.
If you use Gmail, you've probably been invited to use, or have already started using, Google Buzz. This new feature piggybacks on Gmail users' already-established contacts and allows them to share comments, pictures, video, etc., for your Buzz followers to see—similar to status updates on Facebook. Google Buzz's capabilities for mobile users are so popular that reviewers have already created a buzz of their own. Here's what some tech writers are saying about it so far.
Mike Elgan of Computerworld notes the powerful way Google Buzz can be used to promote business among mobile users. Utilizing mobile devices' GPS capabilities and Google Maps, Buzz allows mobile users to see Buzz posts made by those in their near geographic area. What's more, anyone in the area can see the posts—they don't need to be following you, as they do using Facebook or Twitter.
“If you own a small business that relies on foot traffic, embrace Buzz immediately,” writes Elgan. “You can broadcast the availability of specials or sales. You can even use the real-time nature of Buzz to implement flex pricing. Too many loaves of bread, empty theater seats or other perishable items? Cut the price and broadcast the sale. People nearby will see it and come running. In addition to selling to existing customers, you'll win new ones.”
Kevin Getch, president of Portland, Oregon-based web design and SEO firm Evolve 24/7, speculates on the potential for businesses to gain attention from mobile users Buzzing about them. “You can Buzz about a business you like, you don't like, etc.,” he writes. “This is an area where Google is leagues a head of Facebook or Twitter as people who are using Google Maps to search for local businesses will be able to see what other people are saying about this business, much like a review.”
Mashable's Ben Parr called Buzz a “nuclear bomb whose fallout will permanently alter the social media landscape.” He noted that the ease of getting started with the feature—a click of a button for all Gmail users—has contributed to its already strong popularity. Google launched Buzz to an already huge user base and utilizes already-developed social media features that can be integrated into the Buzz experience.
HIT Web Design provides custom web design and a variety of other products and services to get your business humming online. Learn more at www.hitwebdesign.com or by calling 1-866-211-0743.
A new report published by Sophos, a security research firm, raises concern about Facebook's role in doing business, calling the social networking site “the worst offender” in a list of threats to online security, according to Richard Adhikari from TechNewsWorld.
This finding puts businesses who want to capitalize on the power of social networking in an awkward position, and they aren't getting any sympathy from Facebook's company co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who, according to Adhikari, “recently stated that he thinks the desire for privacy online is fading.”
Adhikari continues, “Like just about everything else, social networking sites are a mix of bad and good elements. Although they can constitute a threat to security, they also provide valuable outlets for business to connect with their customers ... [A]ccording to the Sophos report, over 2009, companies widely adopted social networking techniques such as blogs and social networks like Facebook and MySpace to connect with customers and spread the latest company news or product offerings to the public.”
If businesses don't use social networking sites, they may lose business. As Adkikari puts it, “Social networks have become so woven into the fabric of our lives that many businesses now face a distinct disadvantage if they turn a blind eye to them or forbid staff to access them. 'Not only will your workers circumvent your block and participate surreptitiously, but also your competitors will sneak an advantage and get closer to your customers,' Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, told TechNewsWorld.” Yet, Adkikari continues, “The number of businesses hit by malware and spam attacks through social networks rose by 70 percent in 2009, the report found. More than 72 percent of businesses believe employees' behavior on social networking sites could endanger security.”
One of the dangers businesses face is the ease with which users can be duped by hackers. As reported by Adkikari, “Sixty-one percent of respondents to a survey Sophos conducted in December 2009 believe that Facebook is the worst security threat of all the social networking sites. More than 72 percent of the respondents to Sophos' survey believe that employees' behavior on social networking sites could endanger the security of their business.” Security breaches where hackers pose as friends and ask for money is one of the most widely used schemes.
Social networking giant Facebook recently reacted to critical outcries over its privacy policies—not to mention its reputation as the “worst offender” in online security threats—by teaming up with McAfee, the well-known provider of spam-swatting, malware-marauding personal computer protection packages. This deal, according to an article by Caroline McCarthy from CNET News, is a “move to show its 350 million members that it's serious about their safety.”
McCarthy explains that the move is designed to hit concern and criticism head on, saying, “The partnership comes at a time when viruses and scams on Facebook have drummed up pages' worth of bad press for the social network...The company is in need of some image repair in addition to legitimate battle plans.” Sarah Jacobsson, writing for PCWorld, calls the move “a great start,” but cautions it is “only one of many steps Facebook users will need to take to protect themselves from the myriad of tricks and traps that inhabit Facebook, including 419 ploys, phishing scams, and ID crooks.”
The immediate benefit for consumers from the Facebook and McAfee partnership includes a free six month subscription to the McAfee Internet Security Suite, and a discounted rate thereafter. Additionally, according to Jacobsson, “Back in July, Facebook created a custom service that detects if your account has been compromised by a malicious third-party via a phishing attack. Now, if that security trigger is set off, McAfee jumps into action and will prompt you to use a free McAfee Scan and Repair program...the next time you log into your Facebook account. The assumption is (that) if your Facebook account has been compromised, your PC may also be infected with malware.”
McAfee maintains its own Facebook presence and is currently celebrating its partnership with Facebook by offering a sweepstakes contest called “Rhyme Time Sweepstakes.” The grand prize is a Dell laptop computer.
Steve Jobs promised that Apple's recently announced iPad will make computing and Web surfing “much more intimate, intuitive and fun” than ever before. But, while Apple boasts about its “magical” new device, how will it really help small businesses?
A Price for the Times In the latest culture of cutting excess expense and streamlining processes, the iPad's unexpectedly low price of $499 makes this product affordable for many businesses.
Apps on Steroids A new version of the productivity suite iWorks, will be available to create presentations, spreadsheets, and documents. And with a larger screen and more processing power, the iPad can build from a large base of apps already developed and used in the business environment.
More Powerful, More Mobile Because of it's size and computing power, the iPad also promises to make doing business on the go more convenient. Tech blog VentureBeat quoted MeLLmo owner Quniton Alsbury: “[The iPad] is poised to change how mobile workers conduct business. It’s more mobile than a laptop, more powerful than a smartphone.”
Better Marketing Tool If this product catches on like the iPhone, then the iPad can reach a wide audience by providing a smarter and more graphically powerful tool for small business marketing. It's powerful processor and larger screen could make interactive business promotion more powerful and user-friendly than ever before.
But Do People Want It? The Associated Press asked the question of whether consumers really want (or need) the tablet device. “Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey said he doesn't believe the iPad added enough for consumers to justify buying yet another gadget, or to call this a new category of devices,” according to AP reporters Jessica Mintz and Rachel Metz. “In an e-mail, he criticized its lack of social features such as ways to share photos and home video and recommend books.”
We'll wait and see if the iPad fills a need in evolving digital media, but no matter what, the iPad indicates the direction that business and marketing are moving—mobile.
To learn more about how HIT Web Design can help your business prepare for the future, visit www.hitwebdesign.com or call 1-866-211-0743.
Do you have a great idea for an online business but you’re not sure where to start? This article provides a step-by-step guide from concept to reality, taking the mystery out of starting an online business and putting you in control of the details that make a difference.
Before you officially “open the doors” of your e-business, you need to create a business plan. Turn your business idea into a plan that will help you succeed (or you may find while going through this process that it is better to scrap the idea and come up with something better).
Putting a business plan together may seem like a daunting task. I will take you step by step through the process of creating a business plan, making the process a little easier for you.
Putting a business plan together will include completing a market analysis, a competitive analysis, an advertising plan, pricing, branding, a sales strategy, and much more. This article will go over some of the basics.
You will want to consider marketing, financing, your target market, distribution of your product, finding out who your competition is, etc. In addition to considering these factors, you will want to set realistic goals for your small business.
Ask yourself the following questions: What is the purpose of your e-business? To make money, right? That’s one purpose. What are some others? Perhaps you have created or found a product that the world just can’t live without and you want to share it. Maybe you offer a service that will help others. You might have a hobby that you want to turn into a profession. Write down your purpose, whatever it is.
After you know what your purpose is, answer the following questions:
Why am I committing my time and resources to this endeavor?
How will I be helping others?
What needs will this business meet?
How will I be helping myself (owner), or ourselves (owners)?
What “greater good” will be served with this business?
Once you have answered these questions, you can form your company’s mission statement. Your mission statement identifies your company. Keep your mission statement to a few sentences. You can adjust your mission statement as your company grows and changes, but the core values included in your mission statement should remain the same.
What is your Company’s Purpose?
What is the purpose of your e-business? To make money, right? That’s one purpose. What are some others? Perhaps you have created or found a product that the world just can’t live without and you want to share it. Maybe you offer a service that will help others. You might have a hobby that you want to turn into a profession. Write down your purpose, whatever it is.
After you know what your purpose is, answer the following questions:
Why am I committing my time and resources to this endeavor?
How will I be helping others?
What needs will this business meet?
How will I be helping myself (owner), or ourselves (owners)?
What “greater good” will be served with this business?
Once you have answered these questions, you can form your company’s mission statement. Your mission statement identifies your company. Keep your mission statement to a few sentences. You can adjust your mission statement as your company grows and changes, but the core values included in your mission statement should remain the same.
Preparing to Launch Your Online Business—Strengths and Weaknesses
As you go through the process of planning your online business, you may not have the answer to every question we ask. Don't worry if you don't have all of the answers now, because that is the whole point of doing this plan—to help you find and discover the areas that might sneak up and get you in the future. Having gone through the process of putting this plan in place, however, you will be better prepared to face unexpected turns and situations. Answer the questions you can and think about the ones you can’t. There are a lot of details that will come together as you go through this process.
Part of making your online business successful is knowing your strengths and your weaknesses, along with the (potential) strengths and weaknesses of your company. What are you good at? What is your company good at?
What are the strengths of your products? Price? Selection? Variety? Quality? Brand association?
What are the strengths of you and your partners or team?
What are your strengths with respect to reaching customers and telling them about your product?
What are your leadership or organizational strengths?
What is the vision of your company and how is that a strength?
The answers to the above questions may be the reasons you want to start an online business in the first place. You must also look at your weaknesses. Good business owners strive to identify areas of weakness so they can turn them around and make them areas of strength. It's better for you to discover weaknesses than your competitors or customers to discover them for you!
How will the business run from start to finish?
Do we need to hire people?
Where will our products come from?
How will we get the word out about our company?
Do we have enough money to survive the start-up phase?
Do we have a good system in place to track orders and make sure our customers are happy?
Preparing to Launch Your Online Business …Make Opportunities & Prepare for Unfortunate Circumstances
Successful online businesses take advantage of opportunities, whether they be changes in customer tastes or preferences, unmet market needs, or market niches that have never been addressed. What opportunities do you see that make you excited about your online business opportunity? Before you start an online business, consider:
Do you see an unmet need?
Is this a frustration you have experienced yourself?
Is there a common feeling that something is missing among people you know or have talked to?
Have there been changes economically, politically, or otherwise that have set a good stage for your online business?
Now it's time to play devil's advocate and imagine what elements or factors could potentially harm your online business. It is important to identify such things that could adversely affect your business in order to prepare for such circumstances. Preparation is sometimes the best defense. Consider:
How will competition affect you?
Are you able to meet anticipated demand?
What if UPS goes on strike?
Is your business seasonal, and will that adversely affect your cash flow?
If you plan on starting an online business, consider writing down your business description and strategy. By now you know your company’s purpose and your strengths and weaknesses. Use that information as you work out your business strategy.
The key element in your business description is to address how your business will meet the needs of your customers. In other words, how are you uniquely positioned to get your needed product to the right people and make money in the process?
Now let's discuss the strategy behind your business. Consider:
What type of business are you (retail, manufacturing, consulting, etc.)?
Will you need employees?
Where is your business located?
What are your hours of operation?
How do you plan to make money?
What costs will be involved?
How much money do you need to start, and how will that money be spent?
Now is the time to tout you and your team. Your confidence, enthusiasm, and vision are incredibly important to the success of your business, and to gain the confidence of investors. They are ultimately investing in YOU, so sell yourself and your team! Consider:
Who are your team members, managers, or partners? What is their level of education? Do you or they have any experience in similar ventures or businesses? Are you particularly passionate about your products? Why?Who will be in charge of what? Who has final decision-making authority?
Every business can potentially be faced with challenges. What risks might you face in your business, and how will you be prepared to face them? Consider:
Have you in the past, or are you currently facing litigation? Do you have access to an attorney? Do you have adequate insurance coverage for your business? Who is in charge of record keeping, and how are those records stored and protected? Do you use an accountant?
Once you have a plan for your online business, you need a website. When conceiving your website, before you think about colors, pictures, or even format, take into consideration the answers to the questions above and come up with the purpose of your website. That will make your web design process a lot easier.
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