Out-Smarts Marketing Services

I had the pleasure this evening to present at an event co hosted by the Professional Women’s Network, the YWCA Mentoring Program and the Downtown Networking Association aimed at introducing mentors and mentees to professional growth strategies to help you realise career goals. My topic: “Building Valuable Business Relationships in the Virtual World”.

As promised, I am going to blog over the next few days about some of the issues I touched on at the event, the first of these being Internet networking hubs.

Internet networking hubs are great forums to expand your business network and extend your reach. Obviously those you use will depend on what it is you do. For example a photographer would likely use photo sites like Flickr to showcase their experience. Someone in the music industry is likely to benefit more from MySpace than Facebook. And a lawyer might is more likely to join a law forum than a web development forum. Its up to you which you choose but Internet networking hubs are great places to grow your on line network and in turn your business. Here the handout I gave out tonight:

Splashed across the front of today’s Vancouver Sun is the so called “future of books” - the Amazon Kindle: an electronic reading device that allows readers to enjoy up to 200 books at once. Retailing at $399 the Kindle also supports blogs, magazines and newspapers allowing the busy exec to access some good reading whenever the chance pops up.

Using a model similar to Apple’s iPod and iTunes, users simply connect to Amazon from wherever they may be (using advanced cellphone modem technology built in to the Kindle) and buy books or subscribe to dailies and mags. Amazon keeps a back up so you don’t have to worry if your Kindle is stolen and connection fees are built in to the price of the content you buy so your cell phone provider needn’t even know. According to the promotional video the battery lasts for hours and the screen is easy to view (its monotone granted, but it does look quite simple and the font size is changeable).

The Kindle concept is great but given the fact I am already weighed down with devices (cellphone, iPod, laptop…..) I am not sure if the value ad and cost entice me to buy just yet (especially considering I already get some of the blogs they provide free of charge) - just as well really since the service is not available in Canada anyway.

I am awaiting feedback from Amazon as to how to submit a blog (I’ll keep you posted on that one!).

Mobile marketing is the latest phenomenon changing the way marketers communicate with their target audience. Companies are using text messaging more and more to reinforce their brand and codes that can be read by cellphones are appearing on ads and bill boards to elicit response and promote offerings.

At the SOHO trade show this week I had the good fortune to meet up with a local company called Quick Mobile whose focus is facilitating mobile marketing applications. Interest in their offering is growing at an average rate of 10% per day and they do all of the above.

One great application that you can try yourself here in Vancouver is the Translink bus timetable service. If you’re waiting on the bus and want to know if its on its way simply text the number shown on the timetable at the bus stop and, Bob’s your uncle, you find out how long a wait you face.  Wicked!

Watch out for more on mobile marketing in the coming weeks right here.