How Will You Use Mobile in 2012?

What will mobile look like in the future?

Can you believe that we are already three weeks into 2012? It seems like just yesterday that we were ringing in the new year. Midori and I have already been busy speaking about event technology and what it looks like for the near future. One of the biggest trends that we have been spending a lot of time looking at is mobile.  We are looking at the impact that smartphones and tablets have and will continue to have on both marketing efforts, as well as, meetings and events.

If you are still not convinced that mobile technology is going to permeate just about everything that we do, take a look at some statistics.

• There are 5.9 billion mobile subscribers (87 percent of the world population). (Source:Mobithinking)
• Many mobile Web users are mobile-only, meaning that they do not, or very rarely use a desktop, laptop or tablet to access the internet. This includes 25 percent of mobile Web  in the United States. (Source:Mobithinking)
• In 2011, the number of adult cell phone owners who’ve downloaded an app to their phone increased to 38% and half of adult cell phone owners have apps on their phones. (Source: Pew Internet and American Life Study)
• There are over 64 million tablets floating around the world with the number growing daily. 73.4 percent of these are Apple iPads. (Source: Gartner)
• There are currently over 1 million mobile apps on the market. (Source: Mobilewalla)

Are you convinced that mobile is here to stay? If so, how will you integrate mobile into your business strategy? Here are some ideas:

1. Make your website mobile.  WordPress has plugins that can easily do this as does Google Sites.  Talk to your web developer about creating a mobile-friendly site so that your visitors can the best experience possible.
2. Use tablets in presentations. They are great for showing photos at a lunch meeting or as a quick reference without needing to set-up a projector. If you need a projector, check out one of Midori’s favorites, the Pico Pocket Projector that fits in your bag for on-the-go visuals.
3. Learn to use your device. Talk to people about the apps that they like and use. You spent good money on your tablet or smartphone, get the most out of it.
4. Consider creating a mobile app for your organization or event. What tasks do your clients need that an app can assist with? What would be faster to do on a mobile device? What type of information do you need to communicate with speed and convenience?
5. Use SMS to communicate. Text messaging is still the #1 way that people use their phones and SMS campaigns have a 100% open rate. What type of notifications would worth well via text? What information can you send to people on request? I get train schedules from NJTransit by texting my destination to 266266 within seconds of my request. The information is clean and fast.
6. Collect payment with mobile devices. In the next year we will see a greater use of mobile wallets where phones replaces credit cards. If that’s a little scary, check out services like Square that charge a flat fee to process credit cards with little set-up required. Now, anyone can accept credit cards and conduct business just about anywhere.
7. Forget the technology.  Mobile doesn’t have to mean a device. It means the ability to move or adapt. Sometimes changing your perspective can change the result. Consider cutting all the cords and just move around a little.  You will be amazed what can happen.