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VIA Idea #20: Resolutions, Megatrends and Gourmet Sandwiches

It’s that time again—the season to make resolutions and to hear about trends. Like resolutions, some “trends” will disappear by March while others will become ingrained into our daily lives.

My resolution for the coming year is to stay away from the office candy jar. As for trends, there’s no doubt that mobile devices and their thousands of available apps will continue to play larger roles in our lives. Crain’s Chicago Business recently reported its number one megatrend: Companies embrace mobile apps for business use. Echoing the Crain’s article, the number two item on the Dex “Six must know trends for your 2012 ad budget” is “2012 looks like the year of mobile.”

All kinds of businesses, large and small, are finding innovative ways to be more efficient by using mobile apps:

  • I recently visited an antique fair and noticed some vendors were using mobile phones to take PayPal credit card payments from buyers.
  • One of our clients who services swimming pools has crews take before and after photos with their phones to document their work. They’ll soon take the next step by posting those photos to their website and giving customers access to them.
  • A free app named Bump lets users swap electronic business cards and other data by gently knocking their smart phones into one another.
  • The wait for a Jimmy John’s “gourmet” sandwich is now even shorter by ordering online for pickup or delivery. Some eateries allow patrons to order online while sitting inside the restaurant.

What can you do to make your business more mobile? A first step is to take a serious look at your website. Is it:

  • Mobile friendly? You may need a mini mobile site or just a few design tweaks to your existing site.
  • Coming up high when you search for your own products or services?
  • Built to be viewed on wider monitors?
  • Compatible with Apple products?

Mobile is here to stay. Ignore this megatrend and you’re missing the opportunity to connect with a growing share of your potential customers.

If you’re wondering what next year’s hot color will be…

P.S. Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly has begun gathering responses for its annual “Best of” survey. You may take the survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BestOfNWIBQ2012. Please consider voting for VIA in Best Ad Agency and Best Website Design categories.

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VIA Idea #19: YouTube Marketing Ideas for Your Business

Since its launch in late 2005, YouTube has become a medium that a business can’t afford to ignore. Currently three billion videos are viewed every day; 98 of AdAge’s Top 100 advertisers have run campaigns on YouTube and the Google Display Network.

Businesses of all sizes are using this medium in a variety of innovative, low-cost ways to reach and teach their target audiences. You can too! We’ve outlined a few ideas to get you started:

Customer Service

• Answer customer-specific questions with a video. • Embed product demonstrations or customer support info on your website. • Create “how-to” videos regarding using your service or product. • Show a client their work in progress. • Post a blog entry (or FAQ on your website) and include a video as extra support. • Make your videos ADA-friendly by adding closed captions or subtitles (it’s free and easy).

Thought Leadership

• Demonstrate your knowledge and communication skills by uploading clips of presentations you’ve given. • Create short videos demonstrating your company’s products or services. • Record an interview with an employee or other expert in your field.

Advertising and Marketing

• Promote special events using recordings of previous events. • Conduct a virtual tour of your offices to help clients feel connected to your place of business. • Introduce your staff (great for clients who have never been to your office). • Record client testimonials for instant credibility. • Show someone using your products or services. • Post your YouTube links to FB and other social networking sites. Every week 100 million people take a social action on YouTube (likes, shares, comments, etc). • Include contact info (name, URL, phone number, email).

When you have a few minutes, visit www.youtube.com and search your product or business service for examples (“how to clean a pool” brings up 7500 results; “laying carpet” brings up nearly 700 results). People are looking for your expertise, services and products—it’s time to connect with them via YouTube.