How mobile is your business?

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Leanne Hoagland-Smith. | Provided photo~Sun-Times Media

Updated: November 21, 2011 1:12PM

Being ahead of the flow is very difficult for many small business owners because they wear a plethora of hats from selling to marketing to administrative to technical support. With the ever-increasing gigantic if not quantum leaps in science and technology, working with all these changes is taking on entirely new meanings. Just look at the advancements in mobile devices (smart phones and tablets) if you think business is not changing.

In doing some research regarding the impact of mobile technology, I discovered these facts:

• 5.3 billion mobile subscribers or 77 percent of the world’s population (Source: mobiThinking)

• By 2014, mobile will exceed the PC as the most popular way to access the web. (Source: mobiThinking)

• In 2015, mobile advertising is predicted to reach $4.4 billion to possibly $15 billion plus (eMarketer and mobiThinking) from its current $1 to $3 billion expenditures

• 81 percent of U.S. publishers (newspapers, magazines and business to business) state that a mobile Web site is crucial to their overall marketing strategy (Source: Audit Bureau of Circulation)

• 50 percent of mobile searches led to a purchase (Source: Google)

Then I wondered how Northwest Indiana is responding to this next technology challenge compared to the rest of the country. I spoke with Dave Woodson, CEO of getUnoticed.com a firm that focuses on local marketing. Woodson recently spoke at the National Association of Realtors in Chicago for its REbarcamp regarding local marketing with mobile technology including social media.

First, Woodson believed that many small businesses are not using text advertising to its full advantage. He said that to his knowledge only the local Hooters, part of a national restaurant chain, is sending text messages.

Second, Woodson suggested “This (mobile technology) is a dynamic process where customer engagement is crucial to business success.” Beyond having the site mobile-ready, businesses must actively interact with their customers through value creation.

One advantage is all of Lake County and the majority of Porter County is 4G ready. This faster speed allows for quicker downloading and sending necessary for effective mobile communications from marketing to purchasing. Small Business Coaching Tip: Google offers through “Ready to Go Mo” tips to assist in building a mobile ready site.

I asked Woodson to share his top five recommended mobile technology action items for small business owners whether they are business to business (b2b) or business to consumer (b2c)

1 – Social optimization through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

2 – Local search optimization including ZIP code, area code and your city

3 – Mobile ready sites as the appearance on mobile devices is different than on desktops or laptops

4 – Directory optimization such as Yelp, Google, 4 Square, etc.

5 – Videos on websites is necessary as people have short attention spans and YouTube is the second most used search engine

Finally, Woodson recognized that small businesses cannot change their hardware and software every three, six or even 12 months. He suggested every business needs to put a plan in place for updating hardware and software as well as staying abreast as to new technology trends when it comes to local marketing through mobile technology. For example, voice searching such as with the iPhone 4S (Siri) will become even more popular and eventually the norm.

Woodson’s final words were “Embrace mobile technology, open your doors now or you may find the doors to new business and customers closed.” Based upon what the research is now revealing, Woodson’s words are right on the money.

P.S. Shout Out: Flowers are always appreciated during the holidays. Rosemary’s Heritage Flowers just off the square in Crown Point is a great place to shop. Schultz’s Flowers on North Calumet has been serving Valparaiso area for over 40 years with an abundance of gifts and floral arrangements.

Web Site: Ready to Go Mo http://www.howtogomo.com/en/#homepage