Facebook’s chief executive turned 28 on Monday of this week, setting in motion the social network’s biggest week ever.  The company is expected to start selling stock to the public for the first time and begin trading on the Nasdaq Exchange on Friday.  Some analysts value Facebook at nearly $100 billion, making it worth more than such iconic companies as Disney, Ford and Kraft Foods.  Facebook started with a vision to connect people with one another, not just an aggressive company seeking profits.  Now, however, with Facebook going public, Zuckerburg will be expected to please a host of new stakeholders, including Wall Street, investment firms and hedge funds that will pressure him to keep the company growing.  Managing growth can be a difficult proposition with a customer base now approaching some 15% of the world’s population.  While the average age of an S&P 500 CEO is 56, Zukerburg has shown a maturity beyond his years.  Some would even argue that his age is an asset considering he grew up with social networking.

Taking a step back, one cannot help but marvel at this amazing story of success.  One can only imagine the look on Zukerburg’s “face” had he read the “book” outlining the future success of his company.   What lessons can be learned and how can others benefit from them?  Mr. Zuckerburg explains the foundation to his company’s success lies in his desire to create solutions.   “We don’t build services to make money; we make money to build better services.”  The majority of consumers are as savvy as those who try to sell them goods and services.  While not all companies are destined to break records, most are worthy of offering a solution to a problem.

The evolution of business is in constant change.  Whatever the product category or market niche in which your company operates, your goal undoubtedly should be to offer the very best product or service possible.  According to a recent study, 85% of small businesses are using smartphones to improve productivity.  Fortunately, the ever-advancing mobile technology sector will continually offer businesses the ability to increase their offering.  It’s up to them, however, to make use of what’s available.  More and more individuals want to use services and buy products from companies that believe in something beyond simply maximizing profits.  The level of increased engagement that comes from a mobile offering is invaluable.  As Facebook plans to raise as much as $11.8 billion through the FB IPO, take a moment and evaluate how mobility is expanding the playing field for business of every industry and how your company stands to benefit from the mobile revolution.  Mobile strategies may vary, but the initiation of a mobile strategy should always begin with thinking about the basics: who, what, why and how.  The best strategy is to create something that is both useful and valuable.  Learning how to make your business ready for mobile primetime should be on your “to do” list.  Who knows, your business could be the next billion dollar IPO.

How many businesses do you know of that have no known source of revenue and yet can sell for $1 billon?  Silicon Valley is one of the few places where a young entrepreneur can turn nothing into something in just two short years.  With just 10 employees the Instagram app fetched $1 billion in cash and stock after building an audience of more than 30 million people.  That kind of growth was fostered by the spread of social media and smartphones.

$1 billion is a hefty sum to pay for a young startup with a single purpose application and no business model.  So why would any company purchase Instagram for $1 billion?  It all comes down to user engagement.  The acquisition has everything to do with the social nature of engaging users.   Facebook enables users to discover what’s going on in the world around them, through the eyes and ears of people you trust.  Every day hundreds of millions of people go to Facebook to find out what their friends have to share.   Photos are part of the Facebook user experience.

The Instagram mobile app success is evidence that mobility is growing.  The type of engagement that exists in successful mobile apps creates the dopamine effect that leaves users feeling great.  The social element that exists in the Instagram app is a perfect example of this idea.  When a photo is uploaded users are able to give feedback.  A large percentage of pictures get “liked” by other users.  This relationship keeps users engaged and coming back for more.

This highly publicized acquisition appears to underscore how Mobile apps now seem to be foregoing the traditional web based approach.  Most businesses have established a presence on the internet and then investigate how to make their websites mobile.  But Instagram has done the opposite, going straight for the mobile solution, and it’s paid off.  More and more companies are finding out that if you have a good strategy, you don’t necessarily have to start on the web.  The statistics back this notion as well.  According to data from CB Insights, mobile apps and companies took 10% of the total investment dollars from venture capital firms in the fourth quarter.  And 12% of deals were related to mobile.  Businesses that are building services for mobile first and the web second are businesses that are planning for the future.

Now, I realize not every company is similar to Facebook or Instagram, however, the experience of engagement that these services offer should be one to which every business aspires.  Your brand’s image should be your greatest asset.  Whether you sell a unique product or a useful service engaging your customers in a fun and interactive way should be part of your overall strategy.  Mobility is proving to be the medium of choice.

Who is excited about QR codes besides marketers?  It’s fair to say QR codes have become more apparent in usage among brands and marketers.  But how do people feel about the pixilated icons popping up in billboards, magazines, retail shelves and business cards?  Based on sentiment analysis of QR code related surveys, the vast majority of people like the concept.  But why are so many businesses not making the most of QR codes?  QR codes used the right way can be a fantastic marketing tool.  Wouldn’t it be great if you could track your web traffic directly back to the “table tent” in your restaurant or the coupon you mass mailed to thousands of homes?  That’s valuable information to brands, right?  The challenge is that most marketers are missing the opportunity because of a handful of simple mistakes.  Here are some things you need to think about before you use QR Codes to market your business:

Entice:  Give customers a reason to go to the extra trouble of scanning your QR Code.  That reason should be better than a simple invitation to visit your Facebook page.  Whether it’s a coupon or special insure the extra effort is worth their time.

Help Them Feel Comfortable:  Scanning your QR Code is only the first step.  If you’re just directing them to your website, they’ll probably lose interest.  Interact with them.  Make it fun and interesting or useful information they’ll likely be seeking when they scan your code.

Location:   Your audience will be capturing your QR Code on a small device.  Placing your QR Code on a difficult to snap target like a moving bus for example will be ineffective at best.  Think like your customers and imagine what they would want to see.

Technology:  By virtue of having a QR Code does not make you cool.  Your audience is smart enough to know imposters.  Be real and ensure your mobile marketing campaign is unique and consumable.  Embrace technology and allow its many benefits to improve your brand’s image and effectiveness.

While businesses continue to increase usage of QR Codes in their marketing efforts, it is important to recognize that they only work as well as the skill with which they are employed.  Let’s take for example the notion of a car dealer doing a TV commercial. The local dealer has only X amount of dollars each month to bring prospective buyers into the showroom and TV has been a favorite for years, simultaneously stroking the boss's ego while offering the ability to present bold images and sound.  Stay up late tonight and chances are you’ll view one of those bold and shocking local TV car commercials to which I am referring.  Just because the underprivileged commercial was delivered through the medium of television doesn’t mean it’s going to be instantaneously successful.  It must be sufficiently professional and creative to capture the audience’s attention.  QR codes are similar…just because you have one doesn’t make you mash potatoes and gravy.  You must find ways to effectively differentiate yourself from the pack.  To learn how your company can benefit from QR technology, contact Sentersix today.

Salt Lake City, UTAH – (03/21/2012)  Sentersix, a mobile technology firm that designs and develops unique and engaging mobile solutions announced today the release of the Zion’s Bank Z-team mobile application available in the App Store.  “The addition of the Zion’s Bank Z-team mobile application is a perfect example of our commitment to offering companies both large and small the ability to connect with their target audience,” said Callahan Williams, CEO of Sentersix.

The Zion’s Bank Z –Team app will serve as an engagement and communication tool for the brand’s cycling community.  With a solid commitment to the communities in which they operate the new mobile application with further promote the Zion’s Bank brand while offering outdoor enthusiasts the ability to stay connected.  Equipped with the most accurate and state of the art technology, the Zion’s Bank Z – team mobile app ensures users will have an enjoyable and entertaining experience with every use.  Individuals interested in the easy to use mobile application can download the app by visiting the Apple App Store.

About Sentersix

Sentersix is the industry leader in technology marketing and consulting.  Sentersix has over a decade of experience implementing software solutions for a variety of companies including billion dollar Brands to small start-ups.  Today, Sentersix delivers innovative mobile solutions that allow clients the ability to effectively deliver powerful and meaningful messages in a unique and efficient way.  Additional information is available at www.Sentersix.com

About Zion’s Bank

Zions Bank is Utah’s oldest financial institution and is the only local bank with a statewide distribution of branches, operating 106 full-service offices.  Zions Bank also operates 27 full-service branches in Idaho.  Founded in 1873, Zions Bank has been serving the communities of Utah for more than 135 years.  Additional information is available at www.zionsbank.com.

With the future of the internet going mobile, the question is often asked:  “Are native applications going to be the dominant form or are web apps?”  Business owners, product strategists and brands large and small want to know what the future will look like in order to make more effective spending decisions.

Research firm Forrester took a deeper look at the mobile Web versus Mobile Applications debate and came to the conclusion that there is no debate at all.  Mobile Web and mobile Apps will continue to increase worldwide.  As the old adage says, a high tide raises all ships.  So with that being said, which avenue makes most sense?  Well, fortunately you can have your cake and eat it too.  You don’t necessary have to be limited to one.  You may find your business would make use of a mobile app because it provides the best experience and is more efficient.  You may also find instances where the addition of a mobile version of your website also makes sense.  If you’re ultimate goal is to be where your audience is, wouldn’t it make sense to exploit all reasonable possibilities?

As a child, I remember receiving the much anticipated Sears catalog.  I would spend hours thumbing the pages and circling the items I most wanted in hopes that Santa would somehow magically make them all appear Christmas morning.  Retailers know that just because they choose to sell products and services via the internet doesn’t mean they can’t participate in other sales channels such as retail/catalog sales.  If the ultimate goal is to identify ways to enhance your relationship with your target audience (however and wherever they shop), then creating a mobile strategy that does just that is essential.

Technology evolves and is constantly improving.  Although the internet entered the mainstream a mere 15 years ago, life without it is completely unfathomable.  Today, as technology continues to advance more consumers are buying Smartphone and tablets than desktop and notebook computers.  With this shift more consumers are spending more time using mobile apps versus simple web consumption.  In fact, Flurry found that consumers spend almost double the amount of time using apps than the Internet itself.

With mobile devices on the rise many shoppers are searching for more information about your company than ever before.  Here’s your opportunity to put your best foot forward and show them why you are better than the rest.  Engage them.  Foster the relationship.  A mobile strategy that includes mobile applications is the perfect tool for building experiences that go beyond what some customers would expect.  And isn’t that what business is all about:  exceeding your customer’s expectations?

]]> http://sentersix.com/whatsnew/mobile-app-vs-mobile-web-do-i-have-to-choose/feed/ 0 http://sentersix.com/uncategorized/mobility-its-a-small-world/ http://sentersix.com/uncategorized/mobility-its-a-small-world/#comments Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:14:10 +0000 admin http://sentersix.com/?p=668

Worldwide mobile phone subscriptions will soon surpass the global population of seven billion, according to the latest industry reports.  Mobile penetration has reached 85% globally and subscriptions now total around six billion.  Over 180 million new subscriptions were added in the fourth quarter of 2011 alone.  In just a matter of a short decade mobile services have moved from being a premium offering to a mass market product.  With this skyrocketing growth comes transformational change.  People communicate and interact differently than before.  Mobile is now playing a crucial role in the world economy.  The world once known for its many wonders and endless frontiers may have evolved into a “small world after all.”  You’ve heard the tune, right?  Perhaps, those 300+ brightly costumed audio dolls of Disney’s “It’s a Small World” have been right all along.  While the infectious song inspires international unity and global peace its effects fall short of the mobile phone’s impressive ability to connect us like nothing else.  Mobility knows no bounds.  Stock traders, through the use of an app can remotely trade the markets from the corners of the earth.  Business and pleasure was once limited to Main Street USA, now Main Street is found in the palm of nearly every hand.

The mobile communications industry is creating a connected economy across the globe.  The wonders of technology provide businesses and consumers the ability to interact anytime, anywhere.  While some technology trends come and go, Smartphones and the software they house are here to stay.  If building your company’s bottom line is important to you then you should take a serious look at how mobility can positively enhance your business strategy.  Having your very own mobile app will undoubtedly improve your business both operationally and profitably.  Consumers are changing their behavior and expectations with regard to shopping and brand loyalty.

Smart businesses are looking for innovative ways to enter into a relationship with consumers.  A highly interactive mobile app is the best ground by which to cultivate that relationship.  Mobile Apps are allowing a ‘real’ two way dialogue between brand owners and consumers.  Businesses are now taking advantages in mobility to work faster, leaner and more intelligently.  No longer are small businesses at a disadvantage.  Simple to complex business applications are available at a low cost.  These wondrous devices are enabling these changes to happen on a global scale.  If you’re interested in learning what benefits can derive from mobility in your industry, it’s time you develop a mobile strategy.  After all, just because “It’s a Small World” doesn’t mean your audience will find you.  The best way to be found is to be everywhere they are and chances are wherever they go their mobile device will too follow.

B usinesses face a dynamic landscape where the world is constantly changing.  There are various elements driving this change – mobility is overwhelmingly one of them.  These trends change what we connect, how we connect and how we transact.  By 2020, Cisco and Ericcson estimate there will be 50 billion connected devices.  Learning how to adapt and leverage technology is key.

On March 16^th, 2012 Sentersix, along with other industry professionals will be hosting the Mobile Slopes App Conference.  Many exciting topics will be discussed including:  Mobile Business Apps, How to Monetize Apps, The Role of Entrepreneurship and so much more.  Each registered guest will also receive one complimentary ski pass to Snowbasin or a Day at the Junction.

Learn More & Register Today

]]> http://sentersix.com/whatsnew/mobile-app-conference/feed/ 0 http://sentersix.com/whatsnew/apps-worth-tapping/ http://sentersix.com/whatsnew/apps-worth-tapping/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:58:19 +0000 admin http://sentersix.com/?p=578

Let's face it, not all apps are worth tapping.  Only those that are beautiful outside and in deserve our attention.  So go ahead, start tapping.  We promise you won't be disappointed.

This year’s Super Bowl is behind us, yet the discussion of the Giants win over the Patriots and the numerous entertaining commercials that aired during the game are very much still alive.  The total number of viewers topped 111 million.  This means that Super Bowl SLVI was the most watched program in American TV history.  Madona’s halftime show was seen by more than 114 million viewers which also makes it the most watched halftime show ever.

While these numbers may be impressive they do not take into account the number of “second screen” viewers.  Many forward thinking companies and promoters offered interactive experiences aimed at getting people to spend more money and time on mobile phones and devices.  According to Velti, a mobile marketing firm, roughly 60% of Super Bowl viewers used their phones during the game.  This appears to be the beginning of a new day where viewers use their mobile phone more often than the remote.  Smart brands understand the immensity of mobility and are figuring out ways to leverage it.

Here are some examples:

Verizon Wireless and the NFL partnered to stream the game live.  It was the first Super Bowl to broadcast live on mobile phones.  Shazam, known for its app that can identify a song or a TV ad being played partnered with Toyota, Best Buy and Cars.com all in an effort to generate more traffic and interaction with viewers.  Coca-Cola entertained viewers with computer generated polar bears who reacted to the game plays as well as the half time show.

This year’s Super Bowl was definitely the year of second screen devices.  Advanced brands understand the various technologies before them and are proactively leveraging them to promote, educate and entertain their audience.  Mobile phones and the numerous mobile applications they house will continue to grow and evolve as marketers find creative and entertaining ways to engage audiences.  If your company hasn’t yet looked into mobility, chances are your competition has.  Learn how the benefits of mobility can greatly widen your reach and deepen your brand loyalty.  After all, business is much like the game of football… the best defense is a good offense.

January 13, 2012 - LAS VEGAS, NV  -  This year’s Consumer Electronic Show opened in Las Vegas earlier this week with celebrities like 50 Cent, Snooki and even teen heartthrob Justin Bieber dropping by.  While event goers were excited to see such hoopla the real excitement came from the unveiling of countless products and technologies.  You can be sure a number of new devices will be working their way into industries and retailer’s shelves.  Some of them will catch fire while others will fall flat.  One thing is for certain; however, all technologies and industries are headed to mobile.  Mobility is a trillion dollar business and is considered to be one of the fastest growing industries on the planet.  It appears all major channels are embracing mobile: gaming, news, music, television, advertising, etc.

Why are companies grappling to layout their mobile strategy?  Because their customers want it.  All too often corporations spend more time researching and developing products and services they want when in fact they should first carefully identify what their customers want.  One of the reasons why mobility has shot up like a rocket is because it is being powered by the wants and needs of those who use it.  Companies who listen to their customers benefit most.  A mobile strategy that caters to the needs of customers should always be part of any Company’s overall business plan.

While many analysts and techies my look at the vastness of CES and wonder, “Is this market saturation at its finest,” one thing is for certain, technology will continue to move at its own pace.  You may see 50 versions of the same thing and none of them seem to work quite the way you want.  That’s the beauty of technology.  While human nature continues to increase its infinite thirst for greatness, technology will continually identify new and more efficient ways to quench that thirst.

The mobile universe and the mobile apps that swirl around us will continue to flourish.  Why?  Because they are designed and developed to engage, inspire and fulfill needs.  Successful organizations must continue to dip their feet in the warm waters of mobility, take chances and analyze and adjust their strategy accordingly.  2012 should be the year you use mobility to drive new channels, engage users and deepen your brand loyalty.