The 411 on Mobile Marketing

Isn’t it amazing how many people are on their mobile phones these days? It doesn’t matter where they are or what they are doing, people are simply attached to their mobile devices. Currently, there are 45 million smart phone users in the U.S. and they are not just teenagers or people in their 30′s. For business owners, that is a number that should be considered when planning marketing campaigns.

What is Mobile Marketing? Mobile Marketing refers simply to marketing on or with a mobile device such as a mobile phone. The four main mobile marketing tools include:

•      Mobile web, mobile site

•      Mobile applications (apps)

•      Mobile advertising

•      Text messaging or MMS messages

Frequently asked questions about mobile marketing:

1.      I Have a Website, Why Would I Need a Mobile Site?

Most searches over the internet are now being done using a mobile device so having a site that works well with the medium is ideal. In contrast to websites, mobile sites are configured to be viewed on a smaller screen so they tend to load quicker and are easier to read and navigate.  This means that "on the move" customers who are looking for places such as a restaurant, a flower shop, an auto repair shop or towing service will be able to see what they want instead of being frustrated and signing out.

   2. What's a Mobile App and How Can It Help My Business?

Mobile apps are compact programs that perform specific functions for the user. They are a good channel for businesses to use in providing information to customers such as locations and GPS  instructions, special offers and discounts, upcoming events, etc.

Businesses are using mobile apps to:

·         Increase foot traffic to the business

·         Encourage customers to come back over and over again

·         Create a ‘viral’ buzz about the business

3.      Is Mobile Marketing Cost Friendly?

Mobile marketing is probably one of the most cost-friendly marketing tools. It requires minimal resources, deploys quickly and has no printing costs related to it. In terms of time and resources, it is very cost-effective.

4.      Do Customers get Irritated with Mobile Marketing?

 
Mobile marketing requires a prospective customer to opt in or download an app so the communication that is sent out goes to people who are interested in getting it. This is key because it means that the marketing is directed at a receptive target market and not randomly.

Prospective clients are searching for products and services through their mobile devices. Currently, there are 4.6 billion mobile devices conveniently nestled in the pockets of the very people you’d like to reach … and they hardly turn them off! What are you doing to reach them?

Pat Neuman helps business owners sleep better at night with marketing that gets results. She is the President of On-line Marketers and is a perpetual student of Dan Hollings, Ryan Deiss, Kevin Wilke, Laure Betterly and a host of other industry experts who are consistently on the cutting edge of internet and mobile marketing. She is also a member of Glazer Kennedy Inner Circle and has been in sales and marketing for three years.

NAWBO-IE to Honor Amazing Women April 19, 2012

	****FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**** Contact: Hilda Kennedy: (310) 901-4831, hjk1twin@aol.com OR Carolyn Ortman (951) 784-9174, carolyn@ckogroup.com Website: www.nawbo-ie.org

 

 

 

 

NAWBO-IE Honors Exceptional Business Owners on April 19                    

Event to raise scholarship funds for college students

Corona, Calif. – The envelope, please! The National Association of Women Business Owners, Inland Empire Chapter (NAWBO-IE) once again honors outstanding local women business owners and community leaders at its annual Amazing Women Event (AWE), April 19 at 6 pm in Corona (Eagle Glen Golf Club, 1800 Eagle Glen Parkway, Corona.) Visit www.nawbo-ie, “Programs and Events” for all event details. Or to register visit: http://nawboie2012awe.eventbrite.com/. 

All in attendance will have the opportunity to enter to win prizes, including a $500 Southwest Airlines gift card, four tickets to an Angels game, a BlackBerry tablet and more! Plus, those who join NAWBO-IE that night will receive $50 off their membership fee along with a host of special goodies!

The evening’s emcee will be Gael Sylvia Pullen, pioneering businesswoman, speaker, author, and ardent philanthropist. AWE is a wonderful opportunity to not only network and connect with influential decision-makers, but to support local college students.

The 2012 AWE nominees were nominated by their peers:

Legacy Award --Cheryl Brown, Brown Publishing; Josie Gonzales, County of San Bernardino Supervisor; Maddalena Riboli, San Antonio Winery; Carmelita Rood, Retired Saving and Loan, Menifee Chamber of Commerce. 

Community Bridge Builder Award -- Yolanda Carrillo, Corona-Norco Family YMCA; Robbie Motter, Contacts Unlimited; Linda Sarancha, Foothill Financial Advisors; Peggy Stapleton, KSGN Radio.

Rising Star -- Michele Donaldson, Beverly Hills Bridal Exchange; Breanne Houston, T3 Fitness; Jessica Sanchez, JS Platinum Insurance Services; Darlene Tarnoski, A Difference Today, Women Against Child Trafficking.

Business Woman of the Year -- Palbinder Badesha, Express Employment Professionals; Bambi Cahilly, Excel Scientific, Inc.; Lynn Diamantopolous, Athena Marketing Research, Inc.; Tracey Papkey, Potamus Press Printing.

Trailblazer -- Diane Cooper, Hourglass Wine and Art Gallery; Nicole Farrell, Karaoke with Nicole; RJ Jackson, Inspirational Speaker and Author; Lorna Jenkins, My Learning Studio.

NAWBO-IE will also honor Hilda Kennedy, President of AmPac Tri State CD and NAWBO-IE’s 2011-2012 President with the Acknowledging NAWBO Individuals That Achieve (ANITA) Award for her dedication to NAWBO-IE, her community, and to helping others achieve in numerous ways.

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About NAWBO-IE: One of 80 chapters nationwide, NAWBO-IE is the organization of choice for women business owners in the Inland Empire, and is also a strong voice in Sacramento for public policy issues affecting women-owned businesses. Their goal is to promote and enhance the growth and profitability of their member businesses. To find out more about the vision and objectives of NAWBO-IE, the benefits of joining or becoming a corporate partner, please visit www.nawbo-ie.org.

2011 Business Taxes Add Complexity

Still scrambling to prepare your 2011 taxes? One thing you don't have to worry about is a lot of changes in the income tax code for businesses. It was a fairly quiet year.

 The biggest news, of course, was the introduction of the 1099-K form. This must be filed by payment settlement entities, which are financial institutions that issue credit cards, as well as third-party payment processors like PayPal.

 If you accept payment using one of these entities and have processed $20,000 or more and at least 200 transactions in 2011, you should have received one, or will soon, and you must file it with your taxes like you would any other 1099.

Several forms and schedules have been altered to accommodate this. Only gross amounts will be reported, so you need to have an easy way to track transactions that could affect this total (like chargebacks).

 Other changes? A few, including:

• The 1099-B has changed. Brokers are now required to report the basis for transactions, which you'll enter on the new Form 8949 rather than on the Schedule D.
• The New Hire Retention Credit may affect some of your employees, if they've been kept on for at least 52 weeks. You would get $1,000 or 6.2 % of the newly-retained employee's wages for that year, whichever is less.
• The upper limit for the Section 179 deduction is $500,00 for the 2011 tax year. It goes down again for 2012.

You may be too mired in 2011 taxes to even think about your 2012 obligations. But you'd be wise to start thinking about them now. Year-round tax planning will minimize the drama of those dreaded IRS deadlines. Congress will undoubtedly be busy throughout 2012 and beyond, tweaking the tax code. So talk to us about making smarter tax-related business decisions in 2012.

Beth Bockenhauer is the owner of Beth Bockenhauer, CPA, a boutique accounting and CPA practice based in southern California. She started her career with five years of military service. She then worked for ten years as a small business owner, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Beth has worked in public accounting for the past seven years. For more information, visit www.bethbcpa.com

Small Business Procurement Expo April 20th

On April 20, 2012 Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter, in conjunction with ADF Networking Consultancy, Inc. and the California Public Utilities Commission will present the Inland Empire Small Business Spring Procurement Expo at the San Bernardino Hilton Hotel located at 285 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino. The Expo is FREE of charge to all small and diverse business participants.

RSVP by April 16, 2012 to secure a matchmaking appointment. Registration includes complimentary continental breakfast, admission to the business matchmaking session, all presentations, exhibits, and workshops. To RSVP, contact Sheila Futch at (909) 820-5008, or email: sheila.futch@asm.ca.gov, or visit www.adfnetworkconsulting.com/expo.

Member in the News: Hope Suhr of Hope's Chest

NAWBO-IE Member, Hope Suhr, Featured in North County Times.

Hope Suhr, Owner of Hope's Chest in Canyon Lake, CA

Read article below:

http://www.nctimes.com/business/retail-hope-s-chest-owner-finds-new-life-in-bra/article_7259abf1-ae31-5aaf-9886-c6b077f4d63b.html

Synchronization: The Key to Business Success

Your business operates much like the human body.  It is an integrated, interdependent whole that needs all of its functions working in tandem to make you healthy and fit.  Yet, most businesses today operate as though each segment of its operations were an independent organism, with its own goals, processes and results, many times leading a company to failure.

Recently, I was talking with a major corporation lamenting that they were implementing all types of programs to grow their business, yet were having dismal results.  While they were aware that its units were operating as silos, they felt they were taking steps to improve that situation. 

Training was the focus that would turnaround the company’s mindset.  Marketing had created a series of multi-media presentations on all their products and were put online so each employee could view them at their convenience.  Compliance, following in their steps, purchased a webinar series for different segments of the firm to ensure everyone understood the issues in their highly volatile environments.  Training was at the forefront of the company’s mission and vision for the organization.

So why wasn’t it working?  Nothing was really changing and no one knew why.  We decided to investigate and decided that we needed to get input from all levels in the organization, especially those on the front lines.

It was decided that a series of informal meetings would be held, with the goals of determining what was limiting the company from growing.  They were set up outside the office as breakfast meetings, with representatives from the various departments.  A very likable, approachable and respected member of the senior staff was coordinating the meeting, and started the meeting with “we need your help, your insight and your suggestions on any and all topics that may be an impediment to our growth.”

When the issue of not understanding the full range of products and services arose, the marketing department asked why their multi-media presentations were not helping.  The answer—about 75% of the audience stated that their computers did not have sound, so no one could listen to any training created or any webinars offered outside the firm.  After investigating it was found that over 80% of the company’s computers did not have sound cards.

This was only one of many issues that were brought up at the meeting that showed that programs were not coordinated, departments were not working together and feedback was not part of any program.

Many companies have lost, or may not have developed, the ability to look at the entire organization as a comprehensive whole.  The focus over the years has been to segment—to look at each function of the organization as a separate entity.  The end result is a company consisting of silos---all with their own goals, processes and even cultures.

The amount of resources that are squandered by not synchronizing operations is extraordinary.  The Standish Group does a report called the Chaos Chronicles which is based on 8,380 projects with 365 respondents.  In that report it was stated that only 34% of projects are successfully completed, 51% were challenged (failed to meet schedule, budget or target scope) and 15% totally abandoned.

How well does your company synchronize operations? And what could your company achieve if you synchronized all functions more effectively?  Think about what that would mean to your bottom line.

Diane Weklar is the president of The Weklar Consulting Group.  She is an expert in synchronizing marketing and business operations to accelerate company growth.  For more information, contact Diane@Weklar.com.

Free Seminar: Helping You Grow Your Business

To rsvp, contact Irma Flores (951) 637-1460