Tag Archives: technology

Rumor Mill: Facebook Making a Phone?

July 27, 2012

 

You know when you’re out at happy hour with coworkers and then a group of old coworkers from your last job shows up and your head starts spinning because you just can’t handle the two worlds colliding? That’s how I felt when I read today that Facebook has plans to partner up with HTC to build its own smartphone. Sometimes I feel like Facebook IS the internet… it’s how we get our news, talk to our friends, do our shopping. Rarely do I go straight to a site without following a link from Facebook. But I never considered that it could take over other parts of our lives, too, and I’m not sure how comfortable I feel with that. What do you think about the possibility of a Facebook phone?

According to Bloomberg, “More than half of Facebook’s 900 million users access the social network via mobile devices, while none of the $3.15 billion in advertising sales last year came from ads on phones. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg could use a Facebook phone, with social-networking features built-in, to woo marketers and assuage concerns dragging on the company’s shares.”

Read the Bloomberg story about the phone here.

Check out this video from PhoneDog about the rumor:

 

Brian Teague, Chief Technology Evangelist

Technology Series: Cool Stuff We Wish We’d Thought Of

July 2, 2012

Love all of these latest inventions for making life easier/cooler. Which is your favorite?

 

- Julie Watson, Interactive Art Director

 

 

Vibrating alarm clock rings that won’t wake your partner.

Source: mmminimal.com via Garrett on Pinterest

A pen that mimics the color of any item you choose.

Source: buzzfeed.com via Sunny on Pinterest

Electricity-free iPhone speaker.

Source: treehugger.com via Leigh on Pinterest

A collar that shows you the world through your dog’s eyes.

Source: brit.co via Surc on Pinterest

Nest knows how to make a thermostat sexy.

Source: nest.com via Surc on Pinterest

The Shortest Distance Between You and a Sale

March 22, 2012

If you run a business, have you ever noticed that the whistles and bells found in smartphones get in the way of actually making a sale? Sometimes, the easiest, most logical call to action is, well, a call. Adding a click-to-call button on a mobile screen might be the most efficient arrow in your mobile marketing quiver.

This is not quantum physics. Your grandmother told you things like: The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. And we all know how one gets to Carnegie Hall. So, what’s the most logical feature to motivate someone with a smartphone in their hands? That’s right. It’s a click-to-call button.

Google Uses It

Writer Lauren Johnson of Mobile Marketer wrote an interesting piece on this very subject. She noted that Google is on track to “generate $2.5 billion in revenue from its mobile advertising, a large chunk of which is driven by click-to-call formats.” Whether you think Google is brilliant or rapacious, they know how to make money and nobody ever went broke effectively copying Google tactics.

The types of goods and services that can benefit from the incorporation of a click-to-call feature run the gamut of enterprises. The commonality of these businesses that benefit from this feature seems to revolve around whether a prospect needs clarification before making a purchase. If it does, this feature should be a part of the mobile strategy. This covers a wide range of businesses: medical/dental practices, concert ticket offices and bigger ticket items such as appliances, computers and new smartphones.

Improving the Customer Service Experience

Adding a simple click-to-call feature can also change the way companies deal with customer service engagement. Ask yourself this: Would you rather click on a button and get a sweet-voiced customer service rep to help you with your concern about the color of the $200 dollar sweater? Or would you rather go to a website, find the customer service page, fill out the “contact us” form, send it in and wait two days before getting an auto-generated response that “someone will be happy to talk you if you call this 800 number between 8 and 5 pm Hawaiian time?”

Don’t Try This at Home

“Sure,” you say, “That click-to-call button sounds like something we need to do. I’ll get my IT gal on it pronto!” Before you give this assignment to the IT guy or gal or let the interns tackle it, you might want to consider that the placement of the button could be responsible for thousands of dollars in sales. Plus, that mobile screen is teeny, tiny.

Once the decision is made to add the click-to-call feature to your mobile marketing, it’s a good idea to get a professional designer involved in its incorporation on the screen. Smartphone users, especially those who must have the latest and greatest gizmo, are not the most patient people in the world. In fact, these folks use their phones for transacting commerce more than the average Joe and they are the first people to drop your brand like a hot potato if the user experience is not flawless.

Get someone who knows what they’re doing when you’ve made the clever decision to include a click-to-call feature to your mobile tactics. That’s my opinion. What’s yours? Contact me at art.young@pocketstop.com and I’ll tell you how to get to Carnegie Hall. Oh, what the heck. Practice! Practice! Practice!

- Art Young, Client Development

Photo credit: Flickr user Dan4th

Are You Game?

March 7, 2012

Technology has always been about making tasks faster, easier, and painless. Here’s a new twist; making a mundane task faster, easier, painless AND fun. That’s right, fun. More and more companies are climbing into the realm of gamification using apps, websites and other tech mediums to assist in rehabilitation, study disease control, and even strengthen adults brains pre-Alzheimer’s.

But why? Because that to-do list of yours gets longer everyday.

Your in-laws want that video of that cute thing your kid did, your spouse is on a crazy fitness swing, and did I mention the kids’ chores aren’t getting done, so guess what’s next on the list? Sounds exhausting and downright boring. Gamification has become popular because it creates a way for things to get done, without the tediousness of actually doing them. To gamify an activity allows for a pleasant distraction while the task is being completed. Some of those brainiacs behind technology were gamers and they listened to your qualms and came up with gamification. It turns your to-do list into a game accessed on your computer, tablet, or mobile device. Churn out that adorable video while playing a game on your ipad, download that fitness app and sign your kids up on chorewars.com. To-do list? HA. You now have a whole lazy Saturday afternoon ahead of you. Mission complete.

Is it working? It seems to be, especially given the exponentially rising number of gamifying technologies out there. But why is this working? What about games that encourages people to accomplish something?

Some say that games are the highest element of distraction; convincing you into thinking you’re indulging in a game instead of finishing a task. And that’s partially true, especially in regards to a cancer patient, playing Re-Mission. Competition might also have something to do with it. We live in a highly competitive society, just ask the crazy soccer moms and dads of the world. Turning everything into a game just fuels the fire. But maybe it’s all a little more scientific than that. My colleague, Art Young recently wrote an article shedding some light on the concept of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to our brains being “plastic” or in other words malleable. Are our brains re-training themselves to finish tasks in game format? The appealing nature of games now paired with retraining our brains might be a solid reason to why gamification is taking the lead.

Can you picture a world where everything is a game? When everything adds up to points? Maybe, maybe not. This popular idea seems to be the next best thing to sweep technology of its feet. What tasks do you want gamified?

- Dhanya Yalamanchi, Public Relations Associate

Photo credit: Flickr user KB35

How to Bootstrap PR for Your Start-Up

February 23, 2012

 

I had the chance to attend the February monthly meeting of TexChange recently, enjoy a lovely meal and soak in information on the relevant topic for us: Bootstrapped PR.

The 87 attendees represented the most optimistic group of people I have ever spent three hours with. Most of the members of this group were the CEO’s of technology start-ups in the DFW area. There were a few VC’s, bankers and lawyers who were sniffing around for opportunities, but most of these folks had their own dream/business and they have experienced the entire gamut of success, failure and (worst of all) ambivalence.

I worked the room and met some of the people behind the dreams. For example, there was a former Braniff pilot who has developed a sure-fire patent for a new mass transit train. I sat by a software entrepreneur who has incorporated gamification theory in an effort to get users of his software to participate in greater numbers. I shook and howdied with  the new president of the Social Media Club of Dallas, the president of a company that sells custom coupons, a couple of healthcare IT types and spent a few minutes with the bartender – Felix – who has a can’t-miss concept for storing carbonated beverages (still on the drawing boards).

Somewhere among this group of savants and/or crazy people, there are likely several next big things that, if they hired us to help them, would change the world. The trick is to talk to enough of them and filter the crazy from the brilliant. So many ideas and so little time!

The presentation was all about using guerilla PR tactics – aka Bootstapped PR – to earn media coverage without spending money. Presenting were:

Most of the topics that were discussed were not those that would demand that you slap your forehead and scream Eureka! However, there were good insights offered on how startups can use the power of their content to build interest among media. I could tell that I was not alone when I wrote in my little notebook to “steal this idea” several times.

There were good tips like:

(1) Don’t waste your time re-tweeting tech news to your followers verbatim from its source. Come up with something interesting, funny or unique or don’t tweet it. It’s likely, everyone who’s getting your tweets has seen the same article that you are re-tweeting.

(2) Fresh content (in the form of blogs, social network posts) gets media attention and leads to better SEO than the same old crap on a site. Ergo, hence and therefore, companies need to have a constant stream of new content on their website and social networks. Video is coming to Pocketstop site soon and several on the panel noted that video has big impact on SEO.

(3) Free analytics services such as Google Analytics can tell a company what type of content on a site is being loved by the readers of the site. Whereas, most people look at the analytics and say something like, “Oh cool. Somebody from Australia looked at our site.” A better approach is to determine what page, what blog post (i.e. the type of subject matter covered by the post) or what feature on the site draws the most traffic and figure out why. Then, put more content like that. Again, no forehead slapper, but valid.

(4) Most of a small company’s staff and freelancers have more followers than the CEO and executives of the company. Therefore, it is very important to (try) to get everyone who gets a paycheck from the company to get on board with the spreading of the word about the company. This doesn’t mean that everyone has to be a company PR automaton, blindly posting every silly post on every social network from colleagues. It does, however, mean that when there is a new and interesting blog post on the company website an employee’s vast number of followers and fans might be very interested in what they’re doing from 8 to 5.

It was a great night for big ideas. May they all turn into giant companies with astounding ROI! And hopefully Felix’s concept for carbonated beverages will take off like a rocket. I MIGHT have invested a few dollars with him for stock options to be determined later.

- Art Young, Client Development

Photo credit: Flickr user Mykl Roventine

Long Live the Notebook

February 21, 2012

 

The talented and inspiring singer, Erykah Badu, has a lyric describing herself as an “Analog girl in a digital world.” Now, that was back in the late 1990s, but how prophetic a statement it was of how I would feel well into the two decades after I first heard it.

In my new life at my dream job at Pocketstop, I have been experimenting with the best organizational tools in all the land, both digital and analog. In addition to my iPhone that syncs to my Google mail and calendar, I have a little moleskine-esque notebook… a Rhodia web book… that is PERFECT for daily notes and to-dos for work and during training, so I can quickly go back and reference what I need with a quick flip of the page. I’m using it in chronological order to record my training and ideas I have for accounts I’d like to suggest, once I get deeper into my job duties and responsibilities. As I’ve blogged about before, the Rhodia web book has a cover that is amazing to the touch! Two years later, I’m equally as enthralled with the texture of this notebook cover as I was when I first got it.

The Rhodia Meeting Book is larger and has a different format. It is perfect for when I meet with clients. I can write down who attended the meeting at the top of the page, to help me remember names, notes from the meeting on the bottom, and the action steps side bar for what our team promises to deliver and what the client has said they would provide (ideas, data, etc.). These two books create a balance and professional harmony that I need to stay on my “A” game! My iPhone calendar and my work (Google) calendar sync up, so that entire aspect is covered electronically, which is good, because they send me automated reminders. But, I still need that emotional connection that I have with paper and more importantly, putting ink on paper. And, if you are writing notes into your iPhone during a meeting, there is still a perception that you’re “texting” or “uninterested.” So, writing down notes is timeless and still relevant for meetings in today’s professional culture.

To report “from the field,” I will tell you that nearly every single person here at Pocketstop – from the Creative Director who designs websites and Facebook pages to the CEO, have notebooks they use in meetings to jot down reminders. But, they all have smart phones too, because well… it’s a mobile media company – they BETTER all have smart phones! It’s really cool to see the combination of digital vs non-digital tools that creative and professional people use.

I wonder if Erykah Badu has an iPhone…

- Sandy Taylor, Accounts Manager

Photo credit: Flickr user mrbill

Nailing Solutions with the Right Tools

February 3, 2012

A long, long time ago, FDR’s economic wizard, Bernard Baruch, said, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” He was talking about the wide range of tools that he proposed to fix the Great Depression. We might be living in the modern era now, but that same logic definitely applies to the Pocketstop technology tool belt. From a technical perspective, we believe in having the best tools – apps, frameworks, platforms and programming languages – when we’re building solutions for clients.

On the tools/apps side, we use Basecamp, Trello and Balsamiq. On the framework and programming side, we use PHP, .NET, Objective-C, Java, and the de facto web standards HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. In the near-future we could be using Ruby, Node.js, MongoDB or whatever is the best tool for the job. We’re not a giant corporation and we like it that way. We embrace being small and the agility it allows. We can turn on a dime and choose technology options that are only available to nimble organizations. This results in better solutions for our clients.

A swiveling compound miter saw is an example of a carpentry tool that is appropriate for a very specific task. It’s not cheap, and it requires an investment in learning how to use it. However, it’s worth it when the job calls for a compound miter saw – such as hanging crown moulding.

Similarly, there is an investment in learning and purchasing technology tools such as apps, frameworks, platforms and languages, but with the correct tool, the benefits are well worth the investment. Next time you encounter a business problem, challenge yourself to put the hammer away and first truly understand the problem. Then, ask yourself which tool would be the best to solve the problem. You may already have it, in which case, great! But you just might find out that it’s not in your tool belt and it’s finally time to pony-up and go buy that miter saw.

In upcoming posts from me, I will share some technology news that will help you get in touch with your inner-geek. Stay tuned.

- Adam Anderly, Director of Development

Photo credit: Flickr user David Blaine

 

High Tech vs. High Touch

January 6, 2012

It’s that time of year again. Self-reflection, also known as navel-gazing, has led me to conclude the following: I love technology. I’m just not IN love with technology.

It’s not you technology. It’s me. Hey, we can still be friends.

Many of my advertising and marketing friends and I have grown weary of dealing with shopping cart abandonment issues, perplexing A/B testing, asynchronous communications of all descriptions, conversion rate conundrums and pithy, 140-character tweets. Of course these can be useful, effective tools to better communicate and analyze the latest and greatest widget or issue. However, in the wrong hands they can also be used to avoid direct communication with co-workers and (even worse) customers.

How often do you email the person sitting in the next cubicle with the most mundane questions? Unless they need a digital record of your query about plans for happy hour, direct, verbal communication might be a refreshing change of pace.

How about those tweets or Facebook posts about every aspect of the football game while it’s being played? Talking trash before or after the game I hardily recommend (in fact, the trashier the trash talk, the more entertaining it is!). However, if your buddies are watching the game, they already know that Terrance Newman blew the coverage, missed the tackle and should be banished to Siberia for the remainder of the winter. No post needed. The guy’s a chump. Next case!

In the coming year, if you’re involved with building a business, you might want to talk with us about using social network marketing, mobile marketing, email marketing, database marketing, Social CRM and every other technological tool you can get your hands on to efficiently communicate with customers. However, it’s also important to go to trade conferences and press the flesh or participate in panels, get on a plane and go see customers once in a while, call them up to chat about his/her life or send a link to a quirky story you found in three dozen online newsletters that you read every morning. (I’ve found that clips from the Onion work best, but that’s just me.).

Technology-enhanced communication is important. In fact you can’t have a scalable business without it. However, adding personal contact to this mix can help you accomplish miraculous things. In the coming year, resolve to use the right combination of high tech and high touch. You’ll have those 5,000 followers in no time!

That’s my opinion. What’s yours? Contact me at art.young@pocketstop.com.

- Art Young, Client Development

Photo credit: Flickr user sanberdoo