Posts Tagged ‘foursquare’

In today’s world, we are no more rooted to our computer for staying connected. This is largely because of the advent of smart phone and mobile apps. If you have an iPhone and a friend of yours complains about your delay in responding to his/her email…you better NOT say, “I was away from my computer”. Since you are on your iPhone, the other person is 100% positive that you have received the email and read it too…whether you replied to it OR not is a different story. Similarly, if you are a smart phone user and you say to someone “I don’t have time to Tweet or FB”; most likely they are wondering if you are using any smarts of the smart phone!

The point is that a cell phone is now more than an instrument to make or receive calls. It is now your desktop on the GO and has enabled social media on the GO.

My Favorite Mobile Apps

• Facebook for iPhone: Talking about FB, the coolest mobile app for iPhone is Facebook for iPhone. It is convenient to use, read live feeds of your friends, upload pictures taken from your iPhone to FB, review notifications, chat with online friends, update status et al.
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn mobile app is like a rolodex online. If your connections change jobs and businesses and update their profiles – you are still in touch without having to be in touch. I like the fact that I can see updates, invite people to connect, Accept invitations simply on my iPhone
• Echofon: I love tweeting and so any app that allows me to see tweets real time, see mentions, retweet and send direct response to people is valuable for me on the go. This app is great as I get to tweet from anywhere and share thoughts from the touch on the iPhone.
• Foursquare: I love the fact that I can checkin real time into places. And choose if I wish to share my location with my Facebook and Twitter friends. Also, the badges that I have unlocked (Jetsetter, Adventurer  etc) are a great motivator. Primarily I use it to locate places near by, get tips about a restaurant from people who have shared their views and see where my friends are at.
• WhatsApp: If you have blackberry friends, then you have heard about the pleasure of BB messenger BUT now with WhatsApp you are able of message friends on Blackberry (if you are an iPhone user). I like to send pics as attachments, see who is available and also chat with friends all over the world on my iPhone….
• Dropbox: I simply love this application. It is virtual file sharing and syncing – in a secure environment, right at your fingertips… and your fingertips don’t have to be around a keyboard or a laptop! It enables me to receive a contract from a client half way across the world, while I am riding in a train, I can read it on my smart phone and send my approval! Productivity Galore! On top of that, the first 2GB (yes, I said, GB!) of space is FREE, and you get an additional 250MB when you sign up referrals (each referral gets you an additional 250MB of space – up until 8GB! Surely, not a place to add your high-def videos but definitely good for coordinating and sharing work related stuff!

So, if you are on an airport and find yourself in the middle of nowhere, try to connect to wireless network of the airport. Voila! the world will be at your disposal…to chat, communicate and collaborate. So, next time you get a response to your email when your friend is traveling or you chat with your friends in different continents or you post a pic on FB…remember it has nothing to do with being on the computer…and everything to do with your smart phone – so think twice when you say – “I’ve been out of touch since I am not a person who likes to sit on my computer”. As long as you sit, walk or stand and have a smart phone, you have powerful tools to stay connected, thanks to Social Media, on the GO…. !

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Tagged as: 99tribes, active garage, blackberry, deepika bajaj, dropbox, echofon, facebook, foursquare, invincibelle, iphone, linkedin, smart phones, Social Media, social media and tribes, tribes, whatsapp

By the end of 2010, many of us have incorporated social media into our marketing campaigns. It is a no brainer to have a FaceBook Fan page or Twitter account for getting traffic to your website. Some have gone beyond and created their own blogs and even their own communities to get the word out to their tribe. Now the “BUT” part….in doing so, we have forgotten why this all started in the first place.

The concept of social media became part of our lives because there was a need for an “Online Conversation” – to talk, listen and engage with your influencers. Many companies have demonstrated their skills in promoting deals, managing customer grievances and even hiring using social media. Bravo! for the increased “customer satisfaction” and “personalization” of their customer interactions.

But looking into the future, I have a question that pops up in my head. “SO WHAT? WHAT NEXT?”

I guess I was impressed but after certain goals have been met and since it is all “the new normal”, I am  asking the question – “When are we doing to think outside of FaceBook?” OR “Is the number of your Twitter followers any measure of your influence?”.

Why I ask these questions is because we are now using social media mindlessly, sometimes, even without any specific objective behind it. The best analogy that I can think of is “It is like having your morning cup of coffee, whether it helps us wake up or not, we need it since we do it everyday”.

Here is what you need to look into as you plan for your engagement…

1. Is Facebooking work? Recently I was pointed to an article Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction, where the author states “ I know I can read a book, but then I’m up and checking Facebook,” he says, adding: “Facebook is amazing because it feels like you’re doing something and you’re not doing anything. It’s the absence of doing something, but you feel gratified anyway.– “. If you are Facebooking – loading  or seeing pics, commenting on friends status while in the middle of a meeting or a paper you are writing – is that really work?
2. Are you trusted? There is a growing mistrust with the rise of concerns regarding privacy on these channels and it is getting harder to engage your friends to “Like” or “Comment” or “Tweet” to garner support for your social campaigns. The only true measure of success in this scenario is “Trust”.
3. Are you innovating your marketing? Winners are going to be the ones who are experimenting, failing and trying new approaches — again and again. New sites like Quora, Shoutlet and Foursquare will need to be considered when planning your marketing mix based on your marketing objectives.

So, if you thought that you have mastered Facebook and Twitter and are set for your social media marketing…Think Again. You have just scratched the surface…new challenges and new opportunities are in the horizon. The bars are being raised and the learning curve is steep….What matters is Are You Fatigued or Are you Adapting? Are you a Dinosaur or… are you still in the GAME?

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Tagged as: active garage, deepika bajaj, facebook, foursquare, Innovation, invincibelle, linkedin, marketing, pin and grow rich, quora, shoutlet, Social Media, social media and tribes, Twitter