I love entrepreneurs! Generally, I’ve noticed a drive and a determination that takes creative-minded, bootstrapping, do-it-yourselfers a long way. Those who show true ingenuity, persistence, and resilience inspire us all to have a brighter attitude.
I also love entrepreneurs because they ask me to help them with things like logo and graphic design, social media strategy, and web-based user experience. Oh, and I charge for those things, so it’s doubly-nice.
One thing I’ve noticed, however, about super-entrepreneurs is that their minds tend to race about 10,000 RPMs with cool, new ideas. I really wonder how many ideas are eventually left laying in the dust, not because they weren’t good ideas, but because not quite enough thought and planning went into them.
Having received tons of emails with ideas from entrepreneurs hoping to take an idea big-time, I thought I’d throw together this list of the six things I either say, or want to say in response. They are mostly questions, not recommendations, but the questions themselves are often overlooked.
Is it possible?
I know this one sounds obvious. If it weren’t would I be asking about the idea to begin with? And aren’t all things possible to those who believe? Certainly, but quite a few great ideas are laying in graves because the technology was either not ready, or too expensive.
Who else is doing it?
Use search engines and social networks to scout out the potential competition. Sometimes you wind up jumping into an arena filled with insurmountable competition. You’re probably not going to start the business that will topple an Amazon or Apple.
Can it be done well remarkably?
Doing something well doesn’t make it successful. Doing it well enough to get noticed does. Can you execute the idea in such a way that people will buy into it?
Do I have accesses to the resources to get it done?
This thought may sound strange, but some ideas are good (or noble) enough that you should consider handing it off to someone who can get it done. And every good entrepreneur knows that “resources” aren’t limited to the money in your pocket. It includes the money in other people’s pockets as well!
Is the idea something I’m passionate enough about to stick with over the long haul?
Pretty self-explanatory. Most of us have been there, burying an idea for which we had great enthusiasm, but didn’t see the gap between enthusiasm and real passion.
Can it be monetized?
This is the slimy question nobody thinks anyone should ask, but it must be faced. Why? Because if it can’t be monetized, it can’t be sustained or expanded. Sometimes that’s okay. Sometimes a good idea needs to piggy-back some other more profitable concept. Sometimes, the idea needs to go back into the incubator though.
These questions are seeds. You may have more to face. But at least face these and use them as a filter for every new idea. Let your genius lie asoak in the probing process. If an …
Mobile marketing may be important to business planning, but it can be difficult to learn and create a great marketing plan. There is so much to learn both on the marketing side and the technical side. Listed below in this article are some simple steps that will help you have a successful mobile marketing strategy.
Your customers are the reason you are working. Knowing the goals and desire of your buyers is the fundamental principle of mobile marketing. When you are applying your services in a manner that is not in line with the desires of the customer, you are unlikely to see much profit. Find out more about your audience to answer their needs.
QR codes are being used more and more on advertisements to appeal to the smartphone-using audience. That way, people using smart phones will be able to easily visit your web site for access to your special promotions or coupon offers. Put these codes everywhere, including fliers, catalogs, and even your own business card. A person that takes the time to use a QR code is likely interested in your company. Offering these on your printed ads and marketing material makes it easy for them to find out more.
When composing your mobile website copy, be succinct. Make sure your site is filled with good information and not just there for keyword stuff. Mobile marketing is all about concise advertising.
Creating a mission statement will be highly beneficial for staying focused with social mobile marketing. This will make it easier to stay focused.
You need to have a home base if you are developing a mobile platform that will stand alone. Your campaign is about getting people to your home base or bringing them back to it. Avoid developing an entire business around your mobile platform.
Make sure your first campaign is successful before you start a new mobile marketing campaign. Take into account the longevity of the campaign in addition to the sales numbers. Base the creation of your new campaign on the success formula of your old one.
When you are getting started in mobile marketing, you need to learn everything you can regarding how mobile devices work and how they display information so you can tailor your ad material accordingly. View your campaign on as many different mobile and smart phones as possible to test out your ads, links and other interactive materials from the perspecitve of a consumer.
Think about creating a free app for your customers. The process is easy, and customers love receiving free applications. You could create an application specific to your business and up the results of your mobile marketing efforts. There are a lot of services that assist in designing apps, and a lot of features these apps could offer to your customers.
As you can see, mobile marketing is the wave of the future, and you need to know how to use it to generate leads and make sales. It will be easier to understand what …