CES sans me.

First time in many years I won't be in Las Vegas for CES techno-geek-mania. But I will be following as many streams and updates as I can this next week to keep the info coming as to what's hot, what's a flop and how the industry sees things evolving for 2012. I have a few contacts there I'll be leaning on for personal updates, so expect some good stories, too. I love this time of year. Minus the bags full of brochures, USB memory sticks and my Nikon D90 full of pictures, I'll do as best as I can to keep the news interesting and fresh! Stay with me on this...

1-800-NOT-COOL

Remember when it was neat to see a clever vanity phone number? Like back in the 1980s? We caution our franchisees against this practice on their online media for a few reasons...

It's tough to type the vanity name into a phone these days because many new phones don't correlate the letters to the numbers on the keys anymore. The old Ma Bell standard of knowing a phone number by its "exchange name" is gone, and thus the need for the letters on the keys. If you're at a loss (or just too young) to know what I'm talking about, see this... (exchange names explained) My phone number growing up began with OVERBROOK.

People can't relate to the letters because even SMS texting has gone away from being a number-key driven activity. Our SIGNARAMA stores were very used to claiming "7446" as their last four digits because that equates to "SIGN."  Neat if you knew that or could figure it out, but most customers can't make that leap these days, so why ask them to?

Have a look at your website, email signature files, heck, redo your printed literature to reflect what people know and do today. Use the numbers not the letters. The vanity phone number concept has lost its cool.

Google+ Business Pages, no rules - yet.

The release of the Google+ Business pages yesterday introduce many businesses and new users to the new kid on the social playground. Now companies, artists, performers, individuals and brands can have a page a la Facebook to spread their word. Geat and long awaited, G+  finally has relevance to the business community.

This is a big shot over the bow for Google to companies like Facebook. The intention is to woo businesses with the promise of pertinence and relevance in search. If the forecasts prove true, soon a search for "+anybusiness" should yield that company's Google Business Page. Marketing GOLD! Not just yet...

Due to reasons yet explained, anyone can setup a Google+ Business Page for any company they choose. I could be IBM or Starbucks or Sears and Roebuck. That's going to mess with the accuracy of any search until Google has a method to verify that someone from the business in question is establishing the new Business Page legitimately. When you create a Google+ Business Page, it becomes a subset of your Google+ identity. Right now, a checkbox next to a "terms of use" statement is what validates your worthiness to create such pages. Google has said that they intend to incorporate a badge system that once hovered over, would signify that this Google+ page is the real deal. So the question is, where are the badges and how was this released without them?

Yesterday when the curtain came up on this, I scrambled into manifest destiny mode to quicly capture all of our brand names and get a Google+ page up for each of our brands ASAP. At the same time, a coworker, equally connected online, was doing the same thing. Highlighting the problem at hand, we were sitting less than 25ft from each other, thinking we were both beating the world to the punch and claiming our company's valuable names on Google+. Until I posted a tweet saying the Google+ Business Pages were live and saw a tweet announcing our company's new Google+ Page (that I hadn't posted) the plan was working well. I learned as early into the launch as possible that we had both created duplicate "official" pages for SIGNARAMA, EmbroidMe, Billboard Connection and Plan Ahead Events. So anyone could have done that, too. And I thought I was on top of the whole Google+ Business Page release?

We'll eventually be able to verify by address or some neat Google means that we are the rightful creator of our brand's Google+ Business Pages. Until then, we have issues with duplicates or unauthorized copycats. I'm glad we're not in a mission-critical industry, like Homeland Security! I have faith that Google will sew it all together now that it's being discussed worldwide. They have a good set of ideas to help push this Business Page concept forward and back it up with the search results that can drive traffic to the pages. The correct, verified, authorized Business Pages.

Yelp works for us, too.

Yelp.com was originally just a restaurant review site. People could leave reviews of where they've eaten and others read the reviews and decide for themselves if they'd like that type of dining/eating experience.  As of late, Yelp is changing to become involved promoting all types of businesses, which bodes well for our franchisees. You can enter a business profile and "claim" your location similar to Google Places, Yahoo, Bing, etc.  It's easy to do and has shown to help your free SEO efforts once people visit the Yelp entry for your business and leave reviews. You can create a free Yelp Business Account which allows you to get your business listed on the Yelp site and gives you the opportunity down the road to advertise on Yelp if you choose.

Here's a link to a quick video about Yelp and the Business Accounts. 

Just a neat tip on a Friday!

-dm

28% = Landslide warning.

A company called the Pew Internet Project released a study earlier this week stating that 28% of American adults now use their smartphone as their primary conduit to the Internet.  This means that they spend more time and invoke more instances with the online world via a 4.5" x 2.5" phone screen vs. using a PC or a Mac. Huh?

Apple introduced a new method of updating the software on it's popular iPhone products, it involves updates that happen via the network, wirelessly into the device. That's how you'll receive the new iOS version 5 says Steve Jobs. No longer are you required to plug your phone into an iTunes equipped computer.  Reason? Many of the new users that have come on board with the two networks supporting iPhone (AT&T, Verizon) don't have a computer!  They are getting the phone to allow themselves to be online.

The seismic shift from computer to mobile device is flowing right by us.  I last blogged of the new reality whereby the customer steers more of the service attitude by having incredible review power - instantly. (See last post) With the growing popularity of QR codes and the free QR code reader apps for the Droid and iPhone, the consumer carries the web in their pocket. This can be your web they tote around if you're using QR codes to direct buyers to your products. As a result, our franchisees have begun putting QR codes on signs, windows, vehicles, shirts, mousepads, stress balls, all over!  A SIGNARAMA can do this for your advertising and graphics, an EmbroidMe can QR code your apparel and promotional products.  Have a look at the report, it's interesting!

Pew Internet Project report on mobile web users.

Then have a look at what some of our stores are doing QR code-wise.  You can find one near you...

EmbroidMe     SIGNARAMA