BestFit Mobile

QR Codes With A GEO Twist

Steve Muccini — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:51:59 +0000

QR Codes PLUS GEO

When you consider the development of your mobile application and strategy, utilizing QR codes will probably seem like something out of the “Mobility 101″ playbook. Although, widespread use of QR codes is still relatively new, it is quickly finding its way into just about every new retail application out today. In addition, marketing departments love using QR codes to help drive mobile users quickly and seamlessly to a landing page, Facebook like button, coupon or just about anything they are promoting.

Location, Location, Location

Flying at the speed of mobile, QR codes are already one-upping themselves with a GEO location twist. It is a great feature which adds a new level of targeting and customization to what appeared to be a somewhat static targeting tool.

Here, Microsoft talks about how QR codes can be used along with a phone users’ GPS to add an element of customization based on location.

Read the article.

RAMP Connects Top Retailers to Talk Mobile

Steve Muccini — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:00:37 +0000

Get Erik’s Presentation from the RAMP conference.

Erik McMillan, CEO of BestFit Mobile and Ed Anderson, Chief Strategy Officer of CompuCom at this year's Retail RAMP Conference

The retail RAMP conference in Chicago is where some of the most successful retailers in the world got together in April to network and hear about the latest in mobile strategy and mCommerce. If you are in the retail space and have the word “mobility” anywhere in your performance plan, you probably should have been there. Mobile coupons, customer loyalty programs, mobile app development, mobile app security and device management were some of the topics discussed across the panels, and across the tables.

The conference attendees heard from Walmart, Disney, MTV, Sears, Pizza Hut, BestFit Mobile, CompuCom and JetBlue amongst other key experts. Retailers and technology heavy hitters who shared their experience and knowledge on how to leverage mobile for everything it’s got. Vital intel for large retailers, professional sports teams and other well known brands which are all in the process of sorting out their strategies in this fast evolving space.

Mobile Drives ROI

As valuable as mobile is for bringing new shoppers into stores, retaining and rewarding loyal customers and driving up average cart sizes, it is not immune from the requirement of the business to turn a positive return on investment. Much like the emerging web space was in the late nineties, the groundswell for mobile in retail is immense and building. That, along with lots of promises and concerns.

Similarities in the Emergence of Web and Mobile

The same questions that were being raised regarding the web back in 1998 are now re-emerging with mobile. How do I know I am tapping the latest technology? What if it cannibalizes my existing channels? How do I get my sales people to engage without feeling like they are being replaced? Who are the development firms that can help me?

The Mobile Wave is Different

The big difference today in mobile is that you have a significantly larger and more advanced user base than you had with the web at a similar point in its adoption by business. Today, you have mobile users demanding a more involved experience with the stores, teams, brands and employers that they interact with on a regular basis. Today, we have the bandwidth to do more exciting things than we had in the pre-2K days of the web. Today, the hardware and software technology is advanced enough to allow better connections with both new and legacy systems.
Today…is a whole new ball game. Retailers and enterprises who wait as long to implement a mobile strategy as they did to embrace the web in the late 90′s, will find themselves in a world of hurt, fast.

Great Presentations at RAMP

One of the more dynamic and informative presentations at the show was given by Erik McMillan and Ed Anderson of BestFit Mobile and CompuCom, respectively. Together, the two companies are working to support their customer base with the latest offerings around mobility. Given the rapid evolution of technology in this mission critical environment, it is no wonder that their presentation was delivered to a standing room only crowd. Erik McMillan, Bestfit Mobile’s President and CEO surveyed the room to find a pretty even split amongst IT and Marketing resources who have been tasked with their company’s mobile strategy. This is a shift from other technology innovations where you often see IT solely driving the initiative. Marketing has a different perspective which seems to be contributing to retailers who are pushing the envelope for what is possible. GEO fencing, customer loyalty programs, prepay cards and digital circulars are all being actively worked instead of just talked about. The once mighty newspaper media is now being directly threatened as mobile is proving itself as a much more effective, cost efficient and stickier means to cultivate existing customers and bring in lots of new ones.

Get Erik’s Presentation from the RAMP conference.

Mobility at the Enterprise Level

McMillan and Anderson also brought up a set of new considerations facing the enterprise which go far beyond the actual development of the custom mobile apps themselves. Large enterprises who arm their teams with a mobile device need to know which off-the-shelf apps will work best for their business amongst the thousands of industry-specific apps out there. Once you have selected the right package of mobile apps per user group you also need to make sure that none of them conflict with each other. This, all while making certain that your mobile devices aren’t creating and security holes- right into your corporate network.

Whether you have taken a BYOD or “plus one” mobile device strategy, you need to decide how these devices fit into your overall asset management plan and technology refresh cycle. Much as in the early days of desktop application and PC management, mobile is raising new questions and new challenges which must be addressed before the greatest value from a mobility strategy can be realized.

BestFit Mobile Bringing Their Mobile Apps to the Retail Racks. Literally.

Timing IS Everything

Retail RAMP seemed to have taken place this year at exactly the right time. The state of the technology and the heightened interest of the businesses to engage it, seems to be deep in the process of coming together. As a result, you should expect to see a lot of large companies who attended the event in April to start lighting-up their mobile strategy over the next 18 months.

Stay tuned and…hold on tight.

To be part of next Year’s Retail RAMP conference visit:
RetailRamp.com or contact
Melissa Morrissey
561-705-6075
melissa@retailramp.com

Get Erik’s Presentation from the RAMP conference.

BestFitMobile.com or contact
them at 888-299-2577.

Retail Mobile Services

Steve Muccini — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:43:32 +0000

retail-svcs-industry-promo-box

kproctor — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:02:12 +0000

SXSW Mobile Rodeo

BestFit Mobile — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:32:10 +0000

Join BestFit Mobile + Marketing for our SXSW Mobile Rodeo Party Sunday night! We’ll have cold drinks and BBQ, and be showing off innovative work in mobile. Plus, you can show off your skills on our Mechanical Bull! Click the link to register on Eventbrite.

http://mobilerodeo.eventbrite.com/

Do You Know Your QR IQ?

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:00:55 +0000

If you’ve been paying attention to mobile marketing at all, you’ve probably seen a Quick Response code. Commonly referred to as QR codes, they are rapidly becoming a staple in the mobile marketing world. A recent report from Jumpscan shows a 1200% increase in QR code scanning in the last six months of 2010.

Just like the bar codes printed on consumer products, QR codes are scanned in order to read the information coded within. The difference is in how the QR code is scanned and what kind of information is encoded. QR codes are scanned with a smartphone app using the smartphone’s camera. Popular free QR code apps include RedLaser and I-nigma. Typically, QR codes lead to a web or cloud-based page displayed on the mobile device.

QR codes are not really new, but they’re new in certain markets. The codes were first developed in 1994 by a Japanese-based company called Denso Wave Inc. in order to track vehicle parts. Now, more than 15 years later, the codes are widely used in Japan and are making their impact in the western world.

So, how are marketers using QR codes effectively?

Here’s a simple example: for BestFit Mobile’s party during SXSW, we used QR codes in 2 ways:

Those who RSVP’d to the event invitation submitted their contact URLs for their social media/blog sites so we could create personalized badges that included a QR code linking to their contact URL. (No business card necessary!)
A QR code on the promotional graphic in the party link and on the BestFit Mobile team’s t-shirts sent mobile users to this page. (Notice that it’s mobile-friendly!)

Other uses include:

QR codes on stickers that link to more detailed product information
QR codes on in–store signage that link to a contest entry form
Links to a coupon redeemable on the phone, a short, entertaining message, or a video.
Link to a page where the customer can complete a financial transaction

When used appropriately, QR codes make access to information and financial transactions via mobile devices a lot easier and more fun.

Checklist for successful QR use:

- Make the QR code easy to scan.

- Leverage the curiosity factor – part of the fun of QR codes is that they reveal something.

- Optimize the landing page for on-the-go viewing on mobile devices – keep it short and sweet:

Simple navigation, if any. It’s better if you can accomplish all on one page.
Engaging content.
Value to the viewer.

- Shorten the QR code link (use link shorteners like bit.ly)

Looking for inspiration? Check out these uses of QR codes:

An entire building QR-coded in France.
Mobile transactions via QR codes by Mobio
Did you get a good look at that Iron Man 2 movie poster above?

Happy Scanning!

Mel Kiper Goes Mobile with BestFit

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:02:42 +0000

You know that moment in a big football game where it’s 4^th down and goal, and everything’s riding on that last play? Well, this was one of those moments for a certain project team here at BestFit Mobile.

Here’s the play by play:

We had the privilege of taking on the challenge of developing a mobile app for everyone’s favorite NFL Draft guru, Mel Kiper Jr. With the sheer number of players alone, not to mention their stats, history and app development, this data-heavy project was definitely one for the books.

Since 1984, Mel Kiper has been synonymous with the NFL Draft. His prediction rate is near 80% and his yearly draft reports and reviews have become known as the “bible” of draft fans. His fans have paid up to $30 for either a hard copy or downloadable PDF version of Kiper’s report.

Now, with Mel Kiper Jr’s Draft Guide app, followers of the NFL Draft can have a more easily accessible, searchable and sort-able version of Kiper’s report all on their iPhone or iPad.

The app itself is available free in the iTunes app store and comes with the 2010 Draft Report available as a sample. The current 2011 Draft Report is available for download at $9.99 via in-app purchase. That’s half the price print version. Future reports will be available through the app and the app will soon be launched on other current mobile platforms.

This undertaking truly was a challenge for the BestFit Mobile team, and it took teamwork to make sure the finished product was up to the standard of Mel Kiper and his reports.

But, it’s not over yet. The NFL Draft starts April 28, 2011 at 7 P.M. The app was approved just in time for the draft, so enough talk, let’s get out there and hustle.

Ready? Break! Download

Ocean Front Property in Arizona?

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:49:34 +0000

Actually the property in question isn’t even in Arizona. But it is indeed “ocean front”. No doubt Donald Trump could successfully sell ocean front anywhere, but seems to be leaning towards Florida at the time of this release.

Trump is indeed a mogul of real estate. You can’t deny the man knows his business. He also knows how to grow his business. Whether it’s in hotels, casinos or even reality TV, Trump always finds a way to succeed while making sure you see his name or his face on his product.

Well now you’ll see him and his name on your iPhone. Trump had an app created for his newest condominium site in Hollywood Beach, Florida, called Trump Hollywood. The Florida-based company, Simplikate Solution, developed the app.

“The nature of the hospitality industry lends itself well to the mobile format as guests are often looking for services and information on the move,” said Adam Levene, chief strategy officer of Grapple Mobile, London. “In the future, Trump will no doubt want to make this app available on additional platforms to reach the widest possible audience.”

The property contains at least 200 residencies with exclusive amenities including private elevators and each room comes with either a view of the city, the coast or the ocean. Not to mention all of the extra activities to partake in and places to visit near the property. But, in true Trump style, the app is made to be as attractive as the destination itself.

The app utilizes interactive video so users can take virtual tours of the residency floor plans. The front page of the app includes easy access to those virtual tours as well as an image gallery, staff biography, and direct links to follow Trump Hollywood’s social media sites and official website. Users can also access virtual tours of the neighborhood. So first-time visitors to Hollywood Beach, Florida can easily find nearby food and entertainment.

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily

Age and Treachery vs. Youth and Ability

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:45:12 +0000

A favorite witticism holds that “age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.” It’s funny, but is it true?

Perhaps not, as history shows. Alexander the Great was tutored by the famed philosopher Aristotle, named king of Macedon at the age of 20, and conquered the known world by the age of 30.

Fast-forward to 2011 where there’s a whole new generation of young, social, plugged-in digital savants. And they’re wielding tremendous power in certain circles.

According to a recent study conducted by MTV and InSites Consulting, millennials (a.k.a Generation Y, the children of baby boomers) have a profound influence on their parents’ purchasing habits. And their reasons for brand preference are not always the same as those of their elders.

Gen-Y’ers most prefer brands that remain up-to-date while maintaining an authentic style. They want brands that are unique with a “clean reputation” and with whom they can identify.

To the generation now coming of age, it is these attributes that help a brand create and maintain a loyal fan base, not the brands perceived “coolness.” What millennials don’t care too much about is a brand’s glamorous image or its trendiness.

One in four of these young people say they influence what products and services their parents buy, while 33% say they affect where their parents shop.

At least half of those surveyed said they highly influence their parents’ choices in the technologies they adopt. That means they convince their parents to get smartphones or tablets, use mobile apps or start a Facebook profile.

Clearly it pays to appeal to these young influencers.

So, from a digital marketing standpoint, how do you make sure you’re hitting millenials’ hot buttons?

A great first step is to incorporate mobile in your marketing – either with mobile app development or by creating a mobile site. There’s hardly a Gen Y’er that isn’t tethered to a Smartphone or mobile notepad.

Use social media and a feedback mechanism in your mobile app or site to give customers a way to enter into conversation with you, and up your “authenticity” score in the process, as well as improve your reputation and the likelihood that your customers will identify with you.

Consider the unique qualities of your brand and find ways to magnify them in your mobile application. A liquor brand might use the shake function, for example, as a way to help users find the nearest bar that serves that brand. But that might not work as well – or feel authentic — for fine china.

Most importantly, note that one out of four Millennials say they deserve more attention from brands—not only because they spend money themselves but because they have a strong influence on their parents’ spending.

Oh, and add Mark Zuckerberg to the list of highly influential youth, along with Alexander the Great. Zuckerberg started Facebook from his Harvard dorm when he was 20, Facebook recently sparked a revolution in the Middle East.

The most important take-away from the study: ignore youth at your peril.

The Girl Scouts Go Plastic

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:24:48 +0000

If you were born any time after 1920, chances are you’ve had yourself a Girl Scout cookie. Thin mints, samoas, trefoils — whatever your favorite, not much has changed about the cookies, or the girl scouts, in decades.

Which means they’re due.

As of this year, purchases for those tasty Girl Scout treats can now be made by credit card via a card reader attachment and mobile application for smartphones. At least 200 troops in northeast Ohio have taken the initiative to give the new method a try. So if you meet a Girl Scout selling cookies and you have a craving but no cash, just pass the plastic. They’re armed with a mobile app for commerce.

“Normally I think a lot of customers would love to buy cookies, but they have to walk by the booth because they’re not carrying cash,” said Marianne Love, director of business services for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio.

It seems to be working.

Cookie sales for one troop using the card reader reportedly increased by 20% compared to last year’s sales made in the same location without the simple hardware add-on and corresponding iPhone app, Android app or Blackberry app.

The device used by the girl scouts is known as GoPayment and is sold by Intuit, a company best known for its QuickBooks products. The company charges a small transaction fee for purchases. They charge the Girl Scouts their lowest rate at 1.7% + 15 cents per transaction, while most customers pay 2.7%. Pricing plans for the service vary by sale volume.

And that’s not all the Girl Scouts are doing with technology. Having a thin mints emergency? Need to find the nearest Girl Scout cookie vending location? Yeah…there’s an app for that.

Cookie Finder, an iPod Touch and iPhone app, uses GPS to locate the cookie sales location nearest you. The app gives you data on cookie sales for the area and the country, as well as the start and end dates of cookie season. You can even post cookie locations on Facebook and Twitter, and vote for your favorite Girl Scout cookie. Other features include connecting with the local Girl Scout council, a bookmark feature that allows users to save upcoming cookie sales, and iPod compatibility.

The Girl Scouts maintain many of the traditions and values they’ve had since their founding in 1917. They’re known for molding leaders. We think that, with the addition of devices like the GoPayment card reader, use of new media like Facebook, and the future mobile application development that is undoubtedly on the horizon, the Girl Scouts are well-prepared to lead the way in the future of digital and mobile commerce, too.

A word of caution - you’ll need something more original than “Sorry, fresh out of cash” to get by that pack of scouts guarding the front door of your local supermarket.

Source: USA Today