Mobile World

Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

Last month, FingerMarketing, a North Vancouver based social media and web development company launched its Bronze, Silver and Gold plans aimed at small businesses that do not have an effective social media presence.

A lot of small businesses have a Facebook page or a Twitter account that are never used, explained Alykhan Virani, FingerMarketings founder. He added, “These (Facebook or Twitter) tools were probably configured by some nephew or employee, and I am sure the owner doesnt have the time or a clue what to do or does not have the patience to get involved.

Alykhan got his idea after spending a number of months in his neighborhood, interviewing small business owners about how much they used social media. He was very disappointed at how small businesses were losing out on business due to their lack of social media involvement. He also discovered that 97% of the small business owners did not have or understand what a mobile website was and how advantageous it was to have one.

As a result he founded FingerMarketing, a company that combines social media and mobile websites in a unique and innovative way unlike anything currently offered in the market.

The company offers its clients a Bronze, Silver or Gold plan.

The BRONZE plan is the basic package. It includes a mobile website with 10 pages and a Facebook and Twitter icon that when pressed, takes the user to the business Facebook wall and Twitter feed. Clients get an ad free site, a .mobi domain, analytics, 24/7 support and a redirect script which automatically sends the user to the mobile website if browsing from a mobile phone, or to the PC website if browsing from a PC or laptop. The Bronze package is similar to what is currently being offered by a majority of the mobile website developers.

The SILVER plan contains all the features of the Bronze plan and adds an extra page on the mobile website in which to display a menu, price list or describe a service. The client also gets a Facebook fan page with i-frames. The Facebook page effectively becomes the business’ website and marketing tool. Today, Facebook is the best place to reach shoppers as of those online shoppers who engage in social media, 80% use Facebook. The fan page is a very powerful tool that can be used by the business to effectively engage with its customers.

The GOLD plan includes all the features of the Bronze and Silver plan – the mobile website and Facebook fan page – and includes another innovative feature currently unavailable anywhere else. Because many small businesses owners are either too busy or unfamiliar with how to post or what to post on their social media platforms, in this plan, FingerMarketing posts a specified number of Facebook posts and Twitter tweets per month for them.

Silver and Gold plan subscribers can also opt for a Gowalla, Yelp, Foursquare and Google Places account, which is configured and subscribed for them by FingerMarketing. This level of location based social media integration offered clearly defines the difference between FingerMarketing and other social media and mobile website developing companies.

FingerMarketing Inc is a Canadian based mobile website and social media optimization company. The CEO Alykhan Virani built his first professional Web site in 1998 and began working professionally in building Websites and SEO since 1998. He has developed and implemented web strategies from Fortune 500 Companies to small local businesses.

Contact

Alykhan Virani

FingerMarketing Inc



http://www.fingermarketing.com

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MINNEAPOLIS (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

Travel Leaders of Fargo has taken its customer and prospect engagement to new heights through its online presence with the addition of Workface

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

APPNATION (http://www.appnationconference.com/appnation3/), the leading executive conference and exposition focused on the burgeoning consumer applications economy will take place November 30 December 1, 2011 at The Concourse at the San Francisco Design Center. The third, international executive-level conference and dynamic, cutting-edge expo will feature companies from across the apps value chain, and will focus on social and mobile apps across all devices and platforms including PCs, smartphones, tablets, Internet-enabled televisions, portable games, peripherals and a range of other current and emerging connected devices.

Jonathan Carson, General Manager of Digital at Nielsen will present The State of the App Consumer: Fresh Insights from Nielsen on day one including insights from Nielsens extensive smartphone metering efforts that are focused on iPhone and Android smartphones.

According to Nielsens latest data:

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 28, 2011

With the holiday travel season upon us, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announces its mobile app Hyatt Hotels which is available for download on the App Store. The Hyatt Hotels app allows iPhone users to search and explore hotels using location-based technology, check-in and checkout, book new and view existing reservations, as well as join, find deals and track point balances through Hyatt Gold Passport, Hyatts guest loyalty program.

Researching travel options can be time consuming especially if you are on the road and need information immediately. We wanted our app to offer a clean design with an intuitive flow so travelers can easily have all the most important details at their fingertips to make their travels as simple and seamless as possible, said Bill Bernahl, vice president, E-Commerce, Hyatt.

Additional features of the Hyatt mobile app for iPhone

Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) December 01, 2011

Inspect2GO (http://www.inspect2go.com/restaurant) now offers a range of mobile applications for the hospitality industry. Products include restaurant inspection mobile applications (food safety audit forms and checklist apps), state health code inspection apps, daily walk-through and self-audit applications, inventory counting, store readiness (opening/closing checklists) and restroom inspection apps.

Inspect2GO customizes the software for new client, including independent restaurants, entire franchise restaurant chains and hospitality/food service providers. Inspect2GO creates private applications by integrating clients existing restaurant inspection documentation into the Inspect2GO mobile software. The applications can be tailored for restaurants, schools, hotels, casinos, cruise lines, catering, culinary and cooking needs.

Restaurant Mobile Applications

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

When it comes to money matters, smart business owners want to know their financial transactions are in trustworthy hands. These days, its not a challenging task to find a website advertising transaction-processing services, however, choosing one thats customized for specific business models and budgets, isnt so easy. Thats where Merchant Services Direct comes in, in addition to offering full service transaction-processing that ensures businesses maximize profits, the launching of their new blog site, http://www.merchantservicesdirectinfo.com, keeps clients updated with the cutting edge of technology news, trends, and more.

MSDs new company blog offers clients a direct view into the world of business transactions, credit card processing, payment gateways, and point-of-sale solutions. For example, Wave & Pay, capable credit cards are one of the fastest growing trends in credit card processing. Though this trend is currently more prevalent in Europe, its becoming more and more common in the United States. At this moment, Wave & Pay cards are being used in various European countries and Canada. Whats the big deal? The latest technology, known as, Chip & Pin, makes it possible for customers to merely tap their card on a payment terminal, rather than depend on a magnetic swiping station to pay for purchases. To learn more about the latest trends in payment processing, check out, http://www.merchantservicesdirectinfo.com, today.

In addition to offering clients direct insight into the latest merchant processing trends, MSDs award-winning approach to customized business plans, earned them a spot in the Inc. 500, as one of the fastest growing companies in the country.

According to Kyle Dove, MSD President of Sales, its the low wholesale processing rates along with offering the latest and greatest equipment, that allow MSD to meet the needs of any business, from small to large. But what really separates Doves company from similar companies is their commitment to giving customers what they want.

Not only do we have an outside customer service department for day-to-day questions, we also have a dedicated internal department that follow up with new clients, as well as handles all merchant problems and concerns, said Dove. Each one of our customers receives individualized support when needed, special requests or needs are sent to our managers at MSD headquarters, and our tech support is available 24/7.

These days, competitive businesses expect clients to be skeptical before switching from one payment processing company to another. MSD has created the ultimate in client/business transparency by providing reference sheets with the names and contact information of past clients.

One Friday, last summer, we received a frantic call from one of our loyal and long standing merchants who was having major issues upgrading their technology from analog to digital phone, said Dove. Our technology specialists immediately set out to help them program the terminals in all five of their business locations, in time for weekend sales. We were able to fix two of the terminals immediately, and we sent a customer service representative out to personally deliver the three remaining terminals.

No matter what type of processing need a merchant might encounter, MSDs offerings, including; ATMs, smart phone processing, gateways, mobile units, point-of-sale systems, check services, gift cards, cash-on-demand, and more, offer a customized fit for any size or type of business.

To find out more about MSDs services and latest offerings, checkout http://www.msdmerchants.com. To keep up with the breaking news and technology trends in full-service transaction processing, dont forget to check out their new blog, merchantservicesdirectinfo.com.

Contacts:

Merchant Services Direct

Kyle Dove, President of Sales

Phone: (877)-928-0305

Email:

Address: 9212 E. Montgomery, Suite 400

Spokane Valley, WA 99206

EnlivenStores, Inc.

http://enlivenstores.com

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Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

2011 has been a monumental year in the progression of digital marketing tactics, especially when it comes to digitization and the switch to mobile media. Leading, Philadelphia-based performance marketing agency, DMi Partners, today announced the top five trends driving digital commerce over the last 12 months. These trends continue to alter the marketing methods necessary to reach target audiences and bring the development of streamlined, all-device communications closer to reality.

DMi Partners pointed to the following five trends as the most significant developments in 2011:

Social media takes customer engagement to the next level.

In 2011, the marketing industry placed an increased importance upon engaging consumers in the digital world. The use of social media for client-company interaction now accompanies, and at times replaces, auto-respond emails, generic phone calls, and other established tactics. Facebooks like and share capabilities, Twitters retweeting and hashtag trending, the Google+ +1 option, and Foursquares location tags create additional avenues for brand awareness and loyalty, as well as allowing for organic, consumer-promoted, viral marketing. This kind of engagement is not only beneficial for companies promoting themselves, but is practically necessary to meet consumers new expectations.

The rise of mobile marketing through SMS and QR Codes

Mobile devices continue to evolve and become smarter, and with those changes, the methods we use to reach and interact with consumers are advancing. Text messages are now more widely used than ever to communicate branding and marketing messages, as well as deliver mobile coupons and promotions. QR codes, physical barcodes that call up promotions when photographed with readers on mobile devices, have become an increasingly popular method of advertisement and promotion, tethering brick-and-mortar promotions to the digital world.

Green initiatives continue to drive sales

As manufacturing, chemicals, and waste continue to threaten the environment, consumers are becoming more and more conscious of their impact on the planet. Companies that promote a more eco-friendly way of doing business have had success marketing to those environmentally concerned customers. The success of green marketing has also created the practice of greenwashing, bringing into question the legitimacy of many companies that are reaping benefits from marketing green practices. Greenwashing is the deceptive promotion of a companys eco-friendly policies in order to distract consumers from the larger impact caused by the companys environmentally detrimental products and processes.

Applications on mobile devices garner advertising revenue

The popularization of eReaders, iPads, and tablets has marketers using creative new methods of to promote products and services via applications. Companies are developing and selling applications for additional revenue, designed to simplify the use of their services on mobile devices. Conversely, ad-supported, free, downloadable apps are driving huge profit through consumer click-throughs.

Rise of daily deals

The ubiquity of mobile devices has made receiving and redeeming promotions nearly instantaneous, leading to a proliferation of deals released daily. Independent daily deal distributors and web properties of established marketing companies have entered the scene to increase traffic and brand awareness for clients, while opening a new avenue for lead generation.

Though 2011 may not have produced any big bang moments, we have seen the acceleration of a number of ongoing trends, especially in the area of mobile marketing, said Patrick McKenna, CEO, DMi Partners. The ability of companies to reach customers at any time, on any device, has really changed the game, across almost every industry. Marketers who are able to stay on their toes, think creatively and respond quickly to new methods of communication will thrive, while the rest will risk being left behind.

About DMi Partners

Founded in 2003, DMi Partners is a Performance Marketing Agency that delivers real, tangible results for clients through the development and implementation of digital marketing programs. Whether you are an educational institution looking to maximize your recruitment strategy, a financial services firm seeking a stronger link with customers and prospects, or any other business that thrives on qualified leads, DMi Partners can help you increase the productivity of your digital marketing program, drive growth and build your bottom line.

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Lumberton, NJ (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

At Lucas Chevrolet in Lumberton, NJ the 2012 Chevy Volts are arriving to much fanfare. And with good reason. The Volt is unique among electric vehicles because it has two sources of energy. It has an electric sourcea batterythat allows drivers to drive gas free for an EPAestimated 35 miles, and there’s also an onboard gas generator that produces electricity so it can go up to a total of 375 additional miles on a full tank of gas. So if a Volt owner wants to drive using only electricity, they can. Charging is easy. Just plug it into any standard outlet at home or anywhere using its standard 120-volt charging cord for about $ 1.50 a day. If a driver wants to drive using electricity and gas, they can do that too. Automotive consumers wishing to take a new Chevrolet Volt in Lumberton for a test drive or any new Chevrolet in Lumberton or used Chevrolet in Lumberton are able to do so at the Lucas Chevrolet Dealership.

Lucas Chevrolet is part of the Lucas Auto Group. Besides being a Chevy dealership, the auto group also has Lucas Ford and Lucas Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge dealerships in the family, making the purchase of a pre-owned certified used car in Burlington or a used truck in Burlington readily available.

Bangalore, India (PRWEB) November 30, 2011

HolidayIQ, Indias popular holiday planning website seeks to repeat its India success story in the bigger South East Asia region. Leisure & Lifestyle Information Services, the company that owns HolidayIQ announced the launch of its website for the Indonesia http://www.holidayiq.co.id. HolidayIQs customer centric approach is evident again with the launch of the site in the local language of Bahasa rather than in English like other travel sites have done.

Indonesia is just the first step in HolidayIQs expansion into SE Asia. It has plans to launch sites for several countries in the region, in their specific languages where necessary. Indonesia seems to be the logical next step for a website like HolidayIQ. Indonesia is similar to India in many ways. Culture, diversity, consumer behaviour, aspirations and even the sheer vastness of the country and diversity of destinations, all leading to huge potential for tourism, both domestic and inbound.

In addition to the similarities that make Indonesia a natural next country, there is also the aspect of opportunity, says Hari Nair, founder and CEO of HolidayIQ. Indonesias per capita income is higher than Indias. Internet penetration is twice that of India. Mobile phone penetration is higher than even India. These open up a huge potential for us and will be the catalysts for our growth in Indonesia.

The Indonesia site will essentially cater to the domestic traveller in Indonesia. According to Graham Hills, Head of Indonesian operations, it will replicate the Indian model. To begin with, it will serve the same objectives as in India, that is to collect and publish reviews, stories, photos, videos, and testimonials about destinations and accommodation options and build a community says Mr. Hills.

Not long ago, the Indian traveller had no access to interesting accommodation options in exotic destinations or far flung places of the country. Nor did the owners of such accommodation have access to the market. HolidayIQ bridged the gap. Its single minded focus on the requirement of the Indian traveller has undoubtedly made HolidayIQ a successful travel brand in the country. The site receives in excess of three million visits a month. Its popularity is evident from its large base of registered users and Facebook fans. HolidayIQ is all set to repeat this in Indonesia.

Visit http://www.holidayiq.co.id , the new Indonesian site of HolidayIQ.

Visit http://www.holidayiq.com for information on Destinations, Hotels, Resorts, Home-stays and other accommodation options in India.

About HolidayIQ.com

HolidayIQ.com is owned & operated by Leisure & Lifestyle Information Services Private Limited, based in Bangalore, India. HolidayIQ started operations in 2004, focusing on creating India’s first travel community and getting the community to contribute feedback on tourism destinations and hotels across India. HolidayIQs 2 million registered users actively contribute reviews, photos and videos for over 100,000 hotels and other accommodation options in over 15,000 Indian and international tourism destinations.

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Miami, Florida (PRWEB) November 29, 2011

The North American chapter of MEF, the global trade association for mobile content and commerce, has today released its Global m-Commerce Whitepaper series with the goal to demystify the complexities of mobile payments and address key industry issues which are barriers to consumer adoption.

The series, unveiled at MEF Americas 2011 in Miami, the annual event attended by thought leaders from across North and Latin Americas mobile content and commerce ecosystems, includes eight definitive guidelines on key areas such as payment models, privacy and taxation.

Active MEF Members, from across the mobile value-chain contributed to the m-Commerce Initiative, which follows the release of MEFs Global Consumer Survey.

The survey highlights key market intelligence on consumer trends impacting widespread adoption including the data that in the U.S. 83 percent of respondents use their mobile phone to research a product, with 69 percent completing a purchase transaction using their mobile. Globally 27 percent of consumers would use mobile to make purchases more often if security was addressed.

MEF North America is also collaborating with the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X9 to produce a comprehensive and practical Global Payment Matrix guide providing clarity on the wide range of business models now available for m-Commerce and to support the development of industry standards for mobile transactions by ASC X9.

“MEF North America is developing a practical mobile commerce framework that companies across the value chain can use to navigate an increasingly complex ecosystem,” says Gary Schwartz, CEO of Impact Mobile and Chairman, MEF North America. “We are addressing regional concerns that include privacy and security and help promote consumer and merchant trust in the new channel. The resulting Whitepapers are practical hands-on guides for any company that is looking to monetize digital, virtual and physical content via the phone.”

The need to drive adoption through building trust and consumer confidence were key topics debated this week by the executives attending MEF Americas 2011 where speakers included SPRINT, Nokia, Macys, VISA and Coca Cola.

The North American series of Whitepapers is part of the global m-commerce initiative by MEF and Rimma Perelmuter, Executive Director said were delighted that MEF North America has released the first series of Whitepapers as part of the global m-Commerce Initiative. The goal is to offer unique and practical tools for our members and the wider industry to drive consumer adoption through highlighting successful business models that are positively addressing consumer needs to advance the mobile channel opportunity within a regulatory framework.”

The following companies contributed to the North American Whitepaper Series:

Gowlings Privacy and m-Commerce

Impact Mobile Mobile Shopper Engagement and Conversion

Jumptap Advertising and m-Commerce

OpenMarket m-Commerce Payment Solutions

Polar Mobile Making Money from your Mobile Content in the App Economy

Sixth Sense Media Brands and m-Commerce

SNR Denton Regulation and m-Commerce

SNR Denton Tax and m-Commerce

About MEF Americas

MEF Americas: Mobile Content & Commerce is the essential two day gathering for thought leaders & deal makers from across North & Latin Americas mobile content and commerce ecosystems.

The exclusive two-day event founded in 2010, focuses on issues, strategies and case studies from the content, finance, retail and brand verticals, as well as cross-border opportunities, barriers to entry, in-market insight and business development. In addition to the exceptional opportunities for facilitating business development while making important new contacts, delegates will also gain the benefit of MEFs extensive global m-commerce and content expertise.

With keynotes from Nokia, Sprint and Coca Cola, panel discussions with over 50 speakers, interactive sessions and open networking, MEF Americas: Mobile Content & Commerce offers delegates an unrivaled environment in which to learn, discuss and debate the issues facing the mobile content value chain.

About MEF

MEF is the global community for mobile content and commerce. It is the leading trade organization for companies wishing to monetize their goods, services and digital products via the mobile connected device. MEF provides competitive advantage to its diverse membership, shapes industry growth, connects thought leaders and spearheads groundbreaking initiatives which explore and promote monetization opportunities.

With global headquarters in London and operational chapters and offices in Asia, EMEA, Latin America, Middle East and North America, MEF is a member network with global reach and strong local representation, ideally placed to drive market growth. Established in 2000, MEF provides an impartial, consistent and powerful voice for the foremost companies and entrepreneurs from across the mobile content and commerce value chain.

Contacts:

MEF North America

General Manager

Marjorie DeHey Daleo

Press

Anmore Media International

Tony Dillistone

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