iPad, the ‘intimate’ marketing tool and more. Ya gotta love it! A rave by Randy.
Yes, the new one is out and we’re suffering from a little iPad envy. Nevertheless, the original one still amazes me after 3 months (and Apple just upgraded the software again yesterday).
Why incredible? It’s because of all the marketing tools and resources you have in one very compact place.
As a marketing tool, either for B2B or B2C marketing, it’s packed with capabilities—not even considering the hundreds of thousands of apps available. (for nonprofit marketing too!) Everyday I use it I wonder “How the heck did they do this?”
The story starts here
Last Fall my “dumb” cell phone broke. Literally. So I tried out several smart phones. Didn’t work for me. So my solution was another dumb phone… plus the Apple iPad. Couldn’t be happier.
Like having 20 brief cases!
Besides the basic capabilities like web browser, email, contacts and iTunes, my iPad has 30 gb of storage. That’s a lot. So now I can carry hundreds of PDF documents and thousands of images. It also lso opens Word docs, Powerpoint and more.
(More later about why images are important. Hint, it’s about stories) Plus, I can go on the web to bring more to the table for prospects or email them information or examples on the spot.
Intimate?!
My experience over the last 3 months is that when you sit down with a potential customer and start talking and using the iPad to bring up examples and ideas, you are starting to build the kind of relationship that leads to trust. To me, marketing and sales are all about TRUST.
The iPad allows me to easily demonstrate capabilities and experience. I can tailor it on the fly to the prospect because I have so many resources at my finger tips, literally. Plus, at this point in time, there’s still the “cool” factor about it. Many people have not seen one in action yet. I let them”drive” it too. They enjoy it, trust me.
Telling stories
When I first started working with the iPad, I thought what a wonderful way to bring a large portfolio to a client or prospect. Then, the more I started digging into the archives on my computer, I realized that I could present powerful case studies, i.e. “stories” about my clients’ challenges and our solutions. I call them “the Strategy behind the Creative.”
So, the stories I tell are more than pretty pictures. Some of the images reflect market research done with our Marketing Snapshot or even website data from Google Analytics. Others show “before” and “after” or special challenges for marketing efforts. Every business has stories to tell, as well as products to show. “Facts tell, stories sell.”
Nonprofits have amazing stories to tell.
In these trying times, nonprofits are even more pressed, with increasing demand, perhaps falling revenues and increasing challenges for fund raising. What is the story you have to tell? Make it compelling. You know the need is there. Tell the world how you’re making a difference. Intimate stories and pictures make a difference.
Bigger than you think.
Don’t think of the iPad just in terms of a small screen suitable for 2 or 3 people. It can be plugged into a TV, VGA monitor or projector. I’ve seen its images blown up to 6 feet wide. They look great. So do PowerPoint presentations, although I prefer Apple’s Keynote software.
Drawbacks?
Yes, the Apple mobile devices don’t play Adobe’s Flash, which is a disadvantage for viewing many websites. And the on screen keyboard is still a little small, so, when I need the iPad to be more like a laptop, I plug it into a nice little docking station with a keyboard more like the one on my office computer. And, oh yea, the screen is very shiny and shows finger prints and whatever you may have on your fingers. Buy a wiping cloth to periodically clean it.
Share how you’re using it in your business.
I’ll be happy to show anyone how I’m using it in my business. Or answer any questions that I can (I’m still learning). Contact me to make it happen. How are you using it?