The future of your business is in the palm of your hand: use the power of smartphones to grow a business.

AuthorSaeks, Ford

If someone had told Alexander Graham Bell that one day an invention of his would evolve into a device that could turn lights on and off, he probably would have taken that person's temperature with a mercury thermometer. Incidentally, by 1876, the mercury thermometer hadn't changed much in more than 100 years.

When innovations and inventions are introduced, many of us are as cynical as Mr. Bell. Remember when cell phones first emerged? You probably made that first call with a furrowed brow, skeptical of the possibility the cell phone promised--certain that your call wouldn't connect or, at the very least, static would override your voice. Like the rest of us, your bulky cordless phone conditioned you to walk only within a certain "range" to avoid being disconnected. Then you made that first call from an oversized bag-type cell phone. Shazam! How cool it was to have the umbilical cord of your landline cut and the freedom to connect anywhere in cell phone range.

What started as a must-have device that didn't tie you down has morphed into a texting, tweeting, and multitasking productivity and entertainment gadget that offers a wide range of possibilities for you and your business.

The lightning-speed advancement of the smartphone has left many companies scrambling to keep up with the technology and new opportunities. According to ComScore, 45 million smartphones are now active in the United States alone. Like social media, they are a new wave of communication, and the only place they are going is into the hands of more and more consumers and clients.

How can you capitalize on the growing popularity of this new technology? Today, you can start doing the following four things related to smart-phone technology to increase brand awareness, build relationships, and grow your business:

  1. Use text messaging for advertising.

  2. Create a smartphone application.

  3. Make your website smartphone compatible.

  4. Engage mobile customers through social networks.

Use Text Message Advertising

More people use their mobile phones for texting rather than for making a phone call. Furthermore, most users have their mobile phone attached to their hip, figuratively speaking. Imagine the impact of advertising to a target market via short message service (SMS) text messaging; you have the opportunity to get your clients' attention--anytime, anywhere. Smart marketers get creative with these campaigns and often include a chance for the recipient to win something by...

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