For those who aren’t familiar with NFC (Near Field Communication), it is a growing wireless technology used for sharing data. NFC uses re-programmable tags that require no batteries or power source, they are simply powered by induction when an NFC-enabled device gets near them. NFC tags are durable, they can be used behind glass or other non-metallic materials, and don’t require any ambient light or use of a camera to detect them.

Several cellular companies have already released phones with NFC capabilities. Google has produced the Google Nexus S, a smartphone manufactured by Samsung. Samsung has also come out with the Star, Aliva, Player One, and Tocco Lite. Nokia in particular has made a commitment to incorporating NFC into all of their smart phones starting in 2011 (Leading Mobile Operators announce their commitment to NFC Technology), and has already released a compatible Nokia C7 model. Even though the technology hasn’t become a popular demand in phones, many companies believe that it will take off if people see its potential. Google has announced that it is abandoning QR codes and investing on NFC technology (Google Kills QR Codes in Favor of NFC).

Day or Night, and Weather Resistant

The idea is that instead of using a QR reader to scan a barcode, it would be quicker and easier if you could simply wave your phone next to a NFC tag to acquire information. This would allow people to get the same information without having to worry about it being too dark to scan a QR code and worrying about the weather, as NFC tags are weather resistant. The NFC-enabled cell phones also use a type of messaging system with the tags so that webpages can be prompted to open right as an NFC tag is in range.

NFC Marketing and Applications

This technology holds potential for some very cool applications in the future. NFC tags could be used for tourists by applying them at “points of interest,” to create a virtual tour guide. Businesses could use a NFC tags to quickly direct someone with a smart phone to their website, or a specific marketing campaign. Imagine using these in a parking garage, you would be able to scan the NFC tag when you arrived, and when you were done it could use a mobile website to help lead you back to your car. The possibilities with NFC are truly endless, and 2011 will be there year we will either see these tags flourish, or left behind for something superior.

We believe the tipping point for NFC will be the support from Apple, and rumors continue to swirl that point to the iPhone 5 as being an NFC-enabled device. To see a list of the current phones that support NFC, visit A definitive list of NFC phones.

Also see:

High Tech Mobile Marketing – Short URL’s

High Tech Mobile Marketing – QR Codes

A QR (Quick Response) code is essentially a barcode used to encode information; commonly used for URL or prize codes. Popular uses for QR codes involve mobile phones that have a QR reader application that use the phone’s camera. They are two dimensional and similar to a standard barcode, yet they can hold more information and can be specially formed to launch a website on a mobile device.

Accepted in Asia, Coming to America

At this point, QR codes are being integrated into many applications around us. However, Asia, and Japan in particular, who are often on the cutting edge of cell phone technology, currently offer many cell phones with a QR scanner pre-installed, whereas phones from the U.S. phones require an app. More over, Japan has already heavily integrated itself with with QR codes to the point that people use it in everyday life (QR Codes – From Japan to the US).

QR Code Uses

Companies are often using QR codes as redemption codes; for example “scan this QR code to get a free song” was something I encountered on a Taco Bell drink. Other than that, QR codes can be a simple way to bring a potential costumer or user to a specific web link. They have been used by companies for treasure hunts, on business business cards, and put on objects for people to access blogs, portfolios, Facebook pages, and even tutorial videos.

Also see:

High Tech Mobile Marketing – NFC (Near Field Communication)

High Tech Mobile Marketing – Short URL’s

An Example

For example, we can shorten http://builtbyprime.com with the bit.ly service. I will go to bit.ly, enter in builtbyprime.com, and click “Shorten”. The shortened link, http://bit.ly/hNAMMd, pops up, and thats it! If you try clicking the link, you’ll be redirected to our website.

You can now send that link to anyone and it will work for them too. No matter how big a URL you use on bit.ly, it will always end up as http://bit.ly/_____ with six random digits at the end.

Why to use Short URL’s for Mobile Marketing

This service has proved itself very useful, particularly for phones. Entering in a long URL both time consuming and often results in errors. A URL shortener makes entering in URLs much more easier and convenient. Also, many URL shorteners offer simple analytics, so you can see how many people have visited the link.

Words of Caution

There are however a couple downsides to this type of service. If the URL shortener website you used were to suddenly shut down, all of the links it created would instantly stop working. Because the original URL is completely masked by the URL shortener, it can be easily abused to mask spam websites, virus websites, spyware websites, and many other websites that you didn’t want to get to. It is advisable that you only click shortened links given to you by trustworthy websites or people, and use a reliable service.

Also see:

High Tech Mobile Marketing – NFC (Near Field Communication)

High Tech Mobile Marketing – QR Codes

1. Replace the word “free” with “fun”

ex1: I just rewrote half the style-sheet for fun.

ex2: The client scanned in four pages of hand-written updates for the website, and I did all of them for fun.

2. Blog about it

Turn your free work into a small project. If it takes you an extra half hour to clean up your code, and make a plugin open-source, your boosting your website’s SEO and becoming a good community member, while doing “fun” things for your client.

3. Remind the client you do paid-for work

Do the small changes they requested, but suggest that you can make a valuable update to their website, being sure to include the cost or hourly fee. Even if they don’t bite, it will remind them how much your worth, and that you don’t run a charity.

Final Thoughts

Our last tid-bit is to be honest with your client, and if circumstances have changed, or the free work load has become unmanageable, you need to tell them. We find that a phone call, or in-person is best, even when its really easy hide and demand behind an email. Be sincere, and remember that your business will fail without cash flow. Don’t be this guy..

You’re Email.

Although Microsoft Outlook still holds the largest market share for email clients at around 37% (Email client trends for 2009), the trend continues to be that web-based email clients (Hotmail, Gmail) are on the rise by about six percent in 2009, and clients such as Thunderbird and Outlook are seeing drop in usage anywhere between three and nine percent. When you’re average Joe at the local flower shop wants to email someone, and is faced with options for TLS or SSL email encryption, he can go with an IT guy, or move to a simple solution like Gmail.

One better, Google Apps makes it really simple to setup Gmail with your webserver, which means you can have email addresses like “you@yourdomain.com”, all controlled through the simple Gmail control panel. Your email can be accessed from anywhere in the world, it is fully encrypted, and you don’t need an IT guy to explain it because Google does a great job with tutorials. The only techy work is from a web team who change a couple things called MX records on your server, we can do that.

Your Website.

If you’re a young or small business, you are relying on setting yourself apart from the crowd, because if you don’t, your business will fail. You want a cool website, something that engages users and is peppered with crisp graphics and photography; we know. Unfortunately when you put this in the hands of an IT guy, he might be great at setting up servers, and maybe he took a class on HTML in college, but when it comes your online presence, he will probably screw you over. A website used to be a “coding” thing, something only geeks in basements could do, but it’s now a full-fledged marketing tool that needs everything from built-in blogging, to the hippest social media integration. There is a huge leap between those who can build websites, to those who can build websites correctly.

You’re Finances.

Our affinity for desktop financial software is similar to our affinity for petting cobras. The first time you open QuickBooks, you immediately realize there isn’t going to be anything quick about it. As a small business you are worried about a couple things relating to your finances, keeping it quick, and being informed. You don’t have money for an IT guy to setup your financial database, with your invoice templates, hooked to your printer, exporting to some Excel archive. Add a computer, better buy another software license, and not to mention deal a plethora of operating system and hardware requirement hurdles. Use a WebApp for your invoices, and either have a web team take an hour to show you how to use it, or take a morning and learn it yourself. Look into Freshbooks, FreeAgent, or Blinksale.

The Difference between Agile Web Teams and IT Guys

The world of IT is by nature wrapped up in legacy software, and slow implementation. This might be okay for corporations, and large entities, but most small businesses need everything done five minutes ago. We [Prime Studios] can run full security audits, buy domains, and send any file from any project from our phones.

Scany, GoDaddy, and SugarSync iPhone Apps

The fact is that local storage is becoming second to “the cloud”, and there is no such thing as a “workstation” for people; we work from our laptops, our phones, on airplanes, and should expect an internet connection to be enough for 95% of our business tasks. The new-age is replacing IT guys with VOIP applications like Skype and Google Voice, eliminating the need for a database guru with simple web and phone apps, and taking advantage of smart web teams who stay on top of the very best ways to make a small business grow, and not worry about the tech.

There is a huge list of web browsers out there and most likely you have heard of (or use) Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Opera- but have you made sure your website works and looks the same in all of these? You don’t want the first impression of your business to be a broken website. You can check out how your website looks in many browsers here: http://browsershots.org

2. It is hardly usable on mobile devices.

Have you considered that in two years more internet connections will be made from mobile devices than full-sized computers? Not only is this a cross-browser compatibility issue, it is a content issue. A website needs to have simple navigation, fast page loads, and directed content no matter what type of device is used to view it. Imagine your computer screen at a quarter of its current size, and make sure your website is still [marginally] useable.

3. It doesn’t use proper authentication for secure areas.

Most communication paths for a computer start at a router, then to a modem, next to a larger hub, then off to the Internet Service Provider (ISP), yatta yatta. All it takes is an attacker to be snooping on any one of those lines to catch all your data, including passwords and personal information. Using proper authentication certificates (keywords: SSL or TLS) utilizes “https://” web addresses, and properly encodes data so it is safe to transfer.

4. It doesn’t make use of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

You always want to make sure to use a style sheet on your website. Style sheets have been around for a while, and not only do websites often become cleaner by using them, it makes it easier for a website to be handed to another web team and still be easily modified. Search engine optimization (SEO) can also be affected if styles are “inline”, and use of CSS is not done correctly. See W3Schools CSS Tutorial for an in-depth look.

5. It is a little too glossy.

Sometimes we call this “Web 2.0″, the era that we began to use fades, reflections, and drop shadows on everything. These elements are [sometimes] needed for a great design, but only in small amounts. Effective web design is simple; gradients are subtle, drop shadows are not heavy, and reflections are definitely approached with caution. Make sure to not abuse this type of new-age styling, your web team should have no problem toning it down on a website if requested.

6. There has not been any thought given to usability, or action placement.

We can’t tell you how many times we land on a website and have to click into another page to actually see what a business does. While the “about” page is common to put company information, you want someone to understand why they would hire you, use your service, or buy your product on page one (the homepage). If there are “action” buttons, or links to important information, make sure the stand out! Consider the Gutenberg Diagram below.

7. Its URL structure is not SEO friendly.

The URL structure refers to the individual page links, like “www.example.com/about”. These pages can have a huge impact on SEO, so you want to make sure each page has a relevant URL. For example, you might list case studies on your website, and instead of “www.example.com/casestudy1″, use something like “www.example.com/automobile-human-factors-case-study”. This is just one of the many things that can enhance SEO.

8. It includes the file extension in the URL.

You’ll notice on many webpages that there is a “.html” or “.php” at the end of it. This is the type of file the webpage is saved as (just like a .doc for a Word Document), and presents a couple issues. First, these extensions are not needed, pages operate the same with or without them, and they are visually distracting. Second, by listing the file extension you are giving hackers great insight into the type of files your site uses, which allows them to more easily plan an attack. To remove these extensions, contact your web team and ask them about the “.htaccess” file, or take a look at this Removing File Extensions tutorial.

9. It doesn’t properly use meta-tags or titles.

Have you ever wondered how Google knows what to put when they link to your website, or try to describe what you do? This is contained inside the website in hidden header information, using either “meta-tags” or the title tags. Properly filling out this information is crucial for SEO; every search engine listing relies on this information being filled out correctly and to be relevant. For instance, you often see homepage titles like “Home”, “Welcome”, or “Index-1″; something more effective might be “David’s Customs | Where We Repair Custom Cars”. Now users are more informed when they scroll down their search listings for “custom car repair”.

10. The on-page copy (text) is not relevant or descriptive.

This problem is two-fold. First, it affects SEO a great amount, and when the Google Bot visits your website it will read through whatever text is on the page and rate your site largely by the words on there. If you talk a lot about baseball cards, you will most likely find yourself higher in search results for “baseball cards” because the search engine assumed that’s what your website offers expertise in. Second, many websites don’t properly address what users are looking for. If the about page has one stock photo and just says “We have been around since 1995 and help customers find potential in their business”, there is no reason for it to exist. If you have very little content, consider a one-page website (here’s a couple we have done: Woodward The Band, Oasis Tan Northville). Consider spending just a small amount of time every week to write a little about what you do, every little bit helps!

11. It does not provide any link to social media or blogging.

We are definitely not advocates of having stagnant twitter accounts, or a Facebook page just to just be part of the hype, but these tools can not only help you market your business (and website), but they can help you connect with communities. Sometimes users just want to know that your company is alive and there are real people working there, and this is just one thing “micro-blogging”, or short-updates can do. Maybe you have a new product, or want to mention a new client project you’re working on, this can give outsiders some more insight into what you do and a human-level connection to your business. Also, using social media can connect you with potential clients, or like-minded experts in your field; these are people you want to have around you! Here’s a list of the Top Web Designers to Follow on Twitter. Use Google to find people in your field.

If you don’t know that you are doing all of things, or would like us to help, make sure to visit the Prime Studios Homepage and get in touch.

1. Logo

Starting a business? You better have crayons or markers, because your going to need a logo. There is nothing we get more excited about than our identity, and somehow creating a logo becomes the most important thing EVER as you start your business. You want a logo because you want business cards, and your website will look bare without it, and a blah blah.. but guess what? A logo will hardly build your business. There are plenty of businesses and freelancers (like us!) out there that can take your ideas and go from concept to final product for a reasonable price. Utilize other peoples creative and technical talents while you work on what your good at.

Sketch. Play. Deliver.

2. Web Address

It’s like being Facebook Official with your girlfriend, nothing truly exists until its on the internet. Unless your domain is a hot item, no one is going to buy www.mynameismikeandilikeapples.com anytime soon (well, now you might), so don’t get stuck paying for hosting until your ready. A great rule for entrepreneurs is to be quick to receive your money, and wait as long as you can to spend it. But listen, we get it, and if having a URL gives you a warm tingly feeling, and if it will keep you moving on with your business, then go for it. Another good thing about getting a domain setup is that you can start using a personalized email account, just don’t use web-mail programs, use a third party client or ask your web host about Google Apps because otherwise you will go through hell when trying to transfer emails in the future.

3. Business Plan

You better have AT LEAST 100 pages of marketing and price projection hoopla before you really hit your pace. Make sure your spending the bulk of your time doing productive things for your business, things that affect your business today, and not a year from now. Now, this can’t be said for all start-ups, some start-ups have millions of dollars of VC money, and in this case we would definitely suggest planning, contracts, etc… but for a lot of us, our marketing angle will change in less than 6 months, so why try to plan out the next year?

4. Accounting Software

First things first, enroll in an accounting class at the local college, and spend $300 (minimum) on the best tax software out there. Or not, because:

1. You are not a tax expert, and the last thing you want to do as a startup is file this stuff incorrectly.

2. Web App’s are making this stuff simpler by the minute- we use Outright, which is free and integrates with our invoicing software Freshbooks. Its dead simple, and we simply gave a user login to our tax guy, paid him his dues, and we are all set.

We should all know some tax basics, and it is highly recommended that you either buy a “Made Easy Book“, or spend some time browsing the Internet for basic info, but don’t dive head first into some corporate accounting software without someone holding your hand.

5. Slogan

Slogans are like a small “About Us” in less than a sentence, and really don’t do much because they’re often super lofty, and talk is cheap. Apple, Google, Amazon.. well you might not be as big as them, or have the brand recognition, but you know what defines them? Their work. And it should be no different for you and your company. Small descriptors of what you do (if you are service/retail) are what we suggest, and even a short sentence about the company is great for materials, just keep it down to earth. Short, simple, and useful to your audience.

1. People get addicted to their product.

Business 101, deliver a great product that people can not be without. No matter if you have cheapest product, or the most dead effective service, if your client wakes up and needs something from you, you will always be making money and supporting your business. People talk a lot about “niches”, and they are necessary, but its not so easy to have something no one else does.. so look for it where other people are not. Prime Studios compliments websites with in-house digital photography, we deliver a great integration of those two products, and that makes us go-to people for a lot of digital-based marketing.

2. They are impatient with formalities and structure.

For the next person that stops you from working and tells you that you should write a 20-page business plan, please kick them in the shin, or at least blatantly ignore them. Plans are important for projects, for long-term business efforts, and for a lot of things, but the one thing that is more important than planning every aspect of your business is actually working on it.

3. Know how to outsource their work.

We are always impressed seeing the owner of a big business get their hands dirty, but successful big-wigs know that they cant be peddling their product day-in and day-out. Outsourcing might not even mean hiring people, think about how much time you could save by investing in a good invoicing system like Freshbooks, or project management system like Basecamp. Maximize your efficiency, and focus on what your good at, not managing it!

4. They reinvest their profits.

Put your money to work; the US economies average inflation rate is 3%, and your bank account is definitely not matching that, so until you invest you will just watch your hard earned dollar turn into something less. Put that money into making your day more efficient, making your job easier with less distractions, or if your product-based, turn it over into R&D money or scale-up the next batch of products.

5. Adaption to different marketplaces.

Whether your product is a bust, or a service you offer has become stagnant, there is no time to be sour about it, you have to get back on your feet and figure out where you went wrong and how to fix it. In 2008 there were nearly 150K mobile websites out there, in 2009 there were more than 1M, that might just be a calling that web designers need to think about mobile devices too. Trying to move to fast can lead to underdeveloped services, so take a breathe, and then take the plunge into the future of your business.

I’m brand-new to Twitter.com so I’m still learning the tricks and trades of the site, but I am beginning to see why it is becoming so popular. Not only do “Tweeters” get immediate responses and updates, but they also are able to search people and “follow” their recent posts. Companies release promotions, provide giveaway opportunities, and update followers about new equipment, products, and information regarding their business. It is also beneficial to businesses because they can communicate with similar companies and share ideas with one another.

In addition to the communication-based websites such as Twitter and Facebook, there are also websites that focus on entertainment via videos. Youtube is a popular example of this. Bands, TV shows, and other businesses often publicize their work or broadcast recent products, songs, episodes, etc. using Youtube. With an average 100 million users per month and 15 hours of video uploaded every minute, Youtube is the #1 largest video site on the web. Besides advertising for the benefit of businesses, videos on the website also promote insight on recent charities. An example of this being the “Pink Glove Dance”, dedicated to Breast Cancer awareness. This short, light-hearted video shows employees of the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon dancing with pink gloves on. The video became very popular very fast, and brought a lot of attention and recognition to the Breast Cancer Awareness society.

Overall, between the websites designed for communication purposes and those focused strictly on video entertainment and advertising, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube are probably your best bet.

Stay Classy,

Amy:)

However, I finally feel like I’m headed in the right direction. I’ve narrowed it down to marketing and/or graphic and print design. I am in a Business and Marketing internship class at NHS in which we are to work somewhere that specializes in our business field of choice.  Luckily, I found the right place to get some experience and professional training. Besides the fact that I get to work with awesome equipment, like the intimidatingly large cameras and multiple high-tech computers, I also get the honor of learning the tricks and trades from a sweet staff. These guys, Matt Gaidica, Brad Birdsall and Bobby Johnson, are not only extremely intelligent and patient (especially with an absent-minded girl like myself) , but they manage this business on their own, being only in their early twenties. I look forward to learning more from them throughout the rest of my senior year, and I hope to make a positive impact on their business as well.

But as of now, those nagging adults can nag all they want, for I finally have a simple answer: “I want to work at a place like Prime Studios. A business where you can have fun and make an impact at the same time.”

You stay classy kiddos? (still re-thinking my tag line…)

Amy Webb:)