Last month I had the privilege of taking part in a panel discussion at a Business Marketing Association breakfast in Chicago. The presentation was lead by Ray Villares from Symmetri Marketing – and the theme was the integration of search, social and mobile marketing. From a digital marketing perspective, this is really the holy trinity. Customers can now find you, and engage with you at anytime, from anywhere. Ray stated that mobile is the most intimate kind of communication – and I think that has some implications from a social media perspective. When a user is interacting with a brand via a mobile device, there is a real singularity of purpose in that moment. There aren’t 10 different windows open and programs running in the background. It’s just the two of you, and the soft glow of that tiny screen. Intimate indeed!

The opportunity is to take that relationship with the consumer to the next level. To provide something unique, something special. Maybe it’s a branded iPhone app. Maybe it’s the ability for a customer to text a keyword to enter a contest or receive product information. Maybe it’s the chance to submit a review of your product, service or establishment in nearly real-time. In any case, we have to ensure that the engagement is special. And at the very least – that our sites are optimized for mobile devices.

The biggest challenge is cutting through all the mobile noise. 100,000+ apps are available for download in iTunes, with thousands more for Android, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry. And let’s not forget about the mobile web, text messages, and, oh yeah, phone calls. The most effective mobile marketing efforts seem to go beyond pure entertainment or gimmicks, and actually do something useful. I’m thinking of the AT&T “Mark the Spot” app and the Dunkin Run app. Both address a need in a unique way that can really only be offered by the companies themselves. So the questions to ask when considering mobile are 1) What can you offer your audience that no one else can, and 2) Does it make sense to explore mobile devices as a platform to address their unmet needs?

I’ll also add that I think marketers and communicators are going to have to start thinking about how to become a digital triple threat when it comes to search, social and mobile. Traditionally, these channels/platforms have been the domain of “specialists” (and I guess I’m one of them), but with the move to real-time, location-based engagement, these specialties represent the future of almost all digital interaction. This goes for advertising, PR, CRM, you name it. So how are you thinking about mobile when it comes to your 2010 marketing and communications strategy?

Many thanks to Ruder Finn head of HR and avid horse fan Cathleen Graham (@cashcat1969) for some of these links.

Alex Brown’s love of horses started long before he launched the blog, Alex Brown Racing, but it was Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro that pushed the blog into prominence — and eventually established it as a site dedicated to the welfare of horses. Along the way, Brown learned many things about creating and nurturing an online community by using tools like wikis, Facebook and Twitter, and following certain principles, such as: Be authentic, be transparent, be consistent and build trust. Brown, one of whose goals is to rescue horses destined for the slaughter house, talked with Knowledge@Wharton about his strategies for bringing attention — and money — to the cause.

A group for all us business folk who outside the world of hi-tech and commerce like to unwind and get back to nature with horses. No matter your discipline (Dressage, X-Country, Trail riding, Polo, etc.), or even if you don’t have a horse but like Equine events, then come join in and get together.

Other than the fact that he’s already won $4 million in purses and may be on the verge of becoming one of the most famous faces in the sports of horse racing, Joe Talamo is like a lot of guys his age.

His horse is also tweeting! http://twitter.com/I_Want_Revenge

• www.thehorse.com
• www.chronofhorse.com
• www.horseshowspy.com
• www.ntra.com

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Executives exploring Twitter as business tool

Todd Brink’s cigar-bearing image and his thoughts about music, chick flicks and process improvement have made him a Twitter rock star of sorts.

The Wisconsin executive has nearly 3,000 Twitter followers. What’s more, he is ranked No. 1 among the Twitter Elite in Milwaukee on Twitter Grader, a free service that lets people measure their power and reach on Twitter

It may seem an unlikely classification, but Brink represents a growing breed of executives who recognize the power of the tweet as a way to connect with customers and build brand loyalty.

Brink (@toddbrink) is director of process improvement for Boldt Construction Co., a national contractor with 1,500 employees based in Appleton. Brink stressed he is representing himself on Twitter and not Boldt Construction, although many of his tweets are work-related.

He also sent a friend request to Iran, became a fan of Stimulus, and deleted the group Guantanamo Bay Detainees 4EVA.

They are:

1. Ego
2. Money
3. Travel
4. Business Speak
5. Meetings
6. Business Books
7. Time

The first point can probably apply to many in the digital business trends blogger industry.