I just came home from Vegas and can’t wait to share my observations from CTIA Wireless. This show is the largest event in the USA dedicated to mobile communications and in the past used to be a huge expo area where phone manufacturers (Nokia, Samsung) and network vendors (Cisco, NSN, Ericsson) used to demo their gear and latest handsets. That was back in 2010 where the whole mobile ecosystem was operator centric and very closed. With the arrival of app stores, social networks, tablets and more reliable network connections the landscape and focus of the show has evolved to include user experience personalization, analytics, mobility for retail as well as marketing strategies for hyper connected world.
Three key takeaways from CTIA 2013:
1. Users are spoiled, they demand more and will not settle for less.
– The modern consumer expects personalized shopping experiences and rewards companies who can deliver them: customers using Walmart shopping app make up to 2 more trips a month to stores and spend up to 40% more a month. (Walmart keynote)
– Users are impatient, love multitasking and want to share new insights immediately with their networks; even at a great keynote that was followed by a long Q&A session, show attendees could not help themselves but play with their devices (check the picture above!!)
– “Mobile tech is the new cool” – even among celebrities – Jennifer Lopez just launched her Viva Movil mobile brand targeting users who want to purchase devices from her Facebook fan page or from a branded retail store. (CTIA keynote)
2. Apps are getting more complex.
– Retailers are adjusting apps based on user context. I almost want to start shopping at Walmart since I learned how smart their mobile app is: when you’re away from their store their mobile app allows you to order groceries from home and get them ready for pickup on top of usual product browsing. The moment you enter the store, new functions pop up in the app interface like ability to scan barcodes of your shopping cart and self-check-out as well as get the navigation to the product you want in the gigantic labyrinth of Walmart aisles. (Walmart keynote)to deliver advanced user experiences
– Productivity apps are going strong – number 3 on the list of top paid apps after games and social networking. (AppAnnie stats)
– Analytics is an integral part of mobile apps. All for great user experience including context adaptation. (Forrester keynote)
3. Marketing best practices from the show:
– The best way to build your product’s brand is through journalists because… Journalists are just after rock stars in terms of followers on social media channels. So: think like a journalist, build relationships with journalists. (iPhone life magazine)
– Let the case studies / customer stories speak for effectiveness of your solution/product. During a Forrester when the speaker introduced their mobile marketing framework people were playing with their devices but the moment she switched to examples of how Chevy and Mint dentistry successfully applied the framework to drive customer loyalty and delight, all the audience eyes were on her.
– Deliver on your promise when presenting; as Angry Birds’ godfather, Harri Koponen stated on stage: “In Finland we start a presentation on time and we finish on time. Otherwise people get bored”. And how do you achieve that? Preparation and practice, as: “An outstanding 1h presentation can take up to 30h prep time”.
Tech Surprises 