What is a Smartphone?   A Smartphone is termed as a mobile device phone offering advanced capabilities, often with PC-like functionality (PC-mobile handset convergence). For most of the population, a Smartphone is simply a phone with advanced features like e-mail, Internet and e-book reader capabilities, and/or a built-in full keyboard or external USB keyboard and VGA connector. In other words, it is a miniature computer that has phone capability.

Currently, it is estimated that there are 240Million Smartphones in use and 56% of US Smartphone users are using their phones for news and information (web/internet and social media), while 50.8% of US Smartphone users are using their phones for email. The US is far and above Smartphone usage in other countries such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, who on average have a 30% usage of Smartphones for Web/internet and social media accesses.

Based upon Smartphone usage and the amount of units that are available in and in use in today’s market, is your web site Smartphone friendly and providing users access to your site and site information via the Smartphone?

Sites can be developed that provides users with easy access to content and navigation through the site. (Take CNN, ESPN, or Home Depot). These sites have been set up specifically to allow for Smartphone user to access, search and navigate throughout the site effortlessly.

Applications and applets can be developed that enables you with the ability to provide users ease of access to content, updates, and relevant materials found on your site.  There are approximately 50,000+ apps available for iPhone user, with an ever increasing amount of apps availalble for other Smartphone users as well. These provide users with quick and easy access to informtion, from inventory, to marketing/sales information, etc. These can also allows users the ability to subscribe via RSS feeds to newly posted information and provide your publications via Smartphone download and access, as well as member interaction and forum posting are advantages that can be offered to members or potential new members.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to provide members with a Smartphone app that provided them with newly released member updates and information that is delivered directly to their smart phone? Wouldn’t it be great to deliver upcoming events to registered users (whether members or not), notifying them of upcoming events and providing them with options to order the event via their phone and or log in and order via their member access?

Quick and easy is the term and phrase for the future, and providing data to users in a quick an easy method provides you with the leading edge in user interactivity with your site, thus increasing users and their overall experience.

What is “Value-Added”?  According to Wikipedia, “Value Added refers to the additional value of a commodity over the cost of commodities used to produce it from the previous stage of production …”

Enough of the technical definition – What is Value Added and how can this be of benefit?  Value Added is defining yourself as being a value to your client.

This can be in the way of an additional product or resource.  Think of it as “setting yourself apart” from your competition. What makes you and your product/service special and why should clients chose you over other resources?  Are you one of the bunch or do you stand out in your field?

I’ve found that “value added” can be as easy as a returning calls within a certain time frame and/or just taking pride in your work and your work environment.  Let’s look at a few “value added” items that are of no additional cost to yourself or your company and can set yourself apart of the competition relatively easily.

Relationship – how is your relationship with your clients? Are you a partner to your client and works with them to reach their final goal? This is always important and a great way to establish a long lasting relationship in any economy.  Your client needs to feel that they can talk with you easily, share ideas and goals and rely on you for your input.  Communication is the most important aspect of any client relationship.

Relationship building does take time and is well worth the effort when you have a client that shares companies goals and strategies with you and provides you with the ability to share ideas and/or resources with them that can assist with their goals. This puts you in the place of becoming a value added resource to your client.

Something as easy as taking a client to lunch occasionally, stopping by to check on them and/or see how things are going, sending a brief note that has an item that they may be interested in (either professionally or personally) and most importantly, returning correspondence in a timely manner.  Remember, the personal touch, not relying on email for all correspondence, sets you apart.

Customer Service – Your Company already has a customer service department that handles your client’s projects.  How responsive and helpful is your customer service department? Do they return calls/correspondence in a timely manner?  Do they go the extra mile and actually make a phone call vs. rely on email?  Is correspondence detailed and provides the client with all information vs. having to go back and forth in email? These are all very important aspects to good customer service.

Service/Products – Does the workers take pride in the products/services you offer? If they do, then there is less of a return rate or customer dissatisfaction rate, therefore this is a value added to your customer.  In today’s economy, the last thing anyone needs is a customer who receives a product or service and they are not satisfied. You don’t need to give your clients reasons to go to the competition.  Reviewing procedures and policies and having a stable/employee work environment is key to reducing customer returns.

Some other great resources for setting yourself apart and leading in tough times can be found at www.bizzia.com called “10 Ways to Lead in Tough Times“

As a best practice, as with any strategic item in business, you should define goals for your website. Defining goals will assist in determining if your site can meet these goals or if your site needs to be structured differently.

Goals for your website can include items such as:

• Increase Membership
• Increase Users
• Increase product sales
• Increase interest in your company
• Generate leads

The next step – how do you get there?  Proper planning and strategies are vital. Once you have established the overall goal,  determining strategies to meeting these goals is the next step.  As an example of this, if your goal is to increase membership, some of your strategies could include:

1. Ensuring your website design provides users who visit your site with an easy way to gain information on membership.  This should be clearly visible on your homepage and displayed in a way that is eye catching to the user;
2. Ensuring your website provides your current members with an easy way to access member information and update their information.  Member information changes and members need a way to easily update their information;
3. Reviewing current membership database, ensure that this is up-to-date and easily accessible to users who visit your site.  Offering your members with the ability to have their name seen/searched on your website is a great way to increasing membership and dues;
4. Review data on members who haven’t renewed in the past year or two.  Establish a cross-media campaign to reach out to these members to determine if they are interested in renewal.  Offer a discount if they renew within a certain period of time. Cross Media campaigns can include something as simple as an email with a PURL or delivery via print medium (a post card).  A PURL  (Personalized URL) for the member can allow them to access their personalized landing page and renew their membership or provide you with feedback that can be used for further discussions with that potential new member.

Once you have the strategies outlined review your website.  Will your current website design and structure allow you to meet these strategies? Will you need to alter your design in order to create a visually appealing membership area?  Does your site need to include a member search section to promote members and their abilities/specialties?

These are just a few examples, but defining your website goals and strategies will provide you with the starting point to examining your website and possible changes that are necessary to reach it’s fullest potential.