By Deanna Ferrari
One of WordWrite’s clients, KIT Solutions, recently attended an annual industry conference, which was a great opportunity to showcase KIT’s services to prospects. As an exhibitor, KIT was able to demonstrate its cloud computing services. KIT’s executives brought a few computers for the demonstrations, but KIT’s president did something that made the process even better. He brought his iPad. This way, Xiaoyan Zhang could show prospects KIT’s services if the computers were occupied, and he had a way to show these services outside of the exhibit area. No opportunities were missed in making connections with the right people at the conference because there was always this useful tool handy that had all the information Xiaoyan needed right at his fingertips.
It is no surprise social media has changed the way business leaders do their jobs. They tweet rather than call and use Facebook pages as an outlet to communicate with their audiences. We still carry laptops and smart phones (at all hours of the day sometimes), but with the iPad, Apple has introduced to what may be a new, perhaps even better tool that might just be essential for the modern business leader.
In business today, a lot of work happens from behind our desks. But sometimes, that desk moves. We could be between meetings at a coffee shop or traveling for a client event. This is where the iPad becomes essential. First, it’s functional. Rather than having a heavy, bulky laptop in our bag, we can carry the lightweight and thin iPad, saving space and a future backache. I’ve also heard good things about its battery life, so even if it’s not fully charged it’s still ready to go. Not to mention, it comes in a variety of size options holding up to 64 GB of storage.
But what about the nitty gritty of why an iPad is essential to business? No, an iPad can’t replace a server farm (now THAT would be “magical,” Apple); but it can be a better replacement for traditional communication methods. My KIT example gives one picture of how business professionals would gain the most out of this tool. Trade shows and conferences are a place to showcase products, services, or make connections. If you’re set up at a booth, that’s one thing – you can open up your laptop. But if you’re moving around, slipping an iPad out of your bag and bringing up a recent announcement from your website to show a prospect is seamless. They could even place an order for your product right there if your iPad picks up a WiFi signal, or it’s equipped with 3G. Also, you can easily update your social networks — there’s no need to carry anything else with you.
Not at a conference? There are endless applications business leaders can use with an iPad. One example from our industry is an app is from PR Newswire, which allows users direct access to breaking news from many of the world’s leading brands and organizations that issue text and multimedia press releases and information over PR Newswire. The app provides a gateway for users to share content via e-mail and social media. According to PR Newswire, its app also “lets users interact with PR Newswire’s @ProfNet and @PRNewswire Twitter feeds, and subscribers of PR Newswire’s expert network, ProfNet, can use the app to access fast-breaking queries from reporters seeking article sources and expert commentary.”
Today’s business pro has to be faster and more savvy than ever. The window to transact business is getting smaller as social media continues to grow, so having a tool that can make the most of instant communication opportunities is essential in changing the game.
Social media tool of the month is a regular feature on the WordWrite Storytelling Blog that appears monthly.
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Deanna Ferrari is a senior account executive for WordWrite Communications
