It all started with Pay-Pass at the gas pump and convenience stores. Remember the commercial of the guy running in the marathon and he buys a drink while he is running the race using a card he swipes? Well Google has partnered with Sprint, First Data, Citi, and MasterCard to test Google Wallet, a similar type of digital contactless payment option that allows Wallet-enabled Smartphones (right now only the Samsung Nexus S from Sprint) to tap to pay. The application works for both online and offline in-store purchases.

Contactless payments are processed by a special terminal. Only terminals with the universal contactless symbol will work with Google Wallet for in-store purchases. The terminal must be an ISO 14443 or 18092 standard. Merchants interested in getting a contactless terminal can contact First Data at 888-265-8147. To take advantage of Google Wallet, merchants must sign up to become a Google SingleTap Merchant. An additional benefit to you is the free listing you get on Google’s Where it works map. Because the program is still in beta, Google is taking inquiries at wallet-b2b@google.com.

From customer loyalty programs to special promotions, there are lots of opportunities to develop custom marketing programs around Google Wallet to drive traffic to your brick-and-mortar store or to get targeted buyers to take advantage of the convenience it offers them for online purchases. I suggest you also look into another Google program in beta called Google Offers, where Google markets participating businesses’ offers to its registered Offers members (just like Groupon does). If you want more information, about Google Offers, submit an online inquiry here.

Google Wallet is more than just a digital credit card. It is designed to replace the kinds of purchasing items a person may carry in their wallet, such as credit cards, coupons, advertisements, and so forth. The application allows consumers to save offers and apply them when they are ready to make an in-store or online purchase. It saves them the hassle of looking for the right coupon, counting their cash, or even retrieving a credit card. Bottom line for shoppers is Google Wallet is faster and more convenient. So ultimately it offers you a great way to reach out to mobile users and convince them to buy from you. For example, consumers searching for products or services in your area can save your offers in Google Wallet and then redeem them in-store, which allows you to analyze ‘online marketing to in-store purchases.’ It’s a powerful way to ensure you market effectively online to reach your targeted mobile audiences so you can generate sales both online and offline.

To get started with contactless terminal transactions, please contact First Data at 888-265-8147 or visit their site. Send inquiries about Google Wallet to wallet-b2b@google.com.

The user types what he is looking for and the application automatically uses the GPS location to deliver search results that include names of businesses, locations, and even comments posted by those who have frequented the establishment.

The beauty of this application is the potential business generating opportunities it may offer you. The application employs incentives to get users to sign up and use the application over and over again. For example, let’s say you sell specialty fuels like racing fuel, propane, or lubricants that consumers or even businesses can stop by your store to purchase. You develop an incentive for customers to return to you to purchase these items on a regular basis and to share their experience with your business on Foursquare. Now let’s say you have a customer who is a drag racer and he comes to you all the time for fuel and lubricants, and even propane tanks because he loves to have friends over for BBQ.  By checking in at your location more than anyone else, he is rewarded with the title of ‘Mayor’ for your establishment. He goes onto Foursquare and let’s everyone know how great your business is and more people come to buy from you.

Foursquare offers you a free set of tools to help you attract new customers and keep your best ones coming back. When users check in at or near your venue, they will be presented with the specials you create to get them to stop by such as:

• Discounts
• Mobile coupons
• Free offers
• Prizes

You decide how to tailor specials to meet the needs of your targeted customers and your business. Once you sign-up for Foursquare’s free Merchant Platform you will have access to your Venue Stats dashboard, allowing you to track customer visits (foot-traffic) over time.

You can sign up for Foursquare here.

Just remember, there is no online platform or tool that magically delivers business results just because you registered. Every initiative you engage in must be thoughtfully planned, carefully executed, and closely monitored and adjusted over time to ensure you get the results you desire.

If you’re looking for help or ideas, call 1-800-399-9859 to speak with an Industrial Web Solutions web marketing specialist.

Although 14 manufacturing industries reported growth in February, including Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Machinery; Chemical Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Textile Mills; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Paper Products; Wood Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing, the continued weak dollar is being blamed for the high cost of components and raw materials, particularly those obtained overseas. Representatives from Transportation Equipment stated “It is going to force us to increase our selling prices to our customers.” A similar statement was made by representatives from Chemical Products: “We continue to see significant inflation across nearly every type of chemical raw material we purchase.”  Nonmetallic Mineral Products, which is one of the 4 industries to experience contraction last month, along with Plastics & Rubber Products; Primary Metals; and Furniture & Related Products, stated, “Prices continue to rise, while business limps along at last year’s pace.” Plastics and Rubber reported, “Overall demand is off 10 percent.”

While the weak dollar has adversely affected the purchase of components and raw materials overseas it has had a positive impact on exports, which experienced a growth percentage point change of +0.5% with a PMI of 62.5%. Right alongside that of the overall economy, exports have experienced continued month-over-month growth at a faster rate of change for the past twenty months. Both Production and New Orders are up as well. Production experienced an increase of 2.8 percentage points from the January reading of 63.5%, registering a Production Index of 66.3% and continued growth for the 21^st consecutive month. Demonstrating a 20 month growth trend at a faster rate of change, New Orders were up 0.2 percentage points from January.  Thirteen industries reported growth in New Orders, including Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Petroleum & Coal Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Wood Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Machinery; Transportation Equipment; Chemical Products; Paper Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Computer & Electronic Products; and Miscellaneous Manufacturing, while Primary Metals; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Furniture & Related Products; and Plastics & Rubber Products reported decreases.

Despite a +0.5 percentage point rise in Prices, and increases for the past 20 months at a faster rate of change, manufacturing and the overall economy continue to expand. And that is good news. Companies are challenged to find cost saving ways to attract new business to offset any decreases in orders from existing customers that may occur as a result of rising Prices. To manage marketing budgets set aside for new business development, industrial marketers must consider the changing landscape of search, social media, and lead/sales generation that occurs online and offline. Content presented on blogs, websites, text ads, emails, industrial directories, map sites, search engines, relevant 3^rd party sites, Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites, as well as all direct mail letters and brochures, must be current and highly focused on the specific interests of your target audience groups. Market research may need to be done to understand those interests and to uncover the specific language used by your target audiences to search for what you offer. Through careful research, planning, and implementation budgets can be intelligently and carefully managed to nurture leads, sales, and overall business growth, particularly as you strategize to offset the impact of increased prices.

For help with your marketing research, planning, creation and implementation speak with an Industrial Web Solutions marketing expert. Call (800) 399-9859.

By regarding the tool much like the professional networking site LinkedIn, the idea is to establish an account that identifies you with your company. First of all, as always with Google products, you must have a Google Account (Gmail address) to open a Google Profiles account. If you have a personal Gmail account perhaps you would prefer to establish a new account that is used exclusively for this purpose.

At the top of the profile there is a space to add 10 words that describe you best. Here’s where you put good old fashioned search engine optimization (SEO) to work for you. Select keywords that will identify you and your role with your company. For example, “CNC Machining Expert.” Add some photos of you in your factory where you are using or at least standing near a CNC machine in operation. Keep your Introduction personal but make sure you use your keywords again: “Since 1985 I have been running my own CNC machining shop in Corning, NY, where I live with my family.” You can use Bragging Rights to identify your professional successes: manage 50 employees, ‘Supplier of the Year.’ Occupation, Employment and Education are pretty straight forward but try to include your keywords.

If you look over to the right you will see Links. If you use other Google services such as the online photo album Picasa Web, it will be associated automatically as long as you are using the same Gmail account. If you haven’t opened a Twitter account, now is a good time to do so. You will be able to add a link to your Twitter account here as well. You will also be able to add Custom Links such as a link to your profile page on your website, or to your business if it can be identified as ‘About You.’ If it is not about you it may be removed. Once you add the Custom Link you will have to check a box that says: This Page is Specifically About Me.

At the bottom of the page you will find Profile URL. Here you will be able to select the url that contains your Gmail account name instead of the long impersonal numerical identifier. Lastly, I would like to mention how you can use Buzz, which is another Google social networking tool like Twitter. You can establish your Buzz account within your Gmail account. Look to the left for a link and click on it. Once it is established, it will be automatically associated with your Google Profiles account. You may wish to encourage your customers to join Buzz as well and use it as a way for them to post questions about things for which you are the expert within your company. Begin to establish your authority online for the type of content offered by your company in the areas you can strongly and consistently represent.

Remember that Google Profiles is a social networking site not specifically designed for business. So absolutely do not “sell” or “market.” Instead you are going to use it to “identify” who you are and your area of expertise. Respect the way in which Google wants this service to be understood and you will be able to benefit from the publicity it affords.

Just like carpentry, the tools of a professional search engine marketer are available to anyone.  However, the skills involved are not readily apparent until you find yourself spending a lot of money and time without achieving your goals. SEM campaigns can get expensive very quickly. There are many tasks and many variables. A professional search engine marketer understands such things as:

• How to set goals – again and again
• Performance-based and branding-based objectives
• How to determine and manage budgets
• How to understand and communicate with audiences
• How to develop keyword lists and use them effectively
• How to write effectively
• The stages of the online/offline buying cycle
• How to guide audiences at each stage
• What the variables are
• What the competition is doing
• How to balance against what the competition is doing
• How to measure and interpret information
• How to test and experiment
• Which tools to use for each task
• When and how to make fixes to improve results
• The importance of foresight and flexibility
• How the various search engine marketing programs and applications work

Like any skill, it takes time to become familiar with all of the items mentioned above. And then it takes more time to hone your skills and get creative. The most successful search engine marketers have developed their skills by putting in lots and lots of hours. The question for you is: do you have that kind of time? If you don’t, you will save yourself a lot of money and frustration by hiring a professional search engine marketer who already has the requisite skill-set to not only help you meet and manage your online marketing and advertising goals but to save you a lot of wasted money and time.