Debbie Mayo-Smith: Join the smartphone cult and you won't look back

Owning a smartphone is like your first taste of sushi - it takes a while to try, but afterwards, you wonder how you lived without it. Is it a coincidence that, while I sat at a café writing this article, four out of five people had an iPhone, and the fifth a Blackberry?

For personal productivity and business prowess, they're a 2010 necessity. Here are my reasons why.

Make more sales

Applications that your customers or prospects can download should be created for branding, or to increase sales.

Three months ago Pizza Hut launched an iPhone application (available through iTunes, but only in the US) for ordering pizza, pasta and wings. Not only has it brought in an extra US$1 million ($1.3 million) in sales during this period, it has also created a huge buzz simply by incorporating the "cool" things you can do with the iPhone. Stretch or shrink the pizza base with your fingers to select a small, medium or large. Scroll for toppings and drag them on, and tap and tilt to have the topping on half the pizza. Select sauce for wings and watch it pour on. Shake the phone to spread the sauce through the wings. They have even included a Pizza Hut racing game to play while waiting for the pizzas to be delivered.

Get information as fast as you need it

Got an appointment at an address you're not sure of? Google the company on your smartphone, and click on the address to see where it is on the built- in map. You can even use Streetview to see what the building looks like - so you know where it is, how to get there and even what building to look for.

Another fabulous example of iPhone and Google Android technology is augmented reality (the addition of virtual reality to reality).

In New Zealand, Wikitude (a free iPhone application) uses the GPS location, compass and video camera, so as you look through your phone's camera, logos and information can be laid over what you are looking at. For example, you can check reviews and get additional information for a restaurant you're standing in front of, just by pointing your phone at it.

Get more done

Talking about this article at the dinner table, I asked my husband (who is a chief information officer) what his thoughts were. He put it quite succinctly: "With a smartphone, you have 75 per cent of the functionality of your desktop computer, yet total freedom from your desk."

Think of the freedom it gives you to leave the office to network, schmooze and develop more clients. Instead of coming back to piled up communications, you'll be able to stay on top of them while out of the office. The application, Documents to Go (US$5), gives you access to your entire Microsoft Office suite from your phone. You can use it to edit, create and view Word documents, as well as view and synchronise Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and other files.

It's an easy way to send files using your existing email account, right from your iPhone.

Education on the run

With the internet connection, you can use downtime to learn. Read news, blogs or research, instead of simply standing while waiting in lines.

Faster, cheaper, focused business communication

The next time you're planning on telephoning or emailing - be it to verify a meeting or ask a question - consider sending an SMS message instead. It takes you and the recipient less time, saves telephone tag, costs less than a phone call and is more immediate than an email.

Further, you're sure to get a rapid response. When I telephoned Fergus Brown, chief executive of the Holiday Accommodation Parks Association New Zealand, to set an appointment, his assistant told me he would be out of the office in meetings for two days. I sent Mr Brown an SMS and got an answer within an hour.

When I asked Fergus permission to mention this vignette, he said: "SMS for business is great. It's handy, short and to the point. Having the smartphone with the Qwerty keyboard enables me to write normally and quickly, instead of in abbreviated text talk."

Social media on the run

The trio of popular social media have free applications for your Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook accounts. This is a significant marketing advantage. The ease of reading and posting makes them must-downloads.

Another benefit is sharing your experiences and photos while out. The ability to snap a photo and upload it immediately helps create a more vibrant account, and attract new fans/friends to your social site.

- Debbie Mayo-Smith is a best-selling author and international speaker.

* www.debbiespeaks.co.nz