Smartphones are Changing Your Cause Marketing Pitch

I'm not the first to say that smartphones are changing the way we pitch our ideas. They seem to be an ever present part of our business conversations (e.g. explaining, informing, demonstrating, visualizing, reinforcing). They're like portable PowerPoints, which, fortunately, we seem to use better than real PowerPoints presentations. Here's how to use your smartphone to enhance your next cause marketing pitch.

Load it with the right apps. To share examples of past or current cause marketing programs, especially pinups, I use Evernote. I tag each image and store it in a dedicated folder for easy retrieval. For proposals and presentations I use Dropbox. If I want to share something I read or saw online I'll open Read It Later. Want to talk more? I'll send you my business card via bCards Pro.

Are you a good sharer? Regardless of the tool I use to share audio, pictures and video, I always have an easy way to share them with my listener, usually via email or a public URL. Services like Dropbox allow me to manage how long a prospect has access to a link. I love to share, but I want to control when, where and for how long people can view my materials, especially when I'm not there to explain, interpret and sell them.

Remember, you're the ringmaster. Don't let your smartphone become a distraction. Keep the conversation focused on the big show. Hand the phone over when you have something to share and take it back when you're done. Let the phone linger in the listener's hands and you'll soon be talking about your favorite NASCAR driving app. I ask for my phone back "so I can show them something else" whether it's true or not. And, while your smartphone might be like PowerPoint don't let it take over your presentation like some speakers do. You are your best visual aid. Use your smartphone to make your points better, clearer or more interesting.

Know when to break out the big guns. Sometimes a smartphone is not enough tool. That's when I bring my iPad. Since getting mine, I've had mixed feelings on it. I started out liking it. A lot. But, then, not so much. As Chris Brogan pointed out, the iPad is great for consuming, not so great for creating. But when it comes to sharing cause marketing programs on a large screen you can easily pass to everyone in the meeting, the iPad is hard to beat. It does everything your smartphone does, but bigger.

How is your smartphone changing your pitch?