Technology

Tapping the GTA’s South Asian market, one deal at a time

According to the 2006 Census, Toronto houses 298,372 South Asians that make up 12 per cent of the multi-cultural city’s diverse population. The municipalities that surround Toronto are not far behind – South Asians make up more than a quarter of Markham’s visible minorities and more than half of Brampton’s.

Given the scenario, it’s only natural for retailers to vie for the pockets of these immigrants who have been steadily climbing up the socio-economic ladder. In 2008, American retail chain Wal-Mart launched its Bollywood Signature line of fashion on a Toronto runway. The line comprised different styles of traditional Indian suits priced under $80.

South Asian businesses and other business that target this price-sensitive slice of the market have also been reaching out to South Asian consumers through a very unique channel – GoBabu.com, a group-buying site targeted at greater Toronto’s ethnic communities, with a primary focus on South Asians. Whether you want discounts on tickets to Bollywood-centric events in Toronto or a deal on takeout Pakistani food, GoBabu.com is the site to subscribe to. Of course the group buying site also offers lucrative deals on designer glasses, beauty salons, burger joints and auto-repair shops, making it the perfect partner to South Asian businesses looking to build goodwill in the community.

The group buying site is looking to expand to other countries with substantial South Asian populations – the U.S., U.K., U.A.E, India and Pakistan.

Coupon Wars comes to Toronto

With the technology sector buzzing with IPO’s and potential investor interest a smaller yet powerful company is making its mark in Toronto,Canada.

Time and again fingers have been burnt. The last tech bubble was witness to that, yet this time the technology sector has learnt and grown with a systematic approach. No longer can you establish an idea on a piece of paper, better yet on a power point presentation and run to Wall Street to cash in on your rags to riches overnight stories.

Now the technology investors and angels have grown and lost enough money to understand the players from the idealists.

One such website came onto the scene in Toronto, Canada just a few months ago. With a solid business plan and marketing team, they have hung onto the niche market segment of the ethnic people. There have been plenty of migrants from the South East Asia region, and the population justifies the entry into the market. However memberships or coupon purchasing is not dependant on your ethnicity, if you enjoy a good discount Gobabu sure has the solution to satisfy your desire. Especially if you are located in the Toronto region, checking out the website is a must for young and old.

I have been told that the expansion plans are to replicate the business model worldwide into all key cities of the world. Presence is already being established in Dubai, Mumbai, London and Sydney. While Groupon may be the king of the online coupon market,Gobabu is certainly more focused on the customer than acting as a business.

With many websites coming and being locked up in the internet graveyard, we may just be about the witness the coupon wars being launched from Toronto. Who would have thought Toronto, of all the places in this World? So be it.

Don’t Get Addicted to Facebook

Facebook has been taking over this generation. There are so many kids who spend many hours a week on the computer. Some of them will spend this time playing mindless games while others will spend it chatting with their friends. Still others will post videos and pictures of themselves for the world to see.

The social networking Facebook offers a lot. However, it also takes away from a lot of life experiences for those involved. Some people involved on Facebook let the notion of “friends” get to their head. They spend their time talking with people online. Many people have friends online whom they have met only once or whom they have never met at all. They put a lot of time into these relationships. Some will even go as far as to date people online via Facebook. This can prevent them from knowing what a real relationship is like. Real relationships involve so much more than text. They involve really getting to know someone. There are ways of communicating that go far beyond words. Those stuck on Facebook don’t know what this is like.

Facebook can also reduce the level of concentration that those involved are able to have. Those involved in this media lifestyle often need to change tasks quickly. They have a difficult time focusing. Accomplishing tasks like homework can take people on Facebook twice as long or longer. It creates a habit of distractions. This makes paying attention in classes for any length of time or focusing on any difficult task much more challenging. They are used to updates right away. They are used to getting the information they want immediately. Searching for it is not an option. That makes discipline much more difficult.

Those involved on Facebook can also find themselves wasting more time than they intend to. They go from one photo album to another and then they do not realize that they have spent three hours on Facebook. This can prevent them from accomplishing many things. It can prevent them from spending time in real relationships.

This is not to say that Facebook is evil. There are ways to use Facebook positively. It can be a means of spreading ideas, connecting with family and friends far away, and of encouraging friends. However, if Facebook is abused, it causes problems. People simply need to learn personal responsibility. They need to understand the consequences of their lifestyle choices.

Mark Gregory is writing on behalf of Marketing By Web; an online marketing company specialising in ppc management services and is an ppc advertising company

Role of “Social Media” in Auto Dealerships Promotion & Sales Campaigns

What is the place and role of social media in an auto dealership and its promotional efforts and budgets?

First of all it must be remembered that the essential purpose of promotion at any auto dealership is to sell cars, trucks and other vehicles and / or auto repair services in an effort to make a profit.

It’s not a case of right or wrong but specifically targeting consumer markets and knowing that every operation has its limits- both in terms of physical resources, budgets and most importantly time. You cannot spread either management of staff time too thin trying to be “all things to all people / customers”.

It comes down to first and foremost “knowing your customer”. It’s like a shopper at a grocery store looking for bargains and first and foremost of all knowing “their prices”.  Who are your primary customers for the purchases of automotive products, vehicles and service?

The role of social media – be it Facebook, Twitter, the new Google + is to “create a tribe”. This is simply the 2011 version of having “your customers”.  It’s not unlike the building of a list of your loyal customers who are part of the specific group that you have come to serve with good products, services and specific products that you provide in your chosen niche. Its good solid business practice.

Yet social media programs can take an awful lot of time and effort. Is your time and that of your salespeople better spent on more conventional promotions – such as newspaper and autotrader ads , a website , cold calling by telephone and prospecting or even just improving appearances , product or the search engine SEO rankings of your website.

It’s your call as an auto dealer manager, sales manager or even dealer principal.

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Side Jobs for The Tech Savvy

We all have them, electronic devices in our homes and they all run on electricity.  They all come with wires that need to be hooked up the right way and it is a fact that most people don’t understand how to do this.  How many electronic devices do you have in your home?  Three, five or maybe more.  Each home has a TV, maybe a big screen and this needs to be connected to additional devices such as an x-box, video cameras and Blu-Ray DVD.  Today, there are people who need to have their personal computer also connected to their television and someone needs to know how to do it correctly.

If you are a wizard with wires and have already been called to the homes of your friends and their friends to hook up items like this, then why not make money doing what comes naturally to you?  With a little business sense, you can start your own business and make use of those skills you have.  If this sounds like something you would like to try, then make sure you have the skills needed to accomplish any type of electronic hook-up.  You can read every owner’ manual you can get your hands on or books that involve electronics so your skills are more than just marginal. When it comes to charging your customers, you must decide to either charge a flat rate or get paid hourly.  You can call around and get some ideas of other business charge and then adjust your fees from there.

Discover the laws and requirements in your area so your business will be legal.  Fill out an application for a license and give your insurance company a call to check for liability rates because you want to be protected just in case a mishap occurs.

Most people have no idea how to do this type of work so they will be willing to pay you to connect their electronic devices. Make sure you have the basic tools needed to do the job correctly so you give a professional look.  Another good idea is to have high quality video cables with you just in case they are needed. Any family or friend that you have done work for can let others know about what you do through word of mouth, and this, as we all know,  is the best way to grow your business.

Making money by connecting the electronic devices of others can be the perfect way to get your own business going. With newer and better products coming out all the time, there will always be a need for that person who understand how all the wires work and where they need to be connected.  Anytime someone upgrades to a new model of something, there will be new connections to be made and you can be the one to offer that service for a competitive price.  Your very own small business could be closer and more possible than you thought.

The author of this article is Holly Adams, who writes for Coupon Croc. Click here for Littlewoods sales on all of the latest electronics and gadgets.

Toys For Boys – Gadgets Men Love To Own

There are several innovations of technology on offer for men and their inherent need for gadgets. You will be able to choose from an array of inventions made that men prefer for their multiple needs and at odd hours. These are not merely items that speak volumes about their advancements of operative excellence but are useful in mundane ways that may apparently be crucial as well. Take the example of the alcohol detector that’s attached to your keychain. As a responsible citizen you would prefer to avoid driving when you have had enough to drink; nor would you like to be entangled with law enforcers on the way; and the perfect way to help yourself would be safeguard with this personal and extremely handy detector.

There is an incredibly wide range of mobile phones that can be called the primary focus for men across the world. If you are planning for a gift for your husband then this can be an easy choice; get all his favorite gadgets together like kindles, video recorders and music players among others and take your pick out of one of the latest mobile phones. Excellent screens for ultimate movie and video displays along with unlimited phonebook entries of names to gaming options and inbuilt stereos for high sound quality can all be yours with one device.

Not too far away is a range of laptops and tablet PCs on offer. Try the Macbook Pro and some of the latest on offer from Vaio and Samsung. The latest laptops that are on offer from these companies and also those from Toshiba highlight on the sleek looks with touchscreen technology and lightweight options. These are easy to carry with longer battery life and better packages of applications to help you work even on the move. When it comes to tablets the first name that strikes the mind is the exclusive range of Apple with their iPad and iPad2; sleek and power packed with some of the best apps these are the best accessories one can wish for. However there are similar tabs that are released by other companies like Samsung that are reasonably priced with equally attractive applications.

Digital cameras and camcorders are the next in line of most preferred accessories and gadgets for men. There is a state of the art range from companies like Canon and Nikon that allow you perfect resolutions and zooming for your chosen moments of photography. Whether you are a professional or an amateur there is this new range that’s going to make it a new experience of pleasure for you. There are wide screens for a better view of your shot each time. All cameras come with memory cards for better capture and storage of your photographs. There is an easy connectivity to enable quick views for your shots on laptops, desktop computers and television sets. There are different specifications of these available in various price ranges which makes for easy affordability.

When you are buying a gadget for you, getting a good bargain is important. Anya enjoys being frugal and is always on the lookout for good savings on everything from hosting to tech toys. Find a hosting coupon code at http://www.hostingcoupons.org/

Don’t Be Left Hanging On That Smartphone: Windows Phone 7 Has Arrived

New versions of Windows Phone 7 will include hardware acceleration for a mobile build of web browser Internet Explorer 9, access to documents stored on Microsoft’s cloud-based Skydrive, and it will be compatible with the company’s popular Xbox Kinect video games accessory. Twitter will also be integrated with WP7′s ‘People Hub’, and the software’s multitasking will be improved. So, with the popularity in Windows Phone 7 about to soar, it’s an ideal time to be sure that you keep your smartphone in synch with the latest software and find out about Office Mobile.

Office Mobile is included with every Windows Phone 7 device. You can access Office Mobile in the application list or the start screen. You can use Office Mobile to keep your In box organised, view and update documents, take notes wherever you are, watch a live presentation, and even access information on SharePoint.

It’s easy to access Office 2010 from a Windows Phone 7 device. Just access Office Mobile through the Start Screen or Application List. You can also open Office file attachments within your email or documents stored on your Windows phone directly, and you can access Office documents stored on a Microsoft SharePoint site. Now you can use Office Mobile to keep your In box organised. If you need to quickly read and delete email messages or view your upcoming appointments, then Outlook Mobile is ideal. You can select multiple messages and mark them for deletion, flag them for follow-up tasks, or file them to another folder.

And if you need to reduce your In box clutter, you’re laughing. Messages are automatically organised by unread, urgent, or flagged emails so you can locate your vital messages faster. A flick is all it takes to jump between the views. Or you can view your schedule at a glance. See your forthcoming meetings and appointments across work and personal calendars in one single colour-coded view. Even getting directions to your next meeting right from your calendar is easier than sat-nav: in three simple taps you can jump from an address to a map of your destination and then to driving directions from your current location.

Reviewing Word files is also effortless with Outlook Mobile. You can create new comments or quickly navigate and read existing comments in a few simple taps. For larger documents, use the new Outline pane to quickly jump to the right place. Stretch or pinch to zoom in or out of your Office documents and hone in on the right details. And instead of scrolling through a long document, use Outline to jump right to where you need to go — a comment or heading in a Word document, a worksheet or chart in an Excel workbook, or a slide in a PowerPoint presentation.

If you use Excel, it’s quick and easy to update and recalculate workbooks. Even viewing entire spreadsheets, including charts and formatting is effortless. Sort and filter lists or update your data and formulas and instantly see the results; or make quick action on email attachments. Open an Office document attached to an email and make changes or add comments. Then, send the file back right from your Office Mobile application.

But there’s no need to panic if you don’t yet have Windows Phone 7; if you have a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone, there are still ways to get Office Mobile. If you already have Office Mobile 6.5 on your phone, you can download a free upgrade to Office Mobile through Marketplace on your phone. To access Marketplace on your phone, tap the Start button on your phone and then tap the Marketplace app. From there, you’ll get a list of all applications available for your Windows phone, including Office Mobile. If you have a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone that doesn’t have Office Mobile, you can go to Marketplace from your phone and purchase Office Mobile directly.

Rich Talbot the Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on microsoft office training london, please visit http://www.microsofttraining.net/microsoft-office-training.php