Click the image below for the full-size infographic!

In January, 2011, Starbucks launched its Mobile Card payment program available on most smartphones. SMART. No doubt you’re already on your phone at 8:30 in the morning while ordering a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte, so it’s easy to flash your “Touch to Pay” barcode and be on your way. The app replaces your reloadable Starbucks card (while keeping your rewards intact), and you can preload it from your bank account within the same screen.

With the release of Google Wallet, users can now pay with a simple tap at Mastercard paypass terminals. For now, this is advancement only for those with Google phones…and a Citi Mastercard. But, with this technological groundbreaking device, users are also able to receive offers and store loyalty points via the app.  We’re attached to our phones, so what better way to reach us directly when we’re making a transaction.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Shopkick offers rewards for simply stepping inside a store and scoping out merchandise. It displays deals and discounts close in proximity to your location. The more you peruse, the more points are earned for redemptions ranging from clothes to electronics.

While cashless-ness becomes the norm, we can only assume that consumers will rely less on the benjamins, but let’s not forget about Future Fear. A lot of emphasis is placed on convenience and practicality when we look at technological enhancements. It’s our job to find the perfect balance between convenience and trust.

What we can gather from our own shopping habits is that we rely heavily on the convenience factor, no doubt about it. We’ve become increasingly comfortable with everything being accessible through our phones. We can purchase a Groupon, find our way to Alaska and back, and even count the steps we take around the office with our smartphones.

“What? I can’t just show you the e-mail, I have to print it out?!”

As marketers, we should reach our consumers as soon as they walk into the store, making it harder not to refuse a great deal on the very same phone used to swipe and pay. It has been reported that 20% of smartphone users have compared prices while shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. Additionally, 15% of smartphone users have redeemed a mobile coupon (ladies more so than gentlemen). Let’s take advantage of these time-saving, less paper-wasting social platforms that deliver instantaneous results without hassle. Smartphones aren’t going anywhere, so creating more convenient methods of in-store redemption and offers will put us ahead of the game—and the checkout line.

What will it take for YOU to go CASH-LESS?

Many hotels are already offering experience-based rewards in their loyalty programs and enhanced concierge services to assist guests with discovering the world outside of the hotel. Instead of stockpiling points for a free night’s stay, members of these programs can earn cultural activities, like going backstage before a performance at the Peking Opera or spending the day with a professional bullfighter. Some loyalty programs even offer express experiences specifically designed for business travelers who may only have an hour or two to spare but who still want to go home with at least one memorable insight into the destination they visited.

Additionally, several startups have recently emerged to meet the wanderlusty needs of travelers by offering trip curation tools, local knowledge and a much-needed dose of personalization to the online trip planning process.

Launched in April, Vayable connects travelers with tour guides offering unique and intimate local experiences, like scouting Montmartre street art in Paris or visiting sample sales in NYC with a fashion insider. By allowing these independent guides to sell their local knowledge, Vayable is redefining the tour and activity segment of the travel market.

And then there’s Fortnighter, also launched this year, which provides (for a fee) made-to-order itineraries from professional travel writers based on the user’s dates of travel, interests and budget. Fortnighter brings currency, personalization and expert knowledge to the travel planning table and allows users to steer clear of the unreliability of algorithms and user reviews.

A slew of other services have also cropped up recently. All of this suggests that the travel experience marketplace is heating up, and there appears to be room for more. When looking across the dreaming, researching, booking, experiencing and sharing travel cycle, what kind of product or service can you offer that will assist travelers with collecting those sought-after experiences? How do you evoke the moments that inspire us when we travel? How do you help deliver more authentic travel experiences?

Click here to view the embedded video.

The invitation-only site has taken the creative world by storm. It’s given users access to a seemingly endless world of “pins” that can be saved on their own categorized pinboards and titled however they see fit. See a recipe on a blog that you want to make for dinner next weekend? Pin it to your “foodie” board. When you click on it later you’ll be taken back to the original recipe. Planning a wedding and trying to find the perfect bouquet inspiration? Do a search for flowers and pin photos of gorgeous bouquets to your little heart’s desire on your “tie the knot” board. See a quotation that makes you laugh, cry or think of a friend? Pin it!

Silbermann and his co-founders took the visual bookmarking to another level. Users may “follow” friends (and strangers), and comment on each other’s posts, much like on other social networking sites. Facebook users may also recognize the “like” button on Pinterest, while Twitterers can use their beloved hashtags in their pin captions. A recently updated iPhone app and brand-new mobile capabilities for other smartphones make for easy pinning on the go. In other words, the idea that inspiration is all around us has been “pinned” down, and you can quite literally take it with you wherever you go.

As Pinterest continues to grow, brands are taking note and jumping on the pinningwagon too. The popular home goods retailer West Elm uses the site to pin not only their own catalog of products, but other inspirational images as well. From there, followers can click on or repin images that link to the West Elm website where visitors can easily purchase. It’s that simple!

Go ahead. Request an invitation here. And start pinning!

As the Internet evolved, suddenly the dictionary was online, and while Prince was reminding us to Party like it was 1999, Urban Dictionary came onto the scene and allowed users to start writing their own dictionary—complete with definitions for terms such as “tooth sweater” (you know, that feeling you get after not brushing for a day and it feels like there’s little fuzzy sweaters on your teeth? Yeah, I don’t know the feeling either. Go brush your nasty teeth, and floss and rinse while you’re at it). Urban Dictionary gave users a freedom that isn’t unheard of now (what with sites like Wikipedia and their raging popularity), but the lack of real information in addition to user-provided data left something to be desired.

Enter Wordnik, a community-focused and -run word world that takes the idea of an online dictionary to a completely new level, largely based on the idea that words are best learned and understood when seen in real-life contexts. Wordnik pulls definitions on millions of words from several reputable dictionaries, as well as less typical sources such as news articles and Twitter—AND lets users add their own words, definitions, examples, visuals, comments and the like. Think online dictionary meets Wikipedia and has a love affair with a social networking site. Besides providing all of the typical dictionary-esque material like meanings and synonyms, Wordnik lets users “Love” a word, add it to a list of favorites, discuss it with others, tweet it, or add the Word of the Day widget directly to their own site. Basically—anything you’ve ever wanted to do with a word, Wordnik will let you do.

Just launched in 2009, it’s safe to assume the features and community with Wordnik will continue to grow as a popular tool for anyone looking for wordy inspiration. Why look up a word in the dictionary for a boring definition when you can instead look it up on Wordnik, see what others are saying about it and with it, read where it’s come up in the news or strike up a discussion forum about it?!

Who’s Talking?

Someone needs to spread the message. Called connectors, accelerators and influencers, they have deep and wide social networks and pass along information they care about to others. The key is to tap into the right people for your specific product or service. Here are three types of “go-to” people:

Enthusiast. The stereotypical brand advocate who serves as a passionate brand ambassador.
Local Expert. The know-all about a specific category—car or gadget nut, knows about new restaurants or TV shows.
Jack-of-All-Interest. An interesting know-a-lot vs. an annoying know-it-all.

What Are They Talking About?

First of all, forget everything you learned about traditional brand management. If this process starts by trying to convert a well-crafted brand statement into a word-of-mouth campaign, it won’t be successful. The product or service must be looked at through a different lens.

It’s not what you want to say about your product or service, but what consumers find talkable about it. Finding the relevance in a product or service is crucial. If it’s relevant, the more likely it will be deemed worth sharing. Once something is worth sharing, it has value. High-involvement categories tend to increase information value. The collision of talkability and relevancy becomes the social currency in the message.

Dig deep to understand the consumer. Think about what people like to talk about, why they like to talk, and how an actual conversation might transpire. Remember the book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray? It’s quite appropriate when creating word-of-mouth messages.

When developing word-of-mouth messages directed toward men, think in terms of Guysmanship. Male word-of-mouth triggers tend to be competitive, fact-based and opinionated. Men talk to “show that they know” or “be first.” Look at ESPN or read the sports page—facts and opinions are expressed in sound bites.

For women, it’s all about Fempathy. Female triggers are more empathetic or deal with community building and emotional outreach. They talk “to help” and “to be heard.” And far from sound bites, their conversations are centered on shared experiences and expressed as complete stories. It’s Oprah and Lifetime and their stories of women facing their challenges, from the life-changing to the day-to-day.

So Get to It.

Find the right people to spread the word. Craft the right message that’s talkable and relevant. Activate it using the tactics most appropriate for the topic. There’s a world of technological options; be sure to find the tools that will best seed or spark the conversation. And remember, the true magic lies in the social currency of the idea—it’s what keeps the idea moving to others.

Sara
What I’m reading: “The Woman in White” by Wilkie Collins
Why I’m reading it: I was inspired by an article I just read in the New Yorker about Wilkie Collins and the creation of the detective novel genre.
On deck: I don’t know yet what’s on deck. The beauty of owning a Kindle is being able to decide what I’m reading next while I’m on my commute in to work.

Paul
What I’m reading:“I’m Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59” by Douglas Edwards
Why I’m reading it: It’s the inside scoop on Google’s first director of marketing and brand management complete with the evolution of the company’s famously nonhierarchical structure and the many ideas that never came to pass. I’m anxious to see if it ends with him cashing out as a kabillionaire.
On deck: “21: The Story of Roberto Clemente” by Wilfred Santiago

Stacie
What I’m reading: “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” by Stieg Larsson
Why I’m reading it: I started reading the series because pretty much everyone I’ve talked to has raved about it so I was interested in seeing what all the hype was about. TGWKTHN is the last in the series and now I just want to know what happens!
On deck: “Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger

Leah
What I’m reading: “Lit: A Memoir” by Mary Karr
Why I’m reading it: I’m a sucker for a sad/true story. In this one, Mary Karr recounts the desperation of trying to be a mother and wife while battling alcoholism and mental illness.
On deck: “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand and “The Hunger Games” (Series) by Suzanne Collins

Adam
What I’m reading: “The Lost City of Z” by David Grann
Why I’m reading it: It’s about the legendary explorer Percy Fawcett who went missing in 1925 while trying to find a “lost city of gold.” With our lives surrounded by technology, it’s fascinating to read a true story about an adventurer that explored mosquito-filled jungles without a GPS (or a decent pair of boots).
On deck: “Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers” by Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo

Mary
What I’m reading: “Embers” by Sándor Márai
Why I’m reading it: NPR profiled another one of Márai’s books earlier this year, which I read and loved. “Embers” is supposed to be even better.
On deck: “IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea” by Sara Harrison (From the Source collection!)

Jaclyn
What I’m reading: “The Interwebz” by Al Gore, a robot or two, you & me
Why I’m reading it: To be smarter, learn what’s up and laugh.
On deck: I don’t think I’ll ever stop reading it. Sooo tmrw’s pixels, probably.

Neil
What I’m reading: “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” by James L. Swanson
Why I’m reading it: The story of Lincoln’s assassination turns out to be surprisingly interesting. The modern equivalent would be like if George Clooney killed the president and escaped into the woods for two weeks. Bizarre.
On deck: “In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin” by Erik Larson

Liz
What I’m reading: “Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body” by Jennifer Ackerman
Why I’m reading it: I’ve become a science junkie over the past few years. My intellectual crushes now include Atul Gawande and Jonah Lehrer. Swoon!
On deck: “Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It,” a collection of short stories by Maile Meloy

Kelly
What I’m reading: “The Hunger Games Trilogy” by Suzanne Collins
Why I’m reading it: Kind of got sucked into it. My tween cousins raved about it so I figured I was too old. Then I slowly heard chatter at work, so I caved, got ridiculously sucked in, and read all 3 books in a week. They’re perfect, mostly-mindless, quick reads that were so good I tuned out all the background noise on the train—not an easy feat!
On deck: A fellow Upshotter suggestion: “Girl in Translation” by Jean Kwok.

Taylor
What I’m reading: “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson
Why I’m reading it: I loved “Devil in the White City” and wanted to check out what else Larson had written. Plus, non-fiction in the guise of a novel is truly wonderful.
On deck: a collection of short stories

Julie
What I’m reading: “How We Decide” by Jonah Lehrer
Why I’m reading it: Always been curious how I (and we) make decisions and the mechanics of the process. Some decisions are quick, some are right, some are wrong and some just take too long! Why is that?
On deck: I can’t decide, ha. (Get it?) No really, it’s a toss-up between “The Bedwetter” by Sara Silverman and “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett.

Go ahead and share what you’re reading in the comments.

Then put your vote where your mouth is. Below, you’ll find links to our two proposed panels for 2012. Please take less than a minute to register at http://panelpicker.sxsw.com (or just log in if you voted last year) and give a “thumbs up” to the following two panels. (And then, tweet / post / email / scream at / message everyone you know to do the same!) The deadline is Friday, September 2^nd, so act fast!

“The Power of Feedback Loops in Mobile Marketing”
Feedback Loops are powerful tools to shape, change and evolve behavior, and their natural integration into smartphones brings enormous promise to incorporating feedback loops in nearly every aspect of daily life.

“What Do B2B Customers Want from Social Media?”
Most B2B brands have acknowledged the potential of social media for their business objectives, but what is the real roadmap for marketing success via B2B social media?

Thanks, now go vote!

This doesn’t need to be the case.
B2B does not have to be one completely expected, borderline cheesy execution after another. In fact, I would argue B2B could be one of the most creatively innovative spaces in marketing. It offers everything you could want to deliver great creative. A well-defined target. An informed consumer (yes, IBM does not buy something from 3M, a person buys something from another person). Something to sell that is inherently necessary to the audience. And a lot of freedom since no one is really paying attention.

Clear your mind and forget the formula that seems to exist.
Don’t think, “Oh crap, it’s B2B!” Think, “Damn. This could be cool.” Even if there is an assignment you are supposed to answer (print ad, email, website, whatever), ignore it for a moment and think about what you might really want to use as communication vehicles. Too often, marketers want to apply the same things that work for consumer marketing to B2B, with the exception of television, but all this does is continue to nail the box shut.

Do you really think the way to sell a multi-million dollar jet to a Fortune 500 company is with a print ad? Do you really think the subject line of an email will convince Publix to purchase your shelving system? Of course not. But the better question is, what will? B2B is dying for that answer because usually, the products being sold and the contracts being signed are for millions of dollars and multiple years. These are big decisions. Way bigger than which color lipstick should I buy? And creative, innovative and inspiring ideas, brilliantly executed will make those decisions a little easier to make.

Remember, this is an informed audience, regardless of the product. People who purchase real estate for corporations, for example, are not neophytes. They are single minded already. You don’t need to get them into the ‘real estate’ aisle. You need to engage them in your real estate option. You need to engage a person, not a company. Ultimately, you need to motivate that person and I’m pretty sure another trade rag ad with a gleaming high rise and smiling agent is not going to do it. But something different would. Something smarter and more creative would.

B2B marketing only has to suck if you let it. And currently, most people do.