There’s no doubt about it, the iPad is here to stay. According to its Wikipedia site, since its launch in April 2010, and through the end of 2011, Apple had sold more than 15 million units, representing more than 80% of the entire tablet market.
While still thought of as very much a consumer product – with apps for everything from entertaining, family scheduling, diet tracking, recipe gathering, and news updating (all those that I personally use) – B2B’s adoption of the device is increasing exponentially. In fact, our customer base of marketers continues to inquire about how they can use the iPad as part of their marketing and sales efforts. Really, it’s because the iPad offers sales and marketing both push and pull in one device. Because of its vibrant graphics and interactive ability to help differentiate complex products, companies can better drive key messages out. And, its ability to offer customized customer experiences that engage prospects better pulls them into the selling process. It’s all there, now starting for under $500 for the hardware.
The iPad is also becoming a game-changing technology for marketers as it’s supplementing the web. With the web, customers can inform themselves of a product or solution, without the need for sales or marketing. Unfortunately, they often do so less effectively than companies expect or desire. But, the iPad in collaboration with a guided product tour more persuasively brings the prospect toward the answer of how a product can address a business problem.
We at Kaon think the iPad is the best thing since sliced bread. How about you? How is it changing your way of conducting business?