It really is the mobile decade when a UK church has a mobile blessing ceremony

Just last night I posted an entry where I claimed that it is definitely the mobile decade and just as morning hits, my words are being validated.  How you ask? Just take a look at the top headlines on Yahoo news and you will see.

A church in the UK has held a ceremony in which about 80 participants brought their mobile phones to get blessed in a formal ceremony.   The idea came from a historic tradition where workers would bring the tools of their trade such as ploughs to be blessed on the first Monday after people return to work following Christmas.  And that is exactly what they did on this Monday January 11th, 2010 ceremony.  They brought their work tools and parishioners took out cell phones as Rev. Canon David Parrott recited a blessing over them and their electronic devices. A few held their phones up in the air as he ran through the prayer and blessed their most sacred devices.

My point proven! It really is the mobile decade when mobile devices find a formal place in the religious institutions.

It is a new year but not just any year we are entering.  We are entering the first year of a new decade and I want to call it the mobile decade.  Anyone that works in the mobile industry is probably nodding their head in agreement and is waiting for the rest of the world to catch on.

With the release of the new Google phone Nexus One, and the many other existing web-enable “smart” devices, there is a shift and change in consumer perception and behaviours with respect to mobile phones.  Consumers are starting to demand more from their mobile devices and their carriers for that matter.  Consumers want information wherever and whenever they need it.  This very rapid change in consumer behaviour is spearheading the mobile industry into a new era.  Similar to the Internet, the mobile world is about to exponentially take off and most of us will be astonished by its rate of growth.

Major changes have started and will continue to take place in the marketing world, media space and commerce arena just to name a few.  Marketing will no longer be in its traditional forms and mobile commerce will drive people to the point of sale or take them away for competitor deals.   Business will need to keep afloat the whirlwind of information to ensure they are still reaching their target consumers.  They will need to change and adopt new business models to maximize the benefits of this new space.

More consumers will rely on their mobiles to find news, information, entertainment and some will even venture to make purchases through their handheld devices. Brands and companies who want to stay on top in this decade will have to ensure that their marketing plans encompass a 360-degree approach that includes mobile advertising on key sites,  mobile-friendly sites and mobile applications to enable two-way communication with their target audience.

Although Mobile marketing will not come at the expense of TV or radio or other older media and mobile commerce may not replace storefronts, businesses will soon discover that mobile media and commerce are as efficient, if not more, in attracting and retaining customers.

Whether your business is currently pursuing mobile initiatives or are just planning to begin,  you have made the choice to get ahead. Enjoy the mobile decade and don’t let the numbers hold you back from getting ahead of the trend.  Start listening and ask your customers, they will tell you.