A shot to slay the Tech Goliaths: The Mobile Star Awards™ makes smaller tech companies big winners

Nov. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- Is your mobile app, mobile enterprise solution, or mobile device better than the rest, but nobody seems to know about it?  Do you have a "million-dollar solution" – but no million-dollar marketing and distribution budget to take on the bigger technology Goliaths?

Here's an innovative, exciting way for you to tell the world about your mobile awesomeness: MobileVillage's annual Mobile Star Awards™ program – which lets you compete in over 50 "best of" categories including the best mobile apps, wireless gadgets, mobile enterprise solutions, success stories, and technology visionaries – all on a level playing field against the bigger guys.

For 11 years running, the Mobile Star Awards has helped make winners out of relatively unknown mobile companies. Just a few recent startup winners include: aisle411 (2010 and 2011 Mobile Shopping App Winner, competing against Google, Qualcomm and other major players); India-based TripSketch (2011 Travel App Winner, beating out Delta Air Lines' mobile app); Brazil-based Hanzo (2010 and 2011 Mobile Marketing Winner, beating out heavy-hitters Sybase and Clickatell); and Damaka (2010 Unified Communications Winner, beating out Microsoft).

That list goes on and on – and if your company isn't on it yet, you can easily get on it by entering this year's Mobile Star Awards program. The nomination process is easy: just visit MobileVillage.com (www.mobilevillage.com/mobilestarawards) to download an entry form, or email awards [at] mobilevillage.com with your nomination. There are no rigid requirements, except that a product must be generally available by the time it is entered, so no beta-release products are accepted.  Online voting for this year's Nominees runs from now through December 12, and nominations will be accepted until November 30.

A major standout feature of the Mobile Star Awards is that there are no paid analysts or reviewers picking winners.  Instead, three or more winners in each category are chosen by readers of MobileVillage's free, biweekly, "Go Mobile"™ email newsletter, which was launched in 2000. "A huge percentage of our readers are mobile early adopters, enterprise mobile workers, and experienced mobile tech journalists," says Go Mobile editor Gary Thayer.  "These are the kinds of mobile-savvy folks that make important product recommendations, drive mobile innovation, and enthusiastically vote in the Mobile Star Awards each year."

You could call "Go Mobile" the Reader's Digest of mobile – the newsletter delivers all of the top mobile technology news and reviews in brief, with links to the original stories on CNET, Engadget, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Computerworld, and just about every other major mobile tech site out there. But "Go Mobile" beats RSS feeds or wire services, because stories are hand picked and summarized in well-edited headlines. The newsletter has always been free, and anyone can sign up on MobileVillage.com.

Mobile Star Awards Nominees see big benefits

Because Mobile Star Awards Nominees gain publicity in "Go Mobile" and on MobileVillage, they win even if they don't end up taking first place, says MobileVillage founder and CEO Jon Covington. "Just being nominated can set in motion a tremendous publicity and market boost," he says. "For example several past winners – such as Endomondo, Evernote, and Poynt – have since gone on to win numerous other awards and gain literally millions of new customers. It's the foot in the door that brings credence to your efforts."

Covington knows about markets. Prior to founding MobileVillage, he was a pioneer in opening up new markets for Apple in its infancy, and then went on to help launch dozens of mobile tech companies. "Twenty years ago when we started MobileVillage, the only people who used mobile devices were UPS drivers and early-adopters," he says. "Now it's the end-users who are largely driving this huge market, so it's more important than ever that companies stand out from the crowd if they want to be seen as leaders. Winning a Mobile Star Award is a big accomplishment that's prized by all mobile companies, large and small."

To help them stand out, all Mobile Star Awards entrants receive a Nominee logo to use in marketing, a product or success story summary page linked from MobileVillage's online mobile directory, recognition in "Go Mobile," and a full week of recognition on the MobileVillage.com home page. Winners also receive the Winner logo and additional press coverage.

MobileVillage is also seeking Mobile Star Awards Sponsors and community collaborators. Platinum Sponsors receive top-level benefits, including multiple "Go Mobile" newsletter sponsorships and their own monthly column or white paper featured on MobileVillage.com. All Sponsors are encouraged to become active leaders and mentors in MobileVillage community, says Covington.

The many marketing and sales opportunities generated by the Mobile Star Awards speak for themselves – but they can't speak for you unless you become a part of it. So why wait another minute of being overlooked by potential new customers and the press?  Take full advantage of the November-December voting period and surrounding publicity by entering now. Entries are accepted until November 30, 2012. Voting is slated to end on December 12, and winners will be posted and announced to the media on December 13, 2012.

To enter or sponsor the 2012 Mobile Star Awards, visit www.mobilevillage.com/mobilestarawards today, or email Gary Thayer at awards [at] mobilevillage.com for details on the awards program and other ways to bring your company to the forefront of the mobile industry.

Photo:
https://www.prlog.org/12018598/1