We are surrounded by technology. We use it in the workplace to schedule meetings, track progress, launch initiatives and stay connected with clients and coworkers around the country, sometimes the world. At home, we rely on it to reach out to friends and family, stay organized and on time and access directions, information and entertainment. I know, I am thinking the same thing: How did we ever live without it? So many women use technology every day in business and life that we’ve become an extremely attractive market for the companies developing new technologies. They know first and foremost that women spend about $5 trillion—or half—of the nation’s GDP every year. There’s also the well-known fact that women control or have a say in at least 80 percent of all household purchase decisions (89 percent when it comes to technology says the Consumer Electronics Association). And whether you believe that women are innately better communicators than men or not, the truth is we do talk and text more than men every month—28 percent and 14 percent, respectively, according to Nielsen data. We also use social features on our mobile devices more when compared with men. We’re not an audience any marketer can afford to ignore. That’s why Radio Shack, for instance, has shifted from a 20 percent female workforce seven years ago to 40 percent female today. The chain now actively recruits female store managers, which has resulted in one out of every seven stores now managed by a woman. Computer companies like Dell are also smart to keep women in mind when rolling out new products—following in the formidable footsteps of Apple who experienced dramatic sales increases with women consumers after introducing products in fun colors we love. The NAWBO® Women’s Business Conference (WBC) is almost upon us—October 4-5, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. For NAWBO®, it’s not only a tremendous opportunity to bring our community of women business owners and those who support us together for high-level networking, education and resources. It’s also perfect timing to roll out new technology created by NAWBO® for this NAWBO® community: a new NAWBO® Mobile App. The NAWBO® Mobile App is sponsored by our generous corporate partner Travelers Insurance—a leader in insurance for your auto, home and business. (Be sure to visit their website at www.travelers.com and see them in-person at the WBC Marketplace & Exhibit Hall). Together with Travelers, we’ve created an app that WBC registered attendees can download in advance of the event to access activities around Louisville and logistics for arrival. Once in Louisville, the app is a go-to source for the agenda, event and speaker details, a live Twitter feed (the WBC hashtag is #NAWBOWBC) and conference sponsors. We’re literally putting everything you need to successfully navigate this year’s conference in the palm of your hand. Look for communications on how to download the new NAWBO® Mobile App in the days ahead as we continue our countdown to this year’s conference. Meanwhile, if you haven’t yet registered, don’t miss out. Go to http://nawbo.org/content_15636.cfm, then text your friends to invite them, too, and share the conference link on your social media pages to help us make this year’s conference the best ever. Also, be sure to check out the piece in this issue of Focus highlighting TechSpeak For Entrepreneurs, a seminar for women entrepreneurs from our media partner Webgrrls that will help you become even more tech-savvy in your business. The first event is later this month in New York City, and others will follow in locations throughout the U.S. —Diane Tomb, NAWBO® President and CEO
