What is “SalesMob”?
SalesMob — short for Sales Mobile — is a resource to the mobile world. It is a place where you can find and download web apps (or mobile sites) to your phone. You can also register to “Join the Mob” and have the ability to build your own web app.
What is a web app?
You might be wondering what a web app is. First, let’s establish some differences between a web app and a native app.
Native apps are what you can find in places such as the Android Market and iPhone App Store. They are downloaded directly to the phone and work using your phone’s power, resources and abilities, just like a program on a computer. One common downside to this is that traditional native apps are very expensive to build. App coders can cost a company up to $150 per hour per programmer. Being very optimistic, it can take about a month to get a solid app out and running on the market, which is a lot of money and time.
A web app operates through your phone like a native app, except the program software is not downloaded and stored on your phone. Instead, it is located on the Internet and operates through your phone’s browser. With SalesMob, you can create a fully functional app in less than an hour.
What do I need to sign up for an account?
To sign up with SalesMob.net, you will need to create an account. To create an account, click on the “Join the Mob: Create an Account” banner at the top of the page and fill out the form you are directed to. Fill out the appropriate fields correctly, then click submit. We will send you a confirmation e-mail. You will automatically be directed to the My Apps section of our site, where you can begin building your first app.
How much does this service cost?
SalesMob is a mobile site creator. Membership requires a monthly fee of $29.99 per site. Once membership is acquired, your site may be changed or edited at any time. The first charge to your credit card in the amount of $29.99 will occur immediately after you submit your membership form. The second charge to your credit card will occur on the following month, the same date the account was set up on. It will be charged monthly on the same date thereafter.
For example, if you set up an account on the 21st of December, you will be charged $29.99 on the 21st of December, again on the 21st of January and again on the 21st of every month you continue to have an account with SalesMob.net thereafter. Please note that the exception to this is February, where your charge will be processed on the 28th or 29th if you originally signed up on or after that day of the month.
What if I need to cancel? Is there a cancellation fee?
If you need to cancel your monthly subscription with SalesMob.net, call us at (509) 735-3550 and let us know you would like to deactivate your website. We will be sure to remove your mobile version right away, and we will no longer charge the monthly fee to keep your website active.
Can I share this app with others? How do I share links?
Yes you can, and it is completely free*. There are two ways to access your new SalesMob app. Customers can visit www.salesmob.net, where they can find your app within our marketplace. From our marketplace, each app has the option for a person to put in their phone number and carrier (Verizon, Sprint, etc.) and a text message will be sent with a link to your mobile app.
When you register with SalesMob, the link to your website will be sent to you in an e-mail. You can now share that link with anyone by using tools such as a text message, e-mail, placing a link to your marketplace install page on your website, or using our auto-redirect.
*Carrier charges for text messages and data transfer may apply.
What is the auto-redirect?
There is an auto-redirect code that is included in an email when you first register with SalesMob.net. You are given the option to include the code into your current website. When entering the auto-redirect code into the HTML head of your current website, this will be used as directions for your mobile phone to take action on. This does two things.
Say for example that www.yourwebsite.com has our redirect script placed in its code. If you visit the site on a computer, our redirect recognizes this and opens your website normally. When you access www.yourwebsite.com from a smartphone, our redirect recognizes this and takes you to yourmobileapp.salesmob.net. With this redirect in place, people only need to remember your website address and they will still have access to your mobile app without needing to take extra steps to find it.
We are here to help, so if you need help applying the redirect contact SalesMob Support and we will be sure and have your website set up and on ready to go.
Do I need to make updates on my app?
This all depends on how you want to work with your app. One example could be a restaurant or café where your base menu may never change. However, say you have a weekly special. You could create a button “Weekly Special” and, every Monday, log in and change what your special is. You can even take it a step further. If you create a Facebook or Twitter button with the title of “Weekly Special,” you don't even need to log in to SalesMob.net. If you post a tweet or change your Facebook status, SalesMob will post your updates directly to your mobile app.
How do the SalesMob Facebook and Twitter buttons work?
The Twitter and Facebook buttons are great tools that can be used in your SalesMob app. They work by taking your tweets or status updates and posting them in your mobile app. Your app is only able to take the status updates and tweets that the user sends. When someone writes on your wall or sends a tweet directly to you or your business, SalesMob will not show these in our Facebook or Twitter buttons.
There is one restriction that a user must take into consideration when making a Facebook button: We cannot use personal profiles to show data, even if the privacy settings are set to allow everyone to view everything. It must be a business, or a “Like,” Page. For more information about Facebook Pages, go to http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=14259 to get started.
How do I create a page?
Select the app you want to edit from My Apps. You can add pages to your app in the “Pages” tab, below “App Settings” and above “Widgets.” Click on “Add new Page.” A dialog box will open with four options: Standard Text, Photo Gallery, Facebook Feed and Twitter Feed.
Standard Text
Add desired text, images, links and content with in a page using our WYSIWYG editor.
Photo Gallery
Share photos with your users. Upload pictures to your account and display them in the gallery.
Facebook Feed
Add your Facebook status updates by entering your URL in the dialog box. The Facebook Feed pulls status updates from your Facebook page automatically; one update to Facebook takes care of both your status and the app’s feed at the same time.
Twitter Feed
Add your Twitter page by copy and pasting your URL in the dialog box. The Twitter Feed pulls tweets from your Twitter stream automatically; one update to Twitter takes care of both your stream and the app’s feed at the same time.
You can drag and drop the buttons in the order you would like them to be. You can also put buttons within buttons! Hold the desired page underneath the page you want to put it in and wait for the page to indent. Click your button and see your added button on top of the page.
What is a widget? How do I use them?
A widget is a single-use application that you can embed in your mobile app. You can add up to four widgets by dragging the selected widget, one at a time, into the boxes in the bottom of the half of the dialog box. The widgets will be displayed in the footer section of your app. To edit the content or fill in information for the widget simply click them.
Calendar
Link to your public Google Calendar and share upcoming events and specials with customers. Give the calendar button a name (optional) and enter your Google Account username and password into the fields provided in the dialog box.
Coupon
Treat your customers to specials that change as often as you like! Give the coupon button a name (optional) and enter the coupon text and any disclaimers (like qualifying amounts, expiration dates or specific locations) in the fields provided in the dialog box.
Map
Guide your customers to your doors. Customers can choose between a visual map and a list of directions determined from their current location. Give the map button a name (optional) and enter a street address, a city, or a specific latitude/longitude coordinate in the fields provided in the dialog box.
Video
Add streaming video to your mobile app (accessible only through the widget). Give the video button a name (optional) and enter the URL of the video stream in the field provided in the dialog box.
RSS Feed
Add an RSS feed to your mobile app. The way you have your feed design to look online is how it will appear in the app. Give the RSS feed button a name (optional) and enter the URL of the RSS feed in the field provided in the dialog box.
YouTube
Link to a specific YouTube video from your mobile app — your latest commercial, a company greeting, or something you feel like sharing. Do not enter the full URL of the YouTube video in the field provided. The ID of the YouTube video is the alphanumeric code after “watch?v=” and before “&” — this is what you will enter into the field in the dialog box. You may also give the video button an optional name.
Flickr
If you have a Flickr photo account, you can link to it using this widget. Give the Flickr button a name (optional), and enter your User ID (not your Flickr alias) in the field provided in the dialog box.
Audio
Add streaming music to your mobile app (accessible only through the widget). Give the audio button a name (optional) and enter the URL of the audio stream in the field provided in the dialog box.
MLS Listings
Real estate agencies and agents can list properties with SalesMob 2.0's MLS widget. Showcase individual properties from commercial to residential with photos, prices, detailed information, addresses and realtor contact information. After a brief phone call to verify a few details, SalesMob support will unlock the MLS option to the inquiring customer.
Can I customize the appearance of my app?
To an extent, yes, you can. In addition to you being in control of the look of your page content, we also offer a wide variety of colored themes that you can pick from to get a more customized look and feel for your app’s skin. You can find the available themes under the “Themes” tab in the app builder. To apply the theme you want, click on the preview icon and click on “Apply’ in the dialog box.
What are the Marketplace Settings?
Show my app in the mobile store?
This allows you to make the app live in the market place whenever you are finished with your app. Select “Show” to show the app, or “Hide” to make your app temporarily unavailable in the Marketplace while you make changes.
Choose a category
Choose a category that best describes your business in which to list your app on the Salesmob Marketplace. You can select one of 22 different categories.
Enter a description that will appear in the Salesmob Marketplace
Here you can give a brief description about your business: Who you are, what you do, specials in the app and what you’re about. Use this to hook people to download your app! This will also change the content in the “About” section of your app, found in the top-right corner of the screen.
Which phones can access mobile apps from SalesMob.net?
SalesMob apps are built to work for any webkit phone browser. The primary markets for these browsers are the Android and Apple iPhone. With the release of Blackberry’s OS 6, they too now have the ability to run a webkit browser. At this time there are only a few Blackberry phones that run OS 6. They work well, but are still unable to take advantage of some of the abilities that iPhone and Android 2.1+ users can.
How do I install an app?
Before you can install an app, you need to have one of the two prominent lines of smartphones that currently support HTML5: The Android and the Apple iPhone.
First, visit the app’s URL from your phone’s browser. This can be done by typing the URL directly into your browser address window or by using the install function at the SalesMob marketplace. Using the latter function will send a link to your phone in a text message, from which you can download and install the app.
Directions for iPhone users:
After you go to the site, a page will load prompting the user to save it the phone. Depending on which iOS your iPhone is using, you will see a plus icon or an icon that looks like a box with an arrow coming out of it at the bottom of your screen.
Press that and a menu will pop up. Press the “Add to Home Screen” button.
Hit the “Add” button in the top right corner to save the app to your phone.
The app will save to your home screen and is ready to be viewed.
Directions for Android users:
Android phones, unlike the iPhone, have many different makers and providers. After you come to the mobile app, add the page to your bookmarks.
Find the page you are bookmarking and press it again to reload the page (this is an Android issue where you need to reload the page so that your phone can get the information it needs in order to find the icon for the home screen).
After it reloads, go to your bookmarks and find the bookmark for the mobile app that you saved. Press and hold that bookmark and a new menu will appear. In that menu, click the button that says, “Add shortcut to Home.” A new icon will be set on your phone for your new mobile app.
Why do the apps I download take me to the SalesMob Marketplace?
If you’re trying to view apps on your phone and any SalesMob app takes you to our Marketplace, there are a few possibilities that may have occurred.
- The app you are trying to view is no longer using SalesMob services and has been deactivated.
- The URL link that was typed in or sent to you may have been misspelled or incorrect.
- Some phones have the option to disable and enable mobile view in the browser settings. If mobile view is disabled, it cannot view mobile websites or SalesMob apps, and you will be redirected to the Marketplace.
How do I log in?
Go to www.salesmob.net and click on the login button, located near the top of the page. You will then be directed to the login page, which will ask you for your username and password. Please note that your username is the e-mail address you used when you signed up with SalesMob.
What if I forgot my password?
If you happen to forget your password, there is a link on the login page by the login button that shows a “Forgot your Password?” link.
This link will take you a page that asks you for your username. If you enter your username, an e-mail will be sent to you with a temporary password.
After you log in, you will be able to change your password on the edit account options page. A link to the edit account options page is available after you have logged in and can be found at the bottom of the page. If you are still having trouble logging in, you can call our SalesMob Support team at (509) 735-3550 or e-mail us at support@salesmob.net and we can help you reset your password.
Where can I view my stats?
You can view your stats at www.salesmob.net/smstats/. When your account is activated, you will be emailed your login information. From the stats page you have access, a wide range of information and features for you to track your mobile app.
What browsers are supported with this service?
The SalesMob Marketplace can be viewed in any browser. Logging in and creating or editing your mobile app requires you to use Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari or install the Google Chrome Frame plugin for Internet Explorer. Google Chrome works nearly the same as a smartphone’s browser, so viewing and applying changes to your mobile app is similar to how they will appear on your phone.
Who can I contact if I have a question that isn’t already answered above?
If you’re still having problems you can contact SalesMob Support at (509) 735-3550 or support@salesmob.net. To help you with your SalesMob mobile app, our support team gives training sessions on how to use the SalesMob app creator. These are held Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm. If you would like to attend a training session please contact SalesMob Support so that we know you will be attending so that we may prepare for the demonstration. We are also available for training and support at your location; just contact SalesMob Support and we can arrange for one of our technicians to come when it is more convenient for you.
