PHILSME Event Advances The Need for SMEs to Adapt to Technology

ribbon-cutting-philsme-2014 — Philippine Senator Loren Legarda cuts the ribbon to open the PhilSME 2014 event at SMX.

by Julianne Mercer | The second edition of the Philippine Small & Medium Enterprise Business Expo 2014 (PhilSME) that was held from November 21-23, 2014 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, Pasay City, drew over 250 exhibiting companies and more than 20,000 visitors. The 3-day exhibition included an array of technological solutions and featured workshops, knowledgeable seminars and networking opportunities in the same realm.

Two of the most talked-about topics were that on Google Adwords and that of techpreneur and digital marketing guru Homer Nievera of Negosentro.com.

[L-R] Charles Licup (CEO, WebGuru), Homer Nievera (Founder, Negosentro.com) and David Abrenilla (Founder, Mediacom Solutions) — [L-R] Google Adwords expert, Homer Nievera (Founder, Negosentro.com) and David Abrenilla (Founder, Mediacom Solutions)

Both digitally-savvy entrepreneurs saw the need for SMEs to adapt to technology especially in the light of the ASEAN Integration that opens the economy to stiffer competition. Nievera stressed the advantage of the Filipinos’ higher skills in technology education and creativity while Licup pushed for the use of pay-per-click advertising solutions as a cost-efficient marketing tool for small business owners.

Nievera particularly highlighted the 8 digital technologies that will change the way Filipinos do business in the next 5 years from 2015, as follows:

Computing everywhere
Internet of Things
3D Printing
Everything on the Cloud
Advanced Invisible Analytics
Smart Machines
Content Marketing
Mobile Social Commerce

With the tagline “Boost Your Business”, the PhilSME Expo and forums shall keep SMEs up to date with the latest innovations, current trends in the industry to nurture growth opportunities in the Philippines and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) for 2015 and beyond. PhilSME also featured a Business Matchmaking Service that allowed exhibitors a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with senior-level managers, company owners, stakeholders, decision makers, buyers, sellers, distributors and franchisees, says MediaCom Solutions, Inc. CEO and PhilSME founder & managing director, David Abrenilla.

True to form, PHILSME delivered the highlight of this year’s event an industry gathering that provided attendees a unique opportunity to learn from influential experts of various business sectors the most current trends, topics and researches in business.