Mobile Marketing involves reaching customers and prospects when they’re using the internet away from the traditional home/office desktop environment. The increased usage of smartphones, tablets and similar mobile devices has made mobile marketing a must for many online businesses.

There are two types of mobile marketing:

2-way Interactive
The consumer texts the keyword to 57780 to opt into your campaign, i.e. text contests, promotions, coupons etc. In return, the consumer receives a text message with information specific to your campaign. At the same time, the consumer’s cell phone number is saved in your database, expanding your database for future marketing use.
Example:
Your restaurant/bar could run the following campaign:
To receive game day specials, watch party alerts, and interactive trivia contests this football season at Your Restaurant/Bar, text ‘promo2′ to 57780.’

1 way Broadcast
ow that consumers have opted into your database, you can become proactive in your marketing. Send out text broadcasts to keep your consumers informed on upcoming events, specials, and promotions to drive traffic into your business.

Example:
It is a slow Tuesday night at your restaurant/bar so the you send out a text broadcast to your database stating: ‘Come in tonight ONLY after 7pm & get a FREE APP. Just show this text!’

Text Facts and Benefits

Text Facts

95% of texts are read within 14 minutes
– Compared to 20% of emails viewed in 6.4 hrs
½ of local web searches are performed from a mobile device
Texts are preferred over phone calls – 3:2
70% of mobile searches lead to action within one hour, as opposed to online searches, 70% of which lead to action within 1 month
Mobile ads perform 2 to 3 times better than online ads in key metrics such as brand favorability, awareness, and purchase intent.
Mobile searches are set to overtake traditional searches in less than 18 months
79% of Smartphone users use their phone to help with shopping, with 74% ultimately making a purchase as a result.
Total text messages sent continues to increase:
– 2.9 billion in 2009; 6.1 trillion in 2010; 7 trillion in 2011; estimated 10 trillion in 2013
–That 6.1 trillion in 2010 was 193,430 texts per second!
4 out of 5 people under 30 text daily
86% of Americans possess their cell phone 16 hours/day
High coupon redemption rate: 15-20% as high as 30%
Mobile marketing expenditure in 2008 was $1.2 billion and is estimated at $3.3 billion in 2011 and expected to reach $20.6 billion by 2015

Text Benefits

High sponsor value
Real time, accurate data collection
Geographical and demographical user info
High value impressions
Real time reporting
Business is now 24/7, leading to increased sales and service revenues
Database for effective follow-ups and future marketing
Interaction with consumers using today’s preferred method of communication, TEXTING
Automated data input meaning no time is wasted with manual input. Time is Money!
It’s Green!

How is mobile marketing different than email and Twitter?

Mobile marketing is a highly interactive medium that allows marketers to send special offers, coupons, event alerts, and other personalized information to targeted customers. Mobile marketing, email and Twitter, although similar, have some differences in format, delivery, execution and service. The first major difference between electronic mail (email), short message service /text messaging (SMS) or Twitter is the various message lengths that can be sent. Email can be of any length the sender chooses, while text messages have a 160 character limit, and Twitter is roughly 140 characters (with new limits recently expanded). The second big difference is the resources used for delivery of the message. Email and Twitter are delivered through an internet provider, while texting is delivered through a wireless provider or carrier. Likewise, an email is sent to an email address, while a text message is sent to a phone number. Nonetheless, Twitter can be programed to send direct messages (DM) to your cell phone as a text message, and email can be mobilized to send complete messages to mobile phones.

Other variances include that email predated Twitter, and they differ in the communication process. Moreover, Twitter is a service offered by one company while email is an integrated set of technologies that facilitate the transfer and retrieval of messages. Also note that, Twitter users belong to the same group, similar to an email alias, and most twitter messages are broadcast to a group of subscribers (followers) one message at time.

Emails are structured similarly to traditional Direct Marketing (DM) letters or memos; in that, they are directed at selected individual(s) verses a group of followers. Regardless of similarities and differences in the mobile marketing platforms, verses those with Twitter and email, one major advantage of mobile marketing is that the content can be delivered using multiple platforms. This means the subscriber can utilize the internet for web browsing, access audio/video streaming-live audio/video and download various applications, utilize short message service -text messaging (SMS) and multimedia messaging (MMS), and interactive voice. These different formats allow the marketer to package the communication message with preference on how the target audience prefers to receive and interact with the message.

What makes mobile marketing delivery methods unique?

Traditional advertising reaches a target audience through a single medium such as print, video or audio. For example, newspapers, magazines, billboards, and direct mail all use one print medium. On-the-other-hand, mobile marketing reaches individuals through multiple mediums as follows.

• Mobile Web Browsing – mobile internet, allows users to access information and purchase mobile content from a mobile device. Microsites (a separate page from a Web site) allow organizations to run a specific marketing campaign for a few months. For example, a museum can run a promotion about a special exhibit.
• Audio/Video Streaming (VOD) or Live Audio/Video and Download, connect with users through audio and video ads which are eye catching and effective in attracting viewers. For instance, product launch webcasts, training programs and live televised sports events.
• Short message service (SMS) or text messaging, allows for short text messages to be sent. Despite the 160-character limit, it is a rich-interactive medium which is the basis of mobile marketing. For example, coupons, trivia programs, charitable donations, voting services, are but of few interactive methods utilized by businesses. It also can be used as a billing medium for content consumption (games, applications, ringtones, and images).
• Multimedia Messaging (MMS) allows users to receive text and images on their cell phones. Multimedia objects such as scannable coupons, images, audio, video or rich text allows organizations to send attention grabbing visuals to individuals.

Although each approach to mobile marketing has its advantage, the earliest form (i.e. SMS – text messaging) continues to be effective because hand held cell-phones are easily accessible and readily available. The New York Times stated “text message may be the closest thing in the information-overloaded digital marketing world to a guaranteed read” (para. 1). Jed Alpert in The Mobile Marketing Revolution states, more than “5 billion text messages are sent each day” to both individuals and organizations (p. xi). Over 35% of all cell phone users are texting.

Mobile marketing is a very effective method of communicating with a target audience; however, sending and receiving message is only part of the equation. Truly effective communication ensures the message is also read and understood. Thus, dynamic two-way communication can be initiated from the consumer or from the organization through mobile technologies. For example, a mobile consumer may visit a website, download an application, and make a phone call simultaneously using mobile technology. Additionally, an organization may send a message about a sale or new product offering, dinner tips or a special event, creating a “call to action” to encourage a consumer response even while they are talking on their mobile devise. Mobile marketing statistics are staggering; specifically, “1 in 3 mobile searchers are local” [and] “61% of users called the business” [and] “5% visited” (mobithinking.com, 2012, p.1). Response rates for this type of rival direct marketing at 4.4% (Direct Marketing News, 2013, p. 1). Mobile marketing is clearly winning consumers over with its easy accessibility with unlimited access to anything imaginable. Customers and marketer’s find mobile marketing most useful when the right offer is presented at the right time.

Why is there value in mobile marketing with customers?

Mobile marketing is most successful when organizations identify their target audience and focus first on their wants and needs. Perhaps you provide products such as antacids and your customers are looking for immediate solutions on how to eliminate stomach discomfort while eating at a restaurant. What the best nutritional supplement may be in preventing such stomach ailments, or tips on how to prevent acid reflex. Mobile marketing successfully strives to deliver the “right message at the right time to the right person via the right channel” (Yaniv, Guy, International Journal of Mobile Marketing, p.2). For example, St. Jude’s marketers targeted their supporters at a conference during the downtime between presentations. The marketers created questions that were presented on the large screens through the conference. Attendees could send text messages answering a number of questions and win prizes. St. Jude’s provided an option for attendees to sign up for future communication, of which, many did. Other valuable mobile marketing use models might include scenarios such as finding the latest networking events, places for the elderly to socialize, coupons for the latest new styles, current restaurant specials or any number of other interests, all without the requirement of a computer based platform.

Organizations such as Nike, Cole Haan, Macy’s, Living Omni Media, St. Jude, Walmart, Starbucks, Baltimore Aquarium, Obama and Romney campaigns, and the California Department of Health, among others, have all increased awareness and profits through mobile marketing campaigns. Mobile marketing is more than advertising; it engages an audience through multiple layers and methods of delivering effective messages. Consumers engage with organizations through interacting with targeted messages that are of interest to them. Messages that they deem valuable, stimulating, and informative, encourages them to interact. It might be a deal to a local restaurant, a discount to an event, an app to track health goals, the ability to vote on something important, or donate to a great cause; the list is endless. The key is to combine an effective message that sparks the interest of your target audience and compels them to respond while leveraging the various delivery resources available through mobile marketing.

Mobile advertising allows organizations to dynamically connect with their customers and interact with them 24/7/365. The evolution of mobile technology appears to be the new standard method of advertising within the US, and consumers have readily adapted to it. Mobile marketing takes the lead in producing more results than other marketing channels with no signs of slowing down. Marketers fully understand the value of mobile marketing because it greatly improves brand awareness and the revenue stream. Creative marketers strive to increasingly entice consumers by providing more timely and dynamic access and insight about products, services, attractions, and news through mobile technology.