Go Mobile

1. Mobile Marketing is a Revolutionary Shift

More, it’s a once-in-a-generation shift in the way consumers connect with brands.

Mobile's transformative power. Mobile marketing isn't just an evolution; it's a revolution, reshaping how consumers interact with brands. Its impact surpasses radio, TV, and the PC combined, offering unprecedented reach and engagement. This shift demands a fundamental rethinking of marketing strategies to capitalize on the always-on, always-present nature of mobile devices.

Mobile's pervasive reach. The ubiquity of mobile phones is staggering, with more people owning a mobile phone than a toothbrush. This widespread adoption makes mobile a critical channel for businesses to connect with their target audience. The numbers speak for themselves, highlighting the immense potential of mobile marketing.

Mobile's multifaceted capabilities. Mobile devices provide all the functionalities of radio, TV, and PCs in a pocket-sized format. This convergence of capabilities makes mobile a powerful tool for marketers, enabling them to deliver a wide range of content and experiences to consumers on the go. The key is to understand and leverage these capabilities effectively.

2. Mobile Marketing is Easier and More Affordable Than You Think

Setting up, launching, and running a mobile marketing campaign is easier than you may think.

Ease of implementation. Mobile marketing is more accessible than many businesses realize. With readily available tools and resources, launching a campaign doesn't require extensive technical expertise or a large budget. This ease of entry makes mobile marketing a viable option for businesses of all sizes.

Cost-effectiveness. Compared to traditional marketing methods, mobile marketing often offers a lower cost per impression and a higher return on investment. This affordability makes mobile an attractive option for businesses looking to maximize their marketing spend. The ROI of most mobile campaigns is higher than other marketing channels.

High conversion rates. Mobile marketing campaigns often boast higher conversion rates than traditional campaigns. This is due to the immediacy and personalization of mobile, which allows businesses to connect with consumers at the right time and place. 1 in 10 people currently redeem mobile coupons, which is 10 times higher than the redemption rate of some traditional coupons channels.

3. Study Fortune 500 Mobile Strategies and Adapt Them

Take a look at what the Fortune 500 are doing and borrow liberally from their bag of tricks.

Learning from the best. Examining how large corporations utilize mobile marketing provides valuable insights and inspiration. By analyzing their strategies, businesses can identify effective tactics and adapt them to their own unique needs and goals. There's no law that says you can’t repurpose their ideas to fit your own company.

Common tactics. Fortune 500 companies often employ mobile-optimized websites, 2D codes, mobile paid search, and display ads. They also leverage location-based marketing tools like Foursquare and Gowalla. These tactics offer a range of options for engaging consumers and driving business results.

Adaptation is key. While Fortune 500 strategies can be informative, it's crucial to adapt them to your specific business context. Consider your target audience, budget, and marketing objectives when implementing mobile marketing tactics. The key is to take the best ideas and make them your own.

4. Understand How Consumers Engage with Mobile

With a world of information at their fingertips, consumers today are able to engage brands in a variety of new and creative ways, all on their own terms and at their own convenience.

Consumer-centric approach. Successful mobile marketing requires understanding how consumers use their mobile devices. This involves recognizing their needs, preferences, and behaviors in the mobile environment. By putting the consumer first, businesses can create more engaging and effective campaigns.

Mobile usage patterns. Consumers use mobile devices for a variety of purposes, including shopping, watching videos, checking sports scores, playing games, and staying in touch with friends and family. Understanding these usage patterns is crucial for tailoring mobile marketing efforts to resonate with consumers.

Key elements for engagement. Strong content, interactive experiences, and user incentives are essential for building and maintaining mobile customer relationships. By providing value and encouraging interaction, businesses can foster loyalty and drive repeat engagement. Time-sensitive discounts, ongoing promotions, contests exclusive to mobile users, and mobile-only content are all ideal means of strengthening the relationship with the company or brand.

5. Mobile Marketing Requires a Different Approach

Mobile marketing programs or campaigns require a change in approach, based on the platform and the user.

Mobile is not PC. Treating mobile users the same as PC users is a common mistake. Mobile marketing requires a different approach, tailored to the unique characteristics of the mobile platform and the mobile user. This includes considering factors like screen size, bandwidth, and user intent.

Key characteristics of mobile marketing:

• Fast: Information needs to be consumed quickly.
• Succinct: Content should be easy to recognize and comprehend.
• Creative: Graphics and images should be easily interpreted.
• Location-aware: Acknowledge the mobile user's location and needs.

Holistic integration. Mobile marketing should be integrated with other marketing channels to create a seamless customer experience. This involves coordinating online and offline efforts, as well as leveraging various mobile tactics like 2D codes and SMS messaging. By integrating online and offline methods, mobile and traditional websites, mobile pages, 2D codes, and SMS messaging, you will build a marketing campaign that not only will encourage your loyal customers or users to follow your brand across multiple platforms but will act as a magnet for prospects (not yet customers)!

6. Lay a Foundation with Marketing Fundamentals

When you understand a little bit about consumer behavior, you’ll be better able to convince people to buy your product instead of your competitor’s product.

Understanding consumer behavior. A solid understanding of marketing fundamentals is essential for success in mobile marketing. This includes understanding why people buy, how they make decisions, and what influences their behavior. By applying these principles to mobile, businesses can create more effective campaigns.

The Four Ps and Five Cs. The Four Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) and Five Cs (Company, Collaborators, Customers, Competitors, Climate) provide a framework for analyzing the key elements of a marketing program. By considering these factors, businesses can develop a comprehensive and strategic approach to mobile marketing.

Brand differentiation. Identifying and leveraging your brand's unique differentiators is crucial for standing out in the crowded mobile landscape. This involves understanding what makes your product or service different and communicating that value to consumers. When you identify what it is that makes people choose your brand over another brand, you can increase sales consistently, whether you’re in the business-to-consumer (B2C) world or the business-to-business (B2B) world.

7. Mobile Websites are Essential for Success

In most cases, the brand simply needs to adapt its current web content for use with mobile browsers, and usually that means decluttering a page for simplified and smaller screens.

Mobile-first approach. A user-friendly mobile website is the foundation of any successful mobile marketing strategy. This involves adapting existing web content for mobile browsers, with a focus on simplicity and ease of navigation. A mobile-optimized website is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity.

Key considerations for mobile websites:

• Smaller pages: Keep information on screen and easily accessible.
• Simpler layouts: Decrease load times and minimize user frustration.
• Mobile browser compatibility: Ensure compatibility across multiple platforms.
• Concise information: Provide quick, clear, and concise content.

Mobile website options. Businesses can choose from automated systems, plug-and-play systems, or third-party agencies to create their mobile websites. The best option depends on their specific needs and resources. The key is to choose a solution that delivers a positive user experience.

8. SMS and MMS Offer Direct Customer Connections

The most far-reaching and ubiquitous of data applications, SMS has so far proved to be the most successful mobile media tool for businesses.

Ubiquitous communication. SMS offers a simple and cost-effective means of communication with customers. Its compatibility across virtually all mobile networks and devices makes it a powerful tool for reaching a wide audience. SMS communications are useful in a wide range of internal and external applications, including: Community dialogue, Content, Promotional campaigns, Time-sensitive information, Authenticate identification.

Multimedia engagement. MMS expands on SMS by allowing the inclusion of images, sound, and video. This enables businesses to create richer and more engaging mobile marketing campaigns. MMS is another way to send a message from one mobile phone to another. The main difference (of course, there had to be a difference!) between MMS and SMS is that MMS can include not just text, but also sound, images, and video.

Best practices. When using SMS and MMS, it's crucial to ask for permission, offer something of value, and use the medium for time-sensitive events. By following these best practices, businesses can build trust and avoid alienating their customers.

9. Mobile Display Ads Drive Brand Awareness and Action

By placing advertisements on relevant mobile websites and paying to be included in mobile search engines, businesses are much more likely to catch prospects during some part of their buying cycle, increasing the likelihood of conversion to customers.

Reaching customers on the go. Mobile display advertising allows businesses to reach potential customers while they're on the move. By placing ads on relevant mobile websites and apps, businesses can increase brand awareness and drive traffic to their mobile sites. By segmenting ads based on demographics, location, or even the user’s choice of mobile device, a clear sense of the market can be created, allowing the advertiser to home in at an unprecedented level of accuracy.

Measuring success. Mobile display advertising offers clear metrics for measuring campaign effectiveness. This allows businesses to track their return on investment and optimize their campaigns for better results. The relevance to the customer—Does the content and messaging reflect the user’s lifestyle, interests, and buying habits?—is determined in real time as a personal interaction.

Innovative techniques. Businesses can use mobile display ads to drive users to their location, connect them with their brand, run viral coupon promotions, and add their contact information to prospects' phones. These techniques offer a range of options for engaging consumers and driving business results.

10. Location-Based Marketing Connects with Customers in Real-Time

Location-based marketing programs are a terrific way to draw in a variety of potential customers, whether they’re local or happen to be visiting from out of town.

Reaching customers nearby. Location-based marketing allows businesses to connect with customers based on their proximity to a specific location. This can be achieved through location-based services (LBS), near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth marketing, and location-based advertising (LBA). Not only is this method particularly advantageous for customer acquisition, it can work to your advantage in building customer loyalty and repeat business.

Tools for location-based marketing:

• Location-based services (LBS): Apps like Foursquare and SCVNGR that allow users to check in at locations and receive rewards.
• Near field communications (NFC): Technology that enables data transfer between devices in close proximity.
• Bluetooth marketing: Technology that allows data transfer over short distances.
• Location-based advertising (LBA): Using GPS and geo-fencing to target prospects with mobile ads.

Best practices. When using location-based marketing, it's crucial to address consumer confusion, provide clear opt-in instructions, explain what to expect, and make it worth their while. By following these best practices, businesses can build trust and avoid alienating their customers.

11. Mobile Apps Enhance Customer Engagement and Loyalty

Mobile applications have a tremendous upside when it comes to marketing potential, a fact that businesses have quickly recognized.

Deepening customer relationships. Mobile apps offer a powerful way to deepen customer relationships and build brand loyalty. By providing valuable content and functionality, businesses can encourage repeat engagement and foster a sense of community. The key to a successful application is customer value. If your app is not compelling and useful to your customers or prospects, it will be quickly forgotten, or even ignored, among the much more interesting competition.

Variety of app types. Businesses can choose from a wide range of app types, including business utilities, financial tools, educational apps, news and information apps, weather apps, navigation and travel apps, shopping apps, fun and games apps, and social networking apps. The key is to choose an app type that aligns with your business goals and target audience.

Generating revenue with appvertising. While generating revenue from apps can be challenging, it's possible to monetize them through appvertising. This involves running ads within the app to generate revenue and offset development costs. The key is to strike a balance between generating revenue and providing a positive user experience.

Last updated: April 15, 2025