Sunday, December 20, 2009

Maximizing Impact with mobile marketing

Since so much new media includes mobile marketing, I thought it would be good to post an essay by Bob Compton, (bcompton@vontoo.com) who is is Founder and CEO and of leading permission-based voice marketing provider, Vontoo, based in Indianapolis, IN.

Hope you enjoy this insight into the heart of mobile marketing...Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.

With the introduction of new technologies, the face of marketing inevitably changes, as consumers adopt and come to prefer communicating through various new channels. While marketers once relied heavily on radio, television and print advertising, many now find online, SMS text messaging and social media efforts more effective in this digital age.

Mobile marketing can be particularly effective in today’s society as a result of people’s dependence on their cell phones. Cell phones are, certainly, used to make simple phone calls, but they are also now tools for sending text messages, emailing, gaming, checking sports scores, updating social media pages, managing schedules, setting alerts, looking up driving directions and more.

Although mobile marketing can be extremely effective, it is important that marketers realize the responsibility they have to communicate ethically and responsibly with consumers. Regardless of how much is invested in mobile marketing, it’s still important to focus on strategy execution for an effective campaign.

Here are five tips for maximizing the impact of your mobile marketing efforts for optimal results.

1. Communicate via methods customers prefer
Prior to initiating a mobile marketing campaign, thoroughly research your specific target audience. It’s very important to determine what types of people comprise this audience and what their preferences are with regard to receiving information – via text message, email, voice or another medium. Integrating opt-in pages on your web sites can help assist with list-building, ensuring that customers contacted have provided the necessary permission. Finally, be sure to consider the length of a message. For example, the average listening duration for a voice message is 30 seconds. Thus, messages longer than this likely won’t be heard by consumers.

2. Supply desired information
As part of your consumer research, develop an understanding of the information consumers seek. You want to provide desired information – not just details you deem important or that appear likely to benefit you most. For example, say a professional sports team is targeting its past single-game ticket holders to promote ticket sales for next season. While the team might want these consumers to purchase multi-game ticket packets in advance, the fans might actually be looking for information on how to purchase tickets for a single game, at their convenience. By providing the information fans are seeking, the team increases the likelihood of ticket sales and makes customers happy.

3. Avoid intrusive messaging
Be sensitive to the fact that consumers are constantly bombarded by marketing and advertising communications. Messaging should be extremely tailored to the target audience’s interests and needs. If consumers feel taken advantage of or intruded upon, you will risk alienating them from your brand. In addition, make sure that the timing of messaging is appropriate: send messages when consumers are most likely to successfully receive them.

4. Improve relationships with customers
Take advantage of the opportunity to serve customers well and create lasting relationships with them. Use mobile marketing to follow up with customers after purchases, offer any service assistance desired or alert them of upcoming deals. Let customers know they are valued and that you appreciate their business. By building more personal and intimate relationships with customers, you can help secure their business for an on-going basis into the future.



5. Build customer loyalty
Make repeat customers feel special by offering exclusive deals, special service and extra information. By simply creating a “VIP customer” list or offering items at a better value for these loyal customers, you’ll make them feel like they “belong” and truly secure their loyalty and business for the long-haul. For example, a musician might send special “thank you” messages to fans who attended a recent concert. In this messaging, he might also offer special back-stage passes or ticket discounts to these fans at the next concert they attend. Cultivating relationships with these loyal, repeat customers can lead to gaining future business with these individuals as well as those who are referred by them.

Mobile marketing can be a very effective tool if used properly. Research and consumer analysis are very important to planning effective campaigns. However, when it comes to implementing campaigns and building relationships with customers, it is important to properly tailor messaging and include personal elements of your business. Only when you allow yourself to get personal with customers will you see the loyal (and lucrative) business that mobile marketing can make possible.

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