Mobile marketing is expanding over leaps and bounds with smartphone capabilities continually improving. There are more ways than ever to bring your business to consumers over their mobile devices. With 5.3 billion mobile users in the world, according to Smart Insights Statistics, this could be a huge potential customer pool.
While online marketing is still a valuable tool, consider the ways you can use these new and ever evolving mobile marketing tactics.
Changing Customer Expectations
Mobile devices have made it easier than ever for customers to access information and entertainment at all times. The mobile boom has begun to change the way that certain industries do business in order to better cater to the customer-on-the-go.
- Because of easy-to-use scan codes and SMS messaging, customers expect to have access to content about your business no matter where they are. Companies with a larger mobile presence will be more able to tap into the market.
- People love sharing their mobile experience with one another. Mobile marketing techniques make it easier than ever for your customer to share your content with all of their connections.
- With the newest 4G LTE wireless networks, customers expect their mobile access to be almost instantaneous. The days for patience are over. Using mobile marketing technology that loads quickly and works efficiently is essential for pleasing mobile viewers.
While the mobile marketing industry is still new, there are a number of options for your business. Consider these top 4 to get started.
Option 1: QR Codes
QR codes seem to be in every store window these days. While the technology was slow to gain speed, it is making another appearance on the marketing scene. When scanned, you can direct the consumer to a product website, your social sites or a video. They can also direct customers to an MP3 file, initiate a phone call or email, or receive a multimedia file via SMS.
- The surface does not need to be glass or even perfectly flat, you can place your QR code on anything from websites and magazines to t-shirts.
- The customer must download a third-party mobile app to be able to scan the code, but it is easy to find and knowledge of it is relatively wide spread.
Option 2: SMS Marketing
Text messaging is set to be one of the biggest marketing efforts of 2013. Why follow through with a phone call when SMS messages are faster and easier. In fact, it takes 90 minutes for the average person to respond to an email, but only 90 seconds to respond to a text message (Unisys).
Utilizing SMS in your marketing efforts can help you reach out to customers no matter where they are during their day. Make sure your messages are short but sweet, and consider including a shortened link to your mobile site, product page, etc.
Option 3: Mobile Apps
Free mobile app downloads are projected to reach 73.3 billion in 2013, according to Gartner. Thus, launching a mobile app for your company can help market your brand in the mobile world, while making your service even easier for your customers.
It’s important that you identify how exactly your app is going to be useful to your customer, as well as how it will result in an increase in business or revenue. Once you have a clear goal for your app they are relatively inexpensive to build and promote.
Option 4: Location- Based Services
Location-based Services (LBS) are offered by cellphone networks and companies as a way to send advertising to customers based on their location. Using the customer?s GPS location, they can receive alerts based on their proximity to your business.
LBS are a class of computer-level services that include time and location data; this is a great way to attract new customers to your business. According to [B]Cause media, a Microsoft study across several companies found that 94% of location-based services users said they found them valuable.
- Coupons can be received by customers though LBS
- Location-based games can be suddenly made available
- Personalized weather services can also be made available
- Customers can ?check-in? to certain locations to receive benefits
Mobile is a great arena for marketing, but you have to know how your business can make the most of the various options. Using QR codes, SMS, mobile apps, and LBS can serve as an easy way to get your company name and service out to new and current customers in a method that is preferred by them.
Kate Webster writes for lead generation resource, ResourceNation.com. She focuses on a variety of topics including email marketing. Follow Resource Nation on Facebook and Twitter, too!
One Comment
Mobile marketing is really flourishing and its gonna become on of the key marketing solution in near future.