With more than 5 billion people around the world using mobile phones — more than PCs and TVs combined — companies can’t ignore this important channel and should take advantage of the many mobile marketing opportunities available. ?
Businesses should use best practices for mobile marketing and research the results that others in their sector are achieving. They also should not be afraid to try do-it-yourself campaigns or services. Start simple with basic mobile services that add value to your customers, such as an appointment reminder or transaction confirmation. Service is one of the key differentiators in business, and mobile marketing, and messaging engagement techniques as described above, are helping businesses stand out from the competition. ?
Whether through bank transaction alerts, travel notifications or hospitality updates and discounts, providing your customers instant, relevant, timely and personalized information helps build closer and more immediate customer connections, higher transactional volumes, improved safety and security, and greater global reach and sustainability.?
Once you are engaged through simple value-added mobile marketing, your customers are empowered to show you the next step in your mobile strategy. Ask your customers for feedback on the types of information and services they believe will be most helpful to them in their busy, “always on” lives. Some customers may want daily updates on promotions, offers or useful tips. Others may not want to receive any of these, but want updates should there be an order cancellation, flight or status change.?
To determine the right mix of audience, frequency, content and timing, businesses should be willing to try different programs and campaigns. Mobile marketing campaigns can successfully be used to sustain existing customer relationships or to create new ones. If you need to fill 23 seats on tomorrow’s flight to Denver, you need an urgent, responsive medium to communicate with potential customers. Last minute promotions to a preferred customer base build brand loyalty and value, improve use, and impact the bottom line in a positive way. That said, you should not send every promotion to every potential customer. This is where profiling and response rate measurement becomes important. ?
Our mobile phones are most likely the first technology we engage in the morning and the last thing we place to the side when we go to bed. This is a powerful medium, not to be abused. Stay away from spam, non-relevant campaigns and noise. Your customer will reward you for personalized, well timed, relevant information and promotions.
