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3 Ways Mobile Marketing is Much More than Apps and Search

Posted on May 7, 2012 by in Mobile Marketing, QR Codes, Text Message Marketing

young people engaged in mobile marketing

When most marketers think about mobile marketing, they often think about “apps”.  While for some businesses apps may be great opportunities, there are certainly many organizations where an app might not be the best way to market with mobile.

Here are three BIG mobile marketing opportunities often overlooked by businesses and non-profits:

1. Traditional Media

With all the buzz about digital and online marketing it’s easy to forget about “old fashioned” traditional media.  It may be easy to forget about traditional media even if you’re currently spending some of your marketing budget there.

Traditional media includes TV, radio, print, direct mail, and outdoor.  While these channels aren’t getting much attention right now they are still getting plenty of eyeballs.  If you’re currently using one of these why not incorporate a mobile marketing call-to-action?  Chances are your target audience will have a phone within inches of them when they see or hear your latest ad.

  • Have your audience text-in for a coupon, giveaway, or future product update.
  • Have them scan a QR code to watch a video about your product or service, or testimonial from a recent customer.
  • Have them interact with the ad, give them more, and collect their data if possible.

If you’re already buying media the cost to add a mobile marketing element is insignificant.  Stop making them remember your website address and send them to your mobile website, now!

2.  Events

Does your business or non-profit hold, sponsor, or attend events?  Does anyone at those events have a phone? Ok, that was a stupid question; of course they have a phone!  Give them a reason to use that phone to engage with your organization.

  • Hand out fliers encouraging them to text-in for information on future events, to enter a contest, or to voice their opinion on the spot.
  • Put up signs at your next tradeshow that let them scan a QR code to learn more about your people, product, or history.
  • Stop using clipboards to capture data!  It’s time consuming, inaccurate, and a pain for your attendees.  Use text messaging to capture email address, zip code, and more.  Use QR codes to send them to your mobile website to donate or purchase on the spot.

Everyone at your events and tradeshows is standing around with a phone in their pocket or purse.  Give them a reason to get it out and do something!

3.  On-site

Just as your audience has phones with them at your events, they also have phones with them when they’re at your place of business.  If you have a store, entertainment property, or anything with foot traffic you have a great opportunity to take advantage of mobile marketing. And it will only cost you a few printed signs.

  • Put up signs where your customers congregate; eating areas, waiting areas, etc.
  • Have them text-in or scan a QR code to join a loyalty club, enter to win, or save on their next visit. Build a database of repeat customers.
  • Provide an exclusive behind-the-scenes mobile video about your business.  Give them something entertaining, be creative.
  • Answer their questions, or get their feedback, via text message or mobile website.

There’s no better time to interact with your audience than when they’re immersed in your brand experience.  Take advantage!

In Conclusion

Text message marketing and QR codes are the easiest drivers of interaction, but with all three opportunities above, your mobile website and any videos you have can play a big part.

Content is crucial to strengthening the relationship your audience has with your brand, and mobile is the key to getting them to that content.

Need some help integrating SMS, QR or other mobile marketing with your traditional marketing? Let me know.

 

This blog post was originally featured on Wood Street’s website design & development blog. Wood Street, based in Baltimore, helps their clients with not only web design & development but also search engine optimization, interactive media, web applications, content management systems, and mobile development as well. Learn more

Why Traditional Media Needs Text Messaging

Posted on November 23, 2011 by in Text Message Marketing

You’re listening to the radio while you’re getting ready for work when an ad comes on talking about an upcoming concert.

You’re sitting on your couch watching TV when a commercial tells you about a new product that sounds interesting.

You’re waiting for your dentist when you see an ad in a magazine for something that would make a great gift this holiday season.

You’re standing at a bus stop downtown when you see a billboard about a non-profit who is trying to make a difference close to your heart.

What’s happening here?  First, you’re being exposed to traditional media, channels that some say are “dying”.  Second, you’re most likely doing this with a phone in your pocket, purse, or very close-by.

Considering all the interest in digital media these days it’s easy to forget we’re all still consuming a lot of traditional media: TV, radio, print, and outdoor.  These channels still have the ability to capture a lot of attention and create significant interest.  However, traditional media suffers from two big problems.

1.  Traditional media makes it difficult for your audience to take action immediately

Sure you can always ask them to “call now” or “visit our website”, but realistically how likely are they to do that?  Looking at the scenarios above it’s easy to see how someone could forget, get distracted, or just not bother to follow up on their initial interest in the ad.  At the end of the media campaign you may be left with only “brand awareness” to show as your return on investment.

2.  Traditional media can be difficult to measure

Because it’s hard for your audience to take action (they can’t just click on something) it’s not easy for you to figure out which media is working and which isn’t.  You’ll be left with vague answers to questions like “How did you hear about us?”  Knowing exactly what type of media is creating an action would be very valuable for future campaigns and ad buys.

How can text message marketing solve these problems?

1.  Text messaging is an easy call-to-action

By giving your audience a reason to pick up their phone and send a simple text message you have allowed them to express their interest in your organization in the easiest way possible.  If their phone isn’t in their pocket when they see your ad, it’s most likely still the closest piece of Internet-connected technology in the room.  Have them enter to win something, get a coupon for their first visit, or request more detailed information through a text message.  When they send the message the software you use to run your campaign will record their phone number.  This allows you to continually grow a database of prospects with each media buy.  Of course, just like with email marketing always be sure to get permission before including subscribers in a mass messaging campaign.  Sure they could also use their phone to call or visit your website (if the phone is web capable), but neither of those is as fast and easy as sending a text message.

2.  Text message marketing allows you to use different keywords to track ad buys

Any time you run a text message marketing campaign you choose a keyword that will serve as the unique identifier.  Using one keyword for TV and another for radio will show you which one is getting more activity.  For example, your TV ad could say “Text WIN to 12345 for your chance to win a beach vacation” while your radio ad would read “Text BEACH to 12345 for your chance to win…”  Inside your reports you’ll be able to see how many people texted-in through TV versus radio.

Common questions:

What is the audience texting in for when they see the ad?

I always advise people to try and do the same thing through text messaging that they were going to do through phone or web.  Do you want them to enter for a chance to win something?  Maybe receive a coupon they can use for their first purchase?  What about a request for more information that can be sent to them via email?  All of these interactions can be conducted through text messaging.

But what about QR codes, can’t they be used in traditional media to do the same thing?

While QR codes might work for print and outdoor ads, they’re certainly not going to work for TV or radio.  Also, when someone scans a QR code you haven’t yet collected any information about them.  You would need to have them fill out a web form to build your database, an extra step.  When someone sends a text message the system you’re using to run the campaign will instantly store their phone number.

And remember, while QR codes may seem “so cool” to us marketers most people outside the marketing world do not understand how to use them yet.  If you want to include a QR code in your print ads to capture the hip techie crowd be sure to also include a text message option for those without smartphones or QR readers installed.  For a more a detailed comparison of text messaging and QR codes check out “Head-to-Head: SMS vs QR Codes” on the JA.TXT blog.

This post was originally featured on Social Fresh, a site dedicated to
social media and marketing education for business.