Mobile, be in your customers pocket!!

Why Mobile?

There should be little or no convincing needed why the mobile device is a perfect communication channel to your customers.

If so then here’s a brief summary:

The world has passed 5.2 Billion total mobile phone subscriptions

4.2 Billion Global SMS users (5 times the number of Facebook users)

2.1 Billion Global MMS users

1.3 Billion Global mobile browsing/mobile internet users 95% of all text messages are read within 15 minutes.

With the arrival of smartphones and nearly all phones now coming with some sort of data bundle, consumers have accepted and even now expect to use their mobile device for tasks they would have traditionally done at a PC. Google CEO Eric Schmidt announced that more of his company's focus is now on smartphones than on desktops...Mobile First motto. Director of Coco-Cola has said that text messaging is the no.1 priority in Coco-Cola, needing it to reach all his customers.

With mobile, you are always in the pocket of your customer!

Some advice when considering Mobile Marketing

Understand your mobile customer - Mobile marketing today can mean alot of different things to different peopel such as text messaging, mobile website, QR codes, Bluetooth or even Mobile applications for iPhone & Android. An iPhone app allows great interactivity but how many of your customers have iPhones ( less than 30% of devices in Ireland are iPhone). For QR codes, you also need an app on your phone. For Bluetooth you need it turned on etc.. The key is to understand what will work for your customer and get you the return on your investment.

Choose the right supplier - Alot of retailers are currently using text messaging services to send communications to their customers which is great and there is alot competition out there which means prices are competitive. However, some services have moved on and stepped up a level by providing dynamic mobile branded pages which can be used for surveys , promotions, invitations etc....This is not your mobile website, this is campaign specific landing pages which allows you to

track every customer interaction and measure your return on investment. So it’s important to choose the right supplier for your need.

Be Relevant & Personal – Nearly every consumer has a mobile phone and text messages are read within the first 15 minutes with a 98% open rate. You should engage on a personal level and provide relevant content to your customers. By segementing your contact list into specific groups, you can target and change the tone of voice in each communication.

As one client told me after sending out a message to all his customers, an old lady came into his store, thanked him for thinking about her and told him she would be back to him next month. It's important to remember you are talking directly to your customer as if it was face to face.

Get their permission– it should be made clear to the customer what to expect when they give you the permission to contact them. You should offer an opt-out in the communcations you send.

Allow Interaction & Measure- Executed correctly your mobile campaign can engage your customer in real time and get them to complete a call to action which can be measured. This call to action should ultimately lead to increased sales for your business.

Segment & Target – By segementing your contact list into specific groups whether by gender or loyalty, you can target and change the tone of voice in each communication , offering something more speicific and of value to the customer.

Automate – Again this is supplier specific but some services allow you to automate your marketing plans. By creating campaigns and depending on the repsonse, you can trigger another campaign. This allows you to be in full control and react as soon as you get a response.

In a nutshell, mobile marketing can be very successful when executed correctly so should be an essential part of your customer engagement strategy. Response rates between 15%-25% can be seen when your campaign is personal and relevant to the end customer. Like everything you need to put in the effort to get the reward!!