Benefits of mobile marketing
There are numerous benefits and advantages for small businesses that adopt such technology as part of their marketing endeavors. According to Strategic Marketing Concepts, small business owners and marketers favor high-impact, cost-effective methods of increasing revenue. While high-impact may be easy to obtain, the cost-effective part might be slightly more difficult.
This is where mobile marketing comes in as an incredibly handy tool for small business owners. For one, the affordability of the medium – beyond the initial investment of time and resources to develop the technology – is unparalleled compared to other marketing formats. There is no need to pay for postage, printing or air time, with only the nominal per text message fee typically required. Additionally, the price of development and delivery decreases substantially as the volume increases.
Another huge advantage of mobile marketing is immediacy, according to the news source. Messages can be delivered to recipients within seconds, and if two-way engagement is not only allowed but encouraged, customers can quickly respond should they choose to do so. This naturally leads to the next advantage of interactivity. The goal of every marketing campaign should always be to promote engagement and interaction. The natural format of mobile marketing lends itself to this two-way interaction.
Finally, the response rates of mobile marketing have been proven over the years as being incredibly high. Much of this is due to the immediacy mentioned above – instead of tossing a postcard or customer survey aside for a later time, many users already have their cellphones in their pockets and can quickly respond. Additionally, the technology embedded within allows for quantifiable campaign results lets marketers track downloads, page visits, and customer opt-ins, the news source reports. Being able to track every detail of a marketing campaign would allow the small business to develop campaigns that provide better bang for their buck in the future.
Tips for effective mobile marketing
Even when knowing the aforementioned benefits, mobile marketing still requires a concerted and focused effort to put out a mobile marketing campaign that checks off every item on the list of needs. Here are some tips on what specifically to address with your mobile marketing campaign.
Mobilize your website
According to Small Business Computing, one of the most common complaints from customers when surfing the internet on a tablet device or smartphone is the fact that the websites they are visiting have not been optimized for smaller screens. This results in a user experience that is extremely unfriendly, with poor font sizes, choppy navigation elements and an overall stain on your company. Put in the time and resources and outsource for a developer that can optimize your company’s website for viewing on a smaller screen.
Simplicity can carry significant weight
With the availability of advanced technologies, companies can be tempted to go a little crazy, pushing the limits of all that the technology has to offer. This could mean elaborate animations, creative fonts and a deluge of images. However, according to Target Marketing Magazine, keeping things simple better relates to the typical smartphone user. Again, the smaller screen and limited power of the smartphone relative to a computer requires the curbing of enthusiasm and ambitions.
Keep your emails to one column, your font sizes small and legible and the number of images reasonable. Additionally, cut the fluff, which often ends up causing unnecessary expenses. Smartphone users are typically on the go, with little time to really scrutinize every aspect of your email or website. Present the information and get out of there before the customer ends up being confused or overwhelmed.
Social media
Finally, don’t forget about that omnipresent buzzword, social media. With so many smartphone users checking into their social media networks from their phones, it is imperative for your small business to have a presence there as well. Update your Facebook page regularly, post interesting tweets and take unique photos on Instagram to share with your mobile and technologically-advanced customer base.
Source: Coxblue
