We live in an age of free content, making mobile marketing incentives all the more essential in terms of brand loyalty. Limited-time offers, location-based discounts, text coupons—all are well-tested strategies regarding opt-in incentives. So what exactly makes an incentive appealing to customers? And what about combining mobile marketing incentives with other marketing strategies and creating a fantastic campaign? Let’s review:
What Works Better: 50% Off or Buy-One-Get-One Free?
A recent study published in the Journal of Marketing noted students didn’t notice a difference between 33% off and 33% extra on an item of equal value. This is hardly limited to young people--research indicates most adult shoppers are more interested in buy one, get one free deals than the 50% off option, despite the latter discount being the better offer, assuming the starting price is the same. It therefore makes sense to go the buy one, get one route—customers will love it!
What About Giveaways?
Are giveaways a necessary part of a compelling campaign? In short, yes. Giveaways are a surefire way to get customers to opt-in—think SMS coupons offering potential clients freebies for adding their names to contact lists. While this is more of a long-term strategy, it’s one that gets results!
How Often Should Mobile Marketing Incentives Be Sent Out?
Sending text messages too often results in customers unsubscribing from contact lists, so go for the “piecemeal” option and expand brand awareness without annoying anybody. Finding the right balance between value and irritation takes time, and varies according to industry. Perform an industry review to determine what works best—for example, a restaurant can easily benefit from sending out monthly text coupons.
What Should Messages Entail?
Most smartphones only reveal the first line of text when the message pops up on the phone, making it necessary to convey the message in 30 to 60 characters. Begin the message with the special discount or offer and save the remaining details for the rest of the text. It’s also important to note text coupons don’t feature “fine print,” so keep qualifications on the short side. Make it short, concise and with an obvious call to action, and enjoy the rewards of such texts. Customers will enjoy them, too!