The positive effects of a mobile marketing campaign are well-documented - not least in this very organ - but comprehending the advantages of a mobile strategy and knowing how to pull one off are two different things. There is no single approach that works for all businesses across all industries, but there are a few key questions you can ask yourself before embarking on a mobile campaign.
If you’re a small business owner looking to try your hand at mobile advertising, consider the following:
How Do My Customers Use Mobile?
Use analytics tools to understand how your target audience uses mobile. Are they using it primarily to gather information or to actually buy stuff? Do they prefer Android or iOS, tablets or smartphones? The more data you gather on your demographic’s mobile behavior, the more focused your decision-making and development processes will be.
How Do My Competitors Use Mobile?
Have your entire team download and play with your competitors’ apps. You may get some inspiration but more importantly, you can see where they’re going wrong. Sign up for text message alerts and see how your competitors’ fare with mobile coupons and other SMS marketing efforts. The bigger the picture you can paint of your industry’s landscape, the easier it will be to spot unfilled niches you can capitalize on.
Should I Get an App?
Of course, you may not need an app at all. A perennial question for mobile marketers is: mobile app or mobile-friendly website. The latter is cheaper to implement and if it meets all your requirements for doing mobile business, there’s no point getting an app. However, if you have a really creative idea for an app, it can improve the customer experience immeasurably - not least because they can interact with your brand even without an Internet connection.
Will Geo-Targeting Work for Me?
Real-time location marketing is one of the newest toys in the box. Geo-fencing, iBeacons, in-store targeting - all bring value to retailers whose main source of business is a brick and mortar store.
Where Does Social Media Fit into the Mobile Mix?
Social media remains the most effective tool for getting the word out to your audience in a non-invasive way. Tentative consumers may not be willing to opt-in to your mobile list until they’ve checked out your Facebook page. Once they get to know your brand there, and see what offers are available to mobile users, you can entice them to download your app, visit your website, or sign up for text message alerts.
Mobile has the potential to dramatically boost B2C engagement, but it’s still uncharted territory for many CMOs. As long as you adopt a data-driven approach to mobile marketing, combined with thorough A/B testing and analytics, you’ll get the most out of the most exciting, most effective advertising channel available today.