If you do not really read a few business magazines or watch no news, are you likely to the impact that mobile phone use is to make advertising. Mobile advertising and marketing is the newest ways to reach your customers. 5 billion people own mobile phones, and this year some 1 billion of those, some "smart" features (Interactive with applications, browsing, e-mail, together with ordinary text and phone functions). Smart phones can interact with current and potential customers in a way that is much more personal and specific than ever before.
With online advertising, there are several modes of delivery message via mobile advertising. Banner advertising, text messaging, application of jobs and advertising based on real-time location are all available. You can make a banner for an existing application, but that banner ads on Web pages, these tend to be stationary and easily ignored. I prefer instead to three recent because they offer more opportunities for targeted relationship marketing.
Text messaging (aka SMS) or multimedia messaging (MMS-includes video, audio, or pictures) is not terribly different than e-mail marketing campaigns. You start collecting cell phone numbers (existing customers, put it in your newsletter sign up information you collect, out physical sign up card in store) and send your first SMS, usually a promotion, (via a mobile advertising service) which makes it possible for people to opt in or out of receiving further messages by text from you. However, you can also use this as a way to gather more email addresses by offering something in return ("text your email address to this number for a one-day only special coupon!").
You can also have a program that was created for a smart phone. While Apple's iPhone had dominated the market, applications developed now even faster for Google Droid series. Not every business model lends itself to needing an app (according to the Wall Street Journal, a modest application runs about $ 2000) so be sure there is something a customer would use. Some examples of small business programs are Zippo's "lighter" app (for the real concert encore experience for 99 cents), outdoor adventure company REI offers a free snow report app and whole foods market app provides recipe searches (based on the diet, or subject) where you can create a shopping list.
Finally, location positioning and augmented reality allow you to reach customers in a real-time, location based way. Imagine that you are a retailer with a small single store. If you have a mobile phone list, you can detect when a customer is near your store and send them a coupon or notify them of an existing promotion right now that they are in the vicinity. Combination with a program that keeps track of their previous purchase, can you remind them it is time for the post-it notes which just happens to be on sale with coupon code POSTITSALE.
All of these marketing methods will be via a mobile advertising service and costs and service offerings will vary by vendor. I strongly recommend reviewing material on the Mobile Marketing Association for best practices, case studies, and a thorough training in mobile marketing. Before you sign up with a company, be sure you review what they have already done for other clients.
Steve Schlagel is a CPA, CVA, CFP, Attorney with over 30 years of experience provides a small business owner coaching, training and consulting services. Steve understand business, wealth creation and build successful and valuable companies. Visit http://www.my-small-business-mentor.com for more articles, or would like to know more about his services.
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