Can you imagine getting rid of your desktop computer altogether and just sporting a hand-held device? Sort of sounds like one of those “communicator devices” on the early Star Trek TV shows, doesn’t it? Well, we may not be far off from that fantasy.
More and more people are using Blackberries, iPhones and the like to receive their news, get maps and directional information, or to download music. So, how can marketers use this mobile mania to market their products? Well, you do need to be careful, because of the high costs of receiving messages, some of your customers may not want to receive advertisements. So, tread with caution.
There are various ways you can purchase advertising. SMS advertising is commonly defined as “ad units that appear appended to other published content. The ad unit can either be static (no action can be taken by the end user) or dynamic (user can act on the message)” according to the Mobile Marketing Association. Think of SMS advertising in terms of text-based advertising on the Internet. Usually you are paying for ad impressions and are purchasing as CPM.
MMS Advertising, on the other hand is defined as “ad units that appear inserted into other content. The ad unit can either be static or dynamic (clicking through or responding)” according to the Mobile Marketing Association.
What seems to work today is couponing. Very similar to how people are using Twitter and Facebook. Specifically for retail outlets, couponing seems to be very effective especially if people have signed up to receive your company’s information. Restaurants and retail stores have used this type of mobile marketing to their benefit. They can keep their followers informed of specials, menus, or sales programs.
Mobile marketing may not quite be the ultimate marketing tool yet but it is growing. Most of the phone company providers are also understanding the needs of their customers. So, they are designing data plans to help relieve their customers of sticker shock when they receive their mobile phone bills.
So, you may want to add this marketing tactic as part of your marketing plan. As with all of the new technology, it seems that you just have to experiment and try it to start feeling comfortable. And by testing, you’ll know what works best for your company.
