The mobile technology boom shows no sign of slowing down. Consumers are beginning to take constant connectivity for granted. For mobile marketers, that means gearing each campaign to web-enabled devices, even if the primary method of communication is SMS.
If you’re new to SMS marketing, and you’re not 100% certain how to integrate mobile tactics with other strategies, here are a few ideas to give your next campaign a bit of oomph:
1. Social Media
Trying to get some buzz going around your business? Encourage your audience to spread the word through social media channels. Use a range of different sites, from the marquee names like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit, right down to smaller, local networks that are relevant to your company. The keyword here is ‘niche’. Gone are the days of truly mass marketing; the age of narrowcasting has arrived. Ever-smaller pieces of pie are up for grabs by greater numbers of entrepreneurs. This is good news for small businesses – as long as they reach for their slice!
2. QR Codes
Just when you think Quick Response Codes have had their day, you see another one in a strange place. It’s true that they drift in and out of fashion, and misguided QR Code campaigns are frequently the subject of mockery, but done right they can lend your brand a certain mystique.
3. SMS Marketing
Text messages have a famously high open rate, which makes opt-in SMS marketing an effective way of reaching more people. Grow your SMS lists by offering discounts and special offers. Mobile coupons are a proven way of nurturing existing customers and converting brand new ones.
4. Analytics
Track the success of your mobile campaigns by taking full advantage of the proliferation of analytics tools out there. Google analytics is the best, most obvious place to start, so make sure your developer has included it in your site’s architecture. If your company is primarily web-based, you can run every aspect of your online advertising strategy from the one place. Analytics will tell you which tactics are the most effective – and therefore worth investing more heavily in.
5. Consumer Participation
There is a growing app market dedicated to getting customers to engage with business when they are nearby, either virtually or in the real world. Google+, FourSquare and Facebook each allow their users to share their locality with the network. This kind of thing takes much of the marketing burden off your shoulders and puts it onto the customers themselves. Another way to engage your audience is by creating your own app – just be sure it’s enjoyable and easy to use as well as enhancing your service.
Try a few of these ideas during 2015. Review the results this time next year and see which mobile strategies have worked best for you. Best of luck and a Happy New Year!