Motorola recently released a study indicating that 51 percent of consumers worldwide used their mobile device to help make purchase decisions while shopping at retail stores during the 2009 holiday shopping season.Text Messaging (SMS)
With SMS you can interact directly and personally with 300-plus million consumers throughout North America, providing them access to instant savings and more. Here are a few examples of effective text message programs for retailers:
- Discounts: SMS-based “instant savings” coupons turn browsers into buyers
- Promotions: “Door-buster” programs for grand openings and key shopping days
- Locations: Send store locations directly to a shopper’s mobile phone
- In-Stock Alerts: Send an SMS alert when out-of-stock items are back on the shelf
- Build an Email List: Allow shoppers to opt-in for your email program
- Foot Traffic: Deliver reminders and offers for new products, store openings, and more
- Text-to-Win: Let your shoppers easily enter sweepstakes and contests
Mobile Web
Many of today’s mobile users have access to the Web, but they are not using the mobile Web the same way they do their computer’s browser. They want access to information now. Here are a few examples of how to use the mobile Web effectively for retailers:
- Specific mobile Web pages and sites designed to influence purchase decisions in-store
- Access to scannable bar-codes for seamless, error-free coupon redemption
- Make your existing user ratings and reviews content viewable to serious shoppers in-store
- Instructional and promotional videos
Mobile Tagging (2-D bar codes)
An emerging technology in North America, mobile tagging provides consumers with simple, quick, and convenient access to Web content wherever they are. Here are some examples of how retail marketers can leverage this technology effectively:
- Partner with a mobile marketing company with broad capabilities to develop the right mobile tagging strategy and determine the right technology for your needs
- Mobile tagging programs work best when integrated with SMS and mobile Web. Ensure all components of any mobile program are centralized, and accountability is assured
For more helpful tips on using mobile marketing for retailers, making mobile marketing a cornerstone of your cross-channel marketing strategy, or just the basics on how to get started, leave a comment or email us.
5 Comments
I think Flash is the biggest hurdle that we need to pass.
As much as Apple doesn’t want it to succeed, many web developers are deep into Flex and other Rich Frameworks. We’re swinging back towards more on the client side now. Flash is really needed on mobile devices I think
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How do you think Flash will impact bandwidth and the speed and stability of the mobile experience for consumers?
Mobile is best used when coupled with an offline promotion.
My last gig was with a tech firm that partnered with PayPal to launch the text-to-buy program.
We coupled strong outdoor advertising like billboards to create a mobile call to action.
Billboard would be for shoes, the call to action would be “to buy them, text Nike to 49494″
I think it will remain this way for sometime until mobile internet browsing is adopted by the majority of middle class families.
Hi Jason, great insight, I totally agree. I have written about it in a couple of articles here, and Knotice’s CEO just completed an article for Chain Store Age that will be published soon, that highlights exactly what you’re talking about in terms of the mobile communications channel being the glue between the digital and physical customer experience. Adoption is steadily climbing, and the marketers that embrace a cross-channel vision and align their marketing organization accordingly will reap great rewards.
Quality article. Really interesting tips for a moblie marketing campaign.
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[...] Mobile marketing tips for retail. Your customers are mobile. Are you ready? The Lunch Pail [...]
[...] Mobile marketing tips for retail. Your customers are mobile. Are you ready? The Lunch Pail [...]
[...] Mobile marketing tips for retail. Your customers are mobile. Are you ready? The Lunch Pail [...]
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[...] Mobile marketing tips for retail. Your customers are mobile. Are you ready? The Lunch Pail [...]
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