Four Ways to Build Your Mobile Database

Mobile marketing is an important part of any communication strategy, yet many marketers are faced with the dilemma of how to build a mobile database. 

There are many ways to build your mobile database, which is likely to become the most valuable piece of customer data marketing and operations teams will possess. Studies show approximately 234 million Americans own a mobile phone, and 91% of those claim to have their phones with them 24/7, which gives companies a unique opportunity to literally be in the hands of their customers at all times.  

Companies can build their mobile database through a number of channels and tactics. However, these four methods are most effective because they offer customers value, a key reason to opt-in to a mobile campaign. 

1. Add your short code and keywords to all print materials and website. Short codes are 5 to 6 digit numbers, such as 70626, that a customer texts to opt-in to your mobile marketing program. Marketers select a keyword, such as PIZZA or REDSKINS, to opt-into a specific offer. In order to create an effective mobile campaign, marketers should choose campaign relevant keywords that are memorable for the consumers. 
2. Offer an incentive to opt-in to your mobile campaign. Mobile numbers are the most valuable piece of customer data today, largely because of the intimate nature of a mobile phone. Most consumers always have their phones with them, and many carry the same mobile number for years, regardless of their geographic location. Offering a free sample,loyalty club signup, or other mobile exclusive offers adds value for the consumers and will drive your mobile database numbers higher.
3. Share promotion on social channels. The line between social and mobile are blurring, and one of the fastest way to drive customers to a mobile campaign is to make it available through social channels. Another way to add value through social channels is to offer exclusive rewards for social sharing of the campaign.
4. Follow Mobile Marketing Best Practices. By following mobile best practices, companies gain trust and build loyalty with their customers. A complete list of mobile best practices and compliance can be found through the Mobile Marketing Association and CTIA Wireless. In addition, executing a mobile campaign with a trustworthy mobile agency will ensure every campaign adheres to these standards.

These are just a few of the many ways to build a quality mobile database. Maintaining the database and building value over time are of equal importance in a long term mobile strategy, but it all must start with a solid mobile database. By doing this, mobile is likely to become the most valuable channel within your communication strategy.

Why Mobile Marketing is Here to Stay

I came across a number of interesting statistics that pertain to mobile marketing and devices, which I would like to share. Based on these figures released by the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, this type of marketing strategy is only going to become a more important way to generate revenue for business owners.

•   Mobile subscribers number 6.6 billion - that's nearly 95% of the entire world population

•   There are 1.3 billion broadband subscribers

•   73 percent of people who own smartphones use them while shopping

•   40 percent of brands have their websites optimized for mobile internet users

•   90 percent of the planet is covered by mobile service

•   75 percent of the world's population is connected by mobile technology

•   8 trillion text messages were sent in 2011, which works out to 1,100 text messages per person

•   1.2 billion apps were downloaded during the last week of December 2011

Consumers love their mobile devices and savvy marketers will be making sure that they are developing strategies that will work well with them. Businesses that are getting a lot of traffic from handheld devices need to make sure that they have a mobile-friendly site. Internet users who are using smartphones and tablets to browse for information are working with a much smaller screen than desktop computer users. A mobile website needs to load quickly and the site owner may need to forgo some of the bells and whistles of the main site to accomplish this goal.

As mobile marketing continues to grow in popularity, businesses will begin to see mobile as a "must" in their overall marketing strategy, rather than an addition or "nice to have."

Hospitality Industry Using QR Codes to Improve Guests' Experience

As time goes on, I'm always interested to find out how QR codes are being used by businesses of all kinds. The hospitality industry has come up with some interesting ways to use them to help ensure that guests enjoy their stay.

An example of one innovative way that QR codes are being used to relay information to guests is being used at the National Conference Center. The codes are posted at different locations throughout the facility to indicate eco-friendly policies. Guests scan the QR codes to learn more about other areas of the premises where the green initiatives are being used.

Guests who are staying at the Best Western Hotel Le Montparnasse in Paris who want to find out what amenities are available can scan a QR code from a brochure placed in their room. When the guest scans the code, they see a PDF document indicating all the amenities in that room. This is a highly effective way to provide a lot of information in a quick and convenient manner.

QR codes can also be used as on-site promotional tool. I was really impressed to learn that the Fountainebleau Hotel Miami Beach regularly uses QR codes to direct guests to landing pages that provide detailed information about its restaurants, bars, and spa facilities.

All of these methods of using QR codes are quite creative. I can see how using them can help to accomplish the goal of providing information without incurring large costs for printing materials.

Mobile Marketers Need to Keep Target Audience in Mind

With the mobile marketing wave continuing to gain momentum, I thought it would be prudent to take a moment to focus on how businesses should always keep the consumers' needs in mind when they are developing a mobile engagement strategy. This method of reaching out to customers gives businesses access to the buying public like never before, but it is not without its pitfalls.

One thing that business owners and marketing types need to keep in mind is that mobile marketing is different from traditional web marketing. Unlike trying to connect with your customer base through a console, this type of marketing must be directed to the person on the go. How can you make the experience unique and engaging for the customer? This is where you must to focus your attention if you plan to develop an effective mobile marketing strategy.

Since mobile devices are meant to be carried by the customer, you need to consider where your customer will be when he or she receives your message and how you can entice the customer to visit your brick and mortar store or mobile site.

Mobile devices also make it easy for your customer base to share information with friends. The effective mobile marketing campaign should include something that the customer will want to share with others right on the spot, which means the message needs to be catchy and relevant.

Keeping these ideas in mind will help you develop an effective mobile marketing campaign.

Mobile Marketing Helps Businesses Reach Larger Audience

If you are still on the fence about whether mobile marketing for your business is a good idea, consider that this method of reaching out to potential customers gives you access to a much larger target market than you may able to reach through other marketing methods. I would ask you to keep in mind that more potential customers have access to mobile phones than most other forms of media. The fact that there are so many buyers with this technology means that you have the potential to increase sales dramatically through an interactive marketing campaign.

Consider using text messages as a way to promote your business, share information to your customer base, and offer savings coupons. This method of promotion is interactive and it allows you to develop relationships with your buyers, which in turn will lead to sales.

Your potential customers are using their smartphones and tablets to search for information and check out pricing before making a purchase. All your mobile marketing campaign is doing is tapping into something that your customer base is already very much interested in and building on it.

Using mobile technology to connect with potential buyers is not the wave of the future; it is already here. Businesses are already maximizing this type of technology. With the growth in mobile phone sales, this trend is only going to continue over time.

Mobile Websites Are Becoming a Necessity for Retailers

Retailers who want to remain competitive must invest the resources necessary to make sure that they have a good mobile website. I see this as the big shopping development of the future. Consumers are embracing the idea of using a mobile device for shopping like never before.

As this technology improves, I think we can expect to see the numbers continue to rise over time. In the past, it was important for businesses to have an online presence using keywords that would attract potential customers. While that is still the case, now company websites also need to be optimized for mobile users.

Retailers who are slow to get out of this particular gate will find that they are missing a big piece of the potential revenue pie. With many consumers focusing on getting the best deal for products they are buying, I can see them spending some time using a tablet or smart phone to shop around before they set foot in the store. As more people become comfortable with online shopping, busy consumers are more likely to simply look for products electronically rather than taking the time to visit a brick-and-mortar store.

I know that businesses are competing for the same dollars from their customer base no matter how they choose to shop. The brands that will be left standing 12 months from now will be the ones that have taken the steps necessary to optimize their sites for mobile consumers.

Smartphone Sales Pushing Increases in Mobile Marketing Budgets

This isn't the age old question of, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" The fact is that the increase in smartphone sales is driving companies to increase the amount of funding they are prepared to devote to their mobile marketing efforts.

Digital Marketer is predicting that marketing to customers using mobile phones is going to start replacing methods that are more traditional. According to Nielsen, approximately 43% of cell phone subscribers in the US own smartphones. Despite this fact, purchases made using mobile devices are still relatively low.

In my opinion, this means mobile phone users represent a large, untapped market for businesses. They have the technology in their hands - literally. All consumers need now is a way to use their smartphones that will lead to them open up their wallets.

Now it is up to businesses to adopt strategies that will make it easy for them to reach out to their customer base. Within the last year, smart phone sales have risen dramatically. There are enough smartphone owners to justify spending budgeted money on mobile marketing.

Sales estimates for 2011 indicate that m-commerce originating from smart phones was approximately $5 billion. Given the fact that sales from the year before were approximately $2 billion, this increase means that m-commerce is about to be the next Big Thing.

The Importance of a Mobile Strategy for Agencies

Here at 3Seventy, we live and breathe CRM mobile engagement. It’s what we do - it’s all we do. Whether you are a mom and pop shop, a monster brand, a global agency or a boutique, it makes sense to consult with a mobile leader and expert when considering the mobile space. After all, it’s still relatively new and moving quickly. There are plenty of “experts” out there, but how many are experts with longevity under their belt too? This is all assuming of course, that you want to dive into mobile for your brand or for your client.  But how could you not?  

Based on this infographic, it is clear the world is going mobile and loving every second of it.  Yet, we still have major brands sticking their customers with poor mobile web experiences.  We still have business to consumer companies that haven’t thought about reaching their customers through the medium they clearly prefer—their phones.  And we still have marketing, PR and advertising agencies without a plan, without a strategy for mobile engagement solutions and their client’s needs.

So let’s talk about the agency and mobile in particular.  I think it is academic to say that all agencies need to have a basic mobile strategy an absolute minimum.   Of course, all strategy depends on client base, client demand and a host of other details, but the least the agency can do is have a strategy in place and/or partner relationship in place and be ready.  I would recommend most, if not all agencies find a mobile partner that is right for them philosophically and right for their particular base of clients.  I would also recommend the agency avoid the many “fly by night” mobile strategists out there, and look for a partner that from a strategy and technology standpoint, can handle every aspect of the mobile ecosystem.   Agencies need a mobile partner that will be an expert extension of their team; a partner that will strategize based on a history of past successes, and have the ability to draw from an arsenal of possible technology solutions.  In short, agencies need mobile partners who try to fit the client goals to the technology, not the technology to the client goals.  

Obviously, the addition of mobile CRM to the suite of solutions an agency must (or should) offer is just another strain on bandwidth and resources. How many agencies were worrying about social media marketing and social media reputation management 4 years ago?  How many were concerned about SEO/SEM a little beyond that?  Having an effective mobile marketing strategy is one more thing to be concerned with, but that is of course putting it pretty mildly.  This time around that new thing, mobile is a “biggie,” a game changer.  Are you ready?