Localizing Mobile Marketing

Consumer’s dependence, almost to the point of addiction, to mobile device has led to smart phones or tablets rarely being an arm’s length away from them. One of the biggest benefits from that is the ability for businesses to reach and engage shoppers while they are shopping. New research has come out showing how businesses are looking to more effectively targeted in-store “smart shoppers”.

● Just 3% of businesses currently have the ability to identify customers who have smart phones
● In the next five years, over 70% of businesses plan to implement this type of location based marketing
● 95% of businesses indicated that improving customer experience and engagement with mobile devices was one of their top initiatives
● 28 % of retailers have some kind of mobile marketing, 56% plan to implement it in the next 2 years
● Just over half of companies are involving their IT departments into their mobile strategy development
● 44% of companies are not including their IT departments in developing
mobile plans

What This Means To You

As more consumers move into mobile first and mobile only modes, your mobile strategy will become more important. But mobile should not be a standalone solution. Mobile needs to be part and parcel of your overall plan – it should be seen as a tactic for success. It is not just a sales tool, it’s also a branding instrument, a recruitment mechanism and a communication apparatus. When developing your tactics, think of mobile holistically – it can affect many facets of your business. By having all parties at the table, you can save time, money and sales because you won’t be continually redesigning a system based on new departments wanting to capitalize on the benefits of mobile. Don’t just think of your IT staff as the folks who will implement the system – have them help with strategy. This way you will know the limits of your current system and make plans for the future. For more information on increasing your footprint through mobile, please contact:

Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Sources: Mobile Commerce Daily; Boston Retail Partners

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consumers Seek Out, Use and Share Mobile Coupons

In yesterday’s post, we chronicled information on the shopping habits of mobile coupons.  Today, we’re going to show the primary and secondary impact of mobile coupons.

● Mobile Coupons have a redemption rate 10X higher than newspaper coupons
● 22% of mobile coupons are shared
● Nearly one in five mobile consumers look for mobile coupons before they make a purchase
● 47% of consumers said they would like for businesses to send them mobile coupons when they are near the business

What This Means To You

A mobile coupon can be the difference between a consumer buying from you or making a purchase from the competition. The fact that mobile coupons are shared so often gives you the ability to extend the message. Location based offers also may be an opportunity for you to create sales. Social networks like Foursquare can assist you in monetizing consumers when they enter your area of influence. And because it’s a tool that many businesses are not taking advantage of, your offer could stand out even further. For more information on making more money with mobile, please contact:

Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Sources: SlickText, Mediapost

Why Consumers Opt-In to Mobile Offers

Mobile is rapidly becoming the preferred avenue for consumers to many functions that used to be reserved for desktops and laptops.
Emails are most often read on mobile devices before they are on desktops
Mobile social media activities are rapidly eclipsing desktop/laptop social networking
Banking and shopping are also moving towards becoming mobile first activities.
The question is, how do you make your mobile offering more attractive to potential users? Today we’ll examine new research that looks into the top reasons consumers opt-in to mobile marketing messages.

● Nearly 60% of consumers signed up to for a mobile to receive special offers or promotions
● Half wanted to know when sales are
taking place
● Almost 40% wanted to get reminders and alerts)
● 35% wanted to get updates on loyalty programs they belong to
● Roughly 30% wanted to get real-time status updates on orders they had places or learn about specific location based deals
● Over one in four wanted to stay up to date on product offerings or availability of specific products

What This Means To You

This information isn’t just valuable in acquiring new mobile members, it’s also important in keeping them connected to you through mobile messaging.
Don’t just assume that once they opt-in, they will stay opted-in or will faithfully read your mobile offerings.
If a consumer signs on to receive a special deal, whether it’s a discount, free shipping or member points, what are you doing to make sure they it’s not a one-time occurrence?

Some things you can do to keep consumers coming back:

● Make your offers relevant – Don’t continue to send out the same 10% coupon.  The offer has to be seen as valuable and unique. If you continue to send out the same message, consumers will get bored with it and not check it or unsubscribe
● Don’t over message– Just because they signed up once , doesn’t mean that they want your to fill up their inbox with offers. It doesn’t have to legally fall into the definition of SPAM for consumers to consider it such
● Make it multifunctional – Do more than just pump out coupons. Add messaging about product updates and special store events. If you can incorporate your CRM solution or inventory control system do so. This could move consumers to make purchases they might put off later if they see that products are in jeopardy of selling out
● Socialize your offers – One of the great things about mobile messaging is the ability to share them. If you give additional benefits when a mobile user shared the message with friends, you holistically increase your brand’s influence. A shared message will also hold more credence with the person who gets it, because someone they know has recommended it to them

These are just 4 quick points to create memorable mobile messages. The more functionality that mobile devices have built in to them and the more people become depended on them – the bigger the influence your mobile campaigns can have on their purchase habits. For more information on taking advantage of the power of mobile, please contact:

Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Sources: Ipsos; eMarketer

What Consumers Are Searching For When They Search

In yesterday’s post, we chronicled information showing the importance of search to local businesses. With over 90% of desktop/laptop owners performing searches for local businesses and 80% of mobile device owners doing the same, the next question is – just what are they looking for?

● Far and away the most often thing consumers are looking for when searching for a local business is the address or local (27% of smart phone users, 22% of desktop/laptop users and 14% of tablet users)
● The overall second most popular type of information looked for is specific information on needed products or services. This is actually the #1 type of information that tablet searchers are trying to find (17% laptop/desktop, 16% smart phone, 20% tablet)
● #3 was the businesses phone number (16% desktop/laptop, 15% smart phone, 14% tablet)
● 11% of searchers across all platforms were looking for driving directions and hours of operation
● Just under 10% were looking for research information on products and services
● 7% were searching for coupons/deals or were searching specifically for reviews

What This Means To You

One of the first takeaways for this information is the way each platform plays into searching.
Smartphone searchers are more active after they have made a decision on what they are going to buy. Because smart phones rank highest for searching for addresses or locations, and driving directions – you can derive that consumers are using these devices for actually finding where you are and how to get to your location.
Tablet searchers are more active in the research phase of the purchase process. They rank highest for looking for specific products and services, product research and hours of operation. Consumers are using tablet searches narrow their choices of businesses.

Take a look at your web presences
Is your address prominent?
Do you have a mapping or directions function?
If you have a picture of your business, is it recent?
Do you have a place for product reviews, or better yet – customer testimonials?
Have you enabled a Click to Call function?

Now look at your competitors web sites

All these go to the main reason why so many consumers are becoming mobile first and a growing list are becoming mobile only – convenience. If your
business isn’t easily found on a search engine or if information isn’t easily
found and conveniently navigated to – consumers will most likely move on
to the next businesses site that is. For more information on developing cohesive media strategies they will increase your brand awareness and your bottom line, please contact:

Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com
Sources: Neustar Localeze, 15 Miles,

Where Mobile Searchers Turn For Information

Last week, we posted information on how mobile is becoming the dominant platform for local search.  Today, we’ll look at what digital solutions searchers rely on most.

• The top source of information for mobile searchers is Google Maps – 35% of smart phone searchers go there as well as one in four tablet searchers

• Social media is also a popular information source. One in four smart phone searchers have conducted a business search through Facebook, 23% of tablet searchers have as well

• MapQuest was one of the first directional information site sites, 17% of both smart phone and tablet searchers use it

• Bing has invested a large amount of resources to build awareness.  16% of those who conduct business searches on smart phones and 10% who use tablets have gone through Bing

• 10% of tablet users have searched through Apple Maps, as have 16% of smart phone users

• Yahoo is relied on by 16% of tablet searchers and 14% smart phone searchers

• Less than 10% of smart phone and tablet searchers have used Yellowbook, Citysearch, yelp or online white pages

What Does This Mean To You?

These sites vary in many ways, from ones specializing in giving directions to platforms that are used for reviews and sites that are pure search.  They each also have functions that can help you monetize on mobile search.  It is important that you investigate these sites and see if there are capabilities they offer that can help you draw customers in. Also, check to see how you are presented on the sites.  If there are reviews, are they positive or negative?
Are there any errors in the listing?
Check the phone number, the address and your business hours.
Since so many mobile searchers are on the go, look to see if they offer navigation or click to call functionality.  Remember, convenience is what drives mobile.  The more convenient you can make it for mobile users to contact or get to your location, the more likely they are to do it. For more information on making your business more mobile, please contact:
Al Fiala
amfiala@gmail.com

Source: eMarketer; comScore;15miles