Small Businesses Getting Ready for Mobile Marketing

I was quite interested to read recently that according to the IDC, a global marketing intelligence firm, more people will log onto the internet through a mobile device than from a desktop computer. At that point in time, approximately one billion smartphones will be in use.

Small business owners can use this trend to their advantage by making sure they have a mobile website in place and that they are using it attract mobile device users. While desktop computer users are more likely to spend time surfing the internet and take their time gathering information before making a buying decision, mobile device users who go online conduct highly targeted searches.

When people on the go use their smartphones to conduct an internet search, it is more likely to be for a business that can meet an immediate need. The user may be wondering where to find a restaurant, gas station, dry cleaner, or other type of enterprise that could fall under the small business category.

Since local businesses are more likely to appear near the top of searches conducted on mobile devices, it makes sense for small business owners who are looking to grow their customer base to invest in a dedicated mobile website. This strategy is an effective way for small businesses to make contact with potential customers who are motivated to make a purchase right away.

Hotels Using Mobile Marketing Can Get More Customers

According to a study conducted by R.A. Rauch & Associates, over half of travel bookings are made online. It should not surprise me that more than 114 million people are researching their travel options on the internet and 94 million people are taking the next step and making reservations electronically.

A good number of travelers who are looking to make a reservation are doing so from their smartphones or tablets, and it makes sense for hotel owners to make sure that their websites rank well in local search terms on mobile devices. Make a point of submitting your site to local directory listings and databases so that it easy for visitors to find, since search results from handheld devices tend to display them first.

Hotel owners planning to build a mobile website will want to make sure their establishments are listed on the Big Three search engines' local directories: Google Places, Bing Local, and Yahoo Local. The mobile site should be submitted to other local directories to increase the likelihood that travelers who are looking for accommodation will find it online.

When submitting your mobile site to these local directories, it's important to make sure that the listings are consistent. Make sure that they include the official name, address and phone number of the establishment so that search engine crawlers are able to determine that the listings are from the same business. This mobile marketing strategy may help your hotel rank higher in local listings, which will lead to more reservations.

Add QR Codes to Advertising Materials to Boost Sales

How can adding QR codes to your advertising materials help to boost sales? They can provide additional information to help turn a browser into a buyer. These small, square codes can be placed on materials that you are distributing to your existing customer base, as well as potential buyers.

Here's where I think QR codes can be used to your advantage when trying to boost sales: consider adding them to your brochures and flyers. When the customer scans the QR code with his or her smartphone, your company's contact information will be stored in the device automatically. Your prospect will know how to get in touch immediately to ask questions or place an order.

Another way I can see the codes being used effectively is on your company letterhead. The recipient could simply scan the code to see special offers or promotions targeted to their needs. Again, you could set up the code so that your reader captures your business contact information on the smartphone. These codes can also be set to include Google maps showing your exact location. Your goal here should be to give your customer all the information he or she needs to find your business and make a decision to buy from you.

Adding a code to a business card is another great way to use this technology. The recipient can scan it to store contact or location information, or to be taken to the company website to see more targeted messages.

Mobile Marketing for Small Business Owners

Small business owners should develop mobile marketing strategies in order to stay competitive and reach their customers, but any promotional activities must be carefully considered before they are implemented. Since text marketing is the simplest method available to business owners, this is a good place to start. Even small retail businesses can use it to reach out to customers and help boost sales.

One way to help ensure that a text messaging program will be successful is to make sure that customers are aware of it. Placing signs near the cash register of the retail location is one way to let buyers know that the business is using text marketing and indicating how they can sign up to receive the messages.

Business owners will need to make sure that they are measuring the results from text messaging and any other mobile marketing to determine which types of campaigns are most successful. If the text messages are not generating the level of return the business owner is looking for, the program can be changed to make sure that the customers are receiving the messages. This will encourage them to take action by offering a special incentive or a free product for a limited time.

Once a business owner has tried text messaging as a marketing technique and feels comfortable with it, he or she can start looking at other promotional methods to attract customers, such as setting up a mobile website or using Facebook marketing.

Cell Phone Marketing Basics for Businesses

Mobile phone marketing has become very popular, and for good reason.  Many people carry their phone wherever they go, which makes them the perfect way for businesses to reach out to prospective buyers with advertising messages, special offers and digital coupons.

I can understand a business owner wanting to start using this marketing strategy right away but it will be much more successful if the owner takes the time to define the goals for the marketing campaign.  They should be specific and measurable so that the owner can track their effectiveness.

The next phase in setting up a marketing campaign for mobile phones is to conduct market research.  The business owner will want to make sure that he or she has at least a basic understanding of how it works, even if the plan is to hire a marketing firm to help.

The next part of setting up a cell phone marketing campaign is to decide what types of messages will be used to reach out to customers.  I think this is the most interesting part, since it involves using the creative process to determine what the text should be to encourage the recipient to take action to visit the business, use a coupon, or make a purchase.

For cell phone marketing to be successful, I think that business owners need to know their target market and what makes their product or service different from the competition.  This information can then be used as the basis for a successful mobile marketing campaign.

Small Businesses Benefit from SMS Marketing

I think that it is possible for small businesses that don't have a big advertising budget, to reach out to potential customers using SMS marketing techniques. This type of enterprise is, by necessity, focused on a specific niche market. That type of buyer likely won't respond well to a mass marketing campaign, which means that business owners need to connect in a more personal and targeted manner.

Sending text messages that contain relevant information directly to the customer is a marketing method that I think would work very well for small businesses. This type of company needs to rely on developing personal relationships with its customers, as opposed to spending time and money on brand recognition.

Customers like to be appreciated and when a small business owner takes the time to send a message containing highly relevant information such as mobile coupons, the customer is likely to respond in a positive way. The text message could provide information about a special promotion or a discount offered exclusively to mobile customers, and this strategy will help that customer feel that the business owner cares about his or her needs.

The best thing about SMS marketing is that it is relatively simple and cost-effective for businesses who are not working with a large advertising budget. Reaching out to customers in this way can help to develop long-term relationships with buyers and create a loyal customer base.

Text Messages Part of Effective Mobile Marketing Strategy

Consumers love their smartphones, and sales of this type of mobile device continue to rise. The sheer number of SMS messages being sent (8 trillion in 2011 alone) is evidence that this form of communication is one with which the public is quite comfortable. I recently found out that this number is predicted to rise to eight trillion this year, which means that mobile marketers can adopt this strategy as an effective way to reach out to potential customers.

Developing an effective mobile marketing strategy makes good sense for businesses. Using text messages to reach out to potential buyers helps to develop a relationship with them, which will eventually lead to sales.

I can see that using targeted text messages keeps a company's offers in front of consumers. They give the company multiple opportunities to make contact with buyers. To be successful, a mobile marketing campaign needs to include messages that recipients will find interesting and relevant.

Mobile marketers will need to come up with innovative ways to engage potential buyers. Just as catchy television commercials can capture the imagination of consumers, a well thought out strategy of text messages can help to boost sales and encourage brand loyalty.

Developing a clear idea of the target market will go a long way toward reaching this goal. It may take time to determine what types of incentives will turn browsers into buyers, but I think this is the best approach for mobile marketing success.