Mobile Marketing 101

Mobile has become the preferred means of communicating and connecting for the majority of consumers. In fact, more than 80 percent of Internet users own a mobile device, according to Smart Insights. Further, the same publication reports that consumers spend more time on their mobile devices than they do on a desktop computer.

Here’s a look at the basics of mobile marketing and why more small business owners have incorporated it into their strategy.

Mobile connects you with customers when they need assistance.

While just 15 percent of small business owners surveyed by Clutch reported having a mobile app in 2015, nearly 20 percent said they intended to have one in the near future. Even though the vast majority of small business owners surveyed intend to use a mobile app for customer service, nearly 40 percent will also use it to drive sales.

Because mobile marketing includes a host of tactics, including push notifications, video, email, text messages and in-app advertising delivered direct to customers’ mobile devices, it’s a marketing channel that can solve customer problems, add value and influence purchase behavior, in real time. Though the businesses surveyed reported plans to use mobile payments to support the functionality and benefits of their mobile apps, mobile payment technology can also enhance the overall customer experience in store with the ability to pay when, where and how the customer prefers.

Mobile marketing empowers you to close the sale.

MarketingLand reports that nearly 70 percent of email was opened on a mobile device in the last quarter of 2015, but less than 20 percent of that led to a conversion on a mobile device. This discrepancy between consumer interest in the message, but lack of purchase behavior, reveals a key opportunity for mobile marketers to deliver customers with a seamless purchase experience on their mobile device.

In addition to giving customers the ability to click directly on a personalized email from their mobile device to a mobile-optimized website that’s designed for and made functional to a smaller screen, customers can pay directly from their mobile device with mobile payments. Receipts and other transaction records can also be stored in the mobile device, post purchase — by way of email or text message.

Mobile marketing reaches customers before they buy.

Smart Insights reports that 48 percent of consumer research begins with a search engine, accessed on a mobile device. Mobile marketing allows you to learn more about your customers, including their location, search history, and purchase behavior. With this insight, you can deliver them mobile marketing messages targeted to their specific needs, before they decide where they’ll purchase, or from whom. If you own a brick-and-mortar store, for example, you can even customize your mobile marketing campaigns to reach consumers who are physically near your business.

Mobile marketing can help you create a sense of urgency.

Because mobile marketing involves a smaller screen size, it doesn’t require the extensive creative development, cost or commitment of printed materials. This creative flexibility allows you to tailor mobile marketing campaigns based on your specific business needs and current events. If

If business is slow, for example, mobile marketing can help you deliver targeted push notifications to customers to drive traffic; you can also promote excess inventory with a limited-time discount for mobile users. Mobile marketing allows you to reach customers in the moment they’re likely to purchase, with an offer that’s timed appropriately to your business needs.

Develop relationships with customers.

Mobile marketing can help you close sales, but it can also be used for relationship-based messaging that keeps customers coming back. Mobile marketing campaigns can help you remind customers about upcoming events or appointments, notify them of wait times, and provide updates on order status.

There’s a reason that 68 percent of companies used mobile marketing in 2015 to connect with customers, according to Salesforce research. It’s a cost-effective way to reach customers on the mobile devices they likely check multiple times a day, and one that seamlessly integrates with other convenience tools like mobile payments.

Continue reading here: The Downside of Content Marketing

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