Why Add Mobile Marketing to Your Company’s Marketing Mix? Part I – Text Messaging

The mobile channel is experiencing phenomenal growth. In the US, 9 out of 10 adults own a mobile device* and 22% use one to access the internet** every month. The mobile phone stays on, connected and within reach of your customer 24 hours a day.

Mobile marketing techniques – which include text messaging, mobile internet sites, Smartphone applications, mobile display advertising, location-based services and digital coupons – are fast becoming standard tools for companies to get their message out.

So why should you consider mobile marketing? Let’s start with text messaging; consider these advantages:

1. It’s Inexpensive

The cost of an SMS (Short Message Service) campaign is significantly less than print, TV or radio.  Although slightly higher than email when compared on a per-message basis, if you contrast “opened message” rates between SMS and email, it’s a very different story. The average email marketing open rate hovers around 11%***, weighed against 98% for SMS marketing, making the cost per opened message substantially less for text messaging.

2. It’s Highly Personal

Companies are using SMS campaigns to build one-to-one relationships with current and new customers. Consumers read text messages at a rate that leaves all other advertising methods behind! Studies by Nielsen Mobile indicate 97% of mobile subscribers will read a text message within 15 minutes of receipt; 84% will respond within 1 hour. And consumers are willing to exchange personal information for valuable incentives, allowing you to gain a richer, deeper understanding of your customers for future communication.

Because the industry has strict guidelines and prevents the use of purchased lists, spamming is less of a concern, and consumers are more likely to trust your message.

3. It’s Effective

Brands and advertisers are using SMS to:

* Boost foot traffic to a retail location. Mobile coupons generate immediate in-store traffic and garner a higher response rate than print coupons or email

* Generate awareness of an event

* Reach consumers with whom they have not recently engaged and remind or incent them to return

* Improve service by adding another channel to the communication preferences list as more people prefer SMS as a contact mode

But as with all emerging technology, standard marketing logic applies. The effectiveness of any marketing campaign relies on your ability to reach the right people with the right message at the right time. Using an array of channels and incorporating mobile into your overall marketing mix will enhance your exposure, promote business growth and maximize ROI.

Jennifer Hoytema is a Digital Account Director at Direct Access Marketing in Burlington.

Stay tuned for Why Add Mobile Marketing to Your Company’s Marketing Mix? Part II – Mobile-Optimized Web Sites.