Archive for the ‘mobile advertising’ Category

Parents with children in the household are the best target markets for mobile coupons, according to a new study by Harris Interactive.

Mobile phone owners with children under the age of 6 were the most receptive with 35% being at least somewhat interested in receiving opt-in text alerts about new products, sales, or promotions.  Those with children age 6-17 had a 32% chance of desiring opt-in messages from text message promotions.  Of those without children, only 25% showed such interest.

When it comes to mobile coupons, adults with young children showed double the interest of those with no children (36% versus 18%) in having signed up to receive mobile coupons.  Women show slightly more interest than men.

Subway, one of the largest franchises in the United States, has embraced Advanced Telecom Services’ brand 84444.com.  They have incorporated mobile coupons and promotions into their marketing strategies in order to gain more of an advantage in sales. For example, Subway restaurants have posters and signs hung up encouraging customers to text their keyword ‘dietcoke’ to the shared shortcode 84444.  This then triggers a response text message back to that customer’s mobile device informing them that they have entered to win a $100 Subway gift card.  This is one of several of Subway’s promotional advertisements.

Other promotions include the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Race.  Customers opted in to the chance to win a trip to the race by texting in keywords to 84444.  The response text notified them of the promotion and the drawing date, along with a coupon for any regular sub for just $5. As simple as creating this promotion was, Subway satisfies customers by offering sweepstakes along with a mobile coupon.

For Subway, not only does this do-it-yourself marketing strategy increase sales, but most importantly it enables them to create a database of opt-in customers.  These customers are now eligible to receive text broadcasts including information on weekly specials.  These Subway customers can receive mobile coupons and promotions in order to better their experience, while also benefiting Subway and their customer appreciation.

94% of text messages today are opened within the first 5 minutes immediately upon receipt.  Therefore, Subway finds ways to promote their business effectively.  They will send out a broadcast text message that includes a coupon for lunch, late morning around 11:30 to their opt-in customers.  This is extremely effective marketing because it causes their customers to think of Subway when they are starting to get hungry at the office mid-day.  Also, because Subway is well-known for subs at lunch rather than dinner time, they will send out coupons with specials after 4:00 pm in order to heighten business at later hours.

84444.com provides a tool for advertisers, businesses, and organizations to easily provide interactive mobile marketing. Interactive text messaging is the most effective medium for any organization trying to enhance sales through mobile marketing. 84444’s service also allows for personalization in their broadcast text messages. Studies have shown that personalizing mobile messages increases returns and ultimate ROI for your business. New York Times called mobile advertising “The most powerful advertising medium of all-time.”  So why not try 84444.com’s service just like Subway now!

Today, out of women from the ages 16-54 who use mobile devices, 93% say they are on the lookout for bargains and mobile coupons.  Retail companies are continually looking to please the consumers by giving them what they want.  Through survey,  68% of women have said that they are fascinated by the idea of receiving discounts via their mobile devices.  Approximately 53% of women say they are most interested in retail coupons, followed by approximately 16% interested in dining coupons.  These women in search for special offers come from the 94% of women who browse the mobile web at home daily.

Mobile Ads have also become frequent amongst women.  When asked if they have ever clicked on a mobile ad, out of 875 responses, approximately 57% responded yes, 28% responded no, and 15% were neutral.  Women are increasing their attention on the advertisements within the mobile web.

Among women, Facebook and Yahoo are the most popular, leading to research on the commonality of internet usage.  This internet usage then leads to the frequency of mobile web usage. Women are already engaged and interested in exploring all of the new mobile services on the mobile web provided today given their interest in the internet.  These mobile devices are extremely important in connecting retail brands with their customers in which women find themselves paying attention to.

One of the most daunting tasks facing a new entrant into the exciting world of mobile marketing is the ability to establish an opt-in mobile marketing list.  Even experienced advertising agencies seem to be perplexed by this task.

But, it’s really not that difficult.  Overwhelmingly, the top two ways to establish an opt-in database are through mobile coupons and text message sweepstakes.  Have tickets to the Dodger game?  Give them away in your pizza restaurant.  Better yet, give them away and include a mobile coupon in the return messages.

While text message sweepstakes are the best way to get consumers to opt-in to your mobile marketing programs, mobile coupons are the best way to keep them there.  And, the best thing is that they work!

For years, broadcast salespersons have been criticized by advertisers, because their advertising is not measurable.  With newspapers, the consumer can walk in with the clipped newspaper coupon.  This is not possible with broadcasting…until now.

When a consumer walks in and flashes his cell phone, the store manager will certainly remember.

Moreover, with mobile coupons, you can reach your consumer when they are most likely to buy.  Subway, for instance, sends all of its promotional text messages at 11:30 am when workers are starting to get hungry for lunch.  And, since 94% of all text messages are read immediately upon receipt, that means that your opt-in consumers are receiving your promotional message when they are most likely to buy.

It’s time for dealers get in the game.

Full-line automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp., General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., possessing some of the largest marketing budgets in the world, are not new to emerging media. They often spend heavily in all media, including online, video and mobile. According to Advertising Age’s 100 Leading National Advertisers Spending Report 2007, the automotive sector led all categories in advertising spending, topping the charts at $19.80B last year. Automakers’ large budgets and continuous need for innovation in marketing give them both the means and the motivation to test and push new channels and tactics more aggressively than other verticals.

Automotive marketers are also not new to mobile marketing. Brands like Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep, Jaguar and Toyota are all investing in mobile-marketing strategies to create awareness, drive leads to dealers and/or enable “in-your-pocket” exploration and interaction with their products. SMS campaigns that include click2call, which enables consumers to call a dealer immediately, or click2locate, which asks consumers to enter their ZIP code to locate the closest dealer, are meeting with solid success for lead-gen purposes.

As smartphone penetration increases — smartphones make up nearly 6.5 percent of the U.S. market and 10 percent of the global market for mobile phones — and MMS usage becomes more widespread, the ability for consumers to use click2video to view advanced video experiences built for automotive advertising. Until then, auto marketers will continue to use mobile WAP sites to empower users to research and customize their cars and carry their preferences with them as they shop.

But what is new in mobile marketing is not the activity initiated by auto marketers; it is the growing use of mobile marketing by auto dealerships. Dealers are looking for more efficient and streamlined ways to communicate with prospects and improve the sales experience, and mobile holds promise, particularly for younger audiences.

Cars2go offers mobile couponing and bi-directional communication and transactional capabilities between dealers and customers, streamlining the car-buying process for consumers and dealers alike. The prospect Texts a keyword ( DC lexus) to a short code (50123) to recieve a text reply giving them more information, coupon as well as a link to the dealers gosite ( mobile ready website) giving them the access to search dealer inventory right that instant, with the option to click2call or email.

According to Nexteppe, “dealers can use mobile marketing as part of an integrated campaign by displaying new and pre-owned inventory on a WAP site and using SMS for inventory. They can also issue updates, maintenance reminders and inform customers about promotions and financing deals….the response has been overwhelming.” This solution was recently tested in a New York Toyota dealership.

• Service Reminders: consumer alerts via text message to remind them of upcoming service appointments, etc.
• On-the-lot marketing or SMS integration in print ads: customers visiting a lot after hours or those accessing print promotions can input a model code by SMS to automatically receive more information, including text description of vehicle, color, link to WAP brochure, etc. They can also request that information be sent to them via email, and choose to be contacted by a sales representative via phone.
• Customer satisfaction surveys: automatic surveying of the sales experience via mobile.

Although these systems are just rolling out, there is much to be excited about in mobile marketing these days as the auto industry embraces mobile not just for branding purposes, but also as a mechanism for overhauling the dealer-consumer experience via real-time, mobile communication.

With more and more people beginning to use their mobile phones for services that extend far beyond just voice messages and conversations, mobile phones are becoming an effective tool of mobile marketing for saving money. One of the significant ways of saving money through your phone is through the use of mobile coupons.

A mobile coupon is an electronic ticket that can be exchanged for a financial discount or refund when buying a product. A mobile coupon is primarily issued by manufacturers of consumer packaged goods or by retailers, to be used in retail stores as a part of sales promotion, especially through mobile advertising.

Mobile Coupons Benefit Everyone

Advantage to the Consumer
A print coupon can get lost in so many different places.  On the other hand, since mobile coupons are stored in a device that you carry with you 24/7, it is nearly impossible that you would lose mobile coupons. Another advantage to consumers is the fact that everyone has text message functionality on their phone…compared to being on a computer where many do not have printers.

Mobile coupons also help you save time as you are able to search for discounts even when you’re waiting in lines or using public transport. Also, you can look for mobile coupons so that you can conveniently save money on every purchase. Mobile coupons can be tailored to suit your personalized and customized tastes.

Advantage to Mobile Advertising
There are a whole lot of benefits for the advertisers as well. They can promote mobile coupons anywhere!  Not just in print or online. As long as the call to action is clear, the coupon can be obtained by the audience.

Mobile coupons also promote interactive marketing. Mobile advertising gives the opportunity to ask consumers if they are interested in receiving future mobile offers or coupons. Also, as advertisers use text message for marketing or sending coupons, they save a lot of money on printing.

Advantage to the Environment
With coupons sent to mobile phones, there is no paper and no garbage to pollute the environment. Also, when you’re not printing out coupons, you’re saving trees. And when you’re using a small device instead of a big computer to search for online coupons then you are also saving energy. If you are not happy with the mobile coupons, you can simply delete them.

The Future of Mobile Coupons
There are quite a few things that we can expect to happen with the future of mobile coupons. We might see a rise in the number of businesses that are marketing to their customers with mobile coupon offers. Additionally, we might see the growth of numerous mobile marketing applications designed to increase the efficiency of delivering and redeeming mobile coupons.

Finally, we will most likely see a considerable growth in the interactive capability of mobile coupons as this area of web technology develops.

Chief Marketer surveyed 737 of its readers about their plans for social

marketing tactics for 2010.

It was an interesting endorsement of mobile marketing, especially that of mobile coupons.

• 20% plan to use mobile coupons or downloadable web coupons.
• 13% plan to use mobile text message campaigns.
• 7% plan to use mobile short codes in offline marketing.  In other words, “Text RESULTS to 84444″ on a billboard or radio advertisement.

The use of interactive text message programs and mobile short codes allows all advertisements to become interactive.  It also allows for the brand or product to be able to gauge the effectiveness of the advertising through the direct response mechanism of the short code.

Text Message Sweepstakes are a big part of interactive text message use and a great way to build your opt-in

database.  In fact, it’s such an important part of mobile marketing, that 84444.com has a special part of its site with enhanced features just for sweepstakes and contests.

“Many people are overwhelmed at the thought of creating an opt-in database at the outset of their mobile marketing project,” said Bob Bentz of Advanced Telecom Services.  “But, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task.  Using a text message sweepstakes or a mobile coupon is the best way to build your initial opt-in database.”

There is no doubt about the power of text message sweepstakes to gain maximum exposure for your mobile marketing product.  People like to win things and sending a text message to a short code is an easy thing to do to enter.  You can do it during your down time and it doesn’t require starting a computer or mailing in an entry form.

A recent study by VSS Communications Industry Forecast shows that sweepstakes spending continues to grow, despite a failing economy.

• 2003 — $1.798 billion
• 2005 — $1.804 billion
• 2007 — $1.854 billion
• 2009 — $1.870 billion

Text Messages for nightclubs has been a great category for our mobile

 marketing site 84444.com.

Nightclub text message marketing simply makes sense in part, because young adults who frequent nightclubs are avid mobile users. The target market could not be better defined. If a nightclub contacts them by text message marketing, young adults are spontaneous and will go.

Moreover, young adult singles are price conscious with less spendable income than middle age adults. Therefore, a mobile coupon from a nightclub can bring them in for the evening. It’s the same with entertainment; nightclubs can announce their bands that are performing to get visitors to the club.

Finally, young adults are viral with promotional text messages. This means that you get bonus coverage when patrons send the mobile advertisment to their friends.  You can’t do this with other media and email, as we all know, is so yesterday when it comes to 20-somethings.

Read about 84444.com’s Bob Bentz talking about mobile marketing for nightclubs on this article from Nightclub.com. 

For the first time ever, a study has analyzed the use of mobile coupons by

USA mobile phone users.

The results are that 3.0% of Americans acknowledged having used a mobile coupon in the month of October, 2009, according to eMarketer.

That’s not surprising to retailers who have used mobile marketing solutions in their advertising.  Store managers have seen the power of the cell phone in bringing customers to their stores.

Some other interesting results from the study show that:

• 18.5% have search the mobile web for local products or services.
• 15.9% have received information about movies or entertainment.
• 13.3% have received information about nightclubs, bars, or restaurants on their mobiles.
• 4.0% have purchased an item that needed to be shipped.