3 Ways To Reach Mobile Customers Like Big Brands

Written by Sonya Ramsey@mobilesonya9 years ago

Share Tweet

According to Comscore.com, 4 out of 5 consumers use their smartphones to influence their purchasing decisions. Consumers are conducting comparison shopping, searching for discounts or coupons and reading reviews all on their smartphones. Therefore, large businesses are now focusing on mobile marketing, where dedicated budgets and teams create elaborate ways to engage customers with mobile technology.

It might SEEM daunting for small business owners to have the same opportunities. But by using the same basic marketing strategies, they can reach their current customers and gain new ones just like big businesses. Strategies such as mobile coupon and wallet campaigns, loyalty programs and push notifications can all be used in a way that works for small businesses but can have a huge impact with their customers and on their bottom line.

To see how this can work for your business, below are examples of how large retailers and smaller businesses can use the same mobile marketing strategies.

Large companies align their marketing strategies.

When creating a mobile marketing strategy, large brands will determine their marketing goals and align their strategies accordingly. Here’s an example: Bloomingdales wanted to reach a more affluent, younger audience who likes to engage with brands via their mobile device. So, they created ads across multiple digital channels to give incentives for their target audience to join a mobile program.

What your small business can do:

Create an effective ad campaign you can afford. As a small business owner, you may not have the budget to create multi-channel ads, however, there are some creative methods you can implement to reach your targeted audience and stay within budget. For example, suppose you want to target mobile customers with messages about special deals or information about your company. Create a contest that gives away something of value such as a gift certificate to your establishment, free merchandise or meals that can be redeemed over a specific time period. Hand out flyers, business cards, postcards, magnets, or even bumper stickers with a QR code to link to the contest. Or, alternatively, create a mobile keyword that customers can text for a customized form to enter the contest. Make a mobile contact list of people who enter your contest, and keep them engaged through targeted information. If implemented strategically, this ad can have the same powerful effect as a multi-channel campaign.

Design Great Experiences.

When customers engage with your business on mobile, they want your site to load quickly, be readable, be accessible and be interactive. Thus, having a mobile optimized website is key to engaging customers. Let’s take a look at a mobile website that is fun and gives consumers exciting brand interaction.

Krispy Kreme created a mobile website with enticing visuals that offers interesting engagement. Notice how each image gives the user something to do.

• Learn about all of their summer drinks by clicking “Beat the Heat”.
• If you’re a coffee drinker, click to see all of their coffee drinks.
• They’ve even invited their visitors to “Get Social” and show their favorite doughnut.

What your small business can do:

Small businesses can get a professional to create a mobile website that is just as engaging and useful to their visitors as Krispy Kreme’s. Raisin Rack, a local grocer in Westerville, OH, has such a website.

Mobile coupons are categorized so deals can be easily found. Ongoing specials are listed separately, and you can easily find out doubt upcoming educational seminars.

Check out a few images of their mobile site below:

Each page on their mobile website gives the audience something to do that is useful and valuable. If your business provides services, your mobile website can have detailed descriptions each service. Images with product descriptions can be included on mobile websites for businesses with physical products. Purchasing from mobile apps and websites are getting easier and safer, so consider building an ecommerce mobile website.

Use Application Program Interfaces (API’s).

API’s allow 2 systems to communicate with each other. Sounds complicated right? Not really!

What you need to do is integrate platforms such as Social Media, Email, Click to Call and Click for Directions. These are standard features in mobile websites but extremely powerful.

Wendy’s mobile website has included 4 different social media platforms integrated at the top of the page. This allows customers the opportunity to engage with Wendy’s and other customers about their food products.

What your small business can do:

In addition to social media, you can add click to call, click for directions and click to email features, which provide a huge opportunity for customers to connect with your business.

I recently visited a business downtown for the first time, and I used the navigational tool on my smartphone for directions. After clicking a button, I expected directions to be automatically input into google maps, but that didn’t happen. Instead, I had to get the address from their “unfriendly” mobile website, and then enter the address manually into my phone’s mapping system. These extra steps can stop your business from getting new customers. A simple click for directions button eliminates extra steps and makes it very easy for your visitors to find your business.

A pest control company in the Toledo area has integrated a Call Us and Email Us button on the homepage of their mobile website. Their first time callers have increased significantly, which has had a positive effect on their revenue.

As these examples have illustrated, mobile marketing is not only for large businesses with large budgets but also for small businesses that use creativity and ingenuity to engage their customers. Once you have determined your marketing goals and aligned them with your mobile marketing strategies, your business has the capability to have a huge and long lasting impact on how you acquire, engage and communicate with your customers.

Curious to find out how your business can benefit from mobile marketing? Send an email to schedule a free 30 minute consultation to sonya@modigitale.com. You may also schedule your consultation by texting “modigital” to the number 72000.

Sonya Ramsey is the founder and owner of Modigital, LLC. Her company focuses on Mobile and On-Line Reputation Marketing.  She graduated from National University in San Diego and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business.   As a dedicated professional, Sonya understands the value of building relationships and serving others.  She served in the Marines for 4 years and currently is a Docent at the Columbus Museum of Art, where she has given 200+ Speaking Engagements through their Speakers Bureau and Docent in the Schools programs. She is strong believer that by using innovative mobile marketing strategies, small businesses can be competitive with larger companies using strategies that are manageable and effective. She provides non-traditional marketing solutions in a rational and approachable manner while giving customized support every step of the way. Sonya is happy to have a conversation about mobile marketing for your business. She can be reached at:  sonya@modigitale.com