A Dozen Mobile Marketing Tools That Can Really Pay Off
Before you can devise strategies and tactics that make profitable use of mobile marketing, it’s helpful to get a quick overview of some common tools used by marketers to improve ROI.
1. Custom apps, utilities, and extensions
You can do almost anything with a mobile app platform, just like conventional app development. From enterprise CRM extensions that provide real-time sales metrics to apps that let buyers enter order estimates from anywhere, it’s easy to see why organizations are so excited about the potential of custom apps.
2. App advertising
This is the paid association with an existing smartphone app for promotional purposes. There are three angles to linking an app to your brand: building the custom app and branding it (the first point above); advertising within the application itself; and advertising in a way that simply sponsors the application but is not a functional part of it.
3. Mobile Content Sponsorship
In addition to sponsoring mobile apps, your business can also sponsor real content online, from iPad versions of popular magazines to eBooks, videos, photos, podcasts, and audiobooks on platforms like Audible.com, Amazon Kindle, and Apple iTunes.
4.Direct trade
Commerce-enabled mobile apps allow business buyers to make purchases anytime, anywhere. Although you should keep it simple and easy to use, getting the formula right could mean not only an additional way to sell, but also speed up the sales cycle in some cases.
5. QR Codes and Conventional Barcodes
Whether as a point of sale tool (as with mobile coupons), or as a promotional device to drive traffic to websites or be integrated into campaigns, QR codes have brought new life and novelty to smartphone users.
6. Location-based services
Location Based Services (LBS) take into account the user’s location, such as when someone “checks in” to a location like Foursquare, Gowalla, Google Hotspot, Scvngr, or Facebook Deals. While business-to-business use of this technology will be more subtle, the potential remains enormous.
7. SMS campaigns (text messages)
Although expensive and a bit dated, SMS messaging should not be overlooked as an alternative to heavy smartphone app development. Text messaging is a great way to connect with existing customers who have purchased your brand and want to engage. No carpet bombing, please.
8. Mobile video and audio
Optimizing interactive content for mobile use is a great way to get more value from existing investments in video and audio materials. Keep in mind, though, that mediocre content optimized for a mobile platform is still mediocre content, seen elsewhere.
9. Websites optimized for mobile devices
Many companies have not yet optimized their current company website for mobile use. More and more mobile users are visiting your website to view your business, find specific information, get contact information, or compare you to the competition. What are you watching?
10. Content management tools
Today’s CMS users expect marketers to be able to update web content on the fly from their smartphones. This pays off in a variety of ways, including business development support, reporting, crisis management, investor relations, delegation and contingency management.
11. Intranet access
Most of what is on the intranet will not (and should not) be available on a mobile intranet. But already, hundreds of corporations have made resources like employee directories, critical safety and security messages, expense reports, vacation requests, and even online learning tools faster and easier to access by migrating to mobile devices.
12. Customer Service Automation
Mobile customer service may, in some cases, allow customers to perform certain functions related to the service themselves. This is similar to the grocery store self-checkout, which reduces business overhead while presenting this cost-saving measure as a convenience benefit. The same principle could be applied to the renewal of a customer’s contract, the resolution of technical problems, etc.