Mobile phone marketing, otherwise known as digital marketing, is the present evolution of direct advertising. Direct advertising has always been favored by companies as a personalized and focused method of reaching new consumers and, with the advent of mobiles, SMS marketing has risen in support. SMS marketing is perhaps best defined as the practice of advertising products and services using digital distribution channels to reach consumers in a timely, relevant, personalized and economic way.
The most common example of mobile marketing is SMS marketing, which has expanded very quickly in Europe and Asia. It is thought that several hundred million marketing messages are sent through SMS every month in Europe alone. SMS stands for 'short message service' and is a communication form specific to cell phones where a short message can be easily sent to any cell phone user. As well as sending content to consumers, marketers can often encourage consumers to participate in marketing and brand exposure promotions by encouraging consumers to text a specific number at an event in order to enter a competition, to receive a prize or to have their SMS displayed on a multimedia wall at an event. All of these techniques engages the customer through the medium of SMS and creates brand exposure.
There are many other types of mobile marketing. One example is sending texts via MMS, which is a multimedia version of SMS, allowing consumers to receive texts with color, pictures and video. There is also mobile web marketing, where brands advertise marketing goals through websites accessed by cell phones. Promoters often make innovative use of SMS marketing such as location-based services where consumers are offered custom promotions and other network-related information and marketing information based on their whereabouts. With the range of techniques and options available to promoters, it is unsurprising that a recent marketing survey found that 89% of major brands planned to advertise their products through mobile marketing by the end of 2008.
SMS marketing is an example of what is known within the industry as "push" marketing. The thought behind push marketing is that that the marketer has to send (push) the information to the customer in order for the information to be received. This is different to "pull" marketing, a passive form of promotion, where it is users who seek out the material from sources such as websites or blogs.
There are lots of positives to SMS marketing. Primarily, the attraction is that this mode of promotion can be personalized to the customer. This is the ideal in marketing as it means getting the message specifically to the audience it's focused on, rather than squandering dollars on an broad campaign. The personalization allowed by this form of advertising, which results in a more economical campaign, is one reason why a high return on investment is possible with SMS marketing. Another advantage of SMS marketing is the detailed tracking and reporting of subscribers it allows. Through this form, marketers can track how many customers received their material and also access specific data about each subscriber such as their name, their age, their demographic and where they're located. This allows a company to raise profiles of their customers; data which then guides future marketing campaigns and, ideally, their success.
It is noted in the industry that push marketing, of which SMS marketing is a form, can help drive new cash flows and brand exposure if it is implemented correctly and appropriately. This is because it makes consumers aware of recent changes that they may not think to enquire about already and the way the information is written, and even the fact that the information is being delivered by a contemporary, young medium such as SMS, can say a great deal about a brand and a company.
There are, however, some disadvantages to SMS marketing. Inherently, it must have a mechanism - the cell phone - to be able to send content. The company, as well, has to make use of specialized equipment and software in order to send the information to subscribers, which can involve sizeable costs. Another negative is the fact that SMS marketing is heavily regulated by the telecommunications industry in response to public disquiet about what data and promotions they get shown. Most Western nations have laws in place that require marketers to get the consent of subscribers before marketing content is received by them and must clearly give them with an 'opt out' option if they ask to stop receiving information. If marketers are discovered to be in violation of these laws, network providers can block marketing content by marketers.
As mobile technology improves, SMS marketing will certainly continue to rise in relevance. - 15478
The most common example of mobile marketing is SMS marketing, which has expanded very quickly in Europe and Asia. It is thought that several hundred million marketing messages are sent through SMS every month in Europe alone. SMS stands for 'short message service' and is a communication form specific to cell phones where a short message can be easily sent to any cell phone user. As well as sending content to consumers, marketers can often encourage consumers to participate in marketing and brand exposure promotions by encouraging consumers to text a specific number at an event in order to enter a competition, to receive a prize or to have their SMS displayed on a multimedia wall at an event. All of these techniques engages the customer through the medium of SMS and creates brand exposure.
There are many other types of mobile marketing. One example is sending texts via MMS, which is a multimedia version of SMS, allowing consumers to receive texts with color, pictures and video. There is also mobile web marketing, where brands advertise marketing goals through websites accessed by cell phones. Promoters often make innovative use of SMS marketing such as location-based services where consumers are offered custom promotions and other network-related information and marketing information based on their whereabouts. With the range of techniques and options available to promoters, it is unsurprising that a recent marketing survey found that 89% of major brands planned to advertise their products through mobile marketing by the end of 2008.
SMS marketing is an example of what is known within the industry as "push" marketing. The thought behind push marketing is that that the marketer has to send (push) the information to the customer in order for the information to be received. This is different to "pull" marketing, a passive form of promotion, where it is users who seek out the material from sources such as websites or blogs.
There are lots of positives to SMS marketing. Primarily, the attraction is that this mode of promotion can be personalized to the customer. This is the ideal in marketing as it means getting the message specifically to the audience it's focused on, rather than squandering dollars on an broad campaign. The personalization allowed by this form of advertising, which results in a more economical campaign, is one reason why a high return on investment is possible with SMS marketing. Another advantage of SMS marketing is the detailed tracking and reporting of subscribers it allows. Through this form, marketers can track how many customers received their material and also access specific data about each subscriber such as their name, their age, their demographic and where they're located. This allows a company to raise profiles of their customers; data which then guides future marketing campaigns and, ideally, their success.
It is noted in the industry that push marketing, of which SMS marketing is a form, can help drive new cash flows and brand exposure if it is implemented correctly and appropriately. This is because it makes consumers aware of recent changes that they may not think to enquire about already and the way the information is written, and even the fact that the information is being delivered by a contemporary, young medium such as SMS, can say a great deal about a brand and a company.
There are, however, some disadvantages to SMS marketing. Inherently, it must have a mechanism - the cell phone - to be able to send content. The company, as well, has to make use of specialized equipment and software in order to send the information to subscribers, which can involve sizeable costs. Another negative is the fact that SMS marketing is heavily regulated by the telecommunications industry in response to public disquiet about what data and promotions they get shown. Most Western nations have laws in place that require marketers to get the consent of subscribers before marketing content is received by them and must clearly give them with an 'opt out' option if they ask to stop receiving information. If marketers are discovered to be in violation of these laws, network providers can block marketing content by marketers.
As mobile technology improves, SMS marketing will certainly continue to rise in relevance. - 15478
About the Author:
About the author: Bob Johnson has 20 years mobile management delivery. For mobile phone marketing for more information visit on sms marketing
