Get consumers’ attention with these mobile marketing ideas

by Rieva Lesonsky, January 22, 2016

9 ideas to help your business grow

Thanks to technology, connecting with customers and prospective clients has never been easier. One of the most valuable tools available to help your small business reach out is mobile marketing. After all, with consumers relying on mobile phones for everything from directions to coupons to communicating with friends and family, the easiest way to get someone’s attention is on the phone. Here are nine ideas to attract customers with mobile marketing.

Is business slow in your store or restaurant? Set up a limited time special offer (“Buy one lunch special, get one half off from 11:30-1:30 today”) and text it out to your contact list. You can even ask customers to text back so you’ll know how many customers to expect. (“Text PIE to 11130 to get a free slice of pie with lunch today only.”)

Do you own an appointment-based business such as a restaurant or salon? Eliminate no-shows and maximize sales by sending out automated reminder emails 24 hours before the appointment. You can even upsell the customers at that time by adding a special offer or related product at a low price. For example, send a customer who’s getting a haircut a code for 20% off hair products that day only.

Create a VIP customer list and send those customers alerts about new products, new services, or sales before other customers get the news. Invite your VIPs to special events or text them VIP-only coupon codes.

Integrate mobile into your social media marketing efforts by encouraging mobile message recipients to interact with you on social media. This spreads the word to a whole new audience.

When a customer visits your business for the first time, ask them to join your mobile marketing contact list. Then reach out a few days later while the experience is still fresh in their minds with a mobile marketing offer to get them back in.

If you provide a service such as HVAC or auto servicing that involves seasonal appointments, text regular customers reminders when their home/vehicle/etc. is due for servicing so they can make appointments ahead of the busy season.

For those customers with MMS capability on their phones, enhance offers and texts by including photos or even video of products, menu items, or events.

Conduct mobile polling by having customers vote on their favorite products or otherwise share their opinions via text messaging.

Hold mobile contests such as texting out trivia questions and having customers text the answer to win a prize, or asking customers to text a photo.

Integrate mobile into your social media marketing efforts by encouraging mobile message recipients to interact with you on social media, too. This spreads the word about your business to a whole new audience.

Collecting customer contact information at multiple touch points helps build your mobile messaging list.

To make mobile marketing work for you, it’s important to choose the right mobile messaging tool. Look for a service that is geared toward small-business needs, can track results and responses, and enables you to automate marketing campaigns and messages. This way, you can segment your customer lists, then set up the service to send designated messages based on customers’ actions, past purchases, etc.

Collecting customer contact information at multiple touch points helps build your mobile messaging list. For instance, you can ask customers to sign up at the point of purchase in your retail store or when you deliver the check in your restaurant. You can have customers fill out a form online on your website. Your print marketing, receipts, website, or signage can offer text-to-join options such as “Text SPECIAL to 12340 to join our list for updates on events, sales and more.” Offering customers a percentage-off code in return for signing up is a good way to get more signups.

Just as with email marketing, laws require that you have permission from customers before sending them any SMS or MMS messaging. You should get to know the laws that apply to your jurisdiction which may require that you send a confirmation text (“You are now signed up for promotional text messages from XYZ Business”) and always offer recipients a way to opt out of the list at any time, among other requirements.

Once you have customers’ permission to send them mobile messages, don’t abuse the privilege. One or two mobile messages per week will keep your business on customers’ radar without annoying them.

Get more ideas on how to market with text messaging.

Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva at rieva@smallbizdaily.com, follow her on Twitter and visit her website, SmallBizDaily.com, to get the scoop on business trends.