Seize your mobile opportunity

by Alice Bredin, July 31, 2014

Boost your sales by optimizing your marketing for mobile

With 9 in 10 U.S. adults now owning a mobile phone, according to figures from the Pew Research Center, mobile marketing has evolved from a nice-to-have to an imperative. Done well, this type of marketing can give small businesses a strong boost and can even help level the playing field with larger competitors.

Using mobile tactics can help you find and hold on to customers—both top priorities this year for small companies, according to the 2014 AT&T Small Business Productivity Survey.* Consider these three steps to start reaping the benefits of mobile marketing:

1. Reach customers on the go with a mobile website

I’ve talked to a number of small business owners who have reported extraordinary results with websites optimized for the smaller screens of mobile devices. A mobile website should highlight the information that customers would need while on the go, such as address, phone number, and hours. It should also be designed to load quickly on smartphones, for example, by minimizing use of images. Half of the business owners in the AT&T survey plan to improve customer access to information online this year, and a mobile-friendly website can help deliver on this goal.

As a first step to building a mobile site, list the elements of your full site that you would need to change to accommodate smartphone screens. For example, content should be arranged in one column to reduce scrolling. A mobile website solution provider can build your site or give you tools and templates to do it yourself.

2. Build relationships with text messaging

Text messaging gives you a low-cost way to engage with existing customers on a personal level. It is also a powerful tactic for encouraging quick action. A clothing boutique might use text messaging to alert its subscribers to “flash” sales, while a service-oriented business such as a salon or spa could send appointment reminders and notify subscribers of last-minute cancellations, perhaps offering a discounted price.

Text messaging can also be an effective way to win new customers. To get started, think of ways to encourage customers and prospects to send you a text to opt onto your list. For example, an ice cream shop might announce: “Text ‘free cone’ to 67396 to get a small cone and future offers.” Be sure to send texts only to people who have opted in to receive your messages, and include a clear way for them to opt out—for example, by texting “STOP.” If your subscribers are spread geographically, be mindful of different time zones. Waking customers with your messages will not strengthen goodwill.

3. Explore other mobile tactics

Once your company has a mobile website and text messaging program in place, consider expanding your mobile marketing program. You might try a location-based service that allows customers to “check in” to your business through their mobile devices, essentially broadcasting their location to their friends. These services also allow you to post specials, such as a discount on a product or service, to attract people nearby.

You might also consider a mobile app to improve customer service. Depending on your type of business and needs, you could choose an off-the-shelf, customizable app, or you could work with a mobile application developer to build a more finely tailored product. Apps can benefit many types of small businesses. For example, a plumbing company might create an app that lets technicians schedule service calls faster and track time spent at a site, while allowing customers to take photos of their plumbing problems and send them to the office for more efficient troubleshooting.

As you try different mobile tactics, take time to gauge the effectiveness of your efforts. For example, you should track the results of offers you send through text messaging and the time you send the messages to learn if a certain type of offer, or a certain time of day, gets a greater response. Over time, you will be able to hone your efforts to gain the greatest benefit to your business.

Alice Bredin is America’s foremost small business expert, with more than 15 years of experience in the small business market. She has provided highly practical, actionable advice to millions of business owners through her books, syndicated newspaper column, radio commentary, and small business forums.

*The AT&T Small Business Productivity Survey was conducted among a representative sample of 516 principals of companies with less than 500 employees in the United States by Bredin, Inc. in June 2014. The survey had a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence.