If you checked out the #smbiz Twitter chat a few weeks back you’ll recall we focused on mobile marketing for small business and entrepreneurs. As we discussed during the chat, this is going to get big in 2010.
As reported today in Arlene Satchell’s story in the Sun-Sentinel, Jamba Juice, a nationwide franchise that has nearly two dozen locations in South Florida, has taken to the mobile marketing strategy by incorporating a number of uses in ways to reach existing and new customers. The company is keen on using mobile marketing because it knows a large percentage of its customers are very active on their mobile devices.
That’s an important aspect that every small business owner and entrepreneur must take into account – knowing your audience. Mobile marketing should be something you’re looking into right now if you fall into this category for your audience. On the flip side, if your primary audience is a lot older and not really using mobile devices, your strategy should be elsewhere.
The story states that businesses like Jamba Juice’s locations throughout South Florida are using mobile marketing messages that include text messages with numeric ’short codes’ that customers dial to receive a promotion, web site pages, links to ads and even bar-coded digital coupons.
As a small business owner, though, you must make sure you’re careful so as to avoid spamming people with mobile marketing. Consumers – and government agencies – are taking spam very seriously and you don’t want to end up on any negative lists.
If done right mobile marketing for small business can be very rewarding, especially since industry research firm Juniper predicts that worldwide mobile coupon users will triple by 2014 to over 300 million users.
The big question for small business owners and entrepreneurs – and one we ask often here on this blog – is how you’ll incorporate mobile marketing into your existing marketing programs. Remember that integration is always the best plan. So remember to integrate any mobile marketing strategies with your email marketing and direct mail (promoting the service and text codes), loyalty programs and rewards programs, newsletters and even landing pages. If you have a physical location be sure to promote your mobile marketing program on signage and other branding opportunities.
Here’s a link to the Sun-Sentinel story.
