Jul. 29th 2008
If you are in the mobile sphere, chances are you have already gotten past the “Why would I want this on my phone?” phase, and have embraced the upsides that mobile innovations can bring. But for many, who may text only when they are late for a meeting or trying to meet up with a friend, they still get a little stuck on whether mobile marketing could really be embraced by the masses. I truly believe mobile marketing has a strong future ahead, one that will leave email marketing to a similar fate as direct mail marketing (a dwindling one). The key is getting the right message to the right people. Here is part one of a series of how to effectively make mobile work for your marketing needs.
Opt-in An opt-in database has always been the name of the game in marketing. You want your list of go-to people to actually want to receive your message and updates. The problem is how do you get to those people and convince them that you have something worth reading and paying attention to.
Grab them in the heat of the moment. You are already actively engaging your consumers. Whether it is at an event, at a venue, through advertising, newsletters, billboards, online, through your blog or during straight face-to-face encounters. When you have their attention, you need to prompt them to share their information so you can keep the dialogue going. Mobile marketing is a simple way to do this, since everyone has their phone on them, and only their number is needed to make a lasting link. You can prompt them to opt in on their own (i.e. Text GET 211me to 555211 to opt-in), or ask for their number directly in order to do the opt-in for them.
But why opt-in? While prompting and asking someone to opt-in is all well and good, what is the magic formula for getting them to actually do it? Regardless of the industry, audience or messaging, certain elements of the human condition remain the same. People want to be the first to know, they want something exclusively that others may not have access to, and most people in the modern age seek instant gratification. This approach is two tiered, in that you want to dangle the carrot in front of them for future opportunities while still satisfying a current hunger. One of the great features of 211me, is the ability to opt-in a new subscriber while providing them with unique content, all within the same moment.
For example Boston nightlife marketing kings 6one7 have used 211me to grow their list of people who like to head out to the clubs in and around Boston. Their approach with their audience is very one-on-one, as they engage people waiting in line or already in the venues to ask if they would like to get notices on the hottest nights in Boston. Grabbing them in the heat of the moment, when they are out, relaxing, enjoying the party is the perfect atmosphere for this. The club goers essentially hear… do you want to have more great nights like this or do you want to stay at home with your cats watching SNL because you didn’t know what was going on? The answer is pretty clear.For those that haven’t made it inside yet, 6one7 often offers the chance to opt-in for free admission that night or the chance to skip the line. Instant gratification just by opting in and showing the text at the door. And the genius piece of it is that no one wants to walk into a club on their own, so if one person does it, it is guaranteed that at least one of their friends will do it along with them.And the hope for the future for all of these new opt-in members is the chance to hear about the latest parties first, receive offers for free admission before midnight for the biggest nights in the city and the chance to be added to the guestlist for many private invite only events.
The velvet rope approach This velvet rope approach is not for nightlife alone. The Second Glass magazine offers its reader an unpretentious guide to the best wines offered in retail and at area restaurants in Boston. Every week it features a new red, white or rose to its email database. For forgetful folks (like myself) it often left people scratching their head in the liquor store wondering what the heck was the name of that fabulous wine they read about that they wanted to try out. The Second Glass has now begun offering this information in crib note format for mobile. So opt-in members receive a photo of the bottle, details on its origins and at least one location where it can be found locally. Now, whenever a mobile member happens by a liquor store or is out at a restaurant or bar, they have that information at their finger tips and can be the in the know wine connoisseur they never thought they could be.
Knowledge is power. You and your organization know things that you may take for granted - the best spot for fishing in Lake Huron, the right way to balance diet and exercise, the best housing market in the country right now or how to make an indestructible paper airplane. Use this knowledge and disperse it in short illustrative text and photos on mobile via 211me. This will give you an opportunity to engage your audience with how to’s (or where to or what to etc) that they wish to receive, giving them a wealth of information in their phone rather than spewing out a new form of spam. Being the one that knows what is going on is empowering to individuals and will make your messages well received.
Next time, we’ll talk about giving your messages that extra oomph to foster viral growth…
Text Get Kings6one7 to 555211 to optin with 6one7
6one7
Text Get SecondGlass to 555211 to opt in for The Second Glass
The Second Glass
