We believe in sharing information - after all, how do you know what makes the most sense for you in relation to growing your business if you don't know (a) what all of your options are and (b) you don't know what your potential audience is looking for?
That being said, we thought we would share an educational post (below) from Quirk eMarketing that explains Mobile Marketing from the beginning.

What is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile Marketing involves communicating with the consumer via cellular (or mobile) device, either to send a simple marketing message, to introduce them to a new audience participation-based campaign or to allow them to visit a mobile website.
different communication channels in a simple, yet effective, medium.

Cheaper than traditional means for both the consumer and the marketer - and easy enough for almost any age group to understand and engage with - Mobile Marketing really is a streamlined version of traditional eMarketing.

Facts and Figures

Let's look at some interesting Mobile Marketing Statistics for Canada:

• For those who haven’t heard yet, the volume of SMS messages sent in 2008 broke 20 billion. This is up from just north of 10 billion in 2007, which is up from about 4.3 billion in 2006 and about 2.1 billion in 2005.
• We are already on pace in 2009 to again double volume to 40 billion SMS messages.
• While the heavy users are messaging over 145 messages per month each, the number of uniques has grown to over 50% from 41% in 2008.
• Uniques are growing at about 2% a month and recently 600,000 people sent their first text message!
• For the first time ever, the number of messages sent through shortcode marketing programs is available. It looks like over 1 billion messages were sent to a shortcode in Canada in 2008. This is in addition to the 20 billion peer to peer messages sent.

Other interesting things to consider:

• 95% of text messages are opened and read
• On average, emails are read within 48 hours when sent to a mobile device
• And text messages are read within 4 minutes!

Pros and Cons of Mobile Marketing

1.     The mobile phone is personal.

A 2006 survey (“Wireless Works” by BBO and Proximity) found that 63% of respondents would not share their phone with anyone (and 90% of those surveyed in Japan would not share their phone). While laptops do present a personal connection to the Internet, they are not as personal a device as the mobile phone.

The implication for marketers: Respect for privacy and permission is exceptionally important in all aspects of marketing, and particularly so when it comes to mobile phones.

2.     The mobile phone is always carried.

What do you take with you when you leave your house? Wallet, keys and mobile phone. What do you keep always near you when you are in your house? Mobile phone. According to 2007 research by Morgan Stanley, 91% of mobile phone owners keep their phone within one metre, 24 hours a day. People have their phones with them at all times of the day, even in the bathroom.

The implication for marketers: Messages sent to recipients can be read and acted on immediately. Unlike, for example, email which requires that the recipient be in front of their computer and connected to the Internet, messages sent to mobile phones will most likely be accessed within minutes of being received.

3.     The mobile phone is always on.

In order to fulfill its primary function – as a telephone – the mobile phone is always on. Messages and services can be sent and acted on at all times of the day.

The implication for marketers: Similar to the previous feature of the phone, the fact that the phone is always on changes the services and messages that can be developed for the phone. It also means that marketers need to be even more sensitive with their marketing communications. Not many people would appreciate an SMS at 4am informing them of a special offer.

4.     The mobile phone has a built-in payment system.

This is perhaps the key feature of the mobile phone, and one reason why content for mobile phones in many areas generates as much or more revenue than content for the Internet. Every mobile phone has a built in payment mechanism – the SIM card. Billing is easily handled through the user’s mobile network. Not only do mobile phones have this built-in payment mechanism, paying for content and downloads has been built into the way that consumers use their phones. There is less of an expectation that goods and services will be free.

There are also a number of services that turn the mobile into a virtual wallet or bankcard, bringing banking and payment services to people all around the world.

iChannel, a mobile news ticker feed in Japan, generates US$ 192 million per year in subscriptions for its US$ 2 a month service. It has more paying subscribers on this single service that all online newspapers in the world combined (Moore, 2008). Similar cases can be made for games, music and other mobile content.

The implication for marketers: Consumers are willing to pay for services and content on their mobile. Advertising is not the only way to generate revenue for content.

5.     The mobile phone is available at the point of creative inspiration.

As the mobile phone is always carried and always on, it is always available as a creative tool. Phones today feature a number of tools that let users act on creative impulse, from taking photos and videos, to becoming a scribbling pad on which to jot down ideas. 

The implication for marketers: The feature can be used to encourage interactivity within campaigns created for mobile. It presents the mobile as a useful tool in viral campaigns based on consumer generated content.

6.     The mobile phone presents accurate audience measurement.

While the Internet is vastly superior to other media in its ability to track and measure advertising and marketing campaigns, it is eclipsed by the mobile phone. Every transaction made on a mobile phone can be uniquely tracked to that mobile phone number, whether the transaction be a voice call, an SMS message or accessing the Internet.

The implication for marketers: Aggregated data provides extensive profiling and segmenting opportunities for targeting the right audience. Campaigns can also be accurately measured and tracked for ROI. Bear in mind as well that this accurate measurement means that mobile phone users have far less anonymity than Internet users. Even though at least 50% of mobile phones worldwide are on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go type of contract (which means that the network operators do not have the phone user’s name and demographic details to go with the mobile number), each transaction made by the phone user can still be measured. Be aware, that the networks determine the data that they are willing to share with the marketing company. This limits the information available.

7.     The mobile phone captures the social context of media consumption.

This represents emerging thinking on the benefits of the mobile. Because of the nature of the mobile phone to accurately track transactions to any particular phone number (user), it can track transactions between mobile numbers (users). This means that sophisticated data mining can identify patterns that indicate information and preferences of mobile phone users. Not only can alpha users be identified, but they may be identified within their social context.

The implication for marketers: This information will represent rich data that can be used to both create and market products, content and services online.

What you can do Now.

TWINLION Media offers mobile marketing services using a platform which streamlines all of your activities.
For more information, please do not hesitate to call us at 905.639.7400 or email us - we'd be happy to help.