Notes From A Mobilized Marketer - Another Reason To Smile At The Selfie

Despite its negative reputation in some circles, I will argue that the selfie has done more to drive smartphone adoption and bring people closer than any other recent product enhancement. I came across another reason to smile:

Until March 14, Disney Parks will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish – up to $1 million – for every “ear photo” shared on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #ShareYourEars. What kind of ears? “Cool ears. Funny ears. Mickey Mouse ears. We want to see them all!”

So show ‘em.

Customizing vehicles and watching a video on a manufacturer’s website are the most common activities on desktops for vehicle-shopping individuals, per Ipsos. On mobile, Nos. 1 and 2 are reaching out to family and friends and reaching out to a dealership or salesperson.

Ninety percent of smartphone users have used their devices to find a location, per Pew. The activity upended the free-standing and pricey navigation units that we no longer use or want.

Gizmodo reported the availability of the first smartphone with built-in FLIR thermal vision that can also survive a hurricane. The line of people is short for such a “need”.

Yahoo's Simon Khalaf says that we're at the end of Mobile 1.0 and we're entering Mobile 2.0. Let’s commit to punching anyone who calls 2016 The Year of Mobile 2.0.

More from Khalaf: time in the mobile browser decreased from 20% to 9% since 2013.

Emergency room visits by distracted walkers are up 124% in five years, reported The Wall Street Journal.

LinkedIn should block users from sending generic invites to connect. Someone needs to save these dolts from being stupid and lazy.

An Adweek infographic showed that 32% use tech or an app to track exercise. But left unanswered is whether others don’t exercise or just not track.

After all these years and successes, do we still need stories about the importance of building a mobile loyalty club though SMS opt-in? It isn't that I question the notion that these clubs are valuable. But are we still at such elementary how-to stage?

Eighty-two percent of TV ad-driven searches during Super Bowl were done on smartphones, vs. 70% in 2015: Google. But only 7% on tablets as smartphones continue to eat into the use of those devices.

Assessing A Forecast of Slow Mobile Advertising Use By SMBs

Buoyed by better devices, falling prices, and more time spent by users, mobile is often viewed by the progress that it makes on a month-to-month or quarter-to-quarter basis.

So it was striking when one of the most respected industry analyst firms advised us to take a much longer view, especially when it comes to SMBs and local mobile advertising.

“We’re monitoring everything on a weekly basis,” Mark Fratrik, SVP and Chief Economist, BIA/Kelsey, said while releasing a new local spending forecast http://www.biakelsey.com/Company/Press-Releases/140922-U.S.-Local%20-Media-Revenues-to-Reach-$139.3-Billion-in-2015.asp. “Right now, we are banking on social ad networks becoming increasingly important.

“We also keep upping the growth rate of mobile advertising. But mobile starts with such a low base that the percentage of increases are a bit misleading. But by 2019, mobile becomes a big player in the local advertising marketplace.”

By 2019, huh? Not tomorrow or next month?

I once was fortunate enough to co-present at an iMedia conference with Tamara Bousquet, SVP, NY Media Capability Lead at DigitasLBi, and a former marketer working with Apple. They don’t come smarter than Tamara.

She was real easy to work with, but Tamara did have one rule – no forecasting on mobile beyond six months because “no one knows”.

Perhaps.

What might be behind BIA/Kelsey’s rather sobering forecast? For one, it’s not easy to plan, buy, monitor, rationalize, and optimize mobile advertising.

Companies with large budgets have succeeded to some degree in marrying relevant advertising content to visitors to mobile sites and users of particular apps. Others have employed mobile advertising for brand building. In the majority of those cases, brands and agencies have turned to ad networks to run their campaigns. SMBs don’t have the access, given the relatively small budgets that they bring into play.

The fact that 63 percent of Facebook’s revenue in the last reported quarter came from mobile advertising gives me reason to believe that SMBs are not only beginning to spend it the category, they are staying in because they see success in driving traffic, sales and/or loyalty.

Speaking of loyalty, Fratrik said that while local advertising (primarily online) has become increasingly efficient, SMBs are also putting their money into other marketing areas, such as loyalty programs.

Regular readers know how bullish I am about SMS-driven loyalty clubs for SMBs. There are thousands of examples of campaigns that have produced trackable business successes.

As to whether newspapers can remain in the spending mix moving forward, Fratrik was frank.

“Most traditional media remain very relevant,” he said. “As mass media, they are great for extending the reach of a message. Most digital media are more about specifically targeting users. National and local advertisers will always want a mix of messages. That said, newspapers are in the most precarious position.

“We are estimating they’ll see a decrease in print advertising by five percent a year — and it will be even more severe if they limit the days they publish to three days a week, which is the current trend.”

Being a former journalist and one who still reads two printed versions of newspapers daily, I, for one, am rooting for the much-maligned medium. Mobile is a key, giving newspapers the ability to provide personalized content freshened throughout the day.

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This post was brought to you by IBM for Midsize Business and opinions are my own. To read more on this topic, visit IBM's Midsize Insider. Dedicated to providing businesses with expertise, solutions and tools that are specific to small and midsized companies, the Midsize Business program provides businesses with the materials and knowledge they need to become engines of a smarter planet.

Notes From A Mobilized Marketer - When A Selfie Deserves A Kick In The Face

A guy who was taking a selfie in front of a speeding train got kicked in the face by the conductor. Do you know anyone who believes he got something other that what he deserved?

Mark Cuban invested in a pot that charges your smartphone by boiling water.

ESPN says mobile traffic now exceeds desktop.

Android had 53 percent of U.S. smartphone activations in Q1.

U.S. smartphone thefts doubled in 2013. Approximately 4.5 million phones were lost or stolen. Tech companies have committed to offering a “kill switch” to stop the trend.

A report says that two-thirds of doctors are using some kind of mobile app while working. My guess is about the same amount of patients are using one during an appointment.

Nearly 40 percent in the U.S. are cellphone-only households. Idaho leads with 52 percent.

About 75 percent of prescription-takers use mobile apps, including most older adults and seniors. Those and the rest of them are reachable via opt-in SMS for reminders and health tips.

17 percent of parents say their children use at least one mobile device in the classroom. Meanwhile, for every story that says tablets are wrecking kids’ motor skills, I can point to at least five that say that they are an indispensible learning tool.

Forrester: while 91 percent of connected employees use a computer at their work desk, 64 percent also use a smartphone.

Several recent stories talk of the need to walk away once in a while from our connected devices. No app required – it’s self-discipline. I fail often. Do you?

More 65 and older adults own tablets or readers than smartphones, Pew says. About 18 percent of this group has a smartphone. 27 percent have a tablet or reader.

I'll Say Hallelujah If I See A Super Bowl Mobile Call To Action

I don't want to sound preachy, but if the Super Bowl telecast includes meaningful mobile calls to action for the first time, I will sing out Hallelujah.

More than that, I will respond to the marketer’s ask for me to take out my phone or tablet – ok, one will be in each hand, so taking out will be unnecessary – and I'll participate. I’ll learn more about a new product, be entertained by a brand beyond what was possible in a 30-second commercial, and even text to win.

So will millions or perhaps tens of millions of others.

Marketers buy into the Super Bowl telecast because it is the one time of the year when consumers are actually tuning in to commercials instead of muting the volume or fast-forwarding on their DVR.

Here’s an old school recipe for success:

One part new product or service offering upgrade

A tear-inducing script (Tears can be a result of hilarity or a message that pulls at the heartstrings.)

One teaspoon of a timely message (Think Valentine’s Day and/or tax season)

A cute animal or hot celebrity – or in some cases, both

A tease in the media

Yet, mobile calls to action have been missing this day of 24/7 social, mobile consumers.

Why is this an opportunity missed?

It takes that near-perfect, talked-about-for-days ad and extends its value. By including, for instance, an SMS call to action and engaging with consumers, companies can ultimately build remarketable databases that tie directly to their loyalty programs and enable ongoing communication.

Last year, Super Bowl advertisers relied on simple URLs, some of which weren’t even mobile-specific. Other ads directed consumers to social media prompts via a plethora of hashtags (Audi’s #SoLongVampires, Bud Light’s #MakeItPlatinum, H&M’s #BeckhamForHim, etc.).

Hashtags are catchy and make people want to join in on the trending. They create a following, for a short time at least. But they are hard to track and measure for true value. Instead of (or in addition to) a hashtag, why didn’t they include an SMS option for viewers to receive more information? Doing so also creates a sense of exclusivity, and allows consumers to be part of a special network of people who receive deals, coupons and other special treatments that promote customer loyalty, repeat shopping and increased purchase value.

Here are five ads that could have been improved with a simple mobile call to action:

1. GoDaddy. The brand teased viewers that its “NSFTV” ads were available online if they scanned a QR code. They could have used an SMS in addition to a QR code (which is sometimes hard for viewers to see, much less get them to fire up their scanner and capture the code onscreen before it disappears) to “see more now” that would have brought users to the coveted “Too Hot For TV Internet Only” versions. By offering multiple means of engagement, GoDaddy could have increased its reach.

2. Teleflora. This ad was racy and tied in with the upcoming “holiday of love.” Perfect timing, of course. However, it could have used a text campaign for a Valentine’s Day coupon instead of just posting teleflora.com and trusting that consumers will travel there on their own without an incentive. An initiative like this could have led to Teleflora building an opt-in list of people who like to give flowers to their loved ones and would probably do so again on their birthday or anniversary.

3. Coca-Cola and Audi. Both brands had multiple spots but did not set up the next ad. For instance, they could have created some type of scavenger hunt or delivered a message, such as, “prepare to use Shazam next time you see Coke,” to tie-in the experience across ads.

4. Best Buy. This ad was entirely about mobile innovation, yet had no mobile innovation of its own. It did not embrace the very technologies that it was commending. There was a real missed opportunity to expand on each of the founders’ stories for more consumer inclusion and engagement.

5. The movie clips (Transformers, The Avengers, John Carter, etc.). These movies were built up as the blockbusters for 2012, yet there was no incentive to check them out beyond the digital effects and big-name celebrity rosters. Think of the perks for both brands and consumers if they had incorporated a mobile campaign to see “Sneak Peaks” or an opportunity to win tickets, all while building a database of future prospects.

Will this year end with a Hallelujah? Or will it be another sermon about opportunity lost? We shall see.

(article first appeared on imediaconnection.com - http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2013/01/27/ill-say-hallelujah-if-i-see...

Caesars Does More Than Roll Dice On Mobile

Caesars guests roll the dice all the time and leave a lot to fair Lady Fortune. But the casino’s admirable approach to mobile marketing leaves little to chance. During an hour-long webinar earlier this month, a senior executive from Caesars Entertainment said that mobile will sit at the center of the company’s strategy to move the business a giant leap forward in 2013.

Eric Petersen, director of new media, Caesars Entertainment, sees “four components” to mobile.

First, mobile Web is used to get consumers to Caesars’ properties — allowing them to make reservations. Second, SMS is mainly used to reach consumers that are in market — sending them exclusive offers, deals and reminders.

Third, mobile applications are “hotel-specific to enhance customer experience” — and these apps deliver value by enabling customers to access and use concierge services, room service and make dining reservations.

“Finally, Petersen noted, “we use QR codes on print advertising and on-site signage to increase the level of interactivity consumers can have with our brands.”

Petersen is wise to provide consumers choice and let them decide how (mobile, Web, on-site) they want to interact with his properties. He also correctly assumes that his customers have a certain level of sophistication and mobile savvy.

But there is a bar to reach. Brands have to deliver their customers a mobile-optimized website and experience. “Without it,” he argued, “you will give the consumer a bad experience and risk that they will never return.”

What’s more, with search being one of the most popular activities on a mobile device, it is imperative that search results lead to an optimal user experience. “This is why brands must optimize their sites for mobile, and [why] mobile Web will still lead as the main channel next year,” he said.

Petersen may work in glitzy Las Vegas, but the lights don’t blind him to what works in mobile — and what fails.

This is why Caesars’ mobile strategy is squarely focused on delivering user experiences that provide value.

“Mobile is making things easier for consumers,” he said. “You can deposit a check, book a flight or make a dinner reservation. As marketers, we need to keep this in mind. Mobile is here to solve problems.”

And it shouldn’t just be about solving the problems of a select group of individuals (distinguished by their high-end devices or huge appetite for apps). This is why Petersen has purposely included tried-and-true text messaging in his marketing mix. Unsexy, yes. But it is effective. “SMS is an important factor for engagement,” he said. “It’s the only medium that offers 100-percent reach.”

HOW I SEE IT: As I’ve written before, the travel and tourism vertical gets mobile. Marketers in this industry are among the most active — and most effective. From enabling people to make last-minute bookings using only their mobile phones, to driving on-premises customers to nearby restaurants and shows, companies in this vertical have proven mobile provides convenience and immediacy.Caesars is another great example showing the way forward.

As we look to 2013, you have to wonder whether Augmented Reality (AR), a technology gaining serious traction in mobile marketing, might not also hit it big in Vegas (and elsewhere) in 2013. After all, Las Vegas is surely a great fit (can you think of a place more distant from reality?). Granted, usage is small. But next year might be the time for AR to get its day in the big lights.

(first appeared here http://www.mobilegroove.com/mobile-more-than-roll-of-dice-for-caesars-las-veg...

The Significance of Twenty Years of Text Messaging

On the 20th anniversary of the first text message, I told Mobile Marketer that SMS has driven sales, engagement, and brand loyalty.

"Often maligned, I'll argue that mobile marketing has advanced as far and fast as it has precisely because of text messaging. Sure, it's unsexy and hardly a creative tactic in and of itself, but SMS provides reach to nearly 100 percent of phones and to the 75 percent who text on a regular basis.

"SMS has most effectively made traditional media interactive, moving product, driving trial and building monetizable databases for Macy's, Arby's and many others. Simply, text messaging has proven that mobile works for brands."

The full article is here: http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/14322.html

Notes From A Mobilized Marketer - The Irrelevant Offers Edition

No eyelash enhancement deals delivered this week through mobile or online, but my sewing class offer arrived. I saw it when I put down my knitting.

Of course, the course to take instead of matching prices is to deliver value-add customer service. That’s delivering at the Moments of Trust.

How long before Samsung does another iPhone 5 spot saying that you can't even buy one if you are dumb enough to want one? Deja deja deja déjà vu.

But how many changed plans to buy an iPhone 5 because of maps inferiority? None, according to a study. It’s annoying, but not deal breaker

Minutes of talks, plus texts sent and received each increased 3 percent year over year, CTIA says. So much for talk, SMS withering.

More CTIA figures? Americans used more than 1.1 trillion megabytes of wireless data in 2011. The number means nothing to us. What does? It doubled year over year.

Amazon says that it sells Kindles at cost. Of course, money is made on what is sold through the hardware.

On a possible ownership change for Sprint - consumers don't give a hoot. It won't influence purchases. Name one who can tell you who owns Sprint now.

A Coca Cola executive gave Digiday a reason why brands are behind in mobile: 'It's hard as shit,” she said. Harder than brain surgery or rocket science?

A survey says that the iPad mini is the least-desired Apple product launching in 2012. Time will tell – I completely disagree.

I saw a story on "what you need to know about mobile malware". Here’s what I know having worked extensively in the online security category - consumers don't care and won't for awhile, even after a major outbreak.

27 percent of registered-voter cell owners have used their phone in this campaign to keep up with election news or politics, according to Pew. Seems high considering most know whom they are voting for in November.

If you could turn back the clock and go to an unconnected world, would you? Is the answer as simple as "no way"? I don't think so.

For a while, industry folks said that mobile users look at texts within four minutes. A new report says the average response time is 90 seconds. I’m not sure either is accurate.

The Biggest Hurdle In SMS Marketing

Mobile Marketer asked me about hurdles in using text-messaging programs.

Here's what I told the publication:

“The biggest hurdle is often mental. Recently, Ford used a text call-to-action to produce a 15.4 percent lead convergence. I told this story to a digital influencer who called it a great example of a 'meat and potatoes' program.

“I'm a vegetarian but I'll serve my clients meat and potatoes all day long if we can realize such a lofty lead number.”

Further, I told Mobile Marketer that marketers should get past the "shiny object" mentality and concentrate on what has the best chance of success.

"Of course, another advantage to SMS marketing is that an interaction often leads to a remarketing opportunity through an opt-in. This drives loyalty and sales.

“Who cares if it was done with the simplest of mobile products?"

The full article is here http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/13862.html

Mobile and the Presidential Election

My brother, Rick, is the expert on elections http://electionlawblog.org/, but now that mobile has become part of the political process, I weighed in on the use of text messaging for donations.

“Mobile and social media have become integral to political campaigning, much like they have become integral to general marketing initiatives,” is what I told Mobile Marketer. These mediums provide direct and personal lines to consumers and must be considered as core aspects to any campaign, political or otherwise.

“Consumers have been very receptive to SMS donations in other contexts, so that will likely carry over in this case. It’s quick, simple and has a very wide reach.”

The American Red Cross saw that more than 90 percent of the SMS donations for Haiti relief were from new donors. The political parties should only have similar success in broadening their funding base.

The full story is here http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2012/08/28/obama-romney-campaigns-drive-do...

A Mobile "Do" That's a Duh

When considering marketing via SMS, my first “do” is a duh.

“First off, determine if you target uses text messaging,” is what I told Mobile Marketer.

“More than 75 percent of United States mobile subscribers do, so it's likely that you are in the game,” he said. “Then have a compelling call-to-action, one that considers your target's interests as well as location and time of day.

“After the initial interaction, it’s often important to build an ongoing relationship with the consumer. Ask them to opt-in for additional updates, engage them and keep them coming back for more. The final step is measuring these interactions and optimizing to maximize results.”

More of my comments and the rest of the article are here - http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/13517.html

Revisiting My Mobile Predictions

In January, I posted my 2012 predictions http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2011/12/13/super-if-not-super-bowl-mob.... Let’s see where we are six months into the year:

Prediction: Device price points will continue to be brought down with offers of discounted products in exchange for a consumer agreeing to receive ads. Mobile phones with offers, including perhaps a Google phone, are coming soon.

Where We Stand: As I write this, for a shiny (or dull, for that matter) penny, Amazon is selling the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G Android Phone on Verizon Wireless. That is tied to a contract, not ads. But Google is making a further wireless bet with the introduction of the Nexus 7 tablet. Reportedly the company won’t make anything off of the hardware – it’s about the ads and selling of content that makes this viable.

Prediction: Savvy marketers will follow research highlighting consumer behavior and interest. They know that just because you can do something technically doesn’t mean that you should.

Where We Stand: At a recent Hipcricket summit of top digital marketers, one of the many of the successes discussed was Ford’s 15.4 percent lead conversion seen through the combination of traditional media and text messaging. Spending on shiny objects can move your business backward – or get you fired.

Prediction: 2012 will be the year of the mobile web. As we move closer to the time when more people access the web on a wireless device than a PC, brands, agencies and others will realize that they need a mobile web offering that overdelivers. This has not yet happened, but will soon because consumers will demand it.

Where We Stand: Mobile Internet users will reach 113.9 million in 2012, up 17.1% from 97.3 million in 2011 (U.S. Digital Media Usage report, eMarketer 2012). But there is an argument to be made that this is the year of mobile apps (oh, how so many predicted its demise). 64 percent of mobile phone time is spent using apps (Nielsen, March 2012). That could not be predicted.

Prediction: In such a growth industry, more vendors will enter the marketplace making claims that they will produce ROI. Proceed with caution. While the company name may not say Two Guys In a Garage, that may indeed be what you are buying.

Where We Stand: I have not seen a stat about new mobile companies launched, but anecdotally I can tell you that we see newbies just about every day. And many are performing smoke and mirror tricks. Beware.

Prediction: Expect more pressure from senior management to produce results from mobile, meaning it’s critical to think beyond a one-time transaction. There are bigger opportunities if you think about what can happen after the click, namely an experience that can lead to an opt-in and remarketing possibilities.

Where We Stand: As mobile matures, the smartest brands like Coca-Cola are looking at lifetime value. This group has grown significantly in the last six months. More and more, we’re seeing uptake in mobile advertising that follows with an engagement plan.

Prediction: Plan on more device types in the hands of consumers, making it important to provide positive user experiences rather than products that addresses the least-common denominator. Consumers expect top notch brand experiences and the bar is higher than ever with smartphones and faster networks.

Where We Stand: In my Mobilized Marketing book, ESPN executive Michael Bayle says that brands are being punished by consumers who are given poor experiences on mobile. Bayle is right – I see it and hear it often.

Prediction: Expect more social interaction at the point of sale, making customer service vital or a bad experience will end up on Facebook or Twitter in seconds. According to my Moments of Trust consumer touchpoint survey, 40 percent of consumers with smartphones or Internet-enabled mobile devices have used them to spread word to their social networks about an in-store experience, 46 percent of them reported a positive one and 40 percent cited a negative one.

Where We Stand: Twitter and Facebook have furthered their mobile reach via feature phone apps. It’s not about smartphones or feature phones – for brands, it’s important to note that all wireless devices are megaphones.

(first posted on imediaconnection.com http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2012/07/15/revisiting-mobile-predictio...

Why Savvy Marketers Won't Bet On Shiny Objects

More than three dozen of the savviest digital marketers in the country came together in New York recently for a customer summit and sharing of knowledge.

Each brought impressive mobile success stories, none of which included the use of a so-called “shiny object” or a product sprinkled by pixie dust at South By Southwest this past spring. These pros know that none of those types of products and services will move a business. In fact, if anything, they will move a business backward.

Instead, there was discussion of a Ford traditional media campaign that included a call to action involving the unsexiest of products – texting. Why did that make the cut in a day full of discussion? The answer is: business results. Ford saw a 15.4 percent lead conversion by including a mobile component to dollars already being spent.

There was talk of the programs run at Macy’s. In its Backstage Pass program, shoppers are given choices on how to respond to calls to action that lead to information on merchandise from leading designers. The elements include a mobile website, QR codes, MMS (multimedia messaging) and, yes, even text messaging. Macy’s is wise enough to give mobile users choice.

Sure, these marketers are on the forefront. Many attended SxSW and are as up on the newest and shiniest as anyone. But they aren’t buying vaporware. They are tapping into consumer behavior and interest, not what is displayed as the hippest.

Why?

They understand that their jobs have not changed. They need to, for example, sell more beer, move more shoes, and entice consumers to buy cereal. It’s the same job that their predecessors had, in some cases, more than 150 years ago.

The what is the same: It’s about moving product. It always was, and always will be. It’s the how that is changed in the mobile era.

Of course, they aren’t betting it all on mobile. But they are making intelligent bets. For instance, few are spending anything on the mobile wallet, which dominated conversation at SxSW. With miniscule adoption, 2012 isn’t the year to bet the marketing budget on Near Field Communication (NFC) and the wallet promise.

Even those chasing the dough in that category are realistic. “It’s inevitable that we will use this smart gadget that most of us have in our pocket now and increasingly over time all of us will have it,” Scott Lien, vice president of Intuit’s Mobile Innovation Group, told me in my new book, Mobilized Marketing: Driving Sales, Engagement, and Loyalty Through Mobile Devices. “First it will be a basic replacement for payments but over time it will gain more and more intelligence. At first there will be early adopters. They do everything on the phone. I think it will be high travelers and people who are in transit a lot.

“There are many ways that it will add intelligence. It’s shocking in this country that there are a lot of people in tough economic shape. Credit card debt is high. Many people are living paycheck to paycheck, yet they don’t have a good adviser on a daily basis that is helping them make good buying decisions. That could happen in many ways. Helping them find substitutes — if you want to get a good cup of coffee, you tell them, ‘Here’s the cheaper, better place and a better way to get it. Hey, you have points sitting there in your frequent flier account that are about to expire and you can monetize that and buy this thing you want to get.’ We all have three or four credit cards in our wallet. We can tell them that there’s actually a better card to use on this transaction because they’re going to get triple points.”

Lien has measured expectations for adoption. “The concept is very simple — harnessing all the data and all the information that is there and putting all of that knowledge in your hand at the point of purchase or point of decision to help you make a better choice,” he says. “I don’t think we’re years away from all that. I think it will start to come slowly and come in pieces, the way they came with the iPhone. First there weren’t any apps — now there’s voice assist and all that. This will come slowly and serve segments of users like the high-traveler, high-transit user who will start to adapt it very quickly.”

In other words, there likely will be a time to spend brand dollars against the concept. Just not now, not by marketers who went to New York to learn more about how to sell more today.

(article first appeared on adotas.com - http://www.adotas.com/2012/07/why-savvy-marketers-wont-bet-on-shiny-objects/)

Making Mobile Marketing Work For Your Business

(The following first appeared on entrepreneur.com http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223854)

In his book "Mobilized Marketing," author Jeff Hasen details the strategies and tactics that move products and build loyalty through mobile devices, arguably your most personal means of communicating directly with customers. In the following edited excerpt, Hasen offers insights from seasoned marketing professionals on how to gauge, use and succeed with mobile.

Interested in mobile marketing but not sure how or where to get started?

Here are tips from three leaders in mobile marketing and their thoughts for those new to the field.

1. Do some people watching. -- Barbara Williams, a senior-level marketer at Microsoft.

"This is something really simple. . . . If you're not sure if you should be doing mobile, take a page out of classic consumer research mode. . . . Go to the store, go to the mall, go out to dinner, and sit back and watch people. Just watch. Old school. And you see everyone is on their devices and they are spending quite a bit of time on their devices and they're not making phone calls necessarily and they are not just doing SMS [short message service] -- they are doing a lot of things.

"When you see that happening around you everywhere you go, think about how can I insert my product or my brand or my message into these experiences. Just look at the world around you. And listen to young people who grew up in the digital age. Their behaviors are completely different. You'll see this is definitely the route to go in. Invest the time to learn it and understand it. Explore it yourself."

2. Keep an eye on what "the little guy" is doing, as well as the titans. -- Mario Schulzke, founder of IdeaMensch and director of digital strategy at marketing firm WDCW.

"You know, I am not smart enough to tell you about major game-changers. . . . But I can tell you there will be a revolution of incremental innovations that are about to take place. It's so easy nowadays to build your own website, your own piece of software or your own app. So what's happening is that a bunch of people are starting to solve the problems that they've been having in their own lives and industries. We'll see some major productivity gains in just about every vertical, driven by people solving problems close to their vest.

"Do what feels right. . . . Build a marketing program around tactics that make sense for you. I have many clients who are overwhelmed by Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and the like. But when we talk about creating content that provides value to existing and potential customers, they get that. Having a roundtable discussion on Twitter is no different than going to a networking meeting. Crafting a webinar and capturing leads via email is no different than speaking at your local Lion's Club.

"Do what makes sense to you, and always think about the value you provide to your audience. Focus on the fundamentals. Respectfully communicate with your customers via all channels. Don't pretend to be something you're not, and do the right thing."

3. Create interactive "rich media" designed specifically for your mobile site. -- Microsoft's Williams.

"When you think rich media and digital, you tend to think of the standbys like a whole-page takeover or part of an ad will be in the leaderboard at the top of the page and move into one of the units on the side. . . . On mobile, it's a completely different type of experience. You don't have the flexibility but you have the entire device. You can incorporate rich functionality where you can shake the device or where it is actually using the camera function in augmented reality or the location function. There are so many other vectors or parameters that are unique to mobile that I think make rich even richer on mobile. But you have to think about it in a different way on mobile.

"If you don't have a mobile landing page attached to that rich media unit, you have kinda left [your customers] hanging. . . . While rich media is an incredible opportunity to pull people in and to really drive engagement and surface up and push the content out, that back end is still needed when they want to continue their journey. . . ."

4. Find out how your customers want to communicate with you. -- Eileen Woodbury, director of marketing at Clear Channel Los Angeles.

"People will communicate with you the way they want to communicate. . . . So texting isn't replacing the Web. The Web didn't replace the phone call. People who want to call will want to call. People who never called us before hopefully will engage with us through text. Some people prefer Twitter or are on Facebook all day.

"This is the age of choice. People communicate the way they want to. With every new thing that comes along, we're adding to our arsenal."

Mobile Marketing Forum Memories -- And What I've Forgotten

The world’s memory champion spoke at the MMA Forum this week in New York. I cannot remember his name.

Etched instead in my mind are the clear strides that the industry took in advancing the understanding and use of mobile marketing and mobile advertising.

This was no 101 session conducted by the Mobile Marketing Association. There are other conferences, not to mention books, on the basics. Last year, I dinged the forum organizers for bringing introductory content to the nearly 1,000 in attendance, many of whom had heard such information in previous years.

What makes the forum special is the large representation by brands and agencies. Their words and actions bring a sense of realism to the mobile industry that drinks the proverbial Kool-Aid elsewhere – you know, everyone’s business has “taken off,” and there are not enough conference rooms to hold all of the new business meetings.

On to what struck me in New York:

Coca-Cola was everywhere – in the coolers during the breaks, but more importantly, on stage for several sessions.

One of the oldest and most active in mobile, Coca-Cola says "you can't stop learning." And the company did not stop teaching, which struck me as significant since we hear brands say that they do not want to talk about their programs for fear of alerting the competition. That is always a head-scratch since the very nature of high-profile marketing programs is that they are noticed and remembered.

Coca-Cola marketers had previously told us that the majority of its efforts are on proven strategies and tactics, including large-scale text messaging programs that provide “reach.” At the forum, we heard the insider thinking around Super Bowl advertising using a mobile element – do not “compete” with the telecast. Instead, make the marketing complementary. Sounds smart.

GE provided insight into its extensive and growing mobile lineup. For instance, the company’s key mobile metric for appliance sales is activity around the dealer locator feature. That "shows intent," GE’s Andy Markowitz said. And that certainly made sense.

I am one of those who can never hear enough case studies. ComScore reported on an unnamed retailer using television, online video and mobile video during the holidays – the company said that 91 percent of people exposed to the message on mobile were incremental to TV. That was interesting and begged for more detail, not to mention additional experiences from brands.

Not everything I heard was believable.

There were seemingly passionate arguments that mobile is already the so-called first screen.

Kleiner Caufield Perkins & Byers executive Mary Meeker’s highly-respected report delivered recently says otherwise – 46 percent of time spent in media is with television, nearly double the runner-up, which is not mobile. There was debate about whether people pay attention to television, but that sounded like mobile hype to me.

I heard Arbitron say that its panel of opted-in mobile subscribers use apps seven times as much as the mobile Web. Such a gap is contrary to other research and makes me wonder if it is representative.

The measurement company also said that voice, email and messaging account for 51 percent of activity on smartphones. Included is a leading 35 percent for messaging which, if true, counters much of the notion that SMS diminishes as devices get smarter.

I will remember the line from Tom Wheeler of Core Capital Partners that mobile changes the "tyranny of place" in viewing video. He said that consumers do not have to go to it – video comes to them. That may happen, but it has not yet reached large scale nationwide.

Some of the largest players in mobile including Apple, Facebook and Twitter were not on stage. Their interests, primarily gathering data to monetize, were talked about by many.

I listened in on a session on privacy from Verizon’s Ash Evans. He said that consumers care about protecting their identity, but they are not interested in doing much themselves.

Mr. Evans, Verizon’s director of corporate strategy, got pushback from the audience when he said the government has a role. He heard even more dissension when he called for a “universal” identity system – a central place where one’s personal information is housed and accessed. That, of course, is problematic given the potential for breaches.

I do not remember the privacy question being solved – it is safe to say that it was not. That is fine. It certainly was progress that we were talking about it.

(first appeared on Mobile Marketer - http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/columns/13087.html_)

Notes From A Mobilized Marketer - The "Call A Cheerleader" Edition

If voice was ever going to make a comeback, here's the moment: video of cheerleaders asking for phone calls:

Speaking of which, I see where Hooters has a mobile VIP club via SMS. Patrons have a chance to win a trip to their destination of choice. Fill in your punch line. Ready. Go.

Apple is revising tracking reports for app developers while trying to balance consumer privacy needs. You wonder if privacy moves are lip service.

Same as in 2011, 37 percent wanted to use #smartphone in store, but couldn't because of bad/no connection. Big ramifications for marketers.

Nokia's vision of future includes feature phones. I’m not sure, but these devices are very much a part of present day mobile marketing.

What to make of Facebook’s App Center? It's about getting more data to then monetize.

Sprint is investing in its own payment platform and may drop Google Wallet. This is a long-term play – and may be a big opportunity eventually.

Apple will pay $2.2 million fine for misleading ads in Australia. It has nothing to do with Siri overpromises.

Texts passed voice calls as the most used feature on mobile. When will cameras pass voice? 2013, according to mobile guru Tomi Ahonen.

How many said, "Oh, a Foursquare redesign. Now I'm interested." Right, it’s not a driver for new users.

Over one billion Angry Birds franchise downloads = $106 million in revenue. Content wins.

The death of TV? Please. 43 percentof time spent in media is with television, according to Mary Meeker. The Internet, in second place, is nearly half that.

Android adoption ramped 4X as fast as iPhone usage, Meeker reports. Biggest reasons? Choice of devices, carriers, plus the maturation of mobile.

All these years later and you can't get a dependable AT&T signal in Manhattan. What other industry gets away with similar for this long?

Notes From A Mobilized Marketer - The "Make It Stop Raining" Edition

The Weather Channel iPhone app, long one of the most popular, has gotten its first redesign since 2009. Nice, but you still can't stop it from raining.

Who is scanning QR codes? Scanbuy says it's 68 percent males.

Eight percent of magazine pages had a mobile bar code during Q1. That’s a move toward the passive becoming interactive.

Coca Cola will use mobile and music in a London Olympics effort to "inspire youth". Included are a wide variety of mobile tactics, including SMS, apps, and more.

Beyond the hardware change, I await a new iPhone most for have-to-have Siri improvement. It’s shocking that Apple heavily advertises such a poor experience.

Speaking of which, there are several “new” reports that Steve Jobs influenced the design of the next iPhone. There is no news here. Product cycles are that far out.

Does size matter (in tablets)? Amazon is looking to turn around its slumping Kindle Fire sales with a screen three inches larger.

T-Mobile makes good points in downplaying shared data plans. Who wants to keep track of the family's consumption?

An Apple board member says an iCar designed by Jobs would've taken 50 percent of auto market. That’s laughable.

American Express’ mobile strategy, like its social efforts, is deeply rooted in measurable sales. Imagine that.

Marketers take note: one tablet generates as many website visits as four smartphones, according to a report.

70 percent of mobile app users pay little or nothing, a study says. It explains how a large number of app makers don't make money.

30 percent of Groupon transactions in North America were completed on mobile devices in Q1. It was 25 percent in December 2011.

Teenagers believe that adults text as much as they do - which means a lot, a survey says. That’s surprising.

Waking Up Consumers Via Reveille or SMS

One of the more memorable and decorated campaigns I worked on in 12 years in agencies was the 3:21 Wakeup Call for Tully’s developed by WongDoody.

The challenge for Tully’s was to establish awareness of its blended drinks, especially difficult with the attention given to Starbucks’ Frappuccino.

WongDoody devised a mid-afternoon barrage of outdoor media, high school bands playing Reveille in the streets (and near Starbucks and Tully’s locations) and a sampling. http://www.wdcw.com/work/project/47/tullys_coffee_321_wakeup_call/

Beyond the noise it created, Tully’s blended drink sales increased by 24 percent and unit volume (year over year) increased by 77 percent during the first four weeks of the promotion that ultimately won an Effie for advertising effectiveness.

I thought of the program this week when Mobile Marketer asked me about Starbucks using SMS reminders to push its Frappuccino Happy Hour. Starbucks sent out an email blast to its My Starbucks Rewards consumers, asking them if they would like reminders about the promotion.

As discussed in earlier posts, many stop what they are doing when a text message arrives with a bing or ping.

“(The Starbucks program) plays on the effectiveness of a permission-based SMS that gives a consumer what he or she wants.” I told Mobile Marketer. “Email doesn’t provide such immediacy, so employing SMS in this case is smart.”

Cruising With Mobile

Celebrity Cruises is growing its mobile database via SMS and QR codes in print advertisements that offer chances to sign up for weekly emails, talk to a representative and enter a sweepstakes.

Mobile Marketer asked for my take on the program. Here's what I told the publication:

“SMS calls-to-action often lead to an opt-in relationship with a consumer that is a win for the brand and win for the subscriber if it is based on a value exchange. We have seen travel brands use SMS to educate, differentiate their products and services and promote sales, especially in reaction to a competitor’s price movement.

“Since text messages are opened up within minutes, the offer is seen in a timely fashion as opposed to an email that may languish in an email inbox overflowing with spam."

I added:

"Savvy brands are giving mobile users choice. Consumers, especially affluent ones, do not want to be dictated to – give them an ability to interact with your brand on their terms, not the brand’s.

“We have moved into the era of interactivity. Ads without calls-to-action via mobile miss the opportunity that is created when the device is within reach of a consumer all day and all night. Consumers are looking to do something when they read a print publication and brands that do not take this into account are living in a bygone era.”

The full article is here http://www.luxurydaily.com/celebrity-cruises-builds-database-via-mobile-calls...

Notes From A Mobilized Marketer - Of Reverse Mentors and Old Socks

Beyond anti-wrinkle cream and eyelash enhancements, I’m staying young through reverse mentoring. A 29-year-old is co-architect in many of my new media efforts. Plus, last week, I learned lots about social from a 25-year-old who is as old as many of my socks.

My brother followed this course recently when he received advice on setting up his wireless router from our 12-year-old nephew. My bet is my brother was wearing 12-year-old socks that day.

I received texts three straight days from the Obama campaign. Yes, I opted in, but the frequency is way too much, especially this far from Election Day.

Next year they should do Day of Unplugging on April Fool's Day. Then I'm in.

The NPR April Fool's headline said Tweets To Shrink To 133 Characters. That’s nothing to joke about. Our full voices will be heard.

According to several studies, more than 70 percent of mobile users say they want a deal. Yet LivingSocial is away moving from offers to push convenience in the form of takeout and delivery. I’ll take 25 percent off in exchange for a relatively short wait. And I’m far from the only one.

Is there an app to get my wife to go with me to new Three Stooges movie? I hear that there's Oscar buzz around this one.

Groupon restated its earnings after seeing a spike in holiday returns. I contributed by giving back two of the three flying trapeze lessons my “friends” thought I would enjoy.

Some (not me) say the best days for text messaging are over. A posted column said that SMS is a "new global phenomenon”. It is at neither extreme.

Two thirds of mobile devices purchased in last three months were smartphones. Has your marketing shifted similarly?

American Express says that mobile payments are 4-6 years from a tipping point. The contrast to the hype around the concept is striking – and accurate.

AT&T says its Nokia Lumia 900 launch will be bigger than an iPhone introduction. It may be in marketing dollars spent, but certainly won’t be in excitement generated.

Macy's Mobilizes "Fashion Show" Viewers

Mobile Marketer asked me to comment on the new initiative from Macy’s that promotes exclusive looks from NBC’s “Fashion Star” show and lets consumers shop through their mobile device.

Consumers who are opted in to Macy’s SMS database received a message earlier this week that encouraged them to shop the Fashion Star designs. Caprice Willard, a buyer for Macy’s, is one of the judges on Fashion Star who decides whether a designer’s look is fit for the department store giant.

Here’s what I told Mobile Marketer:

“Realizing that consumers have a mobile device with them always, Hipcricket client Macy’s has made previously passive activities interactive by adding calls to action in the aisle and now on television.

“Bringing behind-the-scenes looks and the ability to easily purchase product differentiates Macy’s in the highly competitive retail world. Macy’s has long been a mobile pioneer and continues in that tradition with this program.”

The article is here - http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2012/03/22/macy’s-taps-sms-to-bolster-exclusive-clothing-sales