Did you know that over half of adults in the United States now utilize a smart phone to surf the Web? This information makes it even more urgent that you bring your business onto the mobile scene if you have not already.
Even if you are a brick and mortar store, it is imperative that you, at the minimum, make your website mobile friendly. Regardless of whether you sell t-shirts, computers or wedding planning services, if your potential customers cannot find you in a quick, mobile search, you will be easily passed over.
Use these mobile marketing tips for small business to market your business in a mobile world.
1. Ask Customers to Check-In and Reward Them
Encourage customers who use mobile services such as FourSquare, Google+, ShopKick or SpotIt to check-in to your location and offer a reward for them doing so, such as incentives, special discounts, prizes or recognition for a certain number of visits.
2. Social Media Marketing
Use your mobile phone to keep your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles up-to-date and engaged.
3. Text Marketing
Create opt-in campaigns allowing your customers to sign up to receive special messages, alerts and rewards for joining your text campaign. Use this platform to allow customers to take a specific action (such as participating in a survey or visiting your website) in exchange for a reward (a free item or 10 percent discount). Redbox does this very well, regularly offering text campaign customers exclusive deals and free movie rentals.
4. QR Codes
Using QR codes (or Quick Response Codes) allows users to access a specific content area in order to obtain a special reward or to take advantage of a specific promotion. QR scanners can easily be downloaded for free onto any smartphone, and you can create your own QR codes easily using websites like www.qrstuff.comand add flyers, ads, business cards, etc.
5. Mobile Customer Service
Track orders, payments, shipping details and respond to questions quickly on the go using your smartphone. This is easy and convenient for you and your customers enjoy the faster responses from it.
6. Mobile Directories
Mobile directories have replaced the phone book yellow pages for the majority of people. If you want to ensure your business is found, register with several mobile directories such as Yelp, Google+Local, and YP (Yellow Pages). Include the name of your business, the product/service you provide, business hours, phone number, physical address and link to your website.
7. Create a Mobile App
Want to make your business even more easily accessible? If so, create an app.
You can easily create an app with websites like appypie.com or appmakr.com. Your app should provide unique content apart from your other digital presences, but still sell products, allow you to communicate with your customers, or whatever else you desire. Eighty-five percent of smartphone users surveyed feel more at ease navigating an app than a mobile version of your website.
In general, iOS apps generate nearly four times the revenue as opposed to Android apps, but it can be more difficult navigating the Apple app developing world.
The good news for your business is mobile marketing is not going away. In fact, it’s the future. What will evolve is how we use mobile marketing in the future to find information. Google has predicted this will be the year that more people will search for information using their mobile device than using a desktop computer.
In a world where the majority of smartphone users access their email using their mobile device, going mobile allows you to connect with and convert your users quickly and more efficiently.
Here is a little fact for you: 75 percent of smartphone users in the U.S. confess to taking their mobile phones with them to the bathroom. Gross, sure, but think about it. This is just another example of the prevalence of the mobile device. Smartphones are now how the majority of people pass time, locate information, find the time for the next movie, search for deals or find a plumber to fix their toilet. Our mobile devices have become an extension of us.
So if you have not dipped your finger into mobile marketing, use these mobile marketing tips for small business to get on the boat. If you’re already into mobile marketing, keep doing your research in order to keep your business on top of the newest trends.
Social networking and mobile marketing are constantly moving forward and evolving. If you do not stay on top of the times and stay tuned into what mobile marketing means, it’s too easy to get left behind.
Woman on Smartphone Photo via Shutterstock
