Did you know nine out of 10 adults in the U.S. have a cellphone, and more than half of those are smartphones?
As a small business, it can be difficult to keep up with the evolution of technology. But as the number of people using mobile devices for shopping continues to grow, not having an effective mobile marketing strategy is a sure-fire way to lose business and revenue.
To help you keep up with the current trends, and to better connect with your mobile customer base, take a look at these five smart mobile marketing tips for small businesses:
Set Specific Goals. If you’re unfamiliar with the world of mobile marketing, it can be daunting to take the first move into this new and unknown digital world. But like any new venture for your business, the initial step is to set goals and to tie them into your existing marketing plan. Determine exactly what you want your mobile marketing launch or website app to accomplish – both short and long term:
- Will it promote a special offer?
- Build brand awareness?
- Sell more products and services?
- Drive traffic to your website?
Keep It Easy To Read And Navigate. When launching a mobile app or website, one of the most important things to consider is that it absolutely must be easy to read on a smartphone, iPad or tablet. Because these devices are smaller, the bold and flashy HTML-based format you would generally use on computers simply doesn’t work anymore.
Not only are simple and straightforward mobile web pages more visually appealing, but they’ll run faster, too. It’s a general rule-of-thumb that if a webpage takes more than three seconds to fully load, your potential customer might get frustrated and leave before it even opens.
Mobile Coupons. Treat your new mobile customers to a special gift for using your brand new app with an incentive program, exclusive coupon or first-purchase discount. Customers will be thrilled to receive these special perks and will likely check back more often for more exciting promotions from your business.
Get Social. Social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest have become notorious for giving people an outlet for constant sharing. Use this to your advantage by giving them something extra special to share by providing giveaways and special offers for fans and followers that “like,” “retweet,” “pin” or comment on your promotions. This desire to share and connect can be a powerful tool in gaining loyal customers and growing your mobile webpage or app.
Give Users an Opt-Out Option. As unfortunate as it may be, there will be times that a customer decides they no longer want to receive notifications from your business. Whether it’s for your e-blast, coupon or mobile newsletter, give your users a clear opt-out option for their convenience.
