Our current deals make me want to rock out like Kenny Powers at a middle school dance, they should make you want to do that too.

Fayetteville-the land of Buy 1, Get 1 Frees! B1, G1 at Qdoba, Sassy’s BBQ, and Waffle House. Down with ECU!

Jonesboro-Buy Ribs, Get a Sandwich Free at Dexter BBQ and Buy 1 Sonic Burger, Get 1 Sonic Burger Free! What What!

Conway- $5.00 Rides In Conway City Limits! Not including stops or extra People, but still $5 and you are home safe and without a $800 DWI ticket.

www.Collegetokens.com

For the first time ever, a study has analyzed the use of mobile coupons by

3% have used mobile coupons

USA mobile phone users.

The results are that 3.0% of Americans acknowledged having used a mobile coupon in the month of October, 2009, according to eMarketer.

That’s not surprising to retailers who have used mobile marketing solutions in their advertising.  Store managers have seen the power of the cell phone in bringing customers to their stores.

Some other interesting results from the study show that:

• 18.5% have search the mobile web for local products or services.
• 15.9% have received information about movies or entertainment.
• 13.3% have received information about nightclubs, bars, or restaurants on their mobiles.
• 4.0% have purchased an item that needed to be shipped.

Some 19% of Americans will use their mobile devices for shopping this holiday season, according to a Deloitte survey. The number is twice as high for young consumers: 39% of those 18 to 29 say they’ll use their phones to find store locations, obtain coupons and sales information and research products and prices. One-quarter of all who plan to use their phones to shop say they will make purchases on the devices. Read More.

More shoppers use smartphones to study, find, buy – USATODAY.com.

Google (s goog) this week expanded its coupon service to mobile just in time for Black Friday, enabling U.S. consumers to access and redeem the discounts via their phones. It’s an effort that could give the space a much-needed shove into the mainstream.

Retailers can now create and upload mobile coupon offers to Google’s Local Business Center; the offers are presented with business listings to users searching Google.com on a handset. The move expands on a 2-year-old service that enables users to access coupons on the Internet and print them out.

Mobile coupons have been around for several years but have failed to gain much traction with consumers. Startups such as Cellfire and txtwire have launched promotions with nationally known retailers, but no campaign has enjoyed the marketing support necessary for large-scale success, and consumer awareness remains limited.

Google’s new offering could change that if enough retailers buy in and present their offers to consumers. While existing startups in the space must ink deals with individual retail partners, Google’s massive list of businesses could boost consumer awareness as users increasingly use their phones to find local retailers. While Google’s effort is unlikely to provide the overnight breakthrough many in the space have long hoped for, it could go a long way toward bringing mobile coupons to the mass market.

Marketing Profs has published an article by 84444.com’s Bob Bentz about

Read more about mobile coupons at Marketing Profs.

mobile coupons.

Mobile coupons are the second most popular product on Advanced Telecom Services’ 84444.com mobile marketing site. The top category is sweepstakes.

“Mobile coupons have proven to be an extremely effective way for retailers to get the word out about special offerings,” said Bentz. “In fact, some mobile coupons have generated return rates in excess of 8.7 %!”

By Anita Bajaj Newton, Chief Marketing Officer of Zavers

Interest in mobile coupons has increased dramatically in the last year.

Mobile coupons represent tremendous promise for marketers who want to acquire and retain customers. However, marketers must pick the the right approach or the results will be anticlimactic at best.

Mobile coupons are a natural outgrowth of two important changes in consumer purchase habits.

First, conscious consumerism is on the rise, as is a new psychology of thrift. Interest in coupons has increased and shoppers are increasingly looking to the Web and mobile for these offers.

Second, wireless data adoption has accelerated dramatically. A recent Nielsen mobile study shows Web usage has grown 74 percent in just two years.

A mobile coupon is an offer exchanged for a monetary discount that is stored on a wireless device.

Consumers can save a coupon from a mobile WAP site or receive a coupon code via an inbound text message or mobile advertising network. Once downloaded, users get offers based on their location, age and gender.

These coupons can then be redeemed at the point of sale.

The Good
Mobile coupons represent the next marketing frontier and a marked improvement over today’s inefficient paper process.

Product manufacturers spent more than $4 billion to distribute 250 billion-plus paper coupons. Despite this investment, less than 1 percent is redeemed. Effective targeting is a challenge, and lack of data leaves marketers with an inexact way to measure ROI.

Mobile coupons are convenient, eco-friendly and can be targeted based on preferences, purchase behavior and location.

Moreover, manufacturers can track purchase data in real-time. The results are impressive, with redemption rates as high as 5 percent to 30 percent.

The Bad
The problem with mobile coupons has less to do with the idea and more to do with delivery.

Specifically, the most common method of mobile coupon redemption — download, save to phone and show to cashier — is unlikely to work.

This “show phone, save money” option is a challenge for the following reasons:

Scaling ‘Skip’ the cashier
A mentor of mine who led a successful Fortune 500 sales organization once told me marketers often fail because they don’t develop programs with the lowest common denominator in mind.

In this case it is ‘Skip,’ your lowest performing cashier. When a consumer “presents” the offer to the well-meaning cashier, will Skip get it and follow the process successfully?

Delay in the checkout = disaster for the retailer
Let’s say Skip is familiar with this coupon method and the first is redeemed successfully.

In many cases Skip has to manually enter a code shown on the phone. What if the shopper has a second coupon? Or worse, multiple ones?

A 2009 Microsoft study reported that carving seconds from each customer transaction can equate to millions of dollars in annual retailer cost savings, not to mention the impact on shopper satisfaction.

Tying the front end to the back end
Another stumbling block is that retailers need proof of redemption in order to get paid.

A physical coupon is often the only means to get reimbursed especially if the retailer’s backend hasn’t been updated with the new mobile coupon process.

The Ugly
Changing consumer behavior is hard. Consumers are constantly bombarded with new technologies. The makers of these services should note their main competitor is not the company down the street but rather the consumer who refuses to get off the couch.

If a consumer has to download an application and then find the application at checkout and then present to the cashier at the point-of-sale … well, that’s a lot of work for 25cents of a half-off jar of mayonnaise.

And if a shopper is successful, how do you keep the user coming back? The big idea here is not use but continued usage.

Punch Line
There are a few promising mobile coupon delivery methods. The first is to download the UPC bar code and have Skip scan consumer’s mobile phone.

The key is to ensure infrastructure compatibility and coupons are lined up to scan simultaneously.

Another promising method is linking the coupon to the retailer’s loyalty card. Users access and download the coupon from their mobile phone. Shoppers simply hand Skip the loyalty card, he swipes it and the coupon is automatically redeemed.

Consumers want to save money, save time and save the planet. With the right method of delivery, mobile coupons can do that.

Anita Bajaj Newton is chief marketing officer of Zavers Inc., Kansas City, KS. Reach her at anewton@zavers.com.

Originally Posted on July 10, 2009 at mobilemarketer.com

Mobile marketing is no longer just “nice to have;” it is a necessity. Some people think mobile marketing spending rates are going to grow at astronomical rates and some think the spending will stay in line with traditional. Regardless of that, the fact is that consumers are responding. The novelty is still there and spurs the initial interaction. And once the initial interaction has been created, the revenue growth can begin. The simple SMS participation leads to mobile websites and M-Commerce. Here is a Business Week article (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2009/tc20091011_278825.htm) talking about hockey stick growth curve of products in North America being purchased over the phone. Papa Johns has sold more than $1 Million in pizza this year through cell phone-based purchases! Ebay has generated $380 Million this year through cell phone-based purchases and they are still watching it grow. Your local customers are ready, too. They simply need you to provide them an outlet.

We love creating success for businesses and we can help you to! Visit us at www.LetsTextTogether.com or email us at Sales@LetsTextTogether.com for a free mobile marketing consultation.

A blog about text message advertising, sms marketing, mms marketing, mobile internet, methods for free marketing and free marketing consulting, and the evolution of the mobile marketing industry.

In this post I discussed restaurants and their use of mobile coupons. Advertising is declining both online and in traditional methods in the economic slowdown. A major shift in advertising is occurring to meet the needs of today’s consumer. However 87% of Americans have access to a cell phone (this is more than the amount of people who have e-mail addresses). Of those 87%, 95% have text message capability. 2/3 of people polled by mobileStorm said they would give up their e-mail address for a $2 discount off a product or service. This proves that companies should pay attention to the mobile marketing trend of mobile coupons to effectively connect to customers.

MobileStorm, a web-based marketing tool that allows companies to reach their audience using mobile and e-mail campaigns, hosted a Mobile Coupon Webinar on their website. Jared Reitzn hosted the webinar. He formed mobileStorm in 1999 and currently serves as CEO.

The webinar discusses how promotions (like coupons) are more successful than advertising and how the mobile coupon can increase business dramatically. The webinar is 52 minutes long and includes a Q&A session at the end. Reitzn utilizes graphs, data, survey results, and illustrations throughout the webinar and discusses case studies and how they have effectively utilized mobile coupons. Reitzn talks in a conversational tone and engages with his ‘audience’ throughout the webinar. It is easy to follow as his graphics change smoothly with his words and he balances information and successful examples of mobile couponing. At the very end of the webinar, Reitzn closes by offering those watching a discount to mobileStorm services if they chose to sign up and become a customer.

Example of a Mobile Coupon

According to mobileStream mobile coupons are the perfect marketing tool because…

1. They have immediate reach to consumer
2. They guarantee almost 100% attention from the recipient
3. They are trackable–unlike billboards where the company cannot track how many people noticed it
4. They have a high ROI with low start up (and ongoing) costs

For more information or To watch the webinar Click Here

A new wave of advertising is hitting restaurants everywhere–the concept of integrating social media and coupons and special offers. Companies of all types are utilizing text message blasting, Facebook fanpages, Twitter user names, and e-mail blasting to reach customers or potential customers quickly and easily. Their message? Return to the restaurant with this coupon or special offer. Their goal? To have that coupon be passed virtually to hundreds of potential customers via the Internet.

In our economic state, people are eating out and going to restaurants less. According to a recent survey from ComPsych Corp 43% less people are eating out than in 2008. This is forcing restaurants everywhere to utilize new forms of marketing that cost less and reach more. Text message coupons are one method that has worked successfully in bringing business to a restaurant.

Common Grounds, a coffee company located in Southern Illinois utilizes ‘mobile couponing’ and now accounts the coupon success to a 15% business increase. Owner Jason Bourque asked customers for their mobile phone numbers (to sign up for the service), and then sent out coupons and discounts right to their phones via text messaging. Customers then brought their phones into the shop, showed the cashier their text message offer on their phone’s screen, and received the discount. Voila!

Bourque helped initiate the mobile coupon campaign for his coffee shop with the help of Suzanne Nasco, an associate marketing professor and mobile marketing researcher in the College of Business at Southern University of Illinois at Carbondale. Nasco tracked coupon usage and noted that one coupon that offered 50% off a pastry with the purchase of a coffee was so successful that Common Grounds ran out of their pastry supply. Bourque has used mobile marketing ever since and business has (as previously stated) increased quickly.

The benefits of blast texting include:

• Instant delivery. Customers receive the text messages right away
• Receptive audience. Customers can choose to give their cell phone numbers to the company. This is “opt in” marketing as customers are choosing to receive the messages
• No expiration date. Virtual coupons can be used again and again. By not putting an expiration date customers are more likely to return to use the same discount (and to save the discount on their phone)
• Viral marketing. If it’s a good message, people will pass it on to customers the company could not otherwise reach.
• Low cost. The only cost is a staff cost. Who will manage writing the e-mails and sending them out? Who will ensure the tone and quality of the message is consistent to that of the brand?
• Accessibility. If a customer has their phone, they have their coupon. No more ‘forgotten coupons’ at home or lost paper coupons.
• Paperless. Text messaged coupons are a ‘green’ way to save paper and instead have the coupon in electronic form.

Companies like DC area Yards Away provide text message coupon services. Yards Away is a website that hosts thousands of mobile coupons to the DC metro area residents. Customers visit the Yards Away website to find discounts and deals from local restaurants (and retailers) they are interested in and can then choose to have that coupon text messaged directly to their cell phone immediately. The only cost for the coupons are the standard text messaging rates of the customer–no extra service charge exists from Yards Away. Yards Away has a Facebook page and Twitter user name to keep followers constantly aware of upcoming and new deals. Customers can search for coupons by location (suburbs of the DC area in both Virginia and Maryland) and by type (Italian food restaurants versus coffee shops).

One Step Further…Yards Away has turned its site into a social network. Users can save and download mobile coupons and receive email notifications on the latest deals at local restaurants. Customers can also view local business video ads and customer testimonials. Users also have the option to create a secure personal profile page, write a personal blog (most of these center around the user’s experience at local establishments) and read and share community blogs. Private messages can be sent to other ‘neighbors’ (or friends the user adds on the website) and friends. This allows local DC resident to interact with their actual neighbors and create a network where they can upload photos to a photo gallery and connect with each other on a more personal level. And all of this started with coupons!

Why does this work? If customers trust each other first (and get to know them by reading each others’ blogs and viewing their pictures), they will then trust their opinion about local restaurants. Was the food good? How was the service? How are the prices? and etc. If companies are constantly performing well and utilizing services like Yards Away, their company name will instigate talk on the Yards Away community blogs and therefore their restaurant will be publicized. This also allows the restaurant to see what people are saying about their restaurant–instant feedback for the management. Feedback gives management a clear view on what the restaurant’s reputation is externally and allows the restaurant to respond quickly.

Mobile Coupon Service: Yards Away

The Yards Away philosophy is simple: Be wise, unique, creative and innovative in order to succeed. This video demonstrates how easily and efficiently Yards Away mobile coupons work.

Twitter & Coupons

Twitter is also utilized to inform customers about specials or coupons. Costa Vida a burrito establishment in Utah, had 82 followers on Twitter on February 18, 2009. They sent a “Free Burrito” Tweet to all of their followers, and within minutes it was ReTweeted (or passed on) to those followers’ friends and their friend and so forth… By the end of the day the 21 Costa Vida locations had handed out over 2,500 free burritos and their followers on Twitter jumped to over 450. This proves how effectively and quickly a message can proliferate on Twitter.

I just stumbled upon a blog post I wrote a year ago (recreated here in its entirety so you too can appreciate the humor and see how far I’ve come).  Reading it now it’s hard for me to believe that I actually wrote it.  Me, who thought my phone served three basic functions…to call people, text and occasionally check my email.  Me, who didn’t want to be THAT connected to folks 24/7.  I’ve done a complete 180 and have crossed over to the dark side!   My new phone is indeed pink but I upgraded to a BlackBerry and it’s hard to see my home screen with all the app icons you’ll find on my new best friend.  Facebook – because I HAVE to stay connected to 300 of my closest pals at all times, WordPress – so I can blog about it, of course, Citysearch – so I can get the address for the restaurant I’ve been wanting to try, Google maps – so directionally challenged me can find my way home from that restaurant, the weather channel – so I know how to dress for my hot date at that restaurant.  And the list goes on and on.

My power went out last weekend and unable to access my desktop, I turned to my little constant companion.  Sure enough, there was a citywide outage reported by the electric company.  And this news came to me via my phone. That experience reminded me of an article posted by a fellow LinkedIn subscriber stating that mobile searches are catching up with desktop searches. A year ago I wouldn’t have believed that but I’m living proof that you can teach an old dog a new trick. A year ago I wouldn’t have used my cell phone to Google “Illuminating Company power outages.”

As marketers we are missing the boat if we don’t tap into this growing, I-can’t-be-away-from-my-phone-or-I’ll-experience-separation-anxiety crowd.  More and more folks are using their phones to gather news, to connect with social sites, perform searches, redeem coupons and even find a date.  The demand is there.  Are you taking steps to meet it?

Sept. 19, 2008 — I’m going shopping for a new cell phone this weekend.  It’s kind of a big deal for me because, like my cars, I keep my phones until they’re on their last leg.  I’ve been doing a little online previewing and it’s simply amazing to me how far we’ve come.  Once upon a time I worked for one of the major wireless carriers, back in the day when there were only two of them.  My first mobile phone was just that…mobile…as it was installed in my car.  And the portable phones came in bags that you had to carry around and I swear those things weighed 10 lbs!  So yes, I’m blown away by the advances in modern technology and all the amazing things we can do with our little phones these days.

I’m not fancy.  Okay, yes, I carry a Pink Razr and it’s got a rhinestone encrusted cover, but that’s strictly cosmetic   What I mean by that is my phone has three basic functions…I use it to make phone calls, to send text messages and occasionally to check my personal email.  It may have more features I am simply unaware of but it’s served its purpose so I don’t feel like I’ve been missing out on anything.

But when I hit Circuit City this weekend and talk to my friendly Verizon rep I’m sure he’ll tell me all about the wonderful new things phones can do these days, features I simply can’t live without and of course I’ll buy into it and upgrade to a model with more bells and whistles.  Will I use the features?  I suppose with a little education, I think maybe, yes.  Especially if I purchase a phone with the MP3 player built in.  Video.  Local Search.  Mobile coupons.  There’s an awful lot we can do and some days it’s just downright overwhelming.  I still type in complete sentences when texting so I’ll need a little time to wrap my head around all these other very cool features.  Baby steps, baby steps.   

But this brings me to an article I read in Advertising Age.  Not unlike me, it seems most folks simply want to talk on their cell phones.   I’m certainly not denying there has been a healthy shift to mobile.  I know more than one “Crack”berry addict.  The invention of the iPhone is driving more people to watch online videos, surf the web and check their email. I think the younger population is a driving force in the use of some of the newer, fancier applications found on today’s mobile devices. 

But according to the Ad Age survey 3 out of 10 wireless device owners would prefer a small phone with fewer features in the future.  I wonder who these people are?  I’m guessing the older generation, a little reluctant to embrace change, maybe?  But I can’t wait to see what very cool features my next phone will include…and of course it will be pink!

Our newest venture (www.cellepathic.com) just recently completed an advertising campaign with a regional 16-store furniture chain and experienced remarkable results.  Utilizing our SMS text platform, the retailer ran a call-to-action campaign that delivered a mobile coupon to those folks who opted in for the advertising campaign.

Over a 13-day period the promotion experienced unprecedented redemptions rates (would you believe 100%?) and generated an estimated revenue lift of over $1 million! (final metrics are still being calculated by the retailer)

It’s results like this, coupled with the simplicity and affordability of the technology that enables small and medium sized retailers to compete head-to-head against the giants (and win). While the ‘big’ guys huddle in their conference rooms discussing ’strategic plans’ – it’s the savvy, nimble, regional and local retailers who see the future now!

The best part (for both retailers and our company) is that this technology is new and rapidly maturing and changing daily. Why is this rapid change the best part? Because the changes are introducing capabilities such as high resolution graphics, audio & video, barcoding, location-based-services, hyper-targeting, and more!

As long as our solution, www.cellepathic.com, keeps pace with the change (and its not easy) we’ll be able to provide state-of-the-art advertising and promotion to an Advertiser for pennies per impression! Every retailer (big or small) will gladly spend a few cents to deliver the “Right Message at the Right Time to the Right Person”.

open2save has launched online discount coupons in India as open2save.com

Coupons for exclusive offers and deals in popular categories such as Pizza, Beauty, Clothes/Fashion, Grocery and Mobiles are now listed on the site. This will help consumers save money on their everyday spending – fulfilling the mission of the service Saving Simplified^TM in all ways !

Customers can register on the site for free membership and download the coupons either to their mobile or as a printable PDF e-coupon. The coupon can then be displayed at any of the participating locations to avail the offer. Select local deals and sales for TVs, Computers and other Electronics products are also listed on open2save.

The service has met with very positive customer response for the concept, presentation and the coupons. Initially the service will be available in Mumbai and Bangalore. NCR / Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad are being planned next.

“Our offline coupon service has been very popular with consumers and they have been using these coupons very regularly. With online coupons, we offer one more convenient channel to find, download and use their favorite coupons at their convenience.” added Vaibhav Tewari, CEO of open2save.

open2save has been a pioneer in paper (offline) coupons for corporates, privilege programs and select localities. The service has been very popular with consumers and effective for brands / retailers. Last quarter open2save distributed 5 Lakh coupons across 7 cities. Based on the success of “offline” coupons, the service has now been launched online.

About open2save

Started by Bangalore based entrepreneurs Vaibhav Tewari and Sridhar Turaga as their second venture, open2save is one of India’s first multi-channel discount coupons and consumer promotions service. With partnerships for exclusive offers from over 100 national brands, 200 regional chains and 1,000 + medium/small stores open2save offers every day savings for consumers in 7 cities across channels – corporate, privilege, local and now online.

open2save.com is an online coupon service where consumers can download the deals they like to their mobile or as a printable e-coupon.

For more information

Contact Chitra M., marketing@open2save.com

Call 09886226797 or visit open2save.com

Retail Mobile Coupons are a idea who’s time has come. Borders Books UK had a 69% opt-in rate for mobile coupons, among existing e-mail club members! This was with no in-store promotion. Why, because they are easy to use. No need to print them, they are with you when you need them, they are green and they are linked to a loyalty card, so you can leave that home as well. I am not sure about you but it is not very often I would print out an e-mailed coupon fold it up and put it in my wallet. Mobile just makes more sense as a consumer and as a marketer.

With the advent of digital signage in is also easy to opt people into your club just by texting, in store, no plastic, no paper, no mailings. Need more convincing read this article for Mobile Marketing Profits.

“Is it on sale?” The mobile opportunity – people are buying now from Mobile Marketing Profits

In today’s market, consumers are thinking twice before they buy almost anything.  “How much do I need it?” “Do I need it all, or do I just want it?” “It is on sale?” Questions people ask when they’re uncertain about their own economic futures.

This “Is it on sale?” thinking presents an ideal opportunity for mobile marketing to worried consumers.  For example, if a consumer has a genuine need and desire for a purchase more complex or higher value than an impulse buy – anything from an upgraded mobile phone to a new car – they may repeatedly pass up that item at full price, or even with some discounting.  Stretching their spending dollars by waiting for a better deal is a safer move in a tight economy.

But what if that same consumer were to receive a coupon on their mobile phone while they were out shopping? Not a printed coupon sitting at home with the unopened mail, or an email coupon waiting in a distant inbox to be printed out and stuck in a purse or a pocket.  Rather, a targeted offer made to the right consumer at the right time, in the right place.

This sort of precision targeting has been the promise of mobile marketing for many years, but few companies have yet to fully leverage such a strategy today.  Confusing opt-in/op-out rules for commercial SMS messages, platform compatibility issues with sending MMS coupons to different families of smartphones, divergent carrier support for standards and commercial traffic – all of these factors and more have served to discourage corporate involvement in robust mobile couponing.

Yet there are best practices and design solutions which can work with all of these impediments to transform them into success factors.  An inbound mobile marketing campaign driven by point-of-sale signage and advertising placements combines the consumer opt-in process with the marketing contact.  Use of well crafted standard SMS messages (text-only) sidesteps MMS and barcode compatibility issues to reach all SMS-capable phones.  Even minimal integration between the messaging gateway provider and your own retail management systems can provide end-to-end accountability and realtime program ROI.

You as a mobile marketer need to keep the following things in mind when pursuing this kind of program:

1. How will the consumer become aware of your campaign?
2. How will you obtain their permission to interact?
3. How will the offer be redeemed at the point of sale?

By offering consumers mobile coupons, businesses can create stronger customer relationships while giving consumers what they want, resulting in increased satisfaction, and increased profitability.

“Is it on sale?” The mobile opportunity – people are buying now from Mobile Marketing Profits

Want to learn more about Mobile Coupons Contact ApolloBravo and ask about our Loyalty Link Program with integrated digital signage.

Contact ApolloBravo for information on integrating SMS Text, text-2-win and mobile coupon campaigns with the mobile web.

Read More US Mobile Phone Text and Web Usage 2009 Study Executive Summary | Mobile Marketing Association.

Last night at Mobile Monday Sydney Todd Graham gave a great presentation on mobile advertising that reconfirmed many of the views that infome is based on. Todd Graham is the CEO of M-Vouch a coupon advertising network available on 3 mobile.

Here is what Todd had to say:

• Mobile advertising must be free to the consumer. There is so much that the consumer can do for free that there just isn’t anything in it to make the consumer. Ask yourself, why would they pay to receive advertising when they can receive it for free?
• It must be easy for the consumer. Keep mobile advertising simple.
• You can’t spam or push to the consumer. Carriers have a wealth of information on their customers but they CAN’T push messages to them because the customer will just consider it spam.  It must be opt-in. Additionally, Todd used the example of inserting an ad for Starbucks above someone’s messages on Facebook. This type of ad is more likely to annoy someone than get them to buy a coffee.
• High ROI is a must for mobile advertising. Based on Todd’s conversations with advertising executives, marketers and brands need to see a high ROI for mobile advertising. Having a background in television Todd considers mobile a much more effective form on advertising than television. This is probably because mobile is a new medium, so people are hesitant and want to be sure they will see strong results.
• Incorrectly target your mobile advertising and you’ve just lost a customer.
• 25-35 is the most responsive age group to M-Vouch campaigns.
  
• MAKE SURE ITS RELEVANT. M-Vouch ensures it is relevant to what the customer wants by being opt-in and being able to base the vouchers on location and category of what the individual is after. You’ve got to make sure your advertising is relevant.

Todd’s product looks great in action. He and his team gave us all a live demo where we could all text in and receive a free beer voucher to collect then and there.

I’m really excited to see where it goes.

Note: The bold points are the points/facts that Todd made/stated. The text that follows maybe my intepretation or spin on what he said just because I can’t remember his exact wording from last night!

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The Shift Towards Mobile and Shopper Marketing

Last spring, a shopper marketing agency spoke at a conference about mobile marketing.  I was excited because I thought I had found someone who knew the space well.  And who could join me in helping to educate marketers/agencies on how to use mobile in-store.  Unfortunately, a closer look revealed that they had no background in mobile.  So these two “experts” with no meaningful mobile experience were talking to a crowd about how to use it in retail.

This was only the beginning.  I know of three other shopper marketing agencies who are infusing mobile into their offerings as a core strategy.  It seems that ordaining someone the mobile “expert” is sufficient to make it a core competency.  Whether these agencies can pull it off is not the big issue in my mind.  My concern is what happens when most of these programs meet with mediocre success.  Or worse, when they hurt the business or piss off the consumers.  And what the agencies are advising their clients about the capabilities of mobile in the retail environment – and how do they know what to say?

The reality is that mobile marketing is very, very good at creating purchase.  It can alter the power equation from the retailers back to the consumer goods companies.  TV too expensive to place in all but the key Walmart locations?  That’s ok, mobile can deliver video straight to your consumers phones while they’re in the store.  Can’t secure enough shelf space to deliver your branding and value proposition?  No sweat, you can send messages, video, slideshows and engaging quizzes, surveys, sweepstakes, coupons through mobile.

Are you reliant on your retailers to communicate with the shopper?  Problem solved.  Mobile creates a link direct to your consumer.  For the segments that you care about you can have a conversation directly with them.  If you worry that the retailers’ staff can’t possibly sell your products as well as you can, these complicated feature/benefits can be transmitted over 3G networks.

I’m a big fan of mobile marketing’s potential in-store.  I think the first brands to reach their consumers this way will enjoy great advantages.  At the same time I worry that there are many agencies out their touting their mobile expertise when it isn’t really true.  So check with your agencies and find out how long they’ve been executing mobile.  Who is their expert and what are his/her credentials?  Do they have a team dedicated to mobile?  These questions will help you make sure your brand is in safe hands.  Your consumers and your sales will thank you.

- Hugh Jedwill
CEO, Mobile Anthem
Executive Director, Heartland Mobile Council

Mobile promotions dovetail seamlessly with your company's marketing objectives.
While you want to increase sales and improve your revenue base, there are several
ancillary goals you need to meet along the way. For example, you want to improve
your brand awareness to consumers; you want to attract consumer data for future CRM
efforts; you want to increase customer loyalty and drive traffic - both online and
offline. Mobile promotions provide the lever to accomplish each of these goals. And
they do so at a cost that fits nearly every marketing budget.

As cell phones, PDAs, and other mobile devices have flourished, they have created a
new marketing platform from which you can engage your audience. Below, you'll
discover how to use mobile promotions, such as SMS promotions, mobile coupons, and
ringtone promotions, to capture valuable mindshare within your market. Once you
catch the attention of consumers in a way that excites them, motivating them to take
action becomes far easier.

Mobile Promotions Leverage Affordable Digital Incentives

Even if your profit margins are healthy, every marketing budget has inherent
constraints. It is critical that you offer incentives to your audience that are as
affordable as they are engaging. 

Mobile promotions are delivered digitally to consumers' mobile devices. As a result,
the cost of delivery is extraordinarily low. This is the case whether you're
allowing consumers to download songs, play instant win games, enter sweepstakes, or
redeem mobile coupons. Because mobile promotions are comparatively inexpensive, you
can launch them while continuing to leverage conventional marketing platforms, such
as print and DOOH signage.

How Mobile Promotions Motivate Customers To Respond

The right incentives can drive market participation regardless of your product. The
key is to offer incentives that your customers find immediately appealing. This is
one of the unique advantages of launching mobile promotions. Consumers can download
digital content (e.g. songs, games, images, etc.) instantly to their mobile devices.
They can enter contests and sweepstakes for a chance to win alluring prizes.

When you launch mobile promotions to your audience, you're not only offering
consumers attractive incentives, you're giving them an opportunity to enjoy instant
gratification. Those two levers complement each other. In doing so, they trigger a
response from your customers.

Mobile Promotions Capture The Mindshare Of Your Audience

If there were no other demands on your customers' time and attention, motivating
them to buy your product would be simple. The reality is that your audience is
inundated with a constant torrent of offers and solicitations. Consumers
instinctively erect a mental wall that deflects them. That means there's a high
likelihood your market is unaware of your product or uninformed with regard to its
benefits. Mobile promotions offers a seductively simple solution.

Free song downloads, instant win games, and mobile coupons can quickly penetrate the
mental wall your market has built to block other companies' offers. These digital
incentives tap into your audience's desire for instant gratification. They are
irresistible. They capture mindshare and engage your customers. As a result, your
customers become attentive to your message, and far more likely to purchase your
product.

Leveraging Mobile Coupons And SMS Promotions

While mobile promotions increase brand awareness, attract customer data, and educate
consumers about your product, mobile coupons lift sales and improve customer
loyalty. For example, you can use them to reward loyal customers with discounts,
thereby driving repeat sales. You can also use them to entice consumers to try a
product that you have recently launched. You can leverage these type of mobile
promotions to temper the impact of price increases, or to move excess inventory.

Mobile coupons can be delivered to your customers' cell phones and PDAs through text
messages. You can communicate the offer, expiration date, and any other relevant
information through short, targeted SMS promotions. Consumers can redeem your
coupons at the point of sale in-store or online. Plus, because these mobile
promotions use redemption-based incentives, you can easily control the financial
risk.

How To Take Advantage Of Mobile Promotions

You have access to a broad menu of engaging and affordable mobile promotions that
you can leverage to tap into your market and trigger a response. Ringtone
promotions, free music downloads, instant win games, and sweepstakes are attractive
to consumers on an instinctive level. They are seductive because they offer instant
gratification. As a result, mobile promotions help you capture valuable mindshare,
delivering your message to an attentive audience.

By capturing your customers' attention, you can educate them about your product and
its benefits. You can motivate them to purchase, and collect opt-in data for future
CRM campaigns. And in the process, you can improve the loyalty they feel toward your
company. Mobile promotions can propel your brand ahead of other companies struggling
to reach your customers. In today's competitive environment, that edge can be
priceless.

--Cynthia Walker, Promotional Currency

Starbuck’s customers will no longer have to keep track of their prepaid Starbucks card as the coffee giant embraces mobile payments.

Starbucks is introducing mobile payments with the help of mFoundry and the iPhone. Starbucks customers can now use their mobile phones to purchase coffee at participating stores as the coffee chain conducts a mobile payment trial.

Starbucks joins the growing list of retailer’s rolling-out mobile payments solutions.

I recently downloaded the application from the App Store to test it out. It is a simple and straightforward App as you would assume and has a useful ‘Find Store’ feature to help locate the nearest participating store front.

The App allows users too:

§ Reload your card

§ Setup auto reload

§ Sign up for promotional and discount offers

§ Enable a pass code for security

The App utilizes a 2D bar code and is scanned by a Starbuck’s POS device for a quick transaction allowing for ease of use at check out.

More important than the Applications’ features and increased speed at checkout, it is another shot in the arm for mobile payments by getting customers familiar with using their mobile phones as a payment device.

I would assume it is only a matter of time before we see a convergence of mobile payments and mobile marketing as Starbucks already offers loyalty rewards to registered prepaid users. The mobile channel allows Starbucks to establish a 1-on-1 relationship with each customer.

If we can expect a mix of mobile payments and mobile marketing what impacts might this have on other mobile payment technologies such as NFC?

According to an article from the American Banker, “”I still believe that NFC will benefit from it, and other mobile payment companies will benefit,” Drew Sievers, a co-founder of mFoundry said. “I think that this is a great way to get consumers thinking about their mobile phone as a payment vehicle.””

Considering this is a closed-loop system, will this be a ripple or a wave for mobile payments in general? If Starbucks prepaid users embrace it, it will be a pretty big splash.

According to an article from Payment News “since 2001, the Starbucks Card has revolutionized the way customers pay for their daily coffee experience. With more than 193 million cards issued in the U.S. and Canada since its introduction, there are approximately five million active Starbucks Card holders at any given time.”

Lets hope Starbucks will achieve a similar success as it moves to the mobile channel.

AmericanBanker

This is a slightly lengthier post, however well worth the read. I am going to briefly address some of the major misperceptions some people have about how to utilize mobile marketing and it is why it is keeping from the experiencing great success.

The first flag I often see when someone asks about mobile is when I am asked about how to procure a list. Mobile is implemented and executed in a very different manner than direct mail, etc. The power in mobile is that you do not blast a message out to unsuspecting phones. Rather, you invite people to text in to receive an offer or information and, thus, they are participating with you and are very good business leads. Different than the direct mail approach, your mobile database will almost always be much smaller quantitatively and much stronger qualitatively. When mobile is done correctly and people opt-in to participate, there are no complaints about a mobile ad because it is of their own volition.
A second issue I hear raised is that the sms message is so plain and cannot contain graphics. In regards to this, it is entirely the point of mobile. E-newsletters have tons of graphics, flash, pictures, and links…and an average open rate between 8 and 10 percent for exactly this reason. Give the average business owner/marketing director tons of space and they will fill it, often times losing the point and the message (and the respective chance to drive business). And this is only natural; business owners are passionate about what they do and when given the opportunity to share, they will. However, when limited to 140 characters of simple text, it forces the sender to hone in on the best possible motivator to get someone to act. If they are persuasive in a message, they shouldn’t need graphics. Lastly, the smart mobile marketers have that simple 140 character message drive the end-user somewhere with all the graphics and flash, like a mobile website.
The third question I get is all about the cost; business owners ask me if it is expensive to secure a shortcode. If you want to reserve your own, the answer is yes. If you had a client that wanted to obtain their own number, and do it the right way, then there are boatloads of monthly fees that stack up quickly. That is why companies like ours exist. We take on all the monthly wireless fees, software fees, etc, etc. and simply allow the business owner to purchase a base number of messages from us (pennies per message) and that’s it. When someone works with a company like ours it takes it from costly to one of the most cost-effective marketing tools available. We are able to do it because of economies of scale and they are able to do it because their costs are greatly minimized.
The last issue I hear regularly is about mobile marketing costing the end user a fee. If someone does not have internet at home, they will not sign up for your e-newsletter. If they don’t have a car, they will not drive to your store to register to win something. If they don’t have a data package, they will not participate with you via text. This question often comes from someone who investigated buying a list and sending an unsolicited message. In the rare case where someone without a data package is inspired to participate, it costs them a regular text message (usually seven to 10 cents depending on the carrier).

The best way to make use of mobile is by including something like “Text in to win a free ______” or “Text in to save 50% on ________” in your current traditional marketing. You will build a database of warm, active leads and help your current marketing work more efficiently.

We offer some of the most affordable mobile marketing packages available on the internet and have helped thousands have a great mobile experience! Visit us at www.LetsTextTogether.com or email us at Sales@LetsTextTogether.com for a free mobile marketing consultation.

A blog about text message advertising, sms marketing, mms marketing, mobile internet, methods for free marketing and free marketing consulting, and the evolution of the mobile marketing industry.