5 Common Mobile Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Entry By Jason Brick

It's been said the quickest way to ruin a business is to produce good advertising and poor service. In a similar vein, you can scuttle your mobile marketing campaign when you reach people in an ineffective way. Avoid this situation by keeping clear of these five common mobile marketing gaffes.

1. The Shotgun Approach

Mobile marketing shares a lot with mail -- both email and snail mail -- but it doesn't share everything. A text message is a noticeable interruption, and too many will alienate potential customers. Never send unnecessary messages. Only meaningful, appropriate contact will make the connections you want.

2. No Interaction

The best mobile campaigns elicit immediate responses from the recipient. This is an evolution of the age-old "call to action." Instead of "Act Now!" or "The first 100 callers will receive..." your call to action will be an immediate text message response. Polls, contests, and special deals for bringing in the text, all increase your list's engagement and the investment in your business.

3. Too Much Interaction

One disadvantage of mobile devices is their functionality compared to desktops and laptops. Messages that require navigating complex websites, filling in extensive forms, or downloading brochures, are difficult, annoying, and often expensive, on a mobile device. Keep the limitations of mobile devices in mind when designing your marketing.

4. Ignoring Mobile Device Capabilities

In other ways, mobile devices are like something out of James Bond's "Q" section. They're pocket-portable phones, audio players, video cameras, and audio recorders. Your text message marketing campaign can incorporate these capabilities to best capture the attention of your Send List. Engage them even further by encouraging them to send pictures, video, and audio, as part of the response your message solicits.

5. Not Testing

Never send a mobile broadcast without first testing it against a few trusted advisers -- the worst way to find out about a serious problem is when your customers tell you about it. Form a "beta test" group of loyal customers you can send rough drafts of your newest message. This elite group will help you tailor your work, while simultaneously becoming increasingly invested in and loyal to your brand. 

Time is on your side with mobile marketing. If you do make a mistake, you'll find out in a matter of days or weeks. This keeps you from spending an entire quarter -- or even a year -- on an ineffective advertising message, a situation that's all-too-common in the print and broadcast advertising world.