20 posts categorized "Advertising"

Entry By Jason Brick

Running your small business can feel like working in a vacuum. You keep working your plans, but lack the feedback and example of other players in the game. This is doubly true of mobile marketing -- a promotional field new enough that there isn't a strong data infrastructure to which you can compare your results.

Industry will catch up in good time. Meanwhile, you can draw inspiration from these three wildly successful mobile initiatives:

 

 

Marks and Spencer

British retailer M&S decided in 2010 to take the mobile plunge. Instead of going with a simple app or SMS marketing campaign, they opted to design a mobile portal for retail purchases direct from customers' mobile devices. In less than two years, Marks and Spenser rose to be the number one ranking mobile retailer in the world. Not only are they successfully selling to mobile customers, but they're selling items not normally purchased electronically -- including furniture and large-screen plasma televisions.

Expert analysis identifies three key characteristics behind Marks & Spenser's success:

• A dedicated mobile site -- incoming connections to their website identify the kind of device that will view their page. Mobile devices are routed to an experience optimized for those devices.
• Simple programming for a fast load time -- just over half the time of the average 10-second load for mobile retail.
• Reliable purchasing leading to a 100 percent success rate on attempts to buy. Retailers average about 93 percent -- but losing seven percent of sales can make a big difference.

Pontiac G6

In a campaign to raise awareness, Pontiac offered a place in a drawing for $1,000,000 every time somebody texted a photo of a G6 they found in the field. Responses were immediate and impressive. Although Pontiac hasn't released exact numbers, sales for the year of the promotion numbered over 120,000 luxury cars -- as compared to only 16,000 for the year before.

The Pontiac campaign is an excellent example of eliciting a response from potential clients. It got people who may only have been interested in the prize keep a lookout for the product, raising brand awareness across multiple markets.

The keys to this success included:

• Solid integration of print and broadcast media with the mobile response campaign.
• A compelling call to action that required no immediate outlay of cash from potential responders.
• Simple interaction mechanic -- snapping a photo and sending it to a widely advertised email address.

Nike

In a desperate attempt to inform the remaining three people in the world who don't know what Nike sells, the sports apparel giant has embraced the mobile marketing world with a series of apps. In some cases partnered directly with Apple for the iPod, these fitness apps, like MyCoach, help users plan and execute fitness training regimens. Nike coupled this with real-time response campaigns like their Nike ID initiative in Times Square.

Although they didn't release specific numbers about the campaign's success, their mobile marketing frequently leads lists of the most successful mobile marketing campaigns to date.

Nike's success with their mobile marketing relied upon:

• Multiple mobile platforms and styles, to appeal to a wide general audience.
• Giving potential customers tools that help them use the merchandise they sell.
• Pushing information about the new campaigns through more traditional media sources.

6 SMS Coupon Formats to Reel Subscribers In is the eighth in a series of articles that we'll be posting this fall. Small Business Marketing Tips To Build Sales In A Down Economy will teach you how to use do-it-yourself tools like SMS, email and social media to effectively market your business.

Entry By Jason Brick

Print coupons have been part of marketing for more than a century, benefiting national brands and local small businesses. But according to marketing research reported by RestaurantReport.com, SMS--short message service coupons--can be up to 10 times as effective as print coupons at a fraction of the price. 

SMS coupons generate an immediate response when you create a call to action paired with a time limit -- the trouble is coming up with unique coupons week after week. One way to do it is by rotating several different coupon formats, sending them out in a pattern that produces new coupons.

1. BOGO
"Buy one, get one free" is a coupon classic that works just as well with modern marketing modalities. This can be a core value -- such as free entree with a purchased entree -- or a loss leader -- applying the deal to an ap petizer or similar small item. Offering a 50% off deal on any two items gives you two coupon formats for the same basic concept. 

2. Progressive Discount 
Offering 5% off for purchases over $30, but 10% off for purchases over $50 encourages your customers to buy more. Whether they stock up on staples, or splurge on dessert, the result is more profits for you. 

3. Hidden Upsell
In restaurants, this often takes the form of a free beverage with purchase of a side order. The customer gets a deal, but your profits from the side exceed your cost for the freebie. Retail can accomplish the same with thematically similar items, like free socks with each new pair of shoes. 

4. Website Coupon Codes
If you do a lot of Internet business, or want to start doing a lot, you can broadcast coupo n codes for customers to enter when buying through your web portal. These coupons can follow the formats of in-store coupons, or apply uniquely to internet commerce -- such as free shipping for orders above a threshold. 

5. Daily Deal
Groupon and similar sites have turned this kind of deal into its own niche industry. You can use the same trend by offering a short-term deal your customers can't refuse. Make subscribers part of the "in crowd" by extending the offer for extra hours only for them, or with an even bigger discount for bringing in a friend. 

6. Customer Choice
People like feeling involved and listened to. If you're having trouble deciding what kind of offer to make, hold a poll among your SMS subscribers. Not only will the winning team come in to enjoy their victory, but even the voters on the losing side will feel more attached to your business.

How to Effectively Use QR Codes is the first in a series of articles that we'll be posting this fall. Small Business Marketing Tips To Build Sales In A Down Economy will teach you how to use do-it-yourself tools like SMS, email and social media to effectively market your business.

Entry By Simit Patel

Perhaps you've seen these black and white squares that look a bit like a Rorschach test on a billboard, in a display ad on public transportation, or in a magazine, and wondered about them.

They're QR codes. QR is an abbreviation for Quick Response. Like a bar code that's scanned by the cashier at the supermarket, a QR code  can be scanned by consumers using smartphones to get information about a product or service.

Introduced in 1994 by Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, QR codes have recently gained a second life as a marketing tool. Accessing a code can unlock a variety of goodies for customers, from discounts, to reminders, to smartphone applications.

Codes allow companies to build relationships with customers. They offer businesses insight into consumers buying habits and needs, allowing them to spend ad dollars more effectively while creating more personalized offerings for shoppers. 

So what's the first step in the QR code process?

1. Find the right partners
If you're not a software developer, finding technology partners is key to the execution of a successful program. Firms like SmartyTags can help you create the code, and firms like Ez Texting can help you disseminate the message.

2. Decide where to place them for maximum return
Along with finding the best technology partners for your business, you also need to determine where to advertise them. Customers will be accessing the codes and the information on them via a smartphone, so you need to figure out where you can best reach your target audience. 

In addition to obvious places like ads in magazines, newspapers, and other print media, you also want to include them on display panels at trade shows, in store windows that sell complementary products, and on your business cards. 

3. Determine what to offer to entice potential buyers
Use your creativity to decide what information you want the user to receive after scanning the code. Just about anything is a possibility. You can send a coupon redeemable at your store just for accessing the code. You can offer a discount for liking your Facebook page; you can even invite viewers to participate in a poll or contest, and further engage their interest. 

As smartphones become increasingly commonplace and powerful, QR codes will present ever-increasing marketing opportunities. So investing in QR marketing now, will help you build a foundation for the future. What's a trend today, has the potential of rising to the forefront of digital marketing, as technology progresses. 

 

Other resources: Ez Texting QR Code Generator

Mobile Marketer has put together an excellent list of tips for brands that are planning out their holidy mobile campaigns:

Brand advertisers will be increasingly focused on running mobile ads to engage and communicate with holiday shoppers this year. What are some mobile advertising minefields to avoid?

With about 80 million consumers accessing the mobile Web regularly, the opportunity is definitely there. However, a proper holiday-tailored approach is needed.

“One common mistake to avoid in mobile advertising is not leveraging the personal nature of the mobile medium,” said Paran Johar, chief marketing officer of Jumptap, New York. “Mobile advertising, though a subset of PC Internet advertising, has less clutter and thus has a much greater chance of connecting with your audience and providing a value exchange for their time.”

Want to learn about the mistakes not to make? Head over to Mobile Marketer.

The always informational Textually.org reports:

The Primetime Emmy Awards has added mobile to its repertoire with a new SMS program that engages television audiences in the run-up to its 62nd annual ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 29.

Check it out at textually.org

The Houston Texans, a national football team, have recently announced a two year promotion which ranges from sending injury notifications to updates regarding who just landed a touchdown via SMS messages.  McDonald’s, MasterCard and Whataburger have signed on to sponsor this mobile marketing program and their advertisements will be broadcasted across the field.

Here is a screen grab from one of the McDonald's sponsored polls. 

To read the entire article, click here.

To learn more about mobile marketing, visit Ez Texting.

Being one of the first companies to offer both mobile web and SMS ordering options back in 2009, Pizza Hut is no stranger to the growing popularity of mobile marketing. So far they have offered games to iPhone and Android users, as well as chances to win bread sticks and an application which allows users to order menu items from their mobile phones. This is only the beginning; Pizza Hut expects that the use of mobile will account for 50% of their future sales!

“We want our pizza to become a favorite memory,” Mr. Niccol said. “When I came on board five years ago, Pizza Hut didn’t even have a Web site where people could order pizza. In the future, I see mobile accounting for almost 50 percent of our orders,” he added.

To read the entire article, click here.

To learn more about mobile marketing, visit Ez Texting.

Campbell Soup has recently launched a contest which allows consumers the chance to win $500 by simply posting a picture of the soup’s new label via their iPhone or Android application. For every picture a consumer uploads, they obtain another sweepstakes entry.

“Mobile is an area of great interest to us, as we expand how we use all social media platforms.” said John Faulkner, director of brand communications at Campbell Soup.

To read the entire article, click here.

To learn more about mobile marketing, visit Ez Texting.

KFC recently launched a new marketing campaign that includes a football game, SMS messages and a delicious new chicken sandwich. KFC's new campaign includes a free game available to everyone who has an iPhone and includes banner ads that promote their new sandwich.

‘The objective of the campaign is to drive awareness of KFC’s Doublicious sandwich among adults 18-49 years old, while focusing in on adults 18-24 years old. KFC wanted to secure placement in highly relevant consumer areas to drive awareness for Doublicious and help drive lunch-time decision-making among the target audience.’

To read the entire article, click here.

To learn more about marketing via SMS messages, visit Ez Texting.

Last week, Lang Lang and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performed in Central Park and demonstrated a new way to connect with the audience. Prior to the show, the director of the orchestra announced that the audience members could vote for an encore via SMS message. Immediately after casting their votes, the senders would receive a text message offering them a discount on Lang Lang's new CD, "Live in Vienna", as well as an invitation to follow him on facebook. 

“It’s a new way for us to connect to an audience that’s not a traditional audience for us,” said Jennifer Mire, a spokeswoman for the Houston Symphony.

Read the entire article at The New York Times.

To learn about mobile marketing, visit Ez Texting.