05 Jun Planning for Mobile Marketing – The Mobile Marketing Strategic Lens

When planning a mobile marketing program, questions will arise as to which channels, tactics and vendors are most appropriate to integrate.  Marketers can embark on a mobile marketing strategy by answering four questions that lead to a much broader number of decisions involved in figuring out how to take advantage of mobile. These questions together comprise the Mobile Marketing Strategic Lens.

What are your Mobile Marketing Goals?

Are your goals focused more around branding or direct response marketing? Do you need massive reach for the mobile program to be effective? What does the end result look like if the mobile marketing program is successful? What kind of commitment will you make forthright in terms of the staffing and budget allocation? Do you have the time to fully optimize the program? Are you seeking massive scale for impressions, clicks, engagement or app downloads within a brief campaign period? Answering these questions at the beginning will help ensure mobile marketing fulfills its potential as part of your marketing strategy.

How is your audience using their mobile devices?  

Beyond talking, what are consumers doing with their mobile devices? Which devices and operating systems are they most likely to use? Are they likely to text, take pictures, search, play games, use social media, read news, look for local businesses, surf the web, download apps, scan barcodes or participate in other activities? With what other media, including traditional media, does your target audience engage? It’s critical to understand your audience and how they are utilizing their mobile devices when creating your mobile marketing plan.

How can you use your resource in mobile marketing?  

What assets do you have that might make sense to integrate? Do you have stores or other channel partners? Do you have apps or a mobile-friendly website? What other digital branded experiences do you have, perhaps across social networks? Mobile bridges digital and physical worlds, so consider tangible, real-world assets: products, out-of-home or print ads, retail stores and live events.

Does it follow mobile marketing best practices?  

Does your program adhere to how consumers are using mobile media? Does it utilize the tools and functionality of mobile devices? Does the experience translate well both to the smaller screen size and the broader landscape where consumers use their mobile devices? What kind of value does it provide to the consumer – information on a new product or service, entertainment, or a discount on merchandise, among many other options?

Conclusion  

The near ubiquity of mobile devices has made it necessary for any brand that regularly interacts with consumers to consider a mobile marketing strategy. But mobile marketing doesn’t have to be a mystery. Taking the time to investigate the landscape, examine consumer interactions with their devices and monitor competitive moves will reduce the unknowns and provide a solid base on which to launch, test and optimize an effective mobile program.