Marketers Take Charge of the Mobile Channel

Mobile can be a challenge. But it can also be an incredibly powerful interactive channel. That means real-time; give and take; a true conversation with your customers, employees or partners. It’s every marketer’s dream. So what’s the key to interactive mobile marketing?

DATA.

I know, you thought I was going to say something sexy or profound.

Okay, I’m not going all geeky on you, but today’s enterprise and consumer marketers know that data is the key to creating relevance, managing policies, and delivering an amazing user experience. It’s the key to knowing your audience and building trust and loyalty. It is the foundation of good marketing. You can’t create a compelling dialog, message, promotion or product if you don’t know your audience.

The Web is interactive. It can remember my name, the books I’ve purchased or the background picture I like best - but for the most part, it’s not personal. It doesn’t follow me everywhere I go. Now a smartphone – that’s personal AND it gives me the ability to marry content with contact. It’s a phone. It’s a Web browser. It’s two mints in one!

The point is, that it’s capable of combining both voice and data on the same device. They can interact with each other, so you can interact more personally with your customers.

A mobile app has it’s place, but you can’t customize it for each user. With a Web-based approach, you can. You can take charge of your mobile channel by sticking to the basics.

1. Know your customers. Ask them their preferences. Deliver relevant content.
2. Know what their device is capable of and deliver content that looks good on their device, not someone else’s.
3. If location matters to your service or campaign know their location. Deliver local results or content, without asking them to type in info every time they change location.
4. Always give your customers the opportunity to say, “NO” to sharing personal information. You’ll earn their trust by respecting their privacy.

Mobile doesn’t have to be some miniaturized or watered down version of your website. It can be more than a text campaign. Apps are cool, but they can’t drive the level of interaction and personalization that the Web can when you really know your customers. Talk to IT. Let them know what you need. Access to enabling technology is no longer the issue. The only thing keeping your mobile channel from being truly interactive is the absence of mobile user data and marketing making its voice heard.

It’s time for marketers to flex their creative muscles by using data, the Web and the smartphone explosion to marry content and contact. It’s time to make your mobile channel truly interactive.