Mobile offers a variety of channels for marketing – SMS, MMS, Mobile Internet, Bluetooth and Apps. Without doubt, SMS remains king, but marketers are looking at a whole range of methods for marketing to their audience. The following is a brief guide to the 10 best ways to engage through mobile marketing:

1. Customer relationship marketing

When companies first approach mobile marketing they typically think of customer acquisition as the main aim. However, the best place to start is often with existing customers, to improve relationships and uplift.
Once mobile marketing has been developed through existing customers then the move to acquisition is much easier.

2. Ticketing and Vouchering

Simply sending a promotional message is not the most effective way to engage customers. Vouchering and ticketing offer some excellent opportunities for a simple, yet compelling offer. It is cheap, simple and easily redeemable.

3. Mobile Sites

Few companies have a mobile site, thinking few people will browse it. In reality mobile users will browse your web site through their phone. Surely it’s better to ensure that the site is actually optimised for the mobile user to offer the clearest, simplest and best experience.

4. Apps

This year has been all about apps, and iphone apps in particular. Mobile applications offer an excellent way to engage customers. Generally the most successful marketing apps have been utilities to engage customers – from BA’s fight times, to Nike’s training apps – they offer the best opportunity for sophisticated marketing campaigns.

5. Bluetooth Marketing

Bluetooth proximity marketing is finally coming of age. Good hardware combined with powerful management software means that sending rich content to mobile users in situ is a real possibility. Recent Bluetooth campaigns have shown a high level of take up by mobile users.

6. Text to win/text voting

This old classic has shown it’s resilience and continues to offer potential. The recent Walker’s SMS campaign saw over 1 million responses.

7. QR

Although it hasn’t entirely taken off, Quick Recognition codes have resulted in some successful campaigns: Pepsi’s QR offer this year saw a large response, as well as campaigns by car manufacturers such as BMW and Volvo.

8. Appointment Reminders

It’s simple, but effective. If a business relies on people turning up to appointments, then SMS has been shown to significantly improve turn up rates – from health and beauty, through to the motor trade, it is a simple way to bring in more customers.

9. Location Services

LBS has never really shown it’s true potential due to issues of privacy and cost of delivery. However, location apps, such as Last Minute’s NRU, have shown how location-based information can bring real marketing benefits.

10. UGC and Social Media

It’s not all one way traffic! Encouraging, even incentivising users to submit their own content whether through mobile internet, SMS or Bluetooth is the future for mobile marketing. Mobile Social Media, from twitter to facebook offer true long term potential.