Mobile Marketing – A Technique that’s Always in News (For Some Reason or the other!)

Last in, first out, right? So, let’s start with the latest news first. Velti, a service provider that needs no introduction, is reportedly selling some of its businesses* in countries like UK, India and US to the credit division of Blackstone. Since Velti specialises in mobile marketing, the news did shift the focus to this technique, which has been hogging the limelight for quite some time now.  As a matter of fact, last year, i.e. in 2012, it was all over the news that the technique in question is a hit among small businesses, especially in the United States of America.

Apparently, a provider of web services there conducted a survey, the findings of which, took everyone by surprise. To begin with, as many as 69%** of small businesses were considering increasing the money to be spent on mobile marketing, a technique that according to the survey, was termed the key to growth in the coming years. Coming back to 2013, Perka’s acquisition by a leading provider of ecommerce and payment processing services also made it to the headlines recently. No points for guessing that mobile marketing was at the forefront here as well.

All said and done, this technique is here to stay, for now and possibly for the years to come. It’s high time you make the most of it. 

*http://www.benzinga.com/news/13/11/4046848/velti-to-sell-mobile-marketing-businesses-in-us-uk-india-to-blackstones-credit-di?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+benzinga%2Fnews%2Flegal+(Channels+-+News+-+Legal)

 
**http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/84-of-us-small-businesses-using-mobile-marketing-see-increase-in-new-business-activity-149993195.html

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Bulk SMS – Things You Are Made To Believe!

Let's say you need to alert your team about a recent update. Or, there is an upcoming promotional offer that your customers must be aware of. In either of the situations, it makes no sense to send individual texts unless you have all the time in the world and don't mind splurging. Rather what you can do is to use bulk messaging and save big on time and money. But then, you need a software*, which is likely to add to your expense. Or so it seems. Just so you know it is possible for you to send web-based bulk SMSs, without having to arrange for the software.

Let's debunk two more myths:

Same Services Are Offered By Every Provider

If that's the case, Econet, a Zimbabwean SMS provider, should not have been accused of bulk SMS sabotage**. But, it has indeed happened. Having said that, the incidence highlights:

• The need for a proper gateway
• The need to find a way around unmasking

So, don't be under the impression that every service provider is at par. You need to find one that can offer undisrupted services.

Everything Comes For a Price

In case you have always dealt with SMS providers that charge you for everything, it may come as a surprise to you that there are features you need not pay for. For instance, some reliable providers offer the delivery reports for free. Then there are those that let you benefit from the auto opt-out feature at no extra cost.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulk_messaging
**http://www.humanipo.com/news/33487/econet-accused-of-sms-sabotage/

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Drive Sales through Mobile Marketing This Holiday Season

Mobile marketing is a self-explanatory phrase. So, let's get to business right away.

The million dollar question

Can mobile marketing lead to increased sales?

Well, this might give you the answer to your question: Recently, a survey* was conducted, in which the respondents were asked if they expect mobile transactions to drive a large part of their holiday revenue. You won't believe that as many as 53% of them said 'yes'. So, if you are thinking of making mobile an integral part of your marketing campaign, now is the time!

The next obvious question

Can it also account for increased revenue? Apparently, it can. The same survey suggests that during the holiday season, mobile is likely to have a positive effect on renewed in-store interest. Surprisingly, 38% of the respondents share this belief.

If these findings are anything to go by, your customers' mobile phones may bring a smile to your face this holiday season.

The cracks

Yes, your customers do use mobile phones. But, it doesn't mean you can send them SMSs just like that, at least not without addressing their privacy concerns first. Wikipedia** identifies these concerns as mobile spam, personal identification, location information and wireless security. Play smart and don't let your sales slip through the cracks (read: privacy violations).

All said and done, gear up for the holiday season and make the most of mobile marketing. For best results, try giving it more attention than social media, which is unlikely*** to have an impact on your sales.

*Inaugural 2013 Holiday Predictions Survey conducted by Baynote. Reference: http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/retailers-banking-on-the-power-of-mobile-for-2013-holiday-season-36827/#more-36827

**Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_marketing

***84% of the respondents said that social media hardly impacts their sales. Reference: http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/retailers-banking-on-the-power-of-mobile-for-2013-holiday-season-36827/#more-36827

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Sending SMS online saves customers time and money

Every day I talk to a lot of customers that have never used SMS in their business before. They call me because they have heard that they can send SMS online and they think it might be something they can benefit from.

SMS for business isn’t widely used in Australia, even though SMS is the most widely used data

application in the world. There are certainly heaps of great business applications for SMS, and I’ve found that companies can save a lot of time and money when they use it well.

Sending an SMS from a computer is easy, and it’s an application you can implement into your business right now and start reaping the rewards. The SMS Tech interface is really easy to use, and of course I’m just a phone call away for anyone that needs help sending an SMS online.

When you send an SMS from a computer you completely avoid fiddling around with mobile phones, and it means you can be far more productive. It also allows businesses to save both time and money for example they don’t have to make phone calls or send letters anymore. I have customers that have created some standard message templates they use for common applications which is a great way to drive further efficiency from this service.

A really great example that I find many of my customers use SMS for is to remind their clients about appointments they have booked. Using SMS for appointment reminders is quick and easy. The SMS Tech interface can be accessed from any computer, which means anyone within the business can send an SMS from any computer anytime, check sent messages and replies, check diary availability in real time or complete follow ups. Appointment attendance confirmation is instant, which is great for businesses, because when you are notified of cancellations, you can re-book those appointment times with ease. To top it off my customers have told me their clients really like the service as well.

Another benefit is that you can send an SMS from a computer to multiple people at the same time, which is great for marketing campaigns, special offers and heaps of other applications.

If you’re thinking about SMS for your business, why not give me a call today? I’ll offer you a competitive rate and the best service and support!

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It’s a wonderful (online) world

With technology moving in leaps and bounds – there is something new happening in the market each and every day. Computers are getting cheaper, Internet access is getting faster and everyone is connected, all the

time. The impact this connectivity can have on small and medium business is astounding, where simple things like being able to send a text message online to one or many people is helping businesses become more efficient and effective.

It sounds pretty simple – send a text message online, but it’s been a fundamental shift in how businesses can communicate with various their audiences including staff, prospects and customers. It means that no matter where they (or you!) are located or what they are doing, you can communicate with them simply and easily. SMS is immediate, non-intrusive and interactive, three reasons why is it the most widely used data application in the world.

To send a text message online you just need a computer with Internet access. This means you can log in and send messages from home, the office, or once you have an account with a service provider- you can have multiple people from different departments using the service simultaneously.

A lot of companies start using SMS for just one application. For example, the warehouse might start using it to alert customers that their orders have arrived in stock. What often happens then, is other departments start thinking about how they could benefit from sending text messages online, and the service becomes more and more important to the company. There are heaps of SMS applications for business:

-          Accounts payable can create invoice reminder notices and send text messages online to aged receivables

-          HR can send text messages online to staff to notify them of events or emergencies

-          Marketing can promote special offers or new products by sending customers text messages online

And what’s more, there is no software required! So no extra work for your IT team.

So if you are considering SMS for your business you should give us a call. Join the thousands of other small and medium businesses that are reaping the many and varied rewards to be gained by sending text messages online.

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