The Side Note

Really? That was my reaction. Last week I blogged that the potential of mobile marketing is still to be realized, but growth at this percentage seems almost unrealistic. So many businesses are still adapting to social media let alone adding mobile marketing to their mix. Or are they?

In the article on MobileMarketingWatch.com, Juniper Research forecasts that this industry can expect a 94% growth rate ANNUALLY for the next FIVE years. That means more and more companies will be implementing mobile marketing campaigns.

So why is mobile marketing so attractive? Cellular-news summed it up quite well “… it combines the wide reach of television with the precision of direct marketing and the tracking potential of the Internet.”

Recently, T-Mobile reported that “mobile ads are 30 times more effective than internet ads.” This doesn’t shock me since I’m not a big believer in banner ads. But this is such a significant number you can help but take notice. The findings come from a Czech Republic pilot program that included 22 advertisers, such as Coke-Cola and L’Oreal (yet over 3,000 advertisers were contacted – showing this channel is still in its infancy). Nonetheless, this just shows how global mobile marketing is.

Companies large and small are exploring and testing this channel. Lots of reports are being written. Organizations like hospitals are adding mobile communications to their mix. The possibilities do seem endless. iPhones are more affordable. Just about everyone has a mobile phone. There is quite a lot of data that could support this amount of growth. This is a hot topic.

If you are wondering what mobile marketing can do for your business, it’s very much like social media – you must first join in on the conversation. Let’s talk. I plan to keep blogging on this topic in July since there is so much to watch and review.

What is your company doing to reach consumers online? Are you texting your clients? Or sending coupons to your customers?