Mobile Marketing –Ten Laws to Remember

For mobile marketing best practices, I usually turn to Kim Dushinski, the Founder of the International Mobile Marketing Business Network, the premier trade association for mobile marketing entrepreneurs and professionals.

According to Kim, in Mobile Marketing there are 10 Rules, or Commandments as she calls it, that you should follow. They are:

1. Do not send Mobile Spam – spam is unwanted text messages.
2. Use QR Codes only for mobile action – The only type of device that can scan mobile action codes (like QR Codes, Microsoft Tags, Snap Tags, etc.) are mobile ones. Therefore, the destination of the QR Code absolutely must be MOBILE-FRIENDLY. Do not send a mobile code scanning visitor to a desktop size site.
3. Ensure your website is mobile friendly – you are getting mobile visitors to your website. Make sure you have a mobile friendly version when visitors arrive. Make sure your site works for your mobile visitors.
4. Only create a mobile app if there is a valid reason to do so – mobile websites and mobile apps serve a distinctly different function. Mobile websites are typically used when someone wants quick and easy information while in a mobile context. Mobile apps are downloaded onto phones and tablets when the end user plans on using the functionality of the app repeatedly. Therein lies the power of the mobile app. Repeat use.  The only reason you need to create a mobile app for your business is when you can provide a reason for your customers to want to use it again and again and again.
5. Market your mobile campaigns fully and accurately – Mobile marketing must integrate with your other marketing efforts in order for it to succeed. Robust marketing of your mobile marketing campaigns is required.
6. Mobilize your email – Make sure that any email you send is readable on their tiny screen because you never know which email will be opened there instead of on a full size monitor.
7. Do not ignore mobile, for your neighbor won’t – Just because you don’t send text messages or don’t use your phone to go online doesn’t mean that your customers don’t. The reality is that they do. And ignoring what your customers are doing is really just not smart.
8. Always provide RELEVANT VALUE – If you are expecting your customers to engage with you on the most personal media platform in their life, then you must make it worthwhile to them. Mobile marketing campaigns must keep the customers’ needs as the primary focus.
9. Obey the context in which your customers are interacting with you – Mobile phones are tiny powerful computers, yet you must not forget that their owners are in a mobile context while using them. They may be in a hurry trying to find a specific piece of information very quickly. Make it easy for them to do so.
10. Only use mobile when it is the right tool for the job – always ask yourself what mobile is adding to the equation. It should be clear that mobile makes it easier to accomplish the end result or provides quicker access to something.

To read the full article, go to the 10 Commandments of Mobile Marketing.