Archive for August, 2009
Find the Mobile Marketing Platform that Fits Your Company
Posted by admin in Mobile Marketing, QR Codes on August 27, 2009
According to reports, at the end of December 2008, the US has approximately 271 million cell phones in use, which is about 88.04% of the population. That is a large market waiting to be tapped.
But with mobile marketing, it’s different. As opposed to just sending your message out there in the form of traditional advertising and marketing and hoping that it reaches someone in your target market, you could have your target audience come to you with mobile marketing. With mobile marketing, the end-user has to opt-in – that is, they choose to receive your message.
But, in what ways can these platforms enhance my marketing, you ask.
Below are some of the latest trends in mobile marketing and ways they might work for your company:
Apps (or applications) are third-party software programs developed specifically for the end-user to download to their mobile device. Apps typically do not work across all smartphone technologies and can only be used with the hardware it was designed for.
Apps:
– Take time and money to create
– Must be submitted and approved by that particular smartphone provider (i.e. Apple)
– End-user must download and utilize the application
– Provide little to no interaction between the company and client
– Allow for no interaction between the company and the end-user
Example: Apps like i-Clickr enables the user to use their iPhone/iPod Touch as a PowerPoint remote clicker allowing them to view the slide and slide notes right from the Apple mobile device as they present. This app is great for day-to-day business use, and your company can incorporate its logo, theme or marketing message into it to brand the app.
QR (or Quick Response) Bar Codes are two-dimensional bar codes that can store addresses and URLs. The bar code may appear in magazines, on signs, business cards or any other form of print media. Users equipped with a QR bar code reader on their mobile phone and an on-board camera can “scan” the bar code by taking a picture of the bar code to receive information embedded in the bar code.
QR Code Pictogram
QR Bar Codes:
– Are fairly simple to create with any QR Bar Code Generator
– Requires the user to have a QR Bar Code Reader (which is available as an
iPhone app)
– Requires development and placement of the bar code on a print
marketing piece
– Provides one message to the user per bar code
– Allows for no interaction between the company and the end-user
Example: The QR Bar Code to the right takes the user to marion.com.
SMS:
– Are simple and relatively inexpensive to create
– Requires the user to opt-in for the marketing campaign by texting a keyword to a short code
– Requires development and placement of the keyword and short code on a marketing piece
– Provides a fast response and tailored message for the end-user
– Allows for interaction between the company and the end-user
Example: A company at a trade show is handing out a brochure that prompts the reader to send a text message with the keyword “tool” to “12345” to receive a free consultation and more information about the services they provide.
MMS (or Multimedia Messaging Services) are messages sent to a mobile device that contain images, audio, video or rich text. For use in mobile marketing, the end-user takes a picture with their camera phone and sends the image to a short code or submits it via an app.
MMS:
– Takes time and money to create
– Requires the user to have a camera phone and ability to send multimedia messages
– Provides one message to the user per image
– Allows for no interaction between the company and the end-user
Example: The Barnes & Noble Bookstore App identifies a book when you take a picture of the cover with your mobile phone and the app directs you to an overview of the book and its price, gives you the ability to order the book online, find a store, download their e-reader and check out new releases.
For more information on Mobile Marketing and ways it could enhance your marketing, please contact The Marion Group at 713-623-6444 or email us at info2@marion.com.
Mobile Marketing – R u in the Loop?
Posted by admin in Mobile Marketing on August 20, 2009
Marion can help you get a handle on mobile marketing
Momentum is gaining with mobile marketing as more and more individuals are utilizing phones with data packages. The mobile phone is the one device that is always with you, making the accessibility factor a major benefit for businesses promoting to consumers.
With mobile marketing you provide a direct response mechanism for any call-to-action and when utilized as part of a larger media campaign, it increases visual exposure for better results. It should reinforce your other marketing strategies.
Benefits of a text messaging campaign may include:
– More traffic to your business and your website with targeted campaigns
– Improved customer loyalty and a closer relationship with your customers
– Enhanced name and brand recognition
The most advantageous part of mobile marketing is it is 100% permission based.
With mobile marketing, your audience receives your message immediately, your reach is extended, and it’s affordable. The response rate has also been noted to be higher than direct mail or other promotional tactics.
According to a white paper by Zeep Media, over 5 billion SMS (short message service) messages per month are sent to subscribers’ phones in the US with content they opted-in to receive. Texas receives 9% of the total SMS alerts sent in the United States and California is number one with 11%.
Types of Response-based SMS Ad Formats
Pay per reply – subscriber responds with a specific keyword (74% of market)
Pay per click – ad contains a link to a website (26% of market)
Let’s also think about B2B for a moment…
Where mobile marketing was once viewed only for the B2C business, B2B companies can get creative in how they stay connected to their clients. Businesses can send their customer base best practice tips on using a particular product or case studies on how a product or solution worked well for another client.
Look at mobile marketing as another way of engaging your customer and providing them the information they need as efficiently as possible.
If you’ve considered mobile marketing but are not sure where to begin, Marion can help you determine the best strategy.
A QR Sighting in a Public Space
Posted by admin in Mobile Marketing, QR Codes on August 19, 2009
A QR bar code poster at the Edwards Theater
QR (Quick Response) codes (and more evidence of Mobile Marketing) are showing up in the consumer world in interesting ways. At the Edwards Theater last night I noticed a poster on the entrance door to the theater that just had a QR pictogram on it. I took a picture of it with my I-phone on-board QR reader. My browser opened and took me to the “9” movie promo page with a video trailer. Look for more of this type of Mobile Marketing in the future. If you spot QR codes in a public space, please let us know.
QR Codes, the Magical Squares
Posted by admin in Mobile Marketing, QR Codes on August 10, 2009
QR Code Pictogram
By scanning the QR pictogram, you can find out what is inside the foil wrapper.
The latest and one of the most exciting trends in M-marketing (aka mobile marketing) is to have a Quick Response (QR) Code that allows users to connect to your website Home page, a specific page on your website or any URL of your choice by means of a mobile phone with a camera and a web browser.
The user takes a picture of the QR Code – which is essentially a matrix or two- dimensional bar code, also called a pictogram. A QR Code Reader on the phone decodes the embedded URL at high speed, opens the phone’s web browser, and magically takes the user to the encoded URL instantly. There is no need for the user to type in the URL, so you can even embed long URLs in the QR Code if you wish.
Although used in manufacturing since 1994, the exciting aspect is that QR Codes are now becoming more commonly used for convenience-oriented applications by mobile phone users.
The QR pictogram can be affixed or printed on products, magazines, brochures, business cards, signs, posters, billboards, t-shirts, the side of trucks and basically any physical object. The pictogram is so forgiving that you can even scan it from a computer screen. You are only limited by your imagination where and how you can use it.
Check out this video as an example to see how the QR Code works.
Learn more about QR Codes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code.
The QR Code Magic Revealed
For decoding a QR Code you just need three things:
- A Java enabled mobile phone with a good quality camera.
- The QR Code itself (Marion can help you generate the code).
- QR Code Reader software supported by your mobile phone. You can download a FREE Reader for your specific phone model from these sites: Kaywa Reader, Quickmark QR Reader, i-nigma, and Beetagg. I-Phone users, go to www.apple.com/itunes/.
Try your QR Reader out on this QR Code!
Let Marion create your own QR Code to link to your website or contact page and add another way for you to reach your customers.
Keeping Your Brand Consistent
Posted by admin in Brand Building, Brand Positioning on August 5, 2009
Every company has a brand. But it’s important to remember to keep your brand consistent as long as your customers still view your brand in a positive light.
Image Courtesy of Image Shack
Notice the image to the left. While both of these brands create positive feelings about their brand in the minds of their loyal customers, only one brand has remained consistent – Coca-Cola.
The problem with changing your brand image is, not only sinking tons of money into the rebranding (to replace your company trucks, reformat your website, replace all of your stationary and business cards and even your email signatures), but that it alters the perception of the brand in the minds of your customers.
By keeping your brand and your branding message consistent through your marketing and advertising, you can strengthen your brand identity within your industry and in the minds of your customers.
In 2001, the US market share for the soft drink industry was:
Coca-Cola – 43.7%
Pepsi Co. – 31.4%
Cadbury/Schweppes – 15.8%
The Marion Group specializes in Brand Positioning and Brand Building Services to help foreign and domestic companies build a foundation for their marketing strategy and marketing mix.
If your company is just starting out, Marion offers Logo Design Services to help your company find its image. Visit our Graphic Design Portfolio to see some examples of our work for some of our clients here in Houston and around the world.
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