Co-founders Brian Stafford and Michael Lamb were guests on Chicago’s CBS 2 morning news show, “Monsters & Money” on February 19. The interview focused on how Opt It, Inc. is revolutionizing the way companies get the word out to consumers via text messaging.
No one can deny the popularity of the iPhone. Everyone’s had the experience of being at a gathering or party recently when a friend or co-worker has pulled out their iPhone just to demonstrate new functionality or the latest downloaded app. Its user-friendliness and sleek, sexy look are second-to-none. iPhone apps even have their own distribution channel built in, adding to a top-notch user experience. This next generation device is certainly an industry leader that is ahead of its time. But at Opt It, we’re concerned that the iPhone might not be the most effective venue for your mobile marketing campaign. Here’s why:
Currently in the U.S., 87 percent of the population has some sort of mobile device. Of that percentage, only 2.4 percent own an iPhone, limiting the reach of any business looking to establish a mobile marketing campaign. In terms of text message marketing campaigns specifically, texting can reach a whopping 98 percent of cell phone users, making it a very powerful marketing tool. When it comes to getting your important message to the largest audience, text messaging is the most successful tool available.
iPhone Applications Advantages
Text message marketing advantages
Here’s the bottom line: when it comes to user experience and next generation devices, we here at Opt It love the iPhone. But for businesses looking to launch a mobile marketing campaign, text messaging is the most effective and immediate way to reach your audience, hands down.
When planning for the launch of your mobile marketing surge, the question of whether to use a shared or dedicated short code for your business is bound to come up. Your short code, the significantly shorter telephone number you’ll obtain and give to customers to use to address SMS messages from their mobile phones, is an important piece of the mobile marketing picture. Consider the following when selecting the code type that makes most sense for your business. If you are unfamiliar with short codes or keywords, please read this short piece describing SHORT CODES and KEYWORDS.
Shared short codes are used across multiple businesses and campaigns. Keyword(s) are assigned to specific clients for executing mobile marketing campaigns. Dedicated short codes are leased and assigned to one business or entity. The business has full control of creating campaigns and keywords and all traffic is routed to that individual client. Dedicated short codes allow you to lease a short code that matches your brand.
As you might imagine, shared and dedicated codes are very different from each other and deciding between them requires careful thought. Take look at how the two types compare on key points of interest:
If you’re on the fence regarding shared or dedicated code, think about your business goals. Is time of the essence? If so, businesses who want to enter the text messaging arena quickly and with minimal cost will likely move forward with a shared code. Those businesses keen on building their brand are typically happier waiting for a dedicated code as well as incurring the higher associated fees.
Opt It’s new age gate feature allows customers to add a message or gate into their message flow that requires the end user to text back their date of birth in order to proceed. This feature is ideal for liquor or beer companies that must verify a user’s age in order to send special offers and promotions or to permit contest participation. Controlling entrance to specific groups allows businesses to meet all laws and requirements for age verification.
Here’s how the Opt It Mobile age gate feature works:
Many Opt It clients have had great success with this age gate feature, such as Corona, who has launched campaigns such as contests, targeted event reminders and discounted offers around Cinco de Mayo, as well as the Kenny Chesney summer concert tour. Budweiser currently uses the age gate feature to ensure valid entry into many summer contests and promotions.
Contact your account manager regarding how you can apply the age gate feature to your business needs. Keep in mind that this feature is not available in your account by default, so talk with your account manager for more information.
With Opt It Mobile’s expanded contest features, users can create and manage their own contests. Opt It Mobile users are able to establish a contest by simply entering start and end dates and times for their upcoming event. They may fine tune contests by controlling the number of times a customer joins; allowing for unlimited contest entries per customer, or a specific number of entries per contest, hour, day, week or month.
The Opt It Mobile contest feature also allows for manual or automated winner selection – for example, winners can be chosen to be the “xth” entry, first “x” people or every “xth” person. The number of winners may also be capped to lower your risk.
All contest entries are integrated into Opt It Mobile’s upgraded reporting system, so business owners can see real-time results of their ongoing contests.
Consider how our upgraded contest features can work for you to drive business through your door.
According to some recent reports, the economy may be showing the beginning signs of an upturn. For folks in the retail industry, this is great news. Adding mobile marketing to your retail business plan now is a powerful way to set your business apart as the economy moves forward. This low cost and extremely effective use of text messaging can drive business through the door during slow times and raise business to new levels as things turn around. Consider how adding Opt It Mobile can bring big advantages to you and your customers with ease.
As a retailer, it can be difficult to connect with your customers during tough economic times. With mobile marketing via Opt It Mobile, you’ll have the ability to communicate directly with customers that have given you permission to do so. With immediate release of information regarding limited time offers, specials on expiring inventory or new product and sales alerts, you’ll boost sales no matter what the economy is doing. Opt It Mobile offers features that allow business owners to track redemption on special offers and promotions. This instant customer connection allows you to increase incremental revenue, while reducing promotional costs and earning a higher return on investment.
We know this all sounds great, but how will it work? How can you put Opt It Mobile and mobile marketing to work for you? Our customers in the retail industry utilize Opt It features in a myriad of ways, such as contests, coupons for limited time offers and announcements and reminders for promotions and events. Targeted messages or value added alerts with lifestyle type content, based on the individual interests of your customers, can be sent directly and instantly. For instance, a running store might send alerts regarding stretching before and after runs, a hair salon could text information on managing hair in humid weather or a grocery store might send the latest news on healthy food choices. What’s more, retailers can use the Opt It Mobile platform to obtain customer feedback through text messaging.
In addition to the business advantages of mobile marketing, there are many benefits for your customers as well. Always privy to the latest promotions and special offers, your customers are ‘in the know’ when it comes to your business. Belonging to your VIP club gives them a sense of membership in your business’ community and ensures that they are getting special deals not offered to the general public. They’re also able to receive your information on the channel they prefer – their mobile device – eliminating the need to search for deals or clip coupons. They have everything they need to know about your business right at their fingertips.
Harness the power of mobile marketing with Opt It Mobile and add it to your retail business’ action plan. Your customers with thank you again and again.
If it’s your goal to reach customers faster and more effectively, mobile marketing is the most powerful tool available for the restaurant industry. With the better part of the world carrying mobile devices and sending and receiving text messages, mobile marketing deserves the top spot on your restaurant’s action plan and is a prime opportunity for you to connect with your customers like never before. Read on to discover why a text message marketing plan will work for you and how both you and your customers can reap the benefits of using the Opt It Mobile platform.
There’s no denying it, mobile marketing allows restaurant owners to reach customers with an immediacy never seen before in the marketing space. Your message is sent instantly to all customers in your loyalty program, giving them real-time knowledge of your latest promotions, events and contests. What’s more, you’re reaching out to targeted customers with their permission - they have requested your information to be sent, allowing you to speak directly to customers who are anticipating information about your business, wherever they are, via their mobile device. Getting the latest information about your restaurant to your customers in this way drives traffic through the door, boosting business before your eyes.
Consider the various applications for mobile marketing in the restaurant world allowing you to reach your audience at home or on the go, instantaneously. Utilize Opt It Mobile to provide the access into your restaurant’s loyalty program and send time-sensitive information or last minute offers for specific meals. Get real-time feedback from customers via surveys or comments. Coupons, contests and RSVP’s are easily managed with Opt It Mobile and allow this ideal two-way means of communication between owner/operators and customers to become the main method of communication. Uses of mobile marketing in the restaurant industry are limited only by your imagination.
So now you know why and how the Opt It Mobile platform can launch your restaurant’s mobile marketing campaign. But how do your customers benefit from your text message marketing efforts? Receiving text messages is a low cost and simple way for customers to stay informed about what’s going on at their favorite eateries. Not only will customers be up-to-date on the latest events and best deals, but they’ll be notified of and able to find ways to save money while continuing to eat at and enjoy the places they love – a big draw in tough economic times. With the permission-based technology that Opt It offers, your customers control what, when and how often they receive and send information about your promotions through their cell phones.
Becoming part of your restaurant’s loyalty program is very meaningful to many customers and provides a sense of belonging and membership to an elite group of patrons. This is an advantage to both the restaurant owner and customer, establishing a lasting relationship made possible by the reach of the instant and versatile mobile channel.
The restaurant industry’s interest in the area of mobile marketing is skyrocketing. Savvy business owners understand that when it comes to connecting with customers, nothing is more economical or effective than text message marketing. At the recent National Restaurant Association trade show in Chicago, restaurant owners and marketers voiced this new overall theme across the industry, solidifying the knowledge Opt It already has about the power and reach of text message marketing.
Using a permission-based marketing plan via Opt It Mobile, restaurant owners and marketers can reach their client base instantly, with the latest news on promotions and events. Contests and coupons also lend themselves to mobile marketing, giving the restaurant industry various methods to connect with their customers, while simultaneously building a mobile marketing list of VIP’s.
Not only is mobile marketing simple and effective, but the connection it provides allows restaurants a way to link to customers in a struggling economy. Opt It features do more than just keep customers be up-to-date on the latest events and information, they notify them of and give them the ability to take advantage of discounts, promotions and special offers – a big draw in tough economic times. Letting valued customers know that their favorite eateries are still within reach is key. Getting the word out through a mobile marketing campaign via the Opt It Mobile platform drives traffic through the door.
Opt It Success Story: In its first-ever nationwide mobile campaign, Moe’s Southwest Grill is offering customer discounts on a limited-time menu item, the Phil E. Cheese burrito. Powered by the Opt It Mobile platform, the Moe’s campaign is active and successful in all of over 400 locations. Take a look at a recent press release on this restaurant’s winning mobile marketing campaign.
There is no more powerful tool than mobile marketing when it comes to reaching customers, especially in the bar and nightclub industry. According to the CTIA – The Wireless Association, 95 percent of all text messages are read, giving bar and nightclub owners a prime opportunity to communicate with members of their key demographic of 21 to 30 year olds. So why should you get your business involved with this mobile marketing surge? How can you take advantage of Opt It software to pump up your client reach and grow your business? And how do customers benefit from your mobile marketing efforts? Read on for the answers to these questions and more.
The number one advantage of mobile marketing for bar and nightclub owners is the immediacy with which customers can be reached. There’s no more waiting for snail mail or for ad spots to run on various media. Your message is sent instantly to all customers in your client base, giving them real time knowledge of your latest promotions, events and contests. What’s more, you’re reaching out to targeted customers with their permission - they have requested this information to be sent, allowing you to speak directly to clients who are anticipating information about your business, wherever they are, via their mobile device.
Consider the various applications for mobile marketing in your world. Utilize Opt It features to provide information on upcoming offers, promotions and contests. Send invitations to special events and have clients text keywords as RSVP to build guest lists. Run on-premise contests, in a moment’s notice, by sending texts to customers in-house. By utilizing the Opt It software, texting becomes the main communication tool between owners and customers, which can happen anywhere and at the customer’s discretion. Uses for mobile marketing in the bar and nightclub industry are limited only by your imagination.
We’ve talked about why Opt It and mobile marketing is a prime way to reach your target market and how you might put it into action for your business. But how do your customers benefit from your text messaging marketing efforts? Receiving text messages is a low cost and simple way for customers to stay informed about what’s going on at their favorite establishments. Not only will customers be up-to-date on the latest events and information, but they’ll be notified of and able to participate in any and all discounts, promotions and special offers – a big draw in tough economic times. With the permission-based technology that Opt It offers, customers can control what, when and how often they receive and send information about promotions through their cell phones.
Becoming part of your VIP list of customers is very meaningful to many clients and provides a sense of belonging and membership to an elite group of patrons. This is an advantage to both the business owner and client, establishing a lasting relationship through the reach of the real time mobile channel.
Look for upcoming posts with details on how mobile marketing can transform various other industries, like restaurant and retail.
In the previous blog entry we talked about how your organization can generate ideas for offers and promotions in the mobile market. Now it’s time to discuss an equally important concept.
Here we talk about how to lure, entice, and tempt your customers to give you their mobile number.
Keep these simple ideas in mind –
The younger generation- sometimes called Generation Y or Millenials - is much more likely to give up a mobile number. Older generations think of a phone number as something they have to protect so they don’t get harassed by intrusive callers. Text messages are not as intrusive as calls, and for younger generations, the mobile phone is all about being connected. It’s a fundamental difference in the way people see their phone. More and more, people want to stay in constant contact with a wide range of friends, family, associates, and co-workers; they also want to stay closely aware of value in the marketplace where they shop and play.
Once you have people on your mobile marketing list, you have to provide value in your offers or people will opt out. The idea is to build a relationship over time with individuals and the people who associate with them. Although an amount of turnover is inevitable, you want to make sure that people are not joining your list one week and then leaving it the next. You need to find the right mix of value and timeliness in your offers. If you send a message every day, they may be easy to ignore in a short time. If you send one message a week with real value and appeal, you may do better, but the real goal is to find the right combination of frequency and value for your customers.
Where do you start?
Start with your web site. Yes, it can be a drag to do updates to your web site, but it’s a powerful “always there” presence that people can easily access. Make sure that on your home page you have a clear invitation to your visitors to “opt in” to your mobile messaging program. When they click through to your “opt in” page where your customer elects to give you their phone number, there are several things you need to tell them. First, explain to them that they can always opt out, and explain how. That’s a pretty basic requirement that makes it harmless for them to sign up. Second, give them some idea of how often they will be hearing from you, and what kinds of offers they will receive; if you are not sure about how often and what, you will have to be vague about it until you know. Third, tell them that you value their feedback, and give them a way to talk back to you. Why? Because you DO value their feedback! That’s the only way you can improve your offers. Put a link to your opt in page on every other page on your site.
After the web site, offer your mobile updates in as many places as you can. Put up signs in your facility on the walls, in your storefront window, on counter tops and desktops, and especially on surfaces that people stare at when they are paying or waiting for service. Any promotional brochures or paper of any kind that a customer looks at or takes with them should say “Text (your keyword) to 46786 to receive our free mobile updates and offers.”
Provide an immediate discount/incentive that can be used during their visit.
Run a contest weekly or monthly giving away something of value to your audience.
Educate your staff on the program so that when patrons or guests ask questions you make sure that you do not lose a subscriber.
Next: Whenever you reprint anything for your business, include the text about signing up for mobile messaging. What if you have 10,000 printed brochures and don’t want to reprint them just to include a message about mobile marketing? That’s what stickers are for! What do you put stickers on? EVERYTHING! Have some attractive stickers made up in your company colors and place them on every bag or brochure or receipt or business card. Don’t let anyone or anything go out of your door without a sticker. If you want people to sign up for the program, they need to know they can and it is your job tell them in as many different ways and places as you can.
Recognize that mobile or text message marketing will be an important part of the marketing mix in the future. If you do coupons, or mailings, or send emails, remember to encourage customers to sign up for mobile messaging via those media too. Couponing and direct mail are expensive, and moving customers to less expensive media like mobile marketing is a smart move for increasing your bottom line.
Finally, delegate the job of coordinating this important activity to an individual within your organization who needs a challenge or development. Encourage them to see what competitors and others are doing to build their lists, and empower them to try the things that will create a powerful list for increasing future revenues using text message marketing.
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