“Mobile Marketing Is Stupid, But Only For People Who Make It Stupid”
I really like that line. It was the last line of a brilliant blog post about the overabundance of stupidity in the mobile space. It’s from Jared Reitzin, the CEO of Mobile Storm. And yes, he and his company have a vested interest in what he writes.
But you know what… he’s right. Here is the two part sentence in his post that caught my eye:
“Those who think mobile marketing is stupid only do so because they treat it like email…”
I can’t tell you how many times I have had my technology clients’ potential mobile messaging campaigns ultimately left on the cutting room floor because the brand’s opt-in list was “too small”. As if quantity was the top indicator of a successful campaign! When it comes to mobile devices, the paradigm of email marketing is the blast from the past. It is that one-way broadcast of usually unrequested messages that take advantage of few if any of the native advantages of the mobile experience and usually negatively taint the overall perception of mobile marketing.
Just pause for a moment with this statistic from Jared’s post - 95% of all text messages are read within in four minutes. Have we ever run across any other messaging medium that is so personal that it has commanded such an immediate response? And that is where the opportunity of mobile advertising (and the threat of a consumer backlash) begins. We, as marketers, simply have to get it right.
Certainly we have been negatively conditioned to the large quantity of email that is spam. And of course, we have been negatively conditioned to the advertising breaks on television or radio. Yet, we still immediately read text messages as soon as we hear the ping or feel the buzz. And that is where the promise of mobile resonates the strongest – in the ability to give consumers the type of messages they want, when they want them. It is the opportunity to narrowcast content of interest to that user, after they have double-opted in to receive those messages, rather than broadcasting non-requested messages to broad swaths of audience, that will allow consumers to confidently respond to that ping rather than begin to resent it.
…and don’t understand that mobile is about loyalty.”
There is a reason why the carriers promote unlimited programs to your ‘five faves’ or your ‘circle of friends’ or your ‘friends and family’. It is because mobile is about loyalty and familiarity and repetitive, interactive contact with trusted sources on the other end of the wireless communication loop. Mobile is appropriate for this smaller circle of friends – think the favorites button on your iPhone or other handset.
It makes sense to promote loyalty on a very personal medium where we as users are behaviorally accustomed to interacting with people and other sources we trust.
Try this experiment: Take a look at all the calls you made or received in the last week. Or, take a look at all of the texts you sent or received. Take note of which numbers were called or texted most frequently. Look at the total amount of time you spent with those most frequent numbers. Now, that is loyalty. Imagine if you could extend that behavioral pattern of loyalty to your brand.
And, of course, you can.
Make sure the message is consistent with the expectations your audience has of mobile messages. Make sure your message adds value to their lives in a way not possible without the mobile medium. Utilize narrative structure when possible to mirror the native communication prevalent on the medium. Make the incentives of receiving a text on their phone outweigh the inconvenience.
But, don’t force the email paradigm onto the mobile messaging paradigm. Mobile messaging needs to get off on the right foot in the consumer’s mind. And that won’t happen if its growth is stunted inside an ill-fitting email shoe.
I like Jared’s definition of why mobile customers can generate tremendous loyalty. If they are “willing to have their day interrupted as their pockets buzz” with your message, they will be your best customers.
And I would take a smaller collection of those loyal customers, over a ream of paper with email addresses, any day.
15 Comments
November 9, 2009 at 8:36 am
I disagree. The only time I am interested enough in a brand to receive mobile messages is if I am personally communicating with someone who matters to me, who happens either to be that brand, or in some influential position at that brand.
For luxury or popular brands, how many resources is that going to take? To talk to their individual fans, at a personal level? All of the time?
It’s exhausting just thinking about it.
November 9, 2009 at 10:31 am
Thank you for your comment, Jennifer.
You certainly point out two of the biggest challenges for mobile marketers – the ability and creativeness to design and develop messaging that will capture the imagination of their target audience and the software and other resources necessary to implement that type of marketing on the personal level required.
November 9, 2009 at 10:33 am
Another great post, Mark. I tweeted it. (I’ve tweeted quite a few of your posts. You’re one of my regular sources!)
The evidence certainly shows that consumers are receptive to coupons and “ads” on mobile. But I think you’ve really hit the nail on head. They will accept them if they are truly relevant, timely, and useful–and if they have opted in.
We’re currently working on a tool that could aid in this area. It’s always frustrating though, as a tool developer, to know that many businesses will misuse it. And that this misuse will likey taint the tool or mobile delivery, in general. I worry about a possible backlash in mobile opt-in. What makes it all the worse is that the businesses that misuse it generally get poor results, so they gain nothing while making things harder for those businesses who are benefiting consumers.
The key, I think, is to give the user control.
November 10, 2009 at 8:38 am
It implies a level of personal contact for brands only slightly removed from ‘friends & family’; if a brand can become inner-circle then yes mobile is very relevant. If I could have a coterie of brands that I grant access to my mobile space it would be bmw, prada, apple, google, bbc etc; seriously trusted and workhard brands that have proved themselves to me to be both useful and relevant to my life. I think mobile is extremely powerful, but its something that will be earned though months of tried and trusted communications via other less personal channels. I can’t help but think of the first date analogy…!
November 10, 2009 at 9:36 am
I always react negatively to unsolicited text messages. I cannot see any consumer benefit over email contact, particularly given the increased prevalence of smart phones and the general accessibility of email. Marketing contact via text message is simply irritating, however you try to spin it. By the way, why don’t you give your cell number as a means of contact Mark?
November 10, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Mobile Marketing:
to Mark: I enjoyed reading your article, and 95% of all text msgs being read w/i 4 mins IS impressive…, but I read on;
I agree with Jennifer – the only time I want texting AT ALL is if I am working with someone already, not as a means of advertising; however,…
with Neicole’s tool being developed to address relevant, timely and useful “coupons” and ads – I am curious on the application of what type of products and services are being considered and fitting into this category.
As for loyalty – hmm!?
I can see where mobile ads COULD be useful; but expect that mobile technology and SMART technology MUST be integrated with the hardware and users before the applications are considered.
I think it’s premature to start advertising to mobile users; like Neicole states…. there are alot of businesses that TRASH the concept, leaving the do-gooders to wade through the garbage that’s been strewn about….
Otherwise, how does marketing/advertising know WHEN WHAT information is relevant, timely and useful to a mobile user?
KnowwhatImean?
November 10, 2009 at 12:30 pm
We know that “good content” is essential for our blogs, tweets, facebook entries – and any other social media in which we participate. Now there’s mobile marketing to add to our maintenance/post list. Truly, how can a person get real work done if it takes 32 hours/month per social media account*? Further, very few brands (if any) can fall into the “groupie” category? If I like Budweiser, for example, am I going to follow them – or tweet them – all day long? This is a lot of learning for busy-ness.
November 10, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Love all the hub bub. We have a substantially large opt-in data base of mobile subscribers with geo and demo micro-marketing capabilities. We will not market any product or service to our data that isn’t relevant to their self reported interest. You will naturally have the same goup of butt heads that spam email, enter the mobile marketing space. So brace yourself! Most of which are using these email to SMS software programs.
Interestingly enough we have seen a growing request for Email2Phone. In the last 6 months we had over 5 million requests. We routinely turn down products that are generic, like satellite TV, payday loans and almost any product that has saturated the industry because of affiliate marketing. I get al least 4 emails a day for Robert Allen and that Cummatta fellow.
When we send out text to our database we also send out a matching email to their computer, we have found about a 60/40 redemption rate, 60% used the Mcoupons and 40% used the email print coupon.
But email to phone is getting open rates of 77% + and CTR of 10%+. We think it’s because of the ability to send graphics, making it a little more appealing, especially food. So now we are looking to get into the WAP sites to further enhance both the SMS and E2P experience.
Just my thoughts!
I also wanted to say hey Mark, haven’t talked for a while, how goes it?
Tony
November 12, 2009 at 2:47 am
Interesting thoughts! I say can there be a tool from operators where consumers can opt in from which brand, product/category and time they want to receive ads (with actual benefits). And on the device part, when an ad txt msg comes in, can it be made silent? So that it don’t buzz/ping/ disturb the receiver immediately. Rather the receiver can have a look at it while checking p2p messages (same inbox) and have the option to respond or ignore.
Bottom line, all of us good soul “mobile marketers” don’t want “Spam filter” for mobile messages. Please don’t force consumers to have such filters as a result of they being pissed at us.
Best Wishes!
Aziz
November 13, 2009 at 11:48 am
Hello Mark. One item the consumer really is not aware of (generally speaking) is that if they ever recieve anything on mobile (SMS), that they consider spam, of course they can reply STOP. While we as marketers are all too familiar with this (and the MMA/Consumer Privicy Act/various lawsuits that have been placed), I’m suggesting the average consumer is not aware of it (even thought it may spell it out in the SMS messaging). So in summary, yes – what I want, when I want, double/single opt-in…all good. Anything else, just reply STOP – And just that understand by everday consumers would help flurish this market. Tim
November 13, 2009 at 1:18 pm
You’re right on money Tim. People need to know they can reply stop. Most don’t! If you call your carrier and complain, they will instruct you to reply stop or suggest that you can opt-out from receiving text all together.
I was recently at a meeting with some very high level people and during the meeting, one guy, The President of a National company got a text, knowing what I do, he asked how do I stop these messages, some are useful most aren’t. I told him to reply stop; he did so and got an reply immediately that he has been removed. He smiled and said that simple ha?
If you repeatedly get messages from the same short code, you can complain to the issuer, name of company escapes me at the moment.
We need to find a way to get this info out there.
Tony
November 13, 2009 at 1:25 pm
All of this is very likely to wind up being moot. No matter how much really enlightened marketers try to use the medium correctly, once the floodgates open consumers will be drowned in a sea of irrelevant, meaningless blather and they will tire of it and quit paying attention. Brand engagement in a medium that personal simply won’t happen long-term because of the excesses of the marketing community. Anyone remember when telemarketing was a viable medium?
For a more substantial take on the issue of relevance in marketing, check out this article I wrote for DM ws in 2006: http://www.richard.tooker.com/Enemy.htm
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