We are in an omni-channel world, therefore we need to be where our customers are to drive response. That means we need to use mobile marketing. Before you get started it is best to put together a plan. Like all marketing channels you need a goal before you start.

Mobile marketing planning:

• Objectives: Some examples would be a defined number of sales, mobile opt-ins, registrations, coupons and so on.
• Setup: Know the regulations for legal compliance. You should also map out the customer journey and make sure to consider all possible paths. People do not always do what we expect.
• Creative: You may or may not be using images, but if you are it is important to pick the right image. You will also need to carefully craft your words as there is limited copy space available.
• List: Make sure your list only contains people who have opted into your mobile campaigns. You should also be segmenting people based on buying history.
• Tracking: You will want to make sure you can track who is responding. There are two ways you can do this unique identifiers and device identifiers. You will need to pick which one will work for your campaign.
• Reporting: There are many things you can gain by analyzing reports after your campaign is complete. Identify what you want to know before you start the campaign so that you can make sure you have included the ability to see reporting on each item you want to know about.
• Testing: You need to know how your message looks on various types of phones and tablets. Test out each aspect of the campaign and each option to be sure all links are going where you expected them.

Now you have all the information and are ready to start your campaign. It is always a good idea to cross pollinate your marketing channels to increase response rates. So get people to opt into your mobile marketing through other channels such as mail and email. You can give them a special offer if they do, or by signing up for mobile the automatically get coupons. You need to provide value to people in order to get them to participate.  Are you ready to get started?