CRM - May 2008 - (Page 22)

t seems like just yesterday the Internet was that neat trick our computers could do. Today, it’s become our primary source for giving and receiving information. Mobile technology is a natural extension of the Internet—and yet, despite promises of a mobile revolution, the reality has yet to manifest itself in the United States. In the pockets of more than 250 million people, the mobile phone is for most a necessary appendage. We’ve forgotten how we ever managed to be punctual without them or how we kept track of so many numbers. Bill Jones, president of mobile marketing service provider Air2Web, recalls his days as a mobile-phone designer for Nokia: “It was amazing the number of attributes people looked for in picking a phone.” Today’s devices have become far more personal than a computer. Customers select phones that resonate with their personalities. In China, for example, a strong belief in numerology motivates consumers to spend extra for lucky phone numbers. Mobile accessories are so important in Japan that nail salons often decorate phones to match the consumer’s nails. As a result of this strong personal connection, marketers have been wary of appearing intrusive—customers are likely to be much more sensitive and far less forgiving. As with the development of the Internet, however, patience is a virtue. “In 1995, there were no ads on the Internet,” says Neil Strother, an analyst at JupiterResearch. “Now it’s accepted that just about all commercial sites have some form of advertising and we don’t bat an eye—that’s probably what we’ll get to at some point [with mobile marketing].” As of now, he says,“we’re kind of like mid-’90s for online when it comes to analytics.” Many mobile capabilities are borrowed from Internet technology, but the applications are far from a perfect fit: Web surfers leave electronic footprints known as “cookies” on the sites they visit; mobile-phone users don’t. Moreover, unless consumers are directly using coupons, vendors have a difficult time making a direct connection between a mobile promotion and a conversion. (See “Coupons Without the Clipping,” October 2007, page 14, for more on mobile coupons.) MOBILIZING MOBILE About five years ago, marketers began recognizing the targeting power of the mobile device. A confluence of better technology, higher adoption, and largerbandwidth data plans transformed the perception of mobile from being just a toy to the interactive device you have with you all the time. But the added capabilities come with added complexities. “It’s impossible to just decide to do it on your own,” Jones says. There’s no set recipe for any successful marketing campaign—and a mobile effort just ups the ante. As with any other campaign, the critical first step is figuring out your goals. Who are you targeting? Is it to promote brand awareness? Is it to increase conversion? Is it to cross-sell or upsell? Only then can you begin to tackle the tougher issues: Stay “on deck” (that is, use a single mobile carrier) or go off deck? Ally with one of the few experienced mobile marketing agencies? Choose a mobile marketing service application? What about analytics and integrating this MOBILE PHONES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES—BUT THE ABILITY TO MARKET TO MOBILE-PHONE USERS IS RELATIVELY NEW. NO WONDER MARKETERS ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET IT RIGHT 22 CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT | MAY 2008 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crmmedia/crm1007/index.php http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crmmedia/crm1007/index.php

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CRM - May 2008

CRM - May 2008 Contents Front Office Feedback Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point Is CRM Too Hard for Microsoft Vendors Go Virtual For Feedback Sense-sational Marketing How UGC Can Benefit CRM DestinationCRM Dashboard Price Check, Aisle 5 Required Reading The Moving Target The Excellence Myth Seven Steps to SOA Success And They're Off! Are You Ready to Party? Skin in the Game The Right Numbers Secret of My Success Re: Tooling Connect Pint of View

CRM - May 2008

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