According to Pew Research Center, 77 percent of Americans own smartphones and 50 percent own tablets. One out of every 10 Americans access the Internet exclusively from a mobile device. That’s a lot of missed opportunities if your small business isn’t taking advantage of mobile marketing.
There are lots of neat ways a small business can make itself better known to the community, especially when using marketing that’s targeted to a very specific audience. You can even get the right message to the right people with the right tools on a DIY budget.
Some Can’t-miss Approaches for Small Business Mobile Marketing
Doing your own marketing for your small business means keeping up with the latest trends.
Although mobile marketing has been popular for several years, it continues to reign supreme both because of the high level of effectiveness and the low cost when properly utilized.
As you’re planning your marketing strategy for this year, keep these mobile marketing approaches in mind:
- Make your mark. When your small business thrives on local traffic, the most important thing you can do is get yourself on a map.
Google My Business is an excellent place to start, especially when you consider how many people are currently searching for businesses like yours “near me” at this very moment. - Get social. Social media isn’t the answer for every small business, but many can gain a fan following and build a network of brand advocates that will carry the story of your company far and wide.
Paid advertising on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and even LinkedIn can be very cost-effective since you can tightly target your desired audiences. - Push it, push it. Asking customers if they want to get push notifications when you have a sale or a special event can help you build a great list of customers who want to know more, no matter what it is that you’re selling. Text messages can also serve the same purpose. Both should always be opt-in, not opt-out, for best results.
- App attack. If your business can create a useful app that makes sense for what you do and simplifies some aspect of life for your customers, then, by all means, do it.
If not, you might be just as well served by joining an app platform like DoorDash (if you’re a restaurant) or Instacart (for stores). Of course, there are lots of different apps currently available for different types of businesses, so take a stroll around the app store before you make a final decision.
Of course, all the mobile marketing in the world won’t do you any good if there’s no plan for lead capture. Your staff should be ready for calls to come rolling in. If you’re near capacity on the telephone, it’s time to look into a small business answering service or consider bringing on more live telephone operators.
Your hard work marketing your company through mobile devices will pay off if you have a plan for both the getting the attention of potential leads and one for turning those callers into customers!
