| 1. Customers love Text contests and your mobile | | | | you could run a trivia game to get attendees |
| database will too | | | | interacting with you throughout the event. The |
| Text Contests (also generally known as text to win) | | | | opportunities for interaction are endless. |
| is a type of competition whereby your audience | | | | Many sporting teams including the NBA's Phoenix Suns |
| participates in a contest or sweepstakes for a prize | | | | and the National Hockey League's New York |
| by sending a text message via their cell phone to a | | | | Islanders use mobile marketing to engage fans at |
| sms short code. It is the easiest way for consumers | | | | their games via a range of SMS marketing including |
| to enter a contest, entry is fast, instant and | | | | Text to Screen, SMS Voting and Text Trivia. Fans at |
| confirmations are immediate, which is why text | | | | the games are encouraged to text to a short code |
| messaging provides the highest entry rate out of any | | | | to vote in polls, display messages on screen and play |
| marketing channel. The great thing about text to win | | | | in stadium trivia games. The teams also use their new |
| campaigns is that they build customer hype and | | | | list of fans after each game for their mobile database |
| excitement while building your database to market to | | | | to keep supporters updated on upcoming games, |
| in the future. | | | | scores and events. |
| Announcing a text to win campaign can help bring | | | | In-stadium mobile marketing is also great for large |
| customers in store, get them purchasing your | | | | stadium concerts. The 2009 Keith Urban 'Escape |
| product, and most importantly get them engaging | | | | Together' world tour saw over 500,000 attendees |
| directly with your brand. Text contests campaigns | | | | participate in an SMS sweepstakes with almost one |
| are great for word of mouth publicity and can be | | | | third opting into the Keith Urban fan list to receive |
| promoted across your entire range of advertising | | | | ongoing updates. |
| media to build hype and excitement. | | | | Similarly, In-store engagement works well in any |
| There are 3 keys to success with text message | | | | number of environments where there is a captive |
| contests; have an attractive prize for your audience, | | | | consumer audience; restaurants, night clubs, retail |
| good promotion in consumer traffic spots and a | | | | stores are some examples where businesses can |
| simple mobile entry mechanic. An attractive prize | | | | offer the ability to text message in an entertaining |
| doesn't have to be large in value, just relevant to | | | | way. |
| your consumers. | | | | 4. SMS alerts can keep customers updated on |
| Restaurant chain Hooters have successfully used text | | | | information and cut costs for you |
| to win to grow their popular Hooters Mobile Club | | | | Text message alerts (also known as SMS alerts) are |
| which currently stands at over 50,000 members. The | | | | a great way to engage with customers with relevant |
| text to win campaign featured in store signs | | | | information which keeps your brand top of mind. |
| encouraging customers to text the keyword POOL | | | | Text messages work for a variety of purposes - |
| to a short code for a chance to win a trip to a | | | | telling customers about a great new product, new |
| special Hooters branded event - the Hooters Super | | | | sales or bursts of news to keep customers informed |
| Pool Party in Miami's South Beach. All competition | | | | about an area of interest. SMS alerts can be used on |
| entrants became part of the Hooters Mobile Club and | | | | their own or as part of a larger Mobile Club program. |
| receive ongoing mobile alerts, coupons and special | | | | Bogus Basin Snow Resort in Idaho is an example of |
| offers. | | | | how to use text message alerts to develop a |
| 2. Mobile Club's are a winning strategy for retailers | | | | fantastic information service for customers. The |
| Text Clubs (also known as Mobile Clubs) are a great | | | | resort keeps local ski fanatics informed about the |
| way to capture customer relationships and target | | | | conditions up on the hill, which helps to drive |
| your most valued customers with great offers and | | | | awareness and business whenever there is new |
| communications. It can be as simple as consumers | | | | snow or great conditions worth talking about. It is |
| opting-in to receive ongoing text message alerts on | | | | this kind of regular reinforcement and value add that |
| their cell phone, which may involve a range of | | | | assists in keeping Bogus Basin top of mind over its |
| different mobile marketing techniques; such as regular | | | | competitors. |
| alerts about new products, sales and mobile coupons | | | | Think about what area of your business you could |
| for in-store redemption. | | | | use cost effective real time communication to build |
| Retail stores in particular have an opportunity to build | | | | customer loyalty and save on costs. |
| a text club database from their foot traffic, and find | | | | 5. Text voting and SMS feedback can bring you real |
| out more about the individual consumers who walk | | | | time information |
| into their store and what they think about their | | | | Text voting can be a great way to engage |
| products and services. Athletic shoe retailer Foot | | | | consumers in the retail environment and also give you |
| Locker runs a successful Mobile Club where VIP | | | | useful feedback on products or even the store |
| members receive early information on new products, | | | | experience. As retail environments increasingly |
| along with news about events and special offers. VIP | | | | become more interactive, mobile marketing is the |
| members can choose to control and customize the | | | | natural next step for complete consumer interaction. |
| information on the brands they prefer so the club is | | | | Consumers carry their phones with them practically |
| personalized and relevant to each member. | | | | 24/7 so interacting with them in the retail |
| If you're a retailer Texts Clubs can be a great way | | | | environment is as easy as tapping into their mobile |
| to keep in contact with your customers and ensure | | | | device. |
| everyone is easily informed of what is happening | | | | Department store Bloomingdale's engaged customers |
| in-store. | | | | in-store via text voting in an in store video installation |
| 3. In-Store or In-stadium mobile marketing with Text | | | | to coincide with the 2009 fall fashion season. A series |
| to Screen and Text interaction | | | | of films shot and produced in New York were shown |
| In-stadium and event mobile marketing is a great | | | | in all Bloomingdale stores and on the Bloomingdales |
| way to connect with consumers in a personal and | | | | website. Consumers were invited to vote for their |
| fun way. Whether you're a sporting team engaging | | | | favorite film via text adding a further element of |
| fans at a big game or putting on a live event for a | | | | consumer interaction to the in store display. The |
| few people, event mobile marketing offers a host of | | | | campaign allowed instant interaction in-store and gave |
| interactive options including Text to Screen, SMS | | | | Bloomingdales a mobile database for future |
| Voting and Text Trivia. | | | | marketing. |
| Text to Screen is a technology that allows cell phone | | | | If you're striving to make your retail environment |
| users to send a text message to a short code and | | | | more interactive, why not introduce mobile marketing |
| have their messages displayed on a screen, big or | | | | to the mix? Mobile marketing can be used to increase |
| small. At your next stadium event why not get | | | | consumer interaction within a retail space, or even |
| attendees to text messages of support to the big | | | | alert customers to special offers in store - right when |
| screen for everyone to see? Or conduct SMS voting | | | | they're at the final point of sale. |
| with live results displayed in real time? Alternatively | | | | |