| There are rules of engagement in mobile marketing | | | | concerns trump all others, including sales and ROI |
| says Michael Becker, Managing Director for North | | | | figures. By having a clear cut privacy policy in place |
| America, Mobile Marketing Association, in a recent | | | | before engaging on a mobile plan, contingencies with |
| article on RCRWireless. | | | | respect to how identifiable and non-identifiable |
| It's a simple one, but imperative nonetheless: "Protect | | | | privacy concerns are to be handled are set out. |
| the consumer, and you protect the opportunity." | | | | A privacy policy is not the same as the terms that |
| It's privacy protection he's talking about, of course, | | | | govern a mobile marketing program. In one campaign, |
| giving the consumer choice at every opportunity to | | | | a marketer may limit opt-in participants to age of |
| opt-in and opt-out. He's not referring to how to get | | | | majority customers only, for example, while another |
| consumer opt-in interest: Mr. Becker is more | | | | program may not have any age limit specified. Certain |
| interested in informing the consumer as to what | | | | blanket statements should remain for every |
| exactly an opt-in consists of. For example - is the | | | | campaign, though. One is whether or not the SMS |
| opt-in limited to one specific campaign or does it | | | | messages are free of charge to the consumer. It has |
| include all future advertising by that company? To be | | | | been reported that the majority of mobile users (at |
| transparent, the marketer also needs to address the | | | | 85 percent) have unlimited text plans, making it free |
| frequency of text messages, the content that might | | | | for them to receive text messages. |
| be contained in those messages, and the use of the | | | | Why bother? Because "your brand is riding on it," |
| private information given to the business by the | | | | says Michael Becker. "Drop the ball on something as |
| consumer. | | | | fundamental as consumer choice and control, and you |
| Obviously consumer ability to opt-out of any SMS | | | | may lose the trust of your audience and your |
| marketing campaign must be seamless: an easy | | | | program could backlash - creating customer |
| STOP message which is immediately effective and | | | | dissatisfaction, rather than boosting sales, generating |
| the choice to do so provided with every text | | | | awareness for your brand or whatever your |
| message. | | | | objective may be. |
| Marketers must act on the basis that privacy | | | | |