| p>Mobile marketing SMS is a great example of a new | | | | may be filtered as spam or may be ignored, SMS |
| technology providing marketing opportunities. The | | | | marketing messages are to the point and are far |
| growth in the mobile consumer market over the last | | | | more effective at inducing the desired action from |
| ten years worldwide has been explosive, leading to a | | | | the prospect. And with opt-in features to enable |
| massive target market which has proven to be | | | | targeting and qualification of prospects, strong |
| responsive to marketing messages. There are twice | | | | response and conversion rates can be seen from |
| as many active SMS users than active email users, | | | | mobile marketing SMS campaigns across a range of |
| reflecting the full extent of the marketing opportunity | | | | different sectors and demographics. |
| presented by mobile communications. | | | | Another key benefit of SMS messages is that they |
| But as a business owner, how can you capitalize on | | | | are virtual, and as such much lower cost in nature. |
| this growing technology with a mobile marketing SMS | | | | Because there are low marginal costs to sending SMS |
| marketing campaign? | | | | messages, it's easily possible to devise a mobile |
| SMS messages are generally treated with more | | | | marketing SMS campaign that is instantly profitable. |
| interest by consumers than email marketing | | | | Compared to physical direct mailings, the costs of |
| messages, and consequently the open rate for SMS | | | | creating, storing and distributing SMS messages is |
| sales messages is higher than that with email. Rather | | | | minimal, leading to a cost saving and increased |
| than delivering to an inbox a message that may or | | | | conversion rate. As a result, the ROI from mobile |
| may not get read, no doubt amongst other emails of | | | | marketing is expanded on both the revenue and cost |
| more importance to the prospect, delivering via SMS | | | | sides leading to increased profitability from the |
| creates a situation whereby the interest of the | | | | campaign. |
| prospect is immediately captured and focused on the | | | | The benefits of mobile marketing are apparent, and |
| immediate message. As a result, permission-based | | | | as a direct marketing channel it will only continue to |
| mobile marketing can deliver response rates in the | | | | grow in effectiveness over the next decade as |
| region of 25%, versus 1-1.5% for traditional direct | | | | technologies improve and consumers become more |
| marketing channels. As such, it's easy to see why | | | | used to receiving and responding to SMS marketing |
| businesses of all sizes are getting on board with | | | | messages. Early adopters of the technology are still |
| mobile marketing SMS technologies and embracing | | | | just getting on board, but the results they are |
| this new way of marketing. | | | | experiencing from their mobile marketing SMS |
| SMS messages, including those with a marketing | | | | campaigns are proving the effectiveness of SMS |
| purpose, are on average read within 5 minutes of | | | | marketing as a medium. And with over 75 billion SMS |
| receipt, and responded to within the hour, making | | | | text messages sent every month, the market is |
| them far more effective than most forms of | | | | continuing to expand at an exponential rate. |
| communication. Unlike emails which may sit unread, | | | | |