Not that I am comparing myself to Moses, but I am taking on the responsibility of writing out the 10 Commandments of Mobile Marketing.
And while they are not being presented to you on a stone tablet, it would be wise to consider these as set in stone if you want to succeed in mobile marketing.
1. Thou shall not send mobile spam.
Sending unwanted text messages is mobile spam. Plain and simple, it is wrong and it is stupid. Your customers do not want mobile spam from you. Strangers do not want mobile spam from you. Doing it can place your company at risk of legal action.
No sending mobile spam, really.
2. Thou shall only cause mobile action with QR Codes.
The only type of device on the planet that can scan mobile action codes (like QR Codes, Microsoft Tags, Snap Tags, etc.) are mobile ones. Therefore, the action that is caused by scanning the code absolutely must be MOBILE-FRIENDLY. Do not send a mobile code scanning visitor to a desktop size site.
The person scanning that code is on a mobile device with 100% certainty. Why would it even remotely make sense to send them to a desktop site that is unreadable and unactionable? It is a waste of their time and your money.
Worse, if marketers keep sending mobile visitors to desktop sites then it will kill QR codes as an effective marketing tool. People will stop scanning them, knowing they are usually a huge time waste.
3. Mobilize thy site.
Whether you know it or not, you are getting mobile visitors to your website. Trust me, no matter how powerful and awesome their phone is, they want to have a mobile friendly version when they get there. Make sure your site works for your mobile visitors. And give them a way to access your full site in case they need it.
4. Thou shall only create a mobile app if there is a valid reason to do so.
Mobile websites and mobile apps serve a distinctly different function. Mobile websites are typically used when someone wants quick and easy information while in a mobile context. Mobile apps are downloaded onto phones and tablets when the end user plans on using the functionality of the app repeatedly. Therein lies the power of the mobile app. Repeat use.
The only reason you need to create a mobile app for your business is when you can provide a reason for your customers to want to use it again and again and again.
5. Honor your mobile campaigns by marketing them fully and accurately.
Mobile marketing does not work in a vacuum. You must integrate it with your other marketing efforts in order for it to succeed. Robust marketing of your mobile marketing campaigns is required. As an example, if no one knows about your SMS text messaging campaign then they will not opt-in for it. If no one opts in, then you will get poor results when you send out your messages.
6. Mobilize thy email.
The number of people who check their email from their mobile phones is off the charts. Make sure that any email you send is readable on their tiny screen because you never know which email will be opened there instead of on a full size monitor.
7. Thou shall not ignore mobile, for thy neighbor won’t.
Just because you don’t send text messages or don’t use your phone to go online doesn’t mean that your customers don’t. The reality is that they do. And ignoring what your customers are doing is really just not smart.
Your competitors may not be ignoring mobile. If your business isn’t accessible via mobile to your customers, your competitors might be.
8.Thou shall provide RELEVANT VALUE.
If you are expecting your customers to engage with you on the most personal media platform in their life, then you must make it worthwhile to them. Mobile marketing campaigns must keep the customers’ needs as the primary focus. Without something in it for them, customers will simply ignore your mobile engagement offer, as they should.
9. Obey the context in which your customers are interacting with you.
Mobile phones are tiny powerful computers, yet you must not forget that their owners are in a mobile context while using them. They may be in a hurry trying to find a specific piece of information very quickly. Make it easy for them to do so. When using radio or TV to promote your mobile campaign give them enough time to interact with you properly.
10. Only use mobile when it is the right tool for the job.
You may be tempted to use mobile in cases where it is not really the best tool. To avoid this, always ask yourself what mobile is adding to the equation. It should be clear that mobile makes it easier to accomplish the end result or provides quicker access to something.
Want some guidance in implementing
the 10 Commandments of Mobile Marketing?
The Mobile Marketing Handbook, Second Edition is an excellent guide.
Like my 10 Commandments graphic?
I got it done at Fiverr by fuzzyllamas.
Very good content. The information you gave here was excellent. Good job. I know I couldn’t do the, 10 Commandments of Mobile Marketing any better. I’m putting this on my blog. So you know, I found you on my google alerts. Where else? = )
Thanks, Tony! I took quite a bit of time pulling this together and I’m glad you are sharing it with your blog readers.
Kim: I must be the only person in the country who feels this way, but I’m not a fan of mobile websites. I consume a lot of web content via my iPhone and Kindle Fire. Both handle almost all full websites just fine and I prefer to get the whole site. Plus, when I share links via Twitter or other social media platforms, I prefer to share the full sites’ links for those who click on them from non-mobile platforms.
Brian
Brian:
I don’t think you’re the only person in the country who feels that way. =:) That is why I say that the mobile site should always have a link to the full sized site. Here’s why a mobile visitor should see the mobile site first.
Let’s say you and I both click on a link from our mobile devices. I prefer a mobile site and am sent to one. Bingo, I am happy and ready to go. You, on the other hand, want want the full size site and can, with one easy click, get to the full size version. It takes one click for us to both be happy. Keeping in mind we each represent a body of other visitors who feel the same way each of us does.
However, if we are both sent to the desktop site, then I am forced to pinch and squeeze my way around to try to find the link to the mobile site. It is really not an easy proposition and most likely I will be frustrated by the time I find it. You, of course, would be happy at the get go. In this scenario, the people who want a mobile friendly version of the site are not able to get what they want with one easy click. It is not the best scenario.
Also, I am not saying that every site should be a mobile site (as in desktop visitors go to mobile sites). I am saying every site should serve the mobile-friendly version to mobile visitors and the desktop version to non-mobile platforms. This means that your social sharing is perfectly fine the way it is. You just share the link you want and the site that is receiving the visitors just needs to serve the appropriate version.
To number 8, thou shall provide RELEVANT VALUE, I’d like to add; incorporate SMS vouchers and coupons. They are one of the easiest ways to get started with mobile marketing.
Send your customers a voucher or coupon entitling them to a discount or gift next time they make a purchase from you. Recently, a well-known chain increased their sales through an SMS coupon campaign. They asked people to respond to their radio, outdoor advertising and in-store promotions via mobile. As people responded, they received an SMS coupon for free gifts and special offers, which could then be redeemed at any outlet.
Cheryl:
Thanks for sharing that suggestion. SMS coupons are an excellent way to provide relevant value!
Kim
Are you sure these are ALL the commandments ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TAtRCJIqnk
Oh my gosh, Jim that video is funny. Thanks for sharing that. =:)
Thanks for your fantastic reminders Kim.
My favorite reminder was “Mobilize thy email.”
As someone who constantly reads emails on my
iPhone, I know the difference it makes to reading
content.
Right, Josette. If it isn’t readable the first time I see it, I’m not likely to try again. There is only time to open email once.
Love it Kim! Just shared with a business associate who markets apps heavily. She says # 4 is “spot on” …………………. “Correct and that’s iTunes stipulation. Call to action to engage and retain that’s why I have identified certain sectors if the person who has downloaded doesn’t have a need to open more than once it’s a dead duck :)”
Jim Beasley, glad to hear your business associate (and iTunes) agree!
Well put Kim, succinct and creative. Your site delivers on your own commandments too.
Thanks, geoff. I have to admit it is not always easy to make al this mobilizing happen, but it is worth it.
Hi Kim, thanks for this list. My only additional thought was ‘thou shall plan your campaigns in advance!’
Too many mobile campaigns seem to be dreamed up an hour of so before they are sent, and as a result resort to repeated discounting.
Rob:
Agreed! That is an excellent addition. There could probably be several more commandments =:)
Great information Kim!!! Thanks for sharing!
Kim, I really like your blog. Thank god we have someone in the mobile marketing space willing to go the extra mile and train us marketers about better ways to succeed in this new technology. I personally am very interested in the mobile space as a means to connect with existing clients. Client education, brand monitoring and follow up are key to an established online business, so I feel that mobile tech is a great way to go. Do you feel the same?
Marshall:
Thanks for the comment. Yes, I agree that mobile is a great way to facilitate client interaction and is an excellent follow up method.
I believe as a mobile marketing entrepreneur, these mobile commandents should be kept in check every now and then to ensure the success of each individual campaigns.
what i like most about the article is about spamming, we all hate how we receive spam may it be thru email or SMS, and this greatly affects how a client views our products/services.
my company, socialnetcommunications.com works specifically to ensure that less spam and more bang for your bucks rules are implemented.
You build PR thru these campaigns, and you don’t want it to boomerang negatively, right? mobile marketing social net communications are synonymous, in my opinion. It let’s you reach out to your target clients without pissing them off or leaving a bad taste regarding your products.
Quality and Content of you campaigns are virtually the core life source of mobile marketing.
mobile marketing social net communications
Thanks for such an informative post. I totally agree with the mobile campaign marketing strategies mentioned above. With mobile sms marketing campaigns can be set and blasted more accurately.
Hey Kim, I probably just need to take a look around your site… but, any specific plugins you recommend that can produce an optimized mobile-friendly version of our current WordPress site(s)?
If you’ve already covered this in-depth, just ignore this question, as I just stumbled upon your site and I’m off to dig around in your archives just as soon as I click ‘post comment’
Cheers!
BC
Hi Brad:
Welcome to my mobile marketing world =:)
Actually, the best thing to do is head over to the site I have created specifically for WordPress site owners who want to mobilize. I have tons of tools and resources there specifically for WordPress folks (like me!)
http://www.mobilizeyourwordpresssite.com/
Great information. Yes No Mobile Spam why mess up the industry. Also great Idea to Mobilize every website using a QR code or Mobile Marketing. Makes sense. I will be using your advice to help companies use Mobile Marketing to hire sales people to build their sales teams. That’s what we do buid sales teams for companies wanting to grow sales teams. I registered with your newsletter watched your video and look forward to buying your handbook.
Thanks
Kieth
CEO
This is great information Kim, you certainly hit the nail on the head with these 10 Commandments of Mobile Marketing. I am sharing it with my network!