So when it’s time to trim the hedges, I try to find the most efficient way to get my lame business-man’s cut. This usually involves Googling for the salon closest to my office.

Google search results: Orquidia Salon

Orquidia Salon seemed to fit my needs, so I called to see if they would take me as a walk-in within the next 10 minutes. To my surprise, they did.

A typical salon with atypical service

Orquidia’s is your typical Miami-Cuban, old-lady salon. There’s nothing avant-garde here, no faux feng-shui décor, snooty model-like receptionist or tattooed-up stylists with names like Extephan or Eriko.

No, none of that. As a matter of fact it’s just the opposite. The owner, Orquidia, is cutting hair and chatting while the rest of the staff, mostly older elegant ladies, are primping, dyeing, plucking, blow drying or spraying earth-unfriendly amounts of hair spray on their customers. Everyone’s talking simultaneously with everyone else, while maintaining a sometimes different conversation with the customer in the chair.

I’m told that Ms. Blanca will cut my hair, but since I didn’t arrive in precisely 10 minutes she had left for coffee. The wait is well worth it though since “going for coffee” means getting Cuban coffee for everyone at the salon. A quick shot of black-gold and I’m in the chair smothered in the gown and wondering how I’ll be able to read emails. What if someone calls? But I get past my mobile phone separation anxiety and Ms. Blanca asks me how I would like my hair cut.

I’m starting to like the lady; she asks me if I have a preference instead of just starting to cut. This is a good idea when it comes to meeting customer expectations. I say “A little off the sides and back. I like the length on top.” To my surprise she does exactly that. I get off the chair with exactly the same look I had when I came in, just shorter. But I’m completely satisfied, heck even happy with my cut because it’s exactly what I asked for.

I complement Ms. Blanca on the cut and she says “If there is something I’ve learned in all my years, it is to listen to the customer. It will be $25 for the cut.” I pay, tip and go on my merry way, satisfied and thinking that I may even come back.

The next morning, I receive a call from Ms. Blanca. She says, “I’m sorry but I overcharged you for the cut. It was supposed to be $15 instead of $25. I pressed the wrong key on the register. Would you like to come by and pick up the difference?”

I couldn’t believe it. The salon is offering to give me money back, knowing full well that I didn’t notice, nor would have noticed. They could have kept the difference, figuring “mistakes happen.” But no, they made an effort to call me to admit the mistake and refund the money. How many businesses do you know would have done that? Really, how many?

This was a unique opportunity for Orquidia Salon to provide excellent service by simply recognizing a mistake and providing an honest resolution before I noticed it. This is better than customer service; it’s taking care of your customer.

How do you handle these opportunities?

Think about the opportunities to take care of your customers. Your service or post-sale process can have small, but significant chances to do the unexpected. And I’m not talking about buying your clients lunch. It can involve going above and beyond or helping your customer find a better solution, even if it’s not your own. My favorite is the simple act of honest feedback, with a genuine desire to help. A simple act of true concern may or may not lead to immediate business, but the customer will notice and remember.

Orquidia Salon and Ms. Blanca may never know what that act meant to me, but she’ll be seeing me once every other month and I’ll be happy to wait. Has this happened to you?

Tell me about Lipof Advertising’s relationship with Pet Supermarket. How have you helped manage their campaigns?

We have been their advertising agency for about 10 years. We provide all of the print, radio, TV, and digital marketing solutions for them. That includes media placement, and production; everything soup to nuts.

Given that you’ve been working with them for the last decade, what are some of the changes in advertising or media placement that you’ve noticed over that time?

We’re doing more customer retention, which would involve text messaging, Facebook, and direct mail to existing customers. In the past, it was more customer acquisition. We still do a lot of customer acquisition with consumer advertising, but we’re also able to do more targeted messages because we have more data to work with now. [We look at] geographical data, demographic data, and purchase history. [How we get this data] depends on what our objective is. For the purchase history, Pet Supermarket has that data. For the geographical data and household income data, we can buy that when we buy mailing lists. We’re also able to do things a little quicker now that Facebook is instantaneous and text messaging is pretty much instantaneous.

What are some of the challenges that Pet Supermarket has when it comes to customer retention or customer acquisition?

I think one of the main challenges is the competition, because there are a number of other pet supply retailers that carry very similar products or the same products. We try to inform customers that Pet Supermarket stores are a little bit smaller, but they also pride themselves in having much better customer service, which some of the other pet specialty stores don’t offer. So that’s one big challenge. Another challenge is that a lot of people still purchase their pet food from the grocery store or from stores like Target or Wal-Mart, which would be considered mass retail. We try to explain the benefits of feeding a premium pet food, so the customer buying their dog food at Publix [knows he] is not [getting] the same quality as a higher end food bought at a pet specialty store.

I know Pet Supermarket sends text-based coupons. How did you first get involved with that?

We knew Marcos [Menendez, CEO of Momares, a mobile coupon platform] because he was already working for us on an e-newsletter. His other company, Loop Consulting, was doing our e-newsletter, and he brought us the idea. He showed us some other companies that were doing [text-based promotions] and some case studies. We started advertising [the program] in the stores and on printed materials to get people involved, and it really took off. A lot of people were interested. Every month we [pick] a winner and give away free pet food for a year. So everyone who enters [their phone number] has a chance to win. Then, we also send out coupons and messages. We want to keep the messages fresh, and we want to not overdo it. We typically send out one or two messages a month. We don’t want to annoy people, and we pay [Momares] per text message.

We are able to see when people leave the group or want their numbers removed from the list, and we have found that as long as we’re sending messages that have value they are staying in and they love it. If we send messages that don’t have value, don’t have some sort of savings, or are very product-specific, then they will leave. We can actually see that happen. We try to have some sort of value with the messages — usually it’s a $1-off discount across any purchase. [That allows] dog food customers to take advantage of it, cat customers, bird customers, and fish customers. It’s not brand specific or anything like that. We send the same message to [customers] at all [Pet Supermarket] stores because we’re not able to see, or we don’t know, what stores the people shop at. All we know is their area code. Beyond that, we don’t know where they’re at.

What has the feedback been from customers since you started sending mobile coupons?

They seem to like it because we send out a lot of coupons by text. In today’s economy coupons are very big, so people see a lot of value in it. We have a lot of people joining and we have very few people opting out, so I think there’s a lot of interest. We are able to track the redemption rates on the coupons that we send out and the messages that we send out. We just send out a five-digit code and we say what the offer is. [Customers] just show the associate at the register that five-digit code, and they get the discount.

Looking forward, where do you see Pet Supermarket’s going in terms of marketing and advertising?

I think it’s going to get more and more specific, to where we can track customers’ spending habits and we can tailor messages directly to those customers. If someone is a Nutro dog food buyer, we’ll [be able to] send them messages that pertain to Nutro dog food. And, we’ll be able to group people by how often they shop. With smartphones, at some point we’re going to be able to send out coupons with an actual bar code or an actual graphic. I think that’s probably going to be happening sooner rather than later.

Stephanie Miles is an associate editor at Street Fight. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Source: Street Fight

SMS is a great way for brands to connect with consumers on a deeper level. Additionally, marketers are able to build their databases to better target users in the near future.

Here are the top 10 SMS campaigns of the first quarter, in alphabetical order.

Ace Hardware
Westlake Ace Hardware, which operates 88 Ace Hardware stores in several states, used SMS to deliver weather-related text alerts and special offers to help consumers prepare for when the bad weather hits.

Through the SMS initiative, users were encouraged to opt-in to receive weather-related mobile notifications based on their ZIP code.

Additionally, Ace Hardware integrated the campaign with the National Weather Service to provide timely, location-based weather notifications.

SMS was an effective channel for Ace Hardware because it not only gave the company a new way to communicate to its consumers, but SMS also helped the company send out relevant information to help grow its database.

Aveeno
While many companies are placing QR codes on their static prints ads to drive user engagement, hair care brand Aveeno went a different direction.

The company placed mobile calls-to-action on its magazine print advertisements. When consumers texted the keyword HAIRS to the short code 467467 they were able to receive a free sample.

After consumers text-in the keyword, they fill out their contact information by replying to messages.

By offering an incentive – in this case a free sample – consumers are more inclined to opt-in.

This also helps Aveeno start a relationship with consumers and take it beyond a simple static ad.

Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is no stranger to SMS and it was no surprise that the company was going to tap the channel when it came to promoting its latest initiative centered around March Madness.

Coca-Cola’s Coke Zero ran an interactive SMS program that rewarded users with prizes when they watched March Madness games.

The campaign centered around the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship games and during the games, an SMS call-to-action was promoted with on-air keywords and alerts with the Coke Zero logo that prompted users to text-in to win prizes.

Additionally, consumers could find codes on March Madness-themed Coke Zero products and cups and text them to the short code 2653.

The initiative was a great way to have users interact with their mobile device while they were watching a game at home.

General Mills
General Mills’ Cheerios brand leveraged SMS to help drive mobile donations for its Spoonfuls of Stories program.

The campaign asked consumers to donate to the organization First Book, which provides low-income families and schools with books and educational resources.

Additionally, for each mobile donation made, publisher Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing matched the donations up to 50,000 books.

Through the initiative, consumers were encouraged to text the keyword Books2Kids to the short code 20222.

Then, users received a text message back confirming their donation of $5, which was billed to their carrier bill.

Although SMS is a great channel to build a company’s database, it is also good for driving donations.

JCPenney
Department store JCPenney thought outside the box when it came to promoting its Easter dresses.

The time-sensitive campaign centered around JCPenney sending out SMS messages to its opted in consumers to drive them in-store for a one-day event.

Additionally, the SMS message included a link that let users shop Easter clothing from the company’s mobile site.

This is a good example of a company that is using their current mobile database to reach its customers and drive sales.

The one-day event was time-sensitive and SMS was a great channel to quickly get the word out about it.

Macy’s
Macy’s is another department store that took advantage of its mobile database to drive in-store and mobile sales.

Recently, the company sent out SMS messages to its customers that promoted exclusive looks from NBC’s “Fashion Star” show and let consumers shop them through their mobile device.

Additionally, those that were not opted-in to Macy’s database could also text the keyword STAR to the short code 62297 to learn more about the show and how to get the latest looks.

Macy’s has been using SMS for a while and continually sends out messages to its consumers letting them know about new sales and events.

Reese’s
Last month, Hershey’s Reese’s candies used SMS to let sports fans vie for a chance to win a trip to the upcoming 2013 NCAA Men’s Final Four game.

Reese’s ran a text-to-win promotion as part of a bigger push to interact with sports fans.

Sports fans were encouraged to text the keyword REESES to the short code 44144 for a chance to be entered to win prizes.

From there, users were sent back a message to enter their birthday and email address.

Additionally, the SMS message also included a link to Reese’s mobile site where users could learn about the rules of the game.

The campaign helped Reese’s start a dialogue with users and then continue it by sending more relevant SMS messages.

Rite Aid
Rite Aid is another company that used SMS to help drive donations.

To kick off its 18th annual Miracle Balloon campaign on April 1 benefitting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Rite Aid invited its shoppers to text the keyword RAKIDS to the short code 50555 and make a $5 donation.

Rite Aid proved that SMS can be used to drive awareness of a good cause and to get consumers involved.

Additionally, instead of simply asking them for a donation at the point-of-sale, Rite Aid used SMS to have consumers make their own choice about the donation.

Starbucks
When it comes to mobile, Starbucks is one of the companies that leads the pack no matter what channel they are using.

To promote its My Starbucks Rewards program, the company ran an in-store call to action.

The call to action was positioned near the drink counter so that when consumers waited for their drinks they could text-in.

Coffee lovers were encouraged to text the keyword GOLD to the short code 697289 (MYSBUX).

When consumers texted-in, they received a message from Starbucks that thanked them for their interest in the program.

For this instance, SMS helped Starbucks build up its My Starbucks Rewards program.

Additionally, but using the in-store call to action, the company was able to reach more consumers while they were waiting for their drink.

U.S. Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association significantly expanded its existing SMS strategy this year with plans to bring in-venue messaging to more events and introduce new text clubs.

For the past couple of years, the USTA has used SMS to engage fans at specific events such as the U.S. Open.

Through the new SMS initiative fans in the audience are able to text to vote, answer a question, post a picture or send a message based on a promotion to a short code. The results will appear live on the screen in real-time.

The USTA said that it will also be able to deliver special offers to fans in the audience.

The association’s updated SMS strategy proves that it is never to late to build on an existing initiative and make it better.

Source: Mobile Marketer

You’ve seen the Executive Hotel by the airport, right? This ad says we are not a dingy, secretive hide out for promiscuity; but instead we are an elegant, sophisticated venue for the expression of passion and virility. Super! And this is a motel. Not a Ritz-Carlton. Not the kind of marketing you’d expect from a motel. But that’s not what makes the ad speak.

It’s not just the image with the man’s muscular arm and female fingers caressing it. Nor is it the typography or the selection of colors that make this ad outstanding. It’s the message and the media placement that deliver ad gold.

The media is a poster placed in the right place, the gym. That’s good, but what makes it remarkable is that the ad is placed at the entrance to the men’s bathroom. An ad completely targeted to guys, placed at a bottle-neck entry point that each male gym member will pass through. Is that all? No.

The message brings it home

The message speaks to the main reason men go to the gym, to look better so they can attract more females. Sure health, stamina and weight are important, but deep down most men lift weights, run like hamsters on treadmills and secretly compare muscles in the hopes that a better physique will get them more action in the sac.

What we have here, so brilliantly put together, is an ad that speaks directly to the target market of motel visitors. It says, “Want to test your “other” endurance, we have a just the place.”

When you combine targeted placement (the men’s bathroom at the gym) with the right message (come test your sexual prowess) you create an ad campaign that will pay. But the ad is missing something. What can it possibly be missing?

An appropriately discrete call to action like “text your ZIP CODE to 65047 for the nearest location”? A mobile call to action would turn great into perfect! An instant response text would send directions via GPS mobile map to the closest love suite. It could also include a phone number for on-the-go reservations and a link to Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” (OK, Marvin may be a bit much).

What do you think?

Miami Dade College offers a “Virtual Open House” for students to visit the school without leaving their homes. And it’s using the Momares mobile marketing platform to help increase attendees.

Prospective students are asked to text the word MDC to the number 65047 to start the registration process. They’ll get a link to a mobile registration page and can also request an immediate call-back from an MDC agent! This allows the school to follow up not only to complete registration, but also to answer questions about MDC and the event.

Just when I think advertising is losing its impact on consumers due to the overabundance of marketing messages, I get surprised by one ad that sticks with me for days and days.

I’m talking about the TV commercial featuring Chevrolet’s new car Sonic. It’s not really the ad’s visuals of the car bungee jumping or doing a mid-air flip that get me it. It’s the commercial’s rocking and super catchy theme song “We Are Young” by the group Fun. that has welded itself in my memory. At this point, when I hear the song on the radio or in Groovehark, I can’t help but see the TV commercial flashing in my mind…and it annoys the heck out of me.

It’s one thing to watch commercials on TV if I want to see the Super Bowl, but it’s another to take the commercial with me, in my personal brain. And every time I hear the song I see Chevy’s Sonic car, which I don’t even like. When I hear the song, I’d much rather conjure up images of a moment with friends, a place where I first heard it or even the video of the song but certainly not a TV car commercial.

As a die-hard marketer I can’t help but to tip my hat to the ad agency and the person who chose the soundtrack, because I can tell them that their marketing efforts worked well, very well. They were able to identify and forecast that the song’s chorus and its optimistic feel was going to be very popular. Instead of identifying the song with the band, the song is now considered branded music for Sonic the car. Chevy was able to leverage the musical creativity of the group Fun. for their brand and car. And that is simply brilliant!

From a marketing perspective, the key elements here are their use of a theme song that “speaks” to the target audience and the visual messages that “call” to the potential buyer. We all sell different products and services; the key is to keep in mind that the message must match the intended target audience, the product and the brand to get an effect that lasts in the customers mind.

Chevrolet also ensured that the reach of their advertising goes as far as possible by offering a mobile app, an extended version of the commercial with behind-the-scenes shots on YouTube and a dedicated Facebook fan page with additional content.

I would have added one more thing, a direct call-to-action at the end of the commercial saying “Get the soundtrack ringtone, text SONIC to 65047″ to further leverage it, provide immediate gratification and get the audience talking about it.

Help! I’d really like to know if I’m the only one with this song-slash-commercial stuck in his head? Which commercials have stuck with you? Tell me on Facebook or our blog.

80% of 18-34 year olds are buying smartphones.

Presentation audience: Marketing Directors or Admissions Directors at Colleges or Universities.

Summary: The presentation answers two key questions for colleges or universities looking to do mobile marketing for new students acquisition.

1. Are prospective students looking for educational options on their mobile phone?

2. And if so, how do we reach them?

Reaching teens and college students through traditional advertising is much more difficult today. While they still watch TV and listen to the radio, more teens are getting their daily entertainment and information through mobile devices. In fact, teens have more than tripled their mobile data consumption in the past year. This opens up a great opportunity for colleges, universities, and technical schools to use mobile text message marketing as part of their overall marketing strategy.

Mobile text marketing is a relatively new method of reaching potential students, but it has the advantage of being cost efficient and targeted. Text messages are received immediately and opened 97% of the time.

To benefit from a text message marketing campaign, a college or university should use it to not only reach out, but also follow up with potential students.

How colleges can reach out with mobile text marketing

Text message marketing is another tool in the arsenal-one that should be integrated into existing advertising, PR and marketing programs. Here are a few ways to reach out with text messages:

• Text alerts to pre-college events like financial aid workshops, orientation and college tours.
• Text admissions information, including deadlines, events or a website link.
• “Text FIUMBA to 65047 for information on…” Tell prospects to sign up for text messages in print ads, brochures, catalogs and on websites.
• Send short messages on other events the college is sponsoring that might be in their area.
• Sponsor a contest and offer a chance to win a prize to those subscribe to the text marketing campaign.

Solid mobile text marketing strategies target potential college students with messages that will keep their interest. These messages, while short and to the point, are just an introduction to the next step. That step could be a link to a new webpage or a follow up phone call or text from the university.

Follow up with prospective students

One advantage of text marketing is instantaneous follow up. In return for getting a student’s private cell phone number, your college can text more information, send a web link or even follow up with a live phone call. Prospects can also be segmented into different lists and contacted for specific programs.

It’s all about the list

Building a targeted list is crucial. As with direct mail and email, sending a text blast to those who are never going to consider your college or university in the first place will be a waste of money.

Although one can buy a mailing list in direct mail, this is not the case in mobile. To collect mobile numbers, one must get them from the potential students themselves. Student can send a text message to sign up or subscribe through a form on the college’s website.

Promoting the program and how to sign up is key to building a sizeable list. Also, make sure you clearly explain how the number will be used and how one can unsubscribe.

Mobile text marketing needs to be seen in the context of your overall marketing approach and as a good follow-up method to reach potential students. With an effective mobile text marketing program and the right follow up, your higher learning institution can draw in potential new students that it might otherwise miss completely.

From extreme couponing to Groupon, consumers everywhere want deals. Now mobile coupons are also going mainstream. So much so that Juniper Research estimates $43 billion in mobile coupons by 2016.

Want to find out how your business can profit from Mobile coupons? Join us on Monday, November 7th at the Mobile Monday event in Hallandale, Florida.

We’ll be sharing the latest on mobile coupons…

• What’s hot & what’s not
• How ANY business can profit by sending mobile coupons by text
• Other presenters include Shooger, Red Fish Media and Remington Hotels

It’s a free event. See you there!

Mobile Monday  
(Register here for free)
Nov. 7th at 7 p.m.
Playright Irish Bar & Restaurant Village
Shops of Gulfstream Park
801 Silks Run #2597 Hallandale Beach, FL 33009

Are you in charge of getting support for a political candidate or issue? Winning elections has always been about getting your message out and boosting voter turnout. And in this new media age, you can rock the vote with text!

Make sure you use these 3 key steps to launch a successful text message communications campaign for your political candidate or issue.

1. Pick the right partner- Chose a text message communications provider that has a proven track record of successful text campaigns (clients and results), has a simple-to-use texting platform (no training required), understands the rules and best practices, and knows how text messaging is best applied (experience to know what works). Momares.com can help you create and launch your text message program.
2. Have a plan to start- Create a communications calendar with the key messages you want to send to your supporters and schedule them for delivery in advance. If things change, know that you can alert constituents of changes at any time, instantly. Momares’s text scheduling and send-now features are designed for this purpose.
3. Promote your candidate’s mobile program. You want to build a large mobile list of supporters as quickly as possible. The best way to do this is to promote your mobile call-to-action (Text CANDIDATENAME to 65047 to join us!) everywhere. And we mean everywhere! On your Facebook page, Twitter background, website, campaign materials, flyers, direct mailers, yard signs, robocalls and t-shirts. Create your call-to-action by registering your candidate’s name (keyword) with Momares for free. Check keyword availability here.

What Kinds of Text Messages Can you Send for Political Campaigns?

• Send reminder messages about the cutoff dates for voter registration and link to registration forms.
• Remind constituents to mail in their absentee ballots.
• Invite people to campaign events.
• Remind people to get out and vote on Election Day.
• Promote down-ballot candidates on a zip code-by-zip code basis
• Create a list of your campaign managers’ mobile phone numbers for quick internal communications.

Are you ready to get voters excited about your candidate or issue? Get started with a communications tool that’s personal, efficient and fast. Contact us for ideas and to get started! Pricing plans to accommodate any budget start at $149/mo.

BY TASHA CUNNINGHAM
TASHA@BIZBYTES101.COM

Major brands and small businesses alike are quickly learning that one of the fastest ways to reach consumers directly is through their mobile devices. A recent report conducted by Borrell and Associates, a Virginia-based media research firm, found that small businesses in the United States are on track to spend almost $800 million in 2011 on mobile ads. Half of the spending – approximately $400 million – will be spent on creating mobile promotions that offer contests, coupons and other incentives.

There are more than 64 million mobile users in the U.S. alone, according to Nielsen, and they often turn to their mobile devices to buy goods and services.

Consumers prefer to use mobile devices for banking, travel, shopping, viewing video, using social media, and listening to music, reports mobiThinking, a website that monitors trends in mobile marketing. They also prefer to pay for their transactions through them. Paying by mobile, or m-payments as they are known in the industry, will be worth $240 billion globally in 2011 and is trending to account for over $1 trillion by 2015.

So how can you make the most of this growing trend? To find out, BizBytes assembled a group of mobile marketing experts from South Florida, Atlanta and New York to bring you five ways you can use mobile devices to attract and keep customers.
“Small business owners need to plan targeted campaigns that reach consumers on their mobile devices,” said Martin Lange, executive marketing director for digital strategy at Ogilvy and Mather in New York, whose mobile marketing clients include Six Flags, Live Nation and MetLife. “Text messaging or SMS is a great way to do that. It offers instant communication that’s in the moment. It’s imperative that you give your consumers something of value.”

Nathan Lowery, creative director at Lipof Advertising in Plantation agrees. “We’ve designed mobile marketing campaigns for Pet Supermarket using text messages to reach consumers on their cellphones,” Lowery said. “But the trick is to offer your consumers something with a strong call to action that will encourage them to buy your products or services.”

Lowery noted that Pet Supermarket sends alerts once or twice a month to consumers who are part of their opt-in text-messaging program. “Each month, we do things like offer one subscriber free pet food for a year,” Lowery said. “Then we reach out to them again once a month with mobile coupons for $10 off a $50 purchase. We’ve had an influx of customers coming in and redeeming the coupons directly off of their mobile devices.”

What else can you do to maximize your mobile marketing efforts with limited resources?

• Gear a mobile campaign toward the gift-giver. “The holidays are right around the corner,” Hennessey said. “Customers are looking for things for other people, so design a mobile marketing campaign that takes that into account.”
• Be helpful. “You can do things like create in-store ties,” Hennessey said. “For example, can’t find the perfect holiday gift? Text HELP ME to 1234 for a link to our holiday gift guide. That kind of information is invaluable to a consumer.”
• Market your mobile program. “If you’ve set up an opt-in text message program to deliver mobile coupons and other deals to your consumers, tell the world about it,” said David Warren, co-owner of the Frieze ice cream stores on Miami Beach. “We did a campaign recently with over 200 subscribers through our program, which we advertised on our website, through our newsletters and on food blogs.”
• Reward your best customers. “You can always send a generic coupon to a mass group of consumers via text,” Lowery said. “But why not focus on rewarding your best customers with targeted coupons instead?”
• Keep your customers close. “One great thing major brands are doing with mobile marketing is rewarding customers for being close to their store locations,” Lange said. “So for example, you can text a number when you are 100 yards away from a certain coffee shop chain and instantly get a coupon for a free beverage.”

For more ideas and strategies on how mobile marketing can help your business, visit www.BizBytes101.com

Source: Miami Herald

You know text messaging has come of age when Emily Post and Cosmo magazine both dish out etiquette rules for text messaging. Although we’re not authorities on manners, we do know text message marketing and have created our own etiquette tips for business texting. We’ve seen clients face the consequences, so break these at your own risk!

Text timing is important

Mobile phones have become “always on” communications devices, replacing regular phones and land lines. So you can forget thoughts like… “I’ll send my message at midnight and they can read it in the morning” or “It’s 5 a.m. and I’m up, so I might as well send my offer now.” Those thoughts could land you in text hell and under an “unsubscribe avalanche.” Unlike email, sending texts during off hours could create a backlash. You’ll only wake those who are calmly sleeping with their phones at their bedsides. Remember, angry, sleepy customers don’t buy happily in the morning.

Leave the cute text slang at home

Don’t uz txt slang 2 commnc8 4 biz. A standard abbreviation to save space is OK. Text slang that leaves your clients confused isn’t.

Be politically correct

Text messages are easy and informal, but don’t get too casual. If you wouldn’t say it at the office, you shouldn’t text it. That means no cursing or inappropriate message attachments. This is also known as the “Weiner effect.”

Identify yourself

We tell clients to format text messages a certain way and we do it for a reason. Just like you might forget a person’s name after meeting them, your customers might forget they signed up for your texts. Remind them by identifying yourself and starting every message with your branded keyword (the word clients use to sign up). This leads to less “Who’s that?” and more “Good deal!”

Test your texts

Ever heard of fat-finger fares? It’s when airlines post the wrong airfare amount because of a typo, turning a $350 ticket into a $30 fare and an expensive mistake. If you want to avoid your own discount boo-boo, test your message by sending it to your phone first. Momares allows you to send yourself a text message before sending it to your subscribers.

Looks count too

Being different or standing out is not really a bad thing when promoting a business. But if you want to text in all caps or random caps to make your message stand out, we have one word of advice: don’t. You might think you’re getting more attention, but everyone else will think you’re SCREAMING or run by tEEnAgeRS.

If you haven’t tried text message marketing, now’s the time to take advantage of this powerful marketing tool. Our etiquette tips will help keep you out of hot water.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKqc1etIFDs

I will be sharing the tremendous success we’ve had in increasing blowing center sales through text message marketing at Bowl Expo 2011. I look forward to meeting bowling center managers and proprietors and to chance to discuss potential partnerships and show how we execute successful mobile text message marketing. If you’d like to meet at Bowl Expo 2011 email me at marcos@momares.com to schedule a time.

How did he use text?

During his speech, he asked the audience to text a number for information on his book. “I would ask you to visit my website after the speech, but then 0% percent of you would visit,” he said. He’s learned that text offers an immediate return and allows him to engage his audience.

Do you give presentations?

Even if you’re not a professional speaker, you can use text message marketing to engage the audience after your presentation. Here’s how…

Text message marketing ideas for speakers & presenters:

Offer to text a website link for more information.
Ex: “Text SUCCESS to 65047 for a link with more information.”

Text a link to presentation slides
Ex: “Text BIZLAW to 65047 for a link to the slide presentation.

Text business card information
Ex: “Text PSYCH to 65047 for my business card info.”

Announce additional training, future seminars or events
Ex: “Text CPA to 65047 for updates on our next training series.”

Send a link for a free book chapter, free tip sheet or free gift
Ex: “Text MARKETING to 65047 for a free report”

Are you using text to engage your customers or prospects?

It’s not surprising to see Kawasaki using text. He’s usually at the forefront of new technology and new ideas. As Apple’s former chief evangelist, he knows how to market products and deliver an engaging experience. Use his example to increase engagement for your business as well.

To learn more about his book, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions, visit www.guykawasaki.com.

Cool-de-sac is the perfect Time for Both – enjoying a gourmet meal mom and dad can relax while the kids are engaged in one of our seven edutainment areas. Text COOLDESAC to 65047 and win a FREE Admission Pass for the first 100 customers. Hurry!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ve heard about Charlie Sheen’s recent controversy. Amidst it all, Sheen has commented with gusto and been quoted extensively by the media. But it’s the steps he’s taken online that we find most interesting. Interesting enough that there might even be a few lessons to be learned by mobile marketers. Here are a few…

Get out in front and do it early
After the controversy, Charlie didn’t go into seclusion for a pity party. He got on Twitter right away and signed up nearly a million followers within the first 24 hours. (Guinness even created a new category for him.) We’re not guaranteeing you’ll get a million mobile subscribers (although we’ll be happy to talk to Guinness if you do!). But if you get into mobile marketing now, you’ll be ahead of 90% of small businesses that aren’t using this new marketing tool.

Spur sales with one message
After Sheen tweeted a photo of himself holding a bottle of chocolate milk, that brand flew off the shelf. The distributor said the product is sold out for the rest of the year. You too can kick up your sales with one message – a text message. Granted, you won’t have Sheen’s celebrity power behind it, but then you won’t have to deal with paparazzi either.

Be bold
Being bold is being memorable. Remember, your customers are strafed with marketing messages every day, so make your messages stand out. Charlie, for example, is remembered for saying things like “Can’t is the cancer of happening” and “I have a different brain, I have a different heart. I got tiger blood, man.” Actually, we hope he gets a little help, but you get the idea… be bold. Not crazy bold. But bold.

Get the word out
Charlie had a little help promoting his Twitter presence and new internet TV show, but he’s been doing his share to get the word out-loudly. If you want your mobile marketing program to succeed, you’ll need to get the word out too–the louder, the better. We’re talking about signs, posters, table tents, website announcements, email messages, ads, press releases, social media and more.

Don’t be afraid to try something new
Although Twitter isn’t exactly new, it is a new medium for Charlie. You wouldn’t know it though. He talks “Twitter speak” like a native, created hashtags (like #winning and #tigerblood) that are being used all over the Internet and has become an instant Twitter celebrity. When was the last time you’ve tried anything new? If mobile marketing is new for you, don’t be afraid to dive in. It isn’t hard (we promise) and it could end up being one of the most effective tools in your arsenal.

Use Charlie’s ideas to infuse your mobile marketing with a little tiger blood and start #winning!

Offers are always accessible. No coupon carrying needed.

Small businesses ranging from restaurants to retailers and local entertainment centers are now using text message marketing. Business owners have clear benefits for using this type of program, but what are the benefits for consumers, the ones receiving the text messages?

How consumers benefit from mobile marketing messages:

1. It’s an easy way to get money-saving offers from favorite stores.
2. Offers are always accessible. No coupon carrying needed.
3. Get VIP treatment as a mobile subscriber or loyal customer.
4. It’s easier to gain and redeem points for loyalty programs.
5. Get instant notice of upcoming deals.
6. Get special deals not available elsewhere.

Want examples?
Our clients are offering a broad mix of contest giveaways, discounts and extra perks to their mobile subscribers. Contests do well, obviously, but free samples and discounts are also attractive to customers.

Here are a few offers our clients are giving their mobile marketing subscribers:

Pet Supermarket
Enter for a chance to win free pet food for a year. Text PETS to 65047.

Florida International University
Enter for a chance to win a $10,000 MBA scholarship. Text FIUMBA to 65047.

BirdBowl Bowling Center
Sign up and get $5 off your food bill that day. Text BIRDBOWL to 65047.

Splitsville Bowling Center
Get a free sample of the day’s featured menu item. Text SPLITSVILLE to 65047.

OMG Burger
Get a free sode with eth purchase of any burger and fries.

Slice ‘n Ice Pizza
Get a free slice of cheese pizza. Text PIZZA to 65047

Feel free to sign up for any of these offers if they appeal to you and you’ll see some of their promotions yourself.

If you like to start a text message marketing program, give our free trial a try.

Our client Pet Supermarket is using Momares.com to increase their store sales by asking their customers to join their mobile perks text message list so they can receive exclusive discounts and coupons right on their mobile phone. Pet Supermarket created a text message contest where participants submit their contest entry via text by sending the keyword PETS to the short code 65047. Text message marketing is a cost-effective and efficient way to distribute valuable savings, event invitations and coupons in seconds.

Enter to win free pet food for a year, just text PETS to 65047.

OMG Facebook Page!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-RwoXZkCnU

You may have heard by now of Groupon and other deal-a-day sites that offer discounts from local businesses. There have been online discussions on whether or not those deals are really profitable for the businesses that offer them. Lately, there have also been comparisons to mobile marketing.

But from a business owner’s perspective, the two services aren’t the same at all. Really. Read on to find out how mobile marketing offers a few advantages over Groupon.

How mobile marketing differs from Groupon:

Your offer is available right away
If you’re familiar with Groupon’s process, it asks readers to vote on a deal. Only after a deal gets a certain number of votes, is it offered to everyone for purchase. With a mobile coupon, your offer is available right away to everyone on your list.

Mobile offers are opened fast
How many emails do you ignore or leave unopened? Now compare that to how many text messages you leave unopened. We’re gonna guess the difference is fairly large, since on average less than 20% of emails are actually opened and read. With mobile, your offers reach people on the device they’re least likely to ignore—their cell phones.

YOU control the subscriber list
With Momares, you own the subscriber list—a very targeted list of potential or previous customers. With Groupon, your only access to subscribers is through the site and on its terms. You have no control. And that’s not a good thing considering Groupon has made mistakes in the past. According to this Groupon analysis, one store saw its deal posted with the wrong terms. By the time it was fixed, 400 deals were sold with the wrong terms and Groupon told the owner she had to honor them.

You CAN build loyal clientele
It may seem like ‘everyone’ is on Groupon, but a large percentage of their subscribers are actually coupon junkies. They may be good for a one-time hit of extra business, but don’t expect all (or even a good percentage) of them to come back. Your mobile list, on the other hand, includes those who showed interest in your company and are more likely to become loyal customers.

The numbers make sense
Why pay a large commission to offer a discount? With our mobile marketing program, you pay a monthly fee—and a low one at that. That’s it. There’s no revenue sharing involved. Unlike Groupon which gets 50% of the revenue generated by your deal. And by the way, we hear the credit card transaction fees for the Groupon deal come out of your half.

A low cost to entry, high open rates and an opportunity to build loyal clientele. These are major advantages with mobile marketing that you won’t get from Groupon. Start a free trial and find out for yourself.

Our hearts go out to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Thankfully, there are many relief efforts underway. Many are supported by donations (see links to donate below) and some, like the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, are even using mobile technology to get text message donations quickly and easily.

If you’re a non-profit organization or a small business supporting a cause, you can easily create your own text message donation program as well.

Set up a Donors Mobile Pledge Campaign
We call our version a “Donors Mobile Pledge” because it asks for pledges. Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for a Momares account or create a new keyword (name of charity or cause) in your existing account.
2. Ask donors to pledge a donation by sending a text with your new keyword to 65047.
3. An automatic response can be set to thank donors for their pledges and tell them they’ll be contacted for credit card information.
4. Have your volunteers or customer service staff call donors to charge the donations.

We realize it’s a little extra work to call donors versus automatically charging the donation on the mobile phone bill. But the auto billing system is costly for small organizations, the organization needs to be a large national charity and requires a year-long contract.

Advantages of our mobile pledge
A mobile pledge campaign offers a few advantages…

• You can collect donations of more than $10 (the max limit for donations billed through cell phone carriers).
• You can collect additional information such as name, address and email during the conversation.
• When speaking to donors, you can encourage them to increase their donations.
• It’s easy to promote this campaign in ads, TV or radio.
• It’s easier for donors to pledge while they’re away from home or their computers.
• You’ll have a mobile list of donors you can contact later—to thank them, announce you’ve reached your goal, etc.

We sincerely hope nonprofits and charities take advantage of mobile technology to support their causes. If you’re a member of such a group, contact us. We’d be happy to work with you to get started. See low cost pricing plans for mobile pledge donations.

To send your own donation to relief efforts in Asia, visit…

Red Cross Disaster Relief for Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami
(Or send a text with REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10)

Mercy Corps: Japan Earthquake Response

Don’ts:

1. Don’t use abbreviations if you don’t have to. Not everyone knows what “OMG” means.
2. Don’t text while having a face-to-face conversation. It’s always rude and makes the other person feel like you are not interested.
3. Don’t text while listening to a speaker or presenter. It is rude and it sends the wrong message about you and the group you are part of.
4. Don’t text questions that require long explanations. It’s a burden on the recipient. Keep it to short answers like yes, no, 9pm, etc…
5. Don’t be sarcastic or ironic. Those sentiments do not convey well via text.

Bonus: Don’t write in ALL CAPS, just like in email, it’s the digital equivalent of shouting.

Do’s:

1. Do send a text when all you are looking for is a simple direct answer.
2. Do send a text when you don’t want to interrupt the recipient.
3. Do text when you have something of value or truly worth it to share.
4. Be polite and courteous in your messages no matter how short they are.
5. Do help the recipient answer your question by providing options or selections from a multiple choice. Ex. Are we seeing Spiderman at 9pm or 11pm? If so, do we meet at Starbucks at 8:30pm or 10:30pm. Reply example: Spiderman, Starbucks at 8:30pm.

Bonus: Do not text after 10pm in a business setting. Most of us have our mobile phones near us when we sleep and a late text can wake us.

I was talking to someone at an event recently and I mentioned my work in mobile marketing. She thought it was about having a back-and-forth text message conversation with clients. But it’s really about broadcasting messages.

She didn’t understand the difference, so I used an example instead and she got it right away. The conversation went something like this…

Me: “What’s your favorite store?”
Her: Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Me: “Have you ever gotten one of their postcards in the mail with a 20% off coupon?”
Her: Yes.
Me: “Well let’s say the next time you’re driving by Bed, Bath & Beyond you think about stopping at the store, but you don’t have the coupon with you. You’d either have to shop without it or shop another day, right?”
Her: Yes
Me: “Now let’s say Bed, Bath & Beyond did mobile marketing and you signed up for it. You would get a text on your phone that said, ‘Get 20% off your next purchase with this mobile coupon.’ You could go to the store, show the cashier your cell phone with the text message and get the discount. You’d always have the coupon with you.”
Her: Oh! That’s a great idea! So how would that work for my business?

We get asked that question a lot. And the answer really depends on the type of business. But if you’re asking yourself that question, here are a few ideas.

Mobile marketing ideas for your business

• Offer discounts and giveaways to customers who sign up
• Run a mobile marketing contest with a chance to win a prize
• Use it as your text message business card (very powerful for public speakers)
• Announce sales, open houses, a grand opening, a show or event
• Create a customer loyalty program and offer special promotions
• Poll your customers a la American Idol (Ex: “Which wine do you buy most often from our store. Text merlot, pinot noir or cabernet to 65047 and get 15% off your next purchase.”)
• Alert customers when you get a new shipment or have a limited supply of product

The bottom line is if “Jane,” your loyal customer, visits your business more often because of your texts (say once a month instead of four times a year), you can increase sales. That leads to a happy customer and a happy business.

Image Source: Mobile Marketing Watch

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sLExSGXVho

I was recently interviewed by Tasha Cunningham of the Miami Herald and author extraordinaire of BizBytes on how can mobile marketing help small business owners.

It went like this:

Tasha: How can a small business owner benefit from adding mobile to their marketing mix?

Marcos: Mobile text message marketing offers small business owners the ability to deliver exclusive offers, coupons and invites directly to their customers’ mobile phone in seconds. There are no spam filters, ignored messages or automatically trashed messages. Once a customer subscribes to your text message program, practically 100 percent of your messages are delivered straight to their mobile phone. As compared to e-mail and paper coupons, text coupons enjoy a redemption rate of 10 percent to 30 percent because the coupon is always available to the customer on their mobile phone and that equals increased traffic and sales.

Tasha: What are the best mobile marketing tools available today for small business owners?

Marcos: There are two tools we recommend small business owners to use. First, create a mobile browser-enabled version of a website, also known as a mobile site, because 20 percent of mobile phone users have a smart phone that can access your website. Second, start a text message marketing program immediately. 93 percent of the U.S. population has a mobile phone that can receive text messages. Unlike apps that only work in smartphones, text messaging works with every phone. It’s a direct, personal and cost-effective channel to communicate and increase sales.

Tasha: Is mobile marketing expensive?

Marcos: Mobile text message marketing should not be expensive at all for a small business owner. There are text message marketing plans that start at $10 per month, which is a price point any small business owner can afford.

Tasha: What are the pros and cons of mobile marketing? Are there any downsides for small business owners who decide to use it?

Marcos: Text message marketing provides small business owners with unfiltered direct access to the one device we can’t ignore - our mobile phone, one of the most powerful marketing tools we’ve got. But as a small business owner, you’ve got the responsibility of respecting the customer’s privacy. Messages that provide little value to the customer will affect your brand in a negative way. No one wants advertising on their phone but they do want timely, relevant and value-driven offers.

Think of an exclusive invitation to an owner’s wine tasting event versus an empty ad saying happy hour starts at 5 p.m. Value drives mobile marketing success. After all, if the customer does not like what you are saying, as easily as they subscribed to your program they can reply to your text message with the word STOP and they’ll be automatically unsubscribed. The customer is in control of the communication and just like e-mail there is no place for spam messages.

Tasha: What is the future of mobile marketing? What trends are you seeing in the industry?

Marcos: There is no doubt that text message marketing is the future of small business marketing. There are 173 billion texts sent per month in the U.S. It is the most cost-effective and simple to use tool since e-mail. If you can type, you can be a mobile marketer today. Businesses will distribute 70 million mobile coupons by 2013, according to the Yankee Group, a technology research firm based in Boston. The time to start texting your customers the offers they want is now!

Complete interview at: Is mobile marketing right for your small business?

More than 17,000 art lovers from South Florida and around the world converged on Miami Beach recently for the Miami International Art Fair. As fairgoers browsed through more than 1,000 pieces of fine art, sculpture and new media on display, they also received texts.

Like this one…

“Don’t miss “Transcending National Barriers: Pioneers of Geometric Abstraction in South and North America” a lecture with Mary Kate O’Hare at 1:30pm”

Art lectures, book signings and even live painting were all events promoted by mobile marketing texts.

By texting the word “ART” to 65047, guests not only received updates on events, they also entered a contest for a Regent Cruise. But this was not your average cruise! It was a 14-day luxury cruise from Bali to Beijing. Lucky winner.

Lee Ann Lester, co-founder and director of the fair, was enthused by mobile marketing results and plans to continue using text messages at the next fair: Art Palm Beach. Overall, the Miami International Art Fair was a great example of how mobile marketing can be used to promote events, contests and brands overall.

A few of the successful strategies used in this text message campaign:

• Using a contest to encourage signup
• Posting signage to promote the text message channel
• Sending messages pre-event and mid-event without being excessive
• Building a mobile marketing list of art lovers and buyers
• Using the last text message of the event to promote the next event!

Need ideas for your own business? Let us know.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mCkbrYKQyI

As the year comes to an end, smart marketers are asking us:

Does everyone have an iPhone?

No, but 93% of the U.S. population has a mobile phone. Source

What kinds of mobile phones do people buy?

Mostly Samsungs (22%), LGs (21.5%) and Motorolas (21%). No Blackberrys? Yes, but only us working stiffs (9%) Source

What about those fancy phones people keep tapping?

Smartphone subscribers: Blackberrys (42%), iPhones (24%), Microsoft (13%), Google (13%). Remember Palm? Palm (at 5%) is still around. Source

So, who has a regular phone and who has a smartphone?

About 20% of mobile phone owners own a smartphone. Not what you expected? That’s probably because you are an executive and need to be connected (I feel you), but the rest of the world is doing fine with just talk, text and pictures. Also, not everyone can dish out $118 per month for a smartphone plan. Source/Source

What are people doing with their mobile phones?

You know, what you and I do… take pictures (76%), text (72%), access the Internet (38%), and email and play games (34%). Source

Really? That many people are texting?

Yep, to the tune of 173 billion texts per month and the yearly text figure begins with the letter “T.” Source

What do people want?

Deals and more deals baby! Know anyone who doesn’t want a deal, especially in this economy? 73% of consumers are interested in using coupons delivered by mobile devices.

Coupons?

Yep! Call them what you want…deals, savers, offers or perks, that’s what consumers want and savvy businesses are responding. Businesses will distribute 70 million mobile coupons by 2013, up from 2.3 million in 2010. – Yankee Group/ Source

If I were to start with mobile, where should I start?

Build a list of mobile phone subscribers and start with something simple like text message marketing. If you can write the following: “Welcome to our mobile program, here’s $10 off your next purchase. It’s our way of saying thank you. Coupon Code: SMRTMKTR – Exp.01/31.” You are a mobile marketing genius!

Plug: Start building your mobile list with a free trial at www.momares.com

Takeaway: Everyone has a mobile phone and most are texting and looking for deals. Text them your deals and boost your business!

I’m Marcos Menendez, co-founder of Momares.com- Mobile Marketing for the Rest of Us. There are 31M small business in the US, let’s say you happened to own one. The famous Restaurant Du. You just received confirmation that you friend, celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse will be helping you cook tonight only.

You want reservation now.

You can try emailing your customers but you know that at least 80% will ignore email.You best option is to send them a text message that you know they will get and can’t avoid reading. “Chef Emeril at Du. Tonight only. Call to RSVP”

2 minutes later you receive you first reservation.

We make that happen. Momares helps small business owners send coupons, discounts and offers to the one device they can’t ignore… their mobile phone. Our business model is cost-effective and scalable. We charge our customers for the text message they send. Our customers range from Slice-N-Ice in Coconut Groove to Florida International University. I’m looking to raise $350,000 in capital to help take momares to the national level. For my business card, and as an example, just Marcos to 65047 Just like this. (360 turn and flash my undershirt with message)

Miami Heralds’ article: How to rock the house with your elevator pitch

Text PIZZA to 65047 for a free cheese slice!

One of Miami’s best Brooklyn style pizza joints, Slice-N-Ice in Coconut Grove, FL launched a text message marketing program with the help of momares.com. The objective of the program is building a list of mobile subscribers they can text out offers and coupons at non-peak hours.

Owner Joseph Cappillo says “Tuesdays and Wednesdays afternoon are usually slow for us; we plan to send out text messages with great deals at those times to help bump up sales.”

Text message’s immediacy and certainty makes for a great tool to deliver an enticing offer just when the business needs it most.

Try it, text PIZZA to 65047 for a free cheese slice!

The Launch Pad at the University of Miami announced the finalists for the 2010 Elevator Pitch Contest sponsored by The Miami Herald. Over 140 businesses entered, and after four preliminary rounds held throughout South Florida, just 22 contestants remain.

Marcos J. Menendez, Co_Founder of Momares said “I had 90 seconds to tell a tough looking panel of judges and an auditorium full of UM business students why Momares was a good product and one worthy of angel investment…needless to say, we got lucky. Come November 8th we are going to need for everyone to vote for us.”

Momares is seen as an underdog in this contest and hopes to impress the judges in the final on Tuesday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Miami – Storer Auditorium.

How to set it up:

1.    Go to www.momares.com and create an account.
2.    Log in
3.    Enter your user name (your mobile phone)
4.    Enter your password and click Continue
5.    Go to My Account tab
6.    Select the Opt In & Keyword Settings tab
7.    Directly on the mobile phone image delete the default message (You have subscribed to MAMA alerts!) and add your business card information.
8.    Click on SAVE CHANGES button.
9.    Done! You can now tell people to text your name (keyword) to 65047 and they will get your contact info via text message.

How to test it out:

1.    With a mobile phone other than your own (the one that is registered on the account) have a friend send your KEYWORD to 65047 and see if they received what you wrote in the Opt In & Keyword Settings page.

Topics:

Market: What does the U.S. mobile phone market look like?

Jargon: What is a short code? What is SMS? What is a mobile keyword? What is MMS? What’s the difference between standard rate and premium messages?

Benefits: Why is mobile worth looking at? Who has had success with mobile and how (case studies)? Is mobile right for my clients or brands?

First Step: How to get started with mobile? What can kind of campaigns can you send? How to send a campaign? How do I market my message?

Laws, Practices and Conduct: What laws and regulations do mobile marketers need to follow? What are the mobile marketing best practices?

Costs: What does a typical SMS campaign cost? How much time do I need to spend on creating a campaign?

When: Wed, Oct 20, 2010 from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Where: Bar 303 at 303 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33432
Cost: Free (nice, say thank you AWC)
Brought to you by: The Association for Women in Communications South Florida Chapter
Other nice things: 2 for 1 drink specials and FREE Appetizers with registration

Register: http://www.awcsouthflorida.org/insidepages/meetingregistration.cfm?pk_tblMeetings=76

Build a Text Message Marketing Campaign Super Fast!

Start with:

1. Provider: Find a text message marketing company (momares.com) that provides you with a short code (the number subscribers will use to send the message to) and allows you to register keywords (the word the subscriber will use to subscribe) Ex. Text JOEPIZZA to 65047 for a free order of breadsticks.” KEYWORD: JOEPIZZA, SHORTCODE: 65047. Register a keyword (free trail).

2. Incentive: Create a database of opt-in mobile subscribers by asking prospects to text a KEYWORD to a shortcode by offering incentives like; discounts, coupons, offers and invites. Ex. “Text JOEPIZZA to 65047 for a buy one get one ½ OFF large cheese pizza coupon.”

3. Promote: Print your text message offer (Text JOEPIZZA to 65047 for a free order of breadsticks.) everywhere you advertise. Ex. Ads, menus, billboards, TV, radio, email signature, receipts…

4. Value: After your customers join your program, send them text messages that are timely, relevant and offer value. Ex. No time to dry polish? Add cuticle oil over the polish to protect it. Let us perfect your nails; 50% OFF manicure’s this Tues.! Exp. 10/19

5. Frequency: Text messages are very personal. Only send messages when you have something your recipient will value. Ex. Just received the new Jimmy Choo boots. 10 pairs available for the season. Show text to get 5% off. Bad Example: The new Jimmy Choo boots are beautiful! Come in to see them!

Need ideas for mobile, send me an email.

Miami, Florida, Tuesday, October 05, 2010: Momares, a leading text message marketing tool that helps business owners subscribe recipients and send text messages to groups announced today that they will be partnering with iAnalyst, a leader in Social Media Marketing  to provide them with text message (SMS) marketing tools.

“We look forward to working with New York’s top social media marketing provider and helping them grow their mobile marketing services offers,” said Marcos J. Menendez, Co-Founder, Momares.com

iAnalyst customers can now alert their customers to potential savings by instantly texting an offer to opted-in customers’ mobile phones.

“Adding text message marketing to our services is one more way that iAnalyst continues to bring the most cost-effective tools to help our clients grow their businesses,” said Wes Cowan, CEO & Founder of iAnalyst.com, Inc.,

According to Yankee Group, businesses will send 70 million mobile coupons by 2013, soaring from just 2.3 million in 2010. And with 77% of mobile phone subscribers texting over 1.6 trillion texts in 2010,  local businesses are assured their mobile coupons will produce additional business.

About Momares
Momares is the affordable, easy-to-use tool that helps small businesses create mobile text marketing campaigns in seconds. Momares let’s businesses subscribe recipients and send text messages to your groups.

About iAnalyst
iAnalyst is a leader in Social Media & Mobile Marketing with offices in New York, Las Vegas & Miami. Our goal is to utilize the most powerful tools and resources on the internet to help grow our clients businesses’.

Contacts

Momares
Mobile Marketing for the Rest of Us
Marcos J. Menendez
Co-Founder
Phone: 305.444.3948
marcos@momares.com
www.momares.com

1.    Create a strong persona
2.    Seed social networks
3.    Engage the influencers
4.    Personalize the response
5.    Keep the videos simple and short

My own suggestion:

6.   Extended it to the mobile phone: I really liked how the Old Spice Man was pushed through most of the online marketing and social media channels. I especially liked  when he responded to comments on You Tube and Twitter about his commercial and answered questions. I would have loved it if the commercials would have ended with “Ladies want to know the secrets of my man sent? Text OLDSPICEMAN to 65047 to learn.” This way the brand would connect not only socially but in the very personal mobile space.

Does the coupon make the sale?

Do Coupons Just Train the Customers To Only Visit The Business When They Receive A Coupon From the Business? As a marketer, I’ve asked myself the same question, “Do coupons just train the customers to only go to the restaurant when they’ve got a coupon in hand?” I think that the coupon helps produce the sale.

I do believe it works as an incentive and as a reminder that I have a good deal in hand that I should take advantage of. I do agree and I have hands on experience that the coupons do train the guest to expect the coupon. I find this to be especially true when the coupon is the done for the same discounted amount, on the same product, and sent on the same schedule. Customers tend to wait until they receive the coupon before they visit the establishment.

On the other hand, isn’t the coupon building loyalty and habit? For the record, I am a bit biased with my opinion since I run www.momares.com a do-it-yourself text message marketing tool that can be used to send coupons via text. But nevertheless, I do think businesses get an advantage for couponing, especially with the way the economy is.

At the end of the day, I think your average customer is looking for deals now more than ever. My suggestion would be, do send coupons just don’t make them predictable. Instead make them feel like gifts or reward for loyalty.

What do you think? Comment below…

Short Code

A short code is a 5 or 6 digit shortened phone number that mobile phone carriers assign to businesses that want to send text messages over their network. It’s called “SHORT CODE” because it’s shorter that a regular 10 digit phone number. Our short code is 65047.

Mobile Keyword

A Mobile Keyword is a single word or a one-word phrase (letters, numbers or both) that identifies a product, individual, action, service, or business.

Anyone can send a text message with the body of the text message being the keyword to a publicized short code number to receive additional information or join your mobile distribution list.

For example, if a customer texts “MOMARES” to 65047, the customer will immediately receive an automated text response. The text response can be more information about your product or service tied to that specific keyword.

Objective: To boost class enrollment and establish and ongoing dialogue with their customers.

Promotion channels: Emails to customers, on site signup forms, in-school signage, print advertising, print collateral and word-of-mouth promotion by class instructors at the beginning of each cooking class.

Results: Over a period of 4 months, the school built a list of close to 300 subscribers. One recent text campaign filled eight class spots, valued at $79 each. A single campaign that cost less than $15 dollars to send resulted in an additional $632 dollars in revenue.

Takeaway: Texting is direct and to the point. Students want value and they want it quickly. Sending messages via a text is a great to promote events and classes.