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Mobile marketing: what is it? More importantly, will it really help you grow your business?
Mobile marketing is defined as marketing on or with a mobile device, such as a cell phone. With the rise of Short Message Service (SMS), also called “text messaging,” mobile marketing has become increasingly popular.
An ordinary cell phone can receive marketing information via a text message. The phone does not have to be “smart,” a term used to describe handheld devices that are voice-centric but also have many features of a personal digital assistant (PDA), such as a web browser or sync-able calendar.
As it pertains to real estate sales, mobile marketing means you can deliver content such as property descriptions or pictures to a cell or smart phone in a manner in which the phone can properly display the text, images, or website.
Should you utilize mobile marketing in your business?
Consider the present: 94% of people in this country between the ages of 25 and 44 are using the internet to search for homes, and 25% of them are accessing the internet by using their mobile device exclusively, according to Marvist.com. The National Association of Realtors' 2008 Field Guide of Buyer and Seller Statistics reported that once a desirable property was found, 77% of prospects drove by the property. A reasonable conclusion would be that they wanted to see if the internet representation was valid.
Consider the future: Gartner, an information technology research company, reports that smart phone sales increased by 75% last year. As cellular minutes become more and more commoditized, wireless companies are focused on increasing revenue by monetizing data plans. In fact, walk into any wireless store and try to find a cell phone that does not have a data plan or is considered “smart.” I did exactly that; my local AT&T store in Austin, TX offered 22 phones for sale and all but 3 were “smart phones.”
Consider today’s consumer: As the NAR reports, almost 8 out of 10 potential buyers will drive by a property. The vast majority will be in possession of a mobile device. The opportunity for you to capture them as leads is only present if you can offer them marketing information they can view while mobile.
This trend bodes well for you. Now you can offer higher quality information (digitally) and since the consumer is willing to access it using a mobile device, you can capture their information for follow-up. It’s a wonderful silver lining: the mobile internet eliminates the anonymity of the desktop internet.
The answer is clear. Yes, you must use mobile marketing, and you must make it available for cell and smart phones. It is a logical extension of your marketing and best of all, it’s economic and accountable.
Next we’ll discuss how to effectively mobile market and what are the best technologies available.
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