Dear Advertiser,

I’m confused about something, and I thought maybe you could clear it up for me. Every year you spend a large portion of your company’s hard earned capital to market your products and services. You’ve learned that you need to tell your potential customers everything you can about what you offer. You spend time and money finding the best print publications, radio stations, television shows, billboards and other “physical world” places to get your message out. So here’s my question. Here’s what I don’t get.

Why are you not doing everything you possibly can to make sure that the people you are marketing to have access to the information they need, so they will GIVE YOU THEIR MONEY?

I have in front of me The Wall Street Journal, our local town newspaper, and 2 magazines. Between them all, there are hundreds of ads for a wide range of products and services.

While 95% of them have a web address and/or email address (the other 5% must be living under a rock), not ONE SINGLE ad can provide me with additional information when I am not in front of my computer. How many people read magazines and newspapers, or watch TV while they are at their computer?

Sure, they all have phone numbers, but I don’t want to talk to someone when I’m eating a slice of pizza reading the newspaper. I want information that I can read and take with me. I want o know more than the ad can tell me. You’ve got me interested in your product, let me learn more right now!

Here are some facts from a recent study done on consumer behavior in the U.K. I imagine it applies to your customers here in the U.S. as well. People are people.

When it comes to converting advertising into sales, nearly one in two consumers fail to respond to advertising because they don’t remember key details.

So you’ve spent thousands of dollars to get the consumer interested, and immediately half of them will forget you. Nice.

Remember this famous quote?

“Half my advertising is wasted, I just don’t know which half.�- John Wanamaker (1838-1922) retailer, Philadelphia

While he was referring to the half that was reaching the wrong target, I think we just found that half of your properly targeted advertising is wasted as well.

The research revealed that 44% of mobile users between the ages of 18 and 60 fail to respond to advertising campaigns because they simply forget the brand name and contact details when the moment their interest was captured by the ad had passed – with many people wasting time later, trying to find the company, and eventually giving up.

So what’s the answer? How can you retain the interest and hold on to those consumers that might be interested, but simply turn the page and promptly forget you?

There are 3 things that virtually all consumers have with them at any given time. Their keys, their wallet, and their mobile phone. While the keys don’t help the marketer much, and the wallet is needed when they are ready to give you money, the mobile phone is the answer. Which of these 3 things will almost 100% of your prospects have within arms length of them when they are exposed to your ad? The mobile phone is how you hold the attention of as much of that lost 50% as you possibly can.

Now here’s an interesting finding:

Over 50% of respondents said they would like to access further information by sending a text to a shortcode and receiving a link to a mobile Internet site where they can source additional information.

Wow! Think about it. Put on your consumer hat for a moment. You’re reading the local newspaper, and you see an ad for what looks like a great restaurant. You say to yourself, “We should try that place soon”, and then it’s gone. Out of your head and you move on.

Now imagine this. In the advertisement it says,

“To see our menu & info text MAXSGRILL to 95495,
or call 555-555-5555 from your mobile phone
and it will be sent instantly”

There’s a reason that every restaurant in New York City has the menu in the window. It’s a marketing tool. While you’re not going to take a full page ad out in the local newspaper, setting up something like this is a “no brainer”.

What does it cost to add a single sentence to the bottom of your ad, or to put it up on the screen during your TV commercial? It cost NOTHING! You are already paying for the ad space. You are paying for the ad design. It’s just words.

With this simple sentence, you have accomplished the following:

1. You’ve made the ad trackable. You can now know EXACTLY how many people requested your information. You now know EXACTLY which of your ads is drawing more response.
2. You’ve collected the mobile phone numbers of consumers that are clearly interested in what you are promoting. Having a slow night? Send out a text message to the list and offer free dessert.
3. You’ve taken that small print ad, or short TV commercial and extended its useful life. You now have the ability to get your message across to the consumer on your terms. You are no longer limited by the size or length of an expensive ad. You now have the consumer’s 100% undivided attention.
4. You’ve given the consumer what they wanted, when they wanted it. They don’t need to rip out an ad, or remember to visit your site when they get home. They have a text message on their phone with your contact information, and a link to your mobile web site. Can you imagine how many of those consumers would put your business into their address book with a single click?

More from the research:

Of the consumers who were keen to use the services, almost three quarters (74%) said they would use their phones to request a brochure, 70% to check product availability, two thirds to help locate their nearest store and over half to book tickets or request further information from the advertising brand.
The study was undertaken by Consumer Analysis to understand consumer attitudes and behaviours when responding to advertising. In particular, the research measured the ability of consumers to recall specific information after seeing, hearing or reading an ad. The research also considered the future role of the mobile phone in responding to TV, radio, outdoor and print advertising, as well as consumer attitudes towards responding to ads by sending a text message to a mobile shortcode.

So I ask you again why, with a tool like this available, are you not using it to enhance the value of your existing leads, and to bring in leads that would otherwise never exists?

Up until recently, it would have been the cost. Well that barrier has been broken down by Mobivity, and other 2-way SMS services. Cost is no longer a factor.

Let’s assume it cost you $.10 each time someone sends in a text and receives your info. If 200 people request information, you’ve paid $20.00 for 200 phone numbers, and to get the undivided attention of 200 interested consumers. Your phone # and information is now on 200 mobile phones. For $20.00 more than your current ad spending!

So tell me again why you are not doing this? There can only be on reason. You do not know it exists. Well, we’re going to have to do something about that…
Sincerely,

Greg Harris
CEO, Mobile Visions, Inc

http://www.mobilemarketing.net

This entry was posted on Monday, August 6th, 2007 at 11:00 am and is filed under Mobile Marketing, SMS. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.