Using Smart Phones to Market Your Business

Mobile App Business

More and more people are using smart phones as their primary connection to the world around them. The amount of power packed into such tiny devices is astounding. There are many ways to market your business with these devices, so it is not wise to ignore them as a possible advertising platform.

Some of the old marketing methods, such as text messaging or multimedia messaging, do not have to be abandoned just because these phones have further capabilities. These methods are still a very cost-effective medium for offering past customers an incentive to return to your business. For example, the best text message ads are coupon codes. These ads have improved in that you can now also include a link to your web page where customers can either learn more, or even make their purchase right there and then.

Mobile websites are another great way to connect with customers, both new and old. These mini websites give you great freedom to interact with people very similarly to how you would in a full site. The only difference is that mobile sites allow for the fact that smart phones have very small screens and often have slow download speeds. You want to make your mobile site look just like your full sized one, only with just the bare essentials. Tablets often register as mobile devices, but really have the power to use your full sized site, so be sure to give them a link to change between the two versions.

One very underutilized form of mobile marketing is QVC codes. These are specialized symbols that phones can load into their phone through the device’s camera. From there, there are many apps available to interpret these codes. While customers will have to be at a specific physical location to scan the code, they are great for pushing impulse purchases. A coffee shop, for example, might use a code that gives the customer a coupon for half off a cookie when they buy a certain dollar amount of coffee products. When placed near the ordering area, this will help push customers into buying more than they would have otherwise because they think they are getting a good deal.

While most businesses do not have the budget to create their own app, there are other ways to use the app craze to your advantage. Many game developers need to offer their games for free in order to get enough downloads. They still want to make a profit, so they have had to find other ways of earning money from their apps. One channel that they have used is in-app purchases. The other is through in-game advertising. These ads usually take the form of tiny banner ads that sit at the top of the screen as long as the game is open. This is where your business can get into the app market with a small budget.

Ignoring mobile marketing as a valid way to increase your customer count is a mistake. New technology offers many different formats for you to interact with your customers. Decide what method is best for your business, then sit back and watch your profits grow.

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