Replace Old School Marketing Techniques With Mobile Technology to Drive ROI

As a retailer, you know you have to capture prospects’ attention to make a sale. That's why advertisements use eye-catching graphics. But now more than ever, consumers tend to ignore traditional ads and focus instead on the screen in the palm of their hand.

An advertising strategy that leverages this tendency is likely to deliver dividends in increased sales, and a truly forward-thinking approach can produce other valuable benefits for both the customer and the retailer.

Traditional Coupons vs. Digital Offers
In the past, many retailers focused their marketing efforts on printing and distributing coupons. It's still a billion-dollar business, but traditional coupons are costly to print and mail distribution is hit or miss, blanketing neighborhoods and inevitably causing retailers to waste their efforts on consumers who aren't interested in their products.

Digital coupons can be a great alternative since they take advantage of the fact that consumers are more receptive to offers when they're at the point of sale. By using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology to send a digital coupon to consumers who come within range of their store, retailers can significantly improve sales.

Email Pitches vs. Mobile Messages
To replace wasteful coupon printing and distribution strategies, many retailers have turned to email, sending out coupons and offers in a broad email blast to drum up new business. Email campaigns are subject to some of the same drawbacks that hamper their print counterparts, however. They blanket a large group for a tiny return — and consumers find spam annoying.

Mobile messages can be more effective since they also leverage the fact that consumers tend to be more receptive to offers made close to the point of sale. Retailers that broadcast mobile messages from the point of sale have already narrowed the list of recipients to those who are visiting their store.

SMS Messaging vs. Permission-Based Digital Marketing
When text messaging became a hot trend, many companies rushed to capitalize by sending offers via SMS. Consumers often perceived this strategy as an invasion of privacy, and their annoyance turned to anger if they were charged for unsolicited messages. This resulted in a spate of lawsuits that exposed world-renowned brands to hefty liabilities — and a loss of brand equity.

Permission-based digital marketing is a better solution since it respects consumer privacy. By using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, retailers can transmit offers to consumers within range to ask if they wish to receive an offer. Unlike SMS messaging, consumers have the opportunity to decline the message. Also in contrast to SMS, permission-based marketing doesn't access sensitive personal data like phone numbers.

Generating ROI (And Much More) With Mobile Technology
Permission-based mobile marketing is much more efficient than traditional coupons since it eliminates the waste involved in printing and distributing, and focuses more narrowly on consumers who are most likely to make a purchase. It's more focused than email blasts and less intrusive than SMS messaging.

A permission-based mobile messaging strategy protects consumer privacy while delivering relevant offers, which drive higher response rates and protect brand equity. With the right permission-based mobile marketing approach, retailers can gain rich, real-time data and analytics that allow them to make adjustments on the fly for even greater return on investment. It's a win for the consumer and the retailer.

Alex Romanov is the president and CEO of iSIGN Media, a provider of interactive mobile advertising solutions.