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Mobile Marketing 101

If you haven’t yet started to explore mobile marketing, now’s the time. According to a new study from “global research company TNS”:http://www.tns-global.com, about 66 percent of Canadian Internet users now own a mobile phone, up from 57 percent in 2001.
This penetration is consistent with the U.S. — where mobile marketing is quickly becoming the modern marketer’s go-to medium for reaching young, tech-savvy consumers — but is well below the European average (mobile phone penetration in Western Europe currently sits at about 80 percent among all consumers).

As with all interactive marketing initiatives, the best way to begin is by taking a look at some existing campaigns. A great place to glean some information and inspiration is “TXT.ca”:http://www.txt.ca, which lists current text messaging, or SMS (Short Message Service), campaigns and programs in Canada, as well as provides facts and statistics on the industry. Those who like to play it safe will want to stick with the basic text approach to mobile marketing for now, as reports indicate just 13 percent of consumers can access the Web through their mobiles phones, and most (77 percent) of those that do use this function “infrequently.”
Another great resource is the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association “(CWTA)”:http://www.cwta.ca, which helps regulate the mobile marketing industry. This group knows what works and what’s hot (MMS, or Multimedia Messaging Service, is said to be the next big thing).
Based on previous campaigns, it seems as though the secret to a successful mobile marketing initiative is a combination of creativity and convenience. Give consumers something they can’t get elsewhere to compensate for the effort of dialling-in, and make the value of your offering clear. With a little preparation, we can take mobile as a marketing medium far.