Ah, the mobile phone: we know it well as consumers, and as such are in a perfect position to approach it from a direct marketer's POV. Here are a few ground rules for truly covetable mobile marketing:

Bait your line. A useful iPhone app could do you right, as could a nifty advergame, or exclusive discounts for top customers. Ooh!—and in 2007, SMS serials were all the rage in Japan. Suck 'em in with a story!

Plan well in advance. Set aside three months to spread the word and prepare related media buys. This is a great opportunity to snap up mobile numbers for future promos. Just ask Team Obama, which gathered a panoply of numbers when it offered to text Obama fans the name of his running-mate in advance of the media.

Nixus interruptus. Pop-ups didn't last long chez Internet, and equally interruptive marketing has no future in mobile.

Always, always ask permission. Two weeks ago, AT&T got burned when it sent an unsolicited text message about American Idol's season premier. Hundreds made vocal complaints all over Twitter.

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