Mobile Strategies for The Connected Consumer
on-the-go
Mobile strategies today are more important than any other digital initiative and though it may be tempting to put your mobile plans on the back burner, it really should take the lead in engaging with your consumer. Some retailers still think of it as a side endeavor instead of a necessity that will hugely impact sales. However that’s no longer the case. It’s time for retailers to recognize mobile consumption as the giant that it is. With 84% of smartphone shoppers using their phones while in a retail store, the opportunity for mobile to create a useful experience that is unique to your brand is colossal.
The Rise of Mobile Consumption
There is simply no denying the recent explosion in mobile shopping. One study looked at over a million mobile users and found that consumers are spending a whopping 385% more time on retail sites via their smartphones. For perspective, consider the amount of time for computer users, which has only grown 17%. Smartphone and tablet users make up nearly half of all time spent on retail sites. So if you weren’t quite sure whether mobile users were dropping the big bucks online, now you know. Take April alone, 41 million people made a purchase using their smartphone, did your business capture any of those sales? As a brand or retailer it’s imperative that you own that relationship with the customer and capture their attention with engaging useful content. Taking the mindset of not selling into the customer but rather being apart of the conversation will get you the best results, it’s value based marketing.
Email Marketing Challenges
Data shows cell phones are quickly becoming the preferred method for checking email, and we’ve already established that mobile consumption is on the rise, big-time. So the obvious (yet often over-looked) move is to optimize your emails for mobile users. Some brands are seeing as high as 75% of emails opened on mobile while industry standards are around 60% opens on mobile. This doesn’t always mean responsive design as that is a larger discussion with performance, content and structure but rather mobile optimized. (mobile only, responsive or even mobile friendly)
Hubspot estimates that email lists typically depreciate by 25% each year. It’s really a fight right now for customer share and the ones winning are the ones taking the engaging approach and the “one screen” methodology. Tracking customer data, retaining subscribers, increasing ROI, and engaging new customers are just a few of the complex problems retailers juggle. So is there a solution to the madness? remember it’s the little things that make big change, have a smart strategy and omni-channel approach.
Mobile Solutions
Retaining customer interest takes ongoing effort, but with mobile marketing solutions, you can reach your target directly. Email campaigns, MMS, geolocation, and push notifications are just a few ways retailers can keep customers engaged with discounts, promotions, and announcements. Pay attention to email open rates and learn what your audience needs–it may not be what you expect.
While it’s important to understand mobile data, understanding doesn’t necessarily lead to clear decision-making. After all, mobile customers are not just a herd of identically behaving robots (and thank goodness–that would be scary). Variations always exists and with a smart segmentation and personalization strategy retailers can participate in the conversation in a holistic way.
For example, teens in low-income households were found to use mobile Internet more often than teens in higher income households. While most mobile users frequent social media sites, there is no definite answer as to which social media sites you should be leveraging. You must know your particular audience to make these decisions. Great marketing means being flexible and paying attention to human behavior and interactions with your brand.
In short, track your data, remember what works, and know your audience. Don’t get left in the dust when it comes to mobile marketing strategies. Then you can ask yourself, who is awesome?
@robsreasons
