Australians among leaders of mobile adoption

SYDNEY - April 30, 2013 - PRLog -- Wherever a mobile phone goes, your marketing message should follow

The adoption of smartphones in Australia (59 per cent of Australians own one, according to ExactTarget's Digital Down Under research) means that today's always-on, hyper-connected consumer is placing demands on marketers that can often seem overwhelming.

Lee Hawksley, managing director of ExactTarget said, There¹s no doubt that today's consumers are mobile. They're always on-the-go, sending and receiving messages of all types. They expect information to be (literally) in-hand at all times. Consumers are no longer at their computers searching for information. Instead, they expect information to be available wherever they are. At the same time, they expect that information to be relevant to their lives.

What was once seen as the multi-channel opportunity is now a cross-channel imperative¹ as our audiences continue to adopt technology that opens up an increasing array of brand engagement mechanisms.

ExactTarget offers these mobile marketing tips to help marketers stay at the forefront of consumer behaviour trends.

1.    Incorporate push notifications. When a consumer downloads your branded application, it opens up new possibilities for engagement. Push notifications are useful because they require the user to take immediate action by opening the application. The risk is that poorly-executed push messages can lead consumers to delete the message, turn off push notifications, or even remove your app altogether.

2.    Use keywords. A keyword is a word or name used to distinguish a targeted message within a Short Code Service. Your keywords should be between 4 to 25 characters in length. (Example ­ Text ALERT to 239662)

3.    Mobile devices are personal. Smartphones are kept in special cases, display personal photos, wake people in the morning, and keep them connected to friends and family. Remember that marketing messages, if not relevant and useful, will feel intrusive on the phone.

4.    Stay True to Permission. Communicate freely via outbound SMS messages, but stay true to permission granted based upon messaging frequency and content.

5.    Use text to trigger emails. Promote a keyword + email address call-to-action in stores, online and at any other location where consumers interact with your brand. For example, Text INFO and youremail@email.com to 12345 to receive additional product information.

6.    Reduce customer service costs. Providing superior service for customers should be your number one priority. Keeping them satisfied can be challenging and requires ongoing work. That¹s why SMS is an invaluable weapon in your marketing arsenal. By launching an SMS response program, you free up your customer service representatives to assist with critical customer interactions. It also provides a more convenient experience for those who choose to accept assistance via SMS. It¹s a win-win for you and the customer.

7.    Optimise email for mobile. Regardless of whether you decide to implement SMS into your cross-channel marketing mix, mobile adoption affects other elements of your campaigns‹especially email.  Ensure your email renders on mobile devices ­ both smart phones and tablets.

8.    Get creative with SMS. Aside from the telephone itself, text messaging is among the most used mobile communications channel. Due to carrier controls, messaging must follow rigid opt-in and opt-out rules. This should force more creativity from marketers, not limit it.

9.    Deliver unobtrusive alert messaging. The SMS channel is particularly adept at delivering unobtrusive alert messaging. In fact, this is the one type of messaging that indexed high enough to be considered ³appropriate² by a majority of consumers.

10.  Embrace text alerts. Brands using alert communications may also see an interesting phenomenon develop‹consumers who request alerts through multiple channels. Why the duplication? Consumers may not know which channel will have their attention at the moment an alert comes in.

About ExactTarget

ExactTarget is a leading global provider of cross-channel digital marketing software-as-a-service solutions that empower organizations of all sizes to communicate with their customers through email, mobile, social media, Web and marketing automation. ExactTarget's suite of integrated applications enable marketers to plan, automate, deliver and optimize data-driven digital marketing and real-time communications to drive customer engagement, increase sales and improve return on marketing investment. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana with offices in North America, Europe, South America and Australia, ExactTarget trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ET. For more information, visit http://www.exacttarget.com.au/