Marketing with Mobile Technology: Maximize Coverage Using New Tools
We all move quickly through our days, jumping from our computers to our phones to communicate information and share. While the changes in communication are moving at warp speed, companies can utilize the opportunity to expand its public relations campaigns and educate the public well beyond the day a story airs or an article runs.
The growth of mobile technology means information is literally now available at the consumer’s fingertips. In other words, with just a few clicks of a screen, buying decisions are now being made. Information sources like Google, Twitter, Facebook, Yelp and YouTube can influence where a person chooses to shop, dine, or go.
According to research recently conducted by Hubspot, mobile Internet users will reach 113.9 million in 2012, up 17.1 percent from 97.3 million in 2011. The data takes things further; looking at the growth in popularity of the iPad, tablet users will reach 54.8 million in 2012, up 62.8 percent from 33.7 million in 2011.
On a recent visit to Flagstaff, we were looking for a place to eat. Having nowhere special in mind, we turned to our iPhones to research the area. A click on Google Places immediately brought up a list of restaurants in the area showing four- and five-star ratings from reviewers. Quickly reading the descriptions, we found out about a breakfast spot that was featured on “Drive-ins, Diners and Dives” and received rave reviews from the host, Guy Fieri and a number of patrons. The restaurant was only a few miles away, but a bit off the beaten path, outside of downtown. Fortunately the mobile phone also provides directions with a direct route from your location.
It turned out that Brandy’s Restaurant and Bakery (which I highly recommend) was featured on the program in 2008. But this small business understood the value of leveraging that publicity. They made sure the message in their online description continued to publicize the national TV coverage. The segment still plays on a TV screen in the diner, and news clippings from the local newspaper can be found adorning the walls, but more importantly the information and the many other accolades the restaurant has received appear prominently on the home page of its website.
You can bet this small business owner does not have a large marketing budget, but by utilizing the technology that’s now available, they are maximizing the press they received almost four years ago to continue to bring in new customers.
Part of implementing a successful public relations and marketing campaign is to find ways to successfully weed through all of the clutter and information in order for your target audience to know more about your business and all it has to offer. However you choose to allocate your budget and to tell your story, there is no denying that the growth of mobile technology will now allow you to spread the word faster and stretch your dollars further.
