12/02/11 by Steve Nahrup | Blog, Marketing Blog | No Comments »
During this holiday season I have been involved with developing and launching creative mobile marketing campaigns for top retailers in an attempt to drive holiday sales. Since I am new to the campaign creation side of the mobile industry, I had not witnessed the extensive reach retailers possess when equipped with these mobile tools. Out of all the campaigns this season, there are three that really caught my attention: Cross-Media Scavenger Hunts, Deals of the Day, and Check-In Rewards.
- Cross-Media Scavenger Hunt – This campaign engages the customer by sending them a daily multiple-choice question. The questions are drawn from different advertising vehicles that the retailer uses such as social media sites, their print catalog, or their website. Each time the customer answers the question correctly they are entered for a chance to win a grand prize at the end of the scavenger hunt. This type of campaign forces the customer to pay attention to all of the retailer’s advertising, and the consumer eats it up. In fact, retailers have seen 26% of their entire mobile subscriber base participate in their holiday scavenger hunts.
- Deals of the Day – Multiple retailers run campaigns that send their customers a deal each day on a particular item that is marked down lower than it normally would be, even if it was on sale. These deals are sent the night prior to the items going on sale. This campaign enables the retailer to target certain items that their customers may not normally consider purchasing. Retailers usually see 25% of their entire mobile subscriber base participate in their deals of the day campaigns, creating a sense of exclusivity and building brand loyalty.
- Check-In Rewards – A new way that retailers take advantage of social media using mobile is by social media’s “Check-In” feature. For instance, when a customer “checks-in” at a store on Black Friday they are able to unlock a secret keyword that enables them to text that keyword in and receive even more discounts and rewards. When the customer checks-in, the retailer is accomplishing two things: they are given an advertising vehicle to display their brand or company on the internet and in the social media space, and at the same time growing your mobile club. This also is a great holiday campaign, as users check in; their social status update shows that they are in your store.
These three campaigns are merely a few examples of how retailers are able to engage their new and existing customers. What sets these campaigns apart from standard ongoing SMS campaigns is their unique, interactive nature which drives participation and ultimately ROI for the retailer. Contact me to learn more.
11/03/11 by Cellit Staff | Blog, Marketing Blog | No Comments »
Many retailers are turning to mobile to help enrich their customers interaction with their brand. According to NCR, 86% of shoppers currently use mobile phones, many of which use their devices for researching products, sharing information or making purchases. Some retailers have put in place mobile marketing programs to give incentives to consumers, which creates a more intimate relationship. These programs include mobile coupons, sending out timely alerts, or creating mobile applications.
Stores.org published an article featuring one of our clients OfficeMax, who offered how mobile has helped them:
“We have the ability, via mobile technology, to provide a better, more personalized experience for our customers, and customers are eager to use the technology to simplify their lives and engage with brands in a way that provides value”
Read more of the article at Stores.org. If you’re interested on how Cellit can help you move your mobile marketing program forward, drop us a line.
09/29/11 by Cellit Staff | Blog, Industry Blog, Marketing Blog | No Comments »
Having established relationships with bar owners and managers, while also working in a bar myself, the universal consensus of a bars biggest struggle is this: How can a bar get more customers in—and even more importantly—stay longer? Below are a few tried and true tips to keep your seats filled and your taps flowing.
- Host trivia nights using The 3rd Degree: Install and play the exciting new bar trivia system powered by Cellit. Play 4 games per night (one game alone is 20 minutes long) competitively and give out prizing to the team who wins the most games. New and engaging trivia questions, along with entertaining video clips, keep bar patrons in their stools and the drinks flowing.
- Utilize a mobile club to bring patrons in during non-peak hours: This concept is simple, pain free, and effective! Start by offering a strong incentive to customers to joining, such as 10-15% off their bill. Then, during your slower hours, send a message to your subscribers with exclusive and exciting offers. Try promoting buy one get one free entrees redeemed between 2-5 pm, one free appetizer redeemed during weekdays only, $10 off their bill if before 6 pm… the list goes on! You’ll be pleased patrons are coming in during non-peak hours and patrons will be happy being rewarded for being part of your mobile club.
- Make use of the social media and new technology today: No, seriously, DO IT! We all know an email list is a marketing tool for bar owners to grasp the attention of bar patrons, but let’s be honest… who really looks at ALL their emails nowadays? I sure don’t, I have over 2,000 emails in my Hotmail account alone. There are new ways to get the attention of your bar patrons. Have a Facebook page for your bar and do fun competitions with it, “the 100th person who ‘likes’ us will win a free gift card!” Give a $2 beer special to patrons if they check-in via Foursquare, create a upcoming event text messaging campaign for your bar to keep bar patrons informed, create a Twitter account so followers can know about exclusive events going on in your bar. The possibilities are endless and inexpensive! You just need to get started.
Need more help? Give me a call! We’re here to help, and love working with clients to get their programs off the ground!
09/16/11 by Steve Nahrup | Blog, Industry Blog, Marketing Blog | 2 Comments »
On a daily basis, I work with salons and spas to deliver simple to manage and affordable mobile programs. I support customers on how to use mobile as a strategy for gaining new clientele and engaging current customers. Here are my top five ways spa and salon owners are leveraging mobile solutions:
1. Appointment Reminders: Sending timely reminders of upcoming appointments is an effective tactic for the salon and spa owner, as well as the customer. The owner will experience fewer skipped appointments, which result in less empty chairs, driving revenue and maximizing salon utilization. Text reminders capture the customer’s attention on a personal engagement level and are therefore more efficient than typical direct mail and email solutions.
2. Mobile Coupons: Delivering discounts via mobile is effective and fully trackable on behalf of the salon or spa owner. Cellit’s cutting-edge integration technology can directly ensure your salon’s mobile coupons are redeemed and fully tracked. Be aware that some discounts that are too specific will most likely not yield the same return as overall percentage discounts.
3. Tips Program: Often, sending simple text messages advising customers on how they can use products can be a fantastic way to increase brand loyalty. This will lead to cross-sell opportunities, and potentially product and clientele referrals.
4. Loyalty Programs: Build strong incentives for your customers to come into the salon or spa on a more consistent basis. For example promoting an offer that drives purchase “After 5 appointments your 6th one is FREE!” Using the Cellit Widgit, the customer’s phone number is entered in the point-of-sale system with every purchase. Our system keeps track and automatically sends coupons when appropriate. This simple technology can be the difference between losing a new customer and retaining that customer for years to come.
5. Integrated Promotions: In addition to using mobile marketing as part of your strategy, spa and salon owners can take advantage of the rising popularity of websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial. These daily deal giants are great for bringing in a rush of customers for a short period of time, but the chances of them coming back anytime soon are slim. Using your mobile club along with the daily deal can turn that one-time coupon cutter into a repeat and loyal customer. Simply inform the customer when they present their daily deal voucher that they can receive deals such as this on a consistent basis, simply by sending a simple text to join the mobile club loyalty program.
Mobile marketing, when part of a larger marketing initiative, can be a powerful strategy to create a loyal and valuable clientele base. With just a few simple tactics, it is easy to start leveraging mobile to create brand awareness and customer loyalty. Still need help? Feel free to contact me for any additional questions and to get started!
