A Quick Guide to Mobile Marketing

By Justin Mastrangelo

There’s no doubt the cell phone will continue to become a more important part of a marketing in 2010. Big consumer brands across the US have already had great success with their early mobile marketing efforts. If you haven’t started targeting your audience on their phone yet here are some of the key technologies, and a few things to consider about each.

Text Messaging (SMS) – This is the mostly widely used mobile technology, and not just by teenagers anymore. Only 25-30% of mobile phone subscribers in the US have a smartphone but over 80% of mobile phone users have text messaging capability, and 50% of all cell phone owners are active text messaging users. When considering a text messaging campaign keep in mind the method for gathering opt-ins. Traditional media (TV, radio, print, and outdoor) is an excellent opportunity to engage an audience on their phone while they are away from their PC. Having the audience text-in for an instant coupon or a chance to win something has generated great results by many different brands in the US. Because of texting’s very high read rate (97%) recipients will expect to see value with every message or they will opt-out quickly.

Mobile Websites – Creating a stripped-down mobile version of your website is an easy way to cater to your mobile audience. Users who attempt to visit your site on a smartphone can be automatically redirected to a mobile-friendly version. Keep the graphics to a minimum and focus on simple layout and navigation. Using less technology means compatibility with more phones. Reformatting the main site into a mobile format is a good start, but focusing on features that are especially beneficial to someone on a phone is even better. Measure the audience and the phones they’re using to access your site. If you haven’t launched an app yet this data will be invaluable for picking the right platform.

Mobile Apps - Apps can be a great way of creating an engaging experience not possible on the mobile web. If you’re going to develop an app it should be more than just another version of your mobile website. Not only are mobile apps more expensive to develop than a mobile website, they can also be more difficult to promote. The iPhone is king when it comes to apps, but it may not be tops with your audience. In the second quarter of 2009 the Blackberry Curve was the most popular selling smartphone, beating the iPhone. The iPhone makes up only 4% of all cell phones in use right now in the US. Depending on your audience you may need to develop at least two or three versions of your app just to reach a significant portion of smartphone users.

Mobile Advertising – Always introduce your current audience to your mobile website or app first, before approaching a new audience on the phone. If the reviews of your mobile campaign have been positive it only makes sense to use this as a competitive advantage. Your ads can be placed on other mobile websites or inside mobile apps. Just as you would with web advertising, start with a small budget and always target a specific audience as much as possible.

Justin Mastrangelo is President of JA Interactive, a web and mobile marketing company in the South Side of Pittsburgh. He is also one of the writers for his company’s text message marketing blog.

Social Media: Are You Plugged In?

It’s a new year…a clean slate ahead of you at work and new marketing opportunities waiting in the wings. What will 2010 have in store for you? If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to become more social media savvy, then I hope you find this article informative and useful to you in your future marketing endeavors.

Yes—You CAN!

So, maybe you’ve tested the “social media waters” in 2009 but still not sold on the whole social media idea and even if it’s something your company should attempt. Or, maybe you know the value and importance of social media, but you don’t know the right tactics to use to best fit your company. Well, now’s a better time than ever to embark on a social media campaign for your company. I write this article with the intention to inspire you to dive right in and have fun with the variety of social marketing tools available. With the numerous platforms out there, you can help your company establish a name for it, or bolster your company’s existing marketing campaign into high gear. One point I’d like to emphasize— while most social media tools are free, you may need to factor additional staff hours into your budget to get your campaign up and running.

Me, Myself and I

As the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s (PDP) e-Marketing and social media go-to gal, I’ve done my fair share of research on the various social media tools available. I also participate in countless social media webinars, many of which are free and quite informative. In less than one year, I now manage two PDP Facebook fan pages, along with a Twitter and Flickr account, and helped create a blog for Downtown’s historic Market Square. Most recently, I joined the Communications Committee within the American Marketing Association (AMA) Pittsburgh Chapter to update our Facebook fan page, blog and other marketing-related projects – I love a challenge!

Mavens, Gurus and Experts─Come Again?

Ok, so I’m not going to tout myself as some social media “guru”, simply because I’m not. However, I do consider myself an expert when it comes to writing and talking about my organization. So, now you’re armed with great material about your company and you want to spread the good word using social media—what are your next steps? Well, there’s an art to using social media correctly. I’ve assembled a short list of tips/tricks that I’ve found to be quite valuable to share with you to use throughout your social media journey:

· Information overload! If you try to learn too many social media platforms at once, you’ll go insane! Instead, take baby steps. Pick one outlet, perfect it and OWN it. Remember, you’re the voice of your organization. Try doing simple searches of your company or industry to see where your potential online audience is and what they’re talking about and start there. Once you’ve mastered the ins and outs of Facebook, give Twitter a whirl, or try your hand at blogging. It’s not how much you’re doing—it’s how effective you are at what you’re doing.

· Don’t go there! If you don’t have time to keep your blog or Facebook page updated with fresh, interesting content, worthy of comments from your readers, it’s not going to do your company any good. Readers will lose interest in your page and you’ll lose your readers loyalty to your brand/company. Just remember: why would anyone want to visit a Website with stale, uninteresting information? The same thing applies to your social media pages. If you need a quick update and don’t have a lot of time, try asking a simple question from your audience like, “What are you doing this weekend?” This keeps the content fresh and engages your fans.

· Play nice! Sure, readers want to hear what’s new with your company/product, but it’s a good rule of thumb to share others’ blog posts, etc. People will deem you a more “valuable” resource by sharing others’ ‘added’ information. It’s not always about you. And, make sure to use tact when responding to readers’ comments, especially if they have something negative to say about your company/brand. The goal is to create a lasting relationship with your readers.

· Create some buzz! A fun and highly effective element to creating a successful social media campaign is to implement various contests or trivia questions into your plan. It’s a known fact that readers thrive on interaction and love to participate in trivia games, photo hunts (think TwitPic), etc. And, when there’s an incentive offered to the winner, you’ll receive an even greater response! Think about offering a small token that promotes your brand, or award a gift certificate to a venue in your city. If you utilize Twitter, visit search.twitter.com and type #contest in the search area to see how other companies are using the contest tactic to engage their followers.

· Analyze this! Your boss is likely to ask about the progress of your company’s social media campaign and how well it’s being received. Have no fear! There are plenty of free and easy-to-use analytics tools available to track your progress, including: Insights for Facebook fan pages, Twitter Analyzer and Google Analytics for blogs. Plus, keeping track of how many followers, fans, and comments you have is also another great way to gauge your progress. If your budget allows, you might want to consider hiring a social media professional who specializes in tailoring social media campaigns to meet the needs of your organization.

· Follow the leader! There are literally hundreds of social media professionals out there with amazing blogs and helpful tips. Here’s a short list of my favorite social media experts:

o www.mashable.com; The Social Media “Bible” - @Mashable on Twitter

o www.marismith.com; Social Media Business Coach - @MariSmith on Twitter

o www.twistimage.com/blog; Mitch Joel, dubbed by Marketing Magazine as the “Rock Star of Digital Marketing” - @MitchJoel on Twitter

o www.socialmediatoday.com; World's Best Bloggers on Social Media and Web 2.0 - @socialmedia2day on Twitter

Make New Marketing Goals…But Keep the Old

While I’m a proponent of using social media to promote your business/brand, I believe your company should also continue to use the “tried and true” methods of marketing, such as print, e-mail marketing, radio/TV ads, etc. By incorporating social media, businesses both large and small have the opportunity market their brand and create additional awareness without going over their marketing budget. And, when used effectively, it’s a win-win situation for your company!

The AMA’s Connected!

Don’t forget to become a fan of the AMA Pittsburgh Chapter on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/AMAPittsburgh, and be sure to subscribe to our blog at http://pghama.blogspot.com. We’ll be updating the AMA Blog and Facebook fan page in the coming weeks and we invite you to check out our pages and let us know what you think! We welcome your feedback and suggestions on how to make your online experience with us even better! Feel free to write to me with questions or comments at bfornalczyk@downtownpittsburgh.com.

Cheers to a happy, healthy and social media-inspired New Year!

Brooke M. Fornalczyk

Manager of e-Marketing & Promotions, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
American Marketing Association Pittsburgh Chapter - Communications Team

Upcoming New Member Breakfast

AMA Pittsburgh welcomes you to join your fellow marketers and the American Marketing Association Pittsburgh Chapter Board at our Fall Orientation.

Who Should Attend:

• New Members interested in learning more about the benefits and uses of their AMA membership.
• Current Members looking to become more active in their membership
• Non-Members looking to find out what the AMA is all about.

Details
Date: November 4, 2009
Time: 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Location: BNY Mellon Client Service Center, 500 Ross Street, Visitor’s Center, Second Floor, Room 214

Click here for more information and to RSVP!

Trend Spotting and Setting Summit

Join the AMA Pittsburgh for the Trend Spotting and Setting Summit on October 8 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Follow the evolution of marketing trends: how trends get started, the psychology behind why people follow trends, its impact on market research and what trends are on the horizon. A complimentary edition of the book, "2011: Trendspotting for the Next Decade" by Richard Laermer, will be provided to every attendee including a book signing opportunity.

Speakers
Richard Laermer, CEO, RLM Public Relations
As CEO of RLM, Laermer's client list includes Obopay, HotChalk, FlypMedia, Reed Business CEO Tad Smith, Scitable, Epic Advertising and Yodlee. Following "2011: Trendspotting for the Next Decade", Laermer released the recessionary paperback "Punk Marketing" from HarperCollins and also co-hosted TLC's business makeover show Taking Care of Business.

Yvonne Campos, CEO, Campos Inc.
Yvonne is an active member of the Pittsburgh business community and has been recognized locally, regionally and nationally for her entrepreneurial spirit and community involvement. She has led her company to become the premier research company in this market by introducing new and innovative research techniques and unparalleled customer service.

Lindsay Zaltman, Managing Director, Olson Zaltman Associates
Lindsay is co-author of the book "Marketing Metaphoria" by the Harvard Business Press. He has been published or cited in numerous publications including The Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Fast Company Magazine and The Journal of Business Research. He has lectured extensively at various companies and conferences around the globe.

Dee Schlotter, Brand Manager, Color, Pittsburgh Paints
Dee brings more than 6 years of color marketing experience and 12 years of paint experience to The Voice of Color program. Dee also launched the Pure Performance line of environmental paints. She continues to work closely with the Rachel Carson Homestead foundation and Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater that require environmentally-sound paints and authentic color palettes.

Event Details
What: Trend Spotting and Setting Summit
When: October 8, 2009, 7:30AM - 11:30 AM
Where: DoubleTree Hotel, Downtown Pittsburgh

Please join us for this don't-miss event! Click here for details and to register.

Big League Marketing

Join Lou DePaoli CMO of the Pittsburgh Pirates for "Big League Marketing in Challenging Times". It is the AMA Pittsburgh luncheon event for May at the Doubletree on May7th.

WHEN
Thursday, May 7, 2009 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

WHERE
DoubleTree Hotel
One Bigelow Square
Pittsburgh, PA

About Lou DePaoli
Lou DePaoli joined the Pirates as their Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer on 9/26/08. In his position, he oversees the club’s marketing, ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, and communications efforts for the Pirates.

DePaoli previously worked for the Atlanta Spirit organization, where he held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association, Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League, and Phillips Arena. In this position he was responsible for all marketing, ticket sales, corporate sponsorship sales, communications, and community development efforts for the organization.

Prior to joining the Atlanta Spirit in May of 2005, DePaoli was the National Basketball Association’s Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Development in the NBA’s Team Marketing and Business Operations department. There, Lou worked with the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association and National Basketball Development League senior management on all business initiatives, including ticket sales, sponsor sales and service, marketing, advertising and promotions. DePaoli, who started in the NBA League Office in December of 2000, worked closely with the NBA clubs to improve their business operations and to implement the industry’s best practices.

DePaoli also worked for the Florida Marlins from 1996 to 2000, serving first as the Director of Ticket Sales and then as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the club. With the Marlins, DePaoli’s duties included overseeing ticket sales, sponsorship sales, marketing and customer service. During tenure with the Marlins, the club won a World Series title in 1997. While with the Marlins, DePaoli was also the subject of the Sports Illustrated article "Fishing For Marlins Fans” written by acclaimed columnist Rick Reilly in the March 9, 1998 issue.

Prior to joining the Marlins in 1996, DePaoli was Vice President of Sales for the Worcester IceCats Hockey Club of the American Hockey League (AHL) from the inaugural 1994-95 season through the beginning of the 1996-97 season.

Graduate of the University of Massachusetts where he earned his BA in Management of Professional Sports Organizations.

Register for this event here.

Career Expo Event

The AMA Pittsburgh Job Hunting Support Group was notified about a career expo event being held next week:

Showcase Career Expo 11:00am to 3:00pm Tuesday, May 12 Mall at Robinson

ThePittsburghJobBoard.com has hundreds of Pittsburgh area jobs – at companies hiring now! Post your resume in minutes so employers can find you. On May 12th you will have the opportunity o interview with Pittsburgh’s best companies at Showcase Career Expos – http://www.thepittsburghjobboard.com/

The group meets once a month to share ideas and assist others in finding jobs. You do not have to be an AMA member to attend. This space will keep you up to date on upcoming group events.

Two Upcoming Networking Events

AMA Pittsburgh will hold its monthly happy hour for April on Thurs. 30th (Just got it in this month). This month's Happy Hour will be held at Eleven in the Strip (1150 Smallman St.) Come network with fellow marketing professionals from 5:30 -7:30PM and enjoy appetizers courtesy of AMA Pittsburgh. Cash Bar. This event is free so there is no need to register.

PRSA Pittsburgh's Speed Networking Bailout Event

Only $5 (at the door) with complimentary appetizers and cash bar. PRSA Pittsburgh wants to bail you out! Please join us for a speed networking event where we'll be taking out the step of approaching others with quick, organized sessions where you will be paired with others to network. Who knows who you'll meet and what opportunities lay ahead? Don't forget your business cards and have your "elevator speech" ready!RSVP by sending your name, organization/school and how many people will be attending by Wednesday, May 6 to Connie George at cgeorge@pittsburghzoo.org

Check the AMA Pittsburgh website for more upcoming events, including "Big League Marketing in Challenging Times" on May 7th.