Some ideas on how to use mobile advertising wisely.

Every year is promised to be the breakthrough of mobile marketing. And every year mobile marketers eventually go on a spam spree. They are convinced that mobile advertising is some kind of the-next-big-one-and-only-thing and they are trying to convince advertisers and publishers in that as well. Advertisers and publishers just shrug their shoulders and go for TV and other media instead.

Perhaps mobile advertising is great (it is really great, actually) but you need to serve it in a right way. Maybe mobile marketers shouldn’t consider it as the best and the only method of advertising? Internet didn’t kill TV and outdoor ads in the end, it just became an essential part of any marketing campaign. So why wouldn’t you consider mobile advertising in the same way?

Mobile phone is an exciting tool for advertisers when it is used to connect all sorts of media. Maybe it should be regarded as a kind of remote control for consumers? They see an offer on the billboard, dial a number if they are interested in the offer, and get a discount coupon. Same goes for TV, radio and magazines ads. The point here is that consumers use mobile phone to choose offers they are interested in. Perhaps mobile marketers should make it clear to consumers that the service number they dial to get an offer or discount is something as common as a telephone number or a web address they see in the ads. This way consumers will consider mobile phone as something they can benefit from. Again, flooding them with tons of spam when they dial the service number might be not the best idea. But sending them an offer they saw in an advertisement might be good enough to make them trust you. It is a win-win situation for both parties because once consumers are interested, they will dial your service number, get what they want, and be loyal to you. You will open a marketing channel without being officious.

Anyway, these are just some thoughts for mobile marketers to think over. One thing for sure – being intrusive with customers may destroy reputation of this new thrilling and promising way of reaching a consumer as is mobile marketing.