Mobile Marketing 101 for Businesses Report

Mobile Marketing 101 for Local Businesses

By: Iowa Mobile Marketinghttp://www.IowaMobileMarketing.com

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http://www.IowaMobileMarketing.com/


Thank you for picking up our “Mobile Websites 101 for Local Businesses” Report! In this report, you will learn some helpful information about Mobile Marketing and how it can help you generate more customers, sales, and profits to your local business.

What is a Mobile Website?

The whole world is evidently undergoing significant changes especially in the world of modern technology. A lot of improvements can be seen in communication with major telecommunication companies enhancing their services to make life and business easier for their customers.

Mobile phones are now a big part of most people’s lives and have become a “must-have” for just about everyone; especially now that these phones are becoming smarter every day. Mobile phones are now not only used to call and receive messages, they are also use to access the internet and perform a whole lot of other amazing tasks.

With this is mind, mobile-friendly websites are websites that are designed to make it possible for mobile users to access your website without problems. The reason behind the design of mobile websites is the fact that mobile phones are quite slow when it comes to processing power. They also have smaller screens than desktop computers, so mobile-friendly websites are built specifically for viewing on mobile devices.

If you have ever tried accessing any website that is not mobile-friendly using your mobile phone, then you understand the difficult time people have accessing yours. First, the website might take ages to load a single page and when it does, you will still have a rough time navigating through the pages. Depending on the content, you will be required to zoom in and out multiple times in order to view the content clearly.

We live in a fast world where everybody is in a race with time and will not spend any extra time waiting for a certain website to load. This is why software developers came up with the mobile websites which are easy to access as well as navigate using mobile phones.

If a mobile website in out of reach for your local business, you can start by creating a mobile landing page. This way, at least you will have at least one web property that will come up for your mobile audience without any problems.

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A mobile landing page is not much different from a mobile website; the main difference is that instead of making your entire website mobile-friendly, you can create specific web pages that can be easily accessed via mobile phones.

The aim of having a mobile friendly-website or a mobile landing page is allowing the many mobile phone users to access your company without difficulty and get the information they are in search of. Make it easy for people to find you using the gadgets they are so addicted to; mobile phones.

How Mobile Websites Increase Profits

More and more people are increasingly using mobile phones to access the internet. The numbers are growing explosively which is why all businesses should have a mobile-friendly website. The essence of having a website is to attract more customers and consequently increase profits.

This means that any business should use strategies that will ensure their website is visible to everyone regardless of the means used to access the internet. Mobile phones are improving and becoming more useful every day. These small, but smart devices have made internet browsing a smooth sail for many people.

Statistics

The following mobile websites statistics confirm exactly why your website must be mobile-friendly:

- By the year 2014, it is expected that more people will access the internet using mobile phones rather than using computers

- 71% of mobile users expect that a website will load as fast on their phones as it does on their PCs

- 57% of mobile users will not recommend any business that has a mobile unfriendly website

- 40% of mobile users will move to competitor websites if they have a slight problem accessing a website

- 95% of mobile users will search for local businesses using their devices and 61% of these will call the business they find

Benefits of Mobile Websites

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Increased Readability

Most smartphones can actually display all websites available online. The main problem is that normal websites have high resolutions that make it impossible to read website content on mobile phone screens. With a mobile website, all your targeted traffic will easily read the content on your website without multiple zooms.

Ease-of-Use Features

Mobile websites provide business people with features that assist them in taking part in business deals on the go. Some of these features allow users “tap-to-call” businesses; making them extremely accessible to their mobile market.

More Traffic, More Profits

With a mobile website, a business is certain to get more traffic. With more traffic comes more sales and consequently increased profits. Statistics show that more people will be using mobile phones, as opposed to using computers, to access websites in the near future.

So it is important that businesses make the necessary arrangements to allow their customers and prospects to easily access their websites on their mobile devices. Above all, mobile websites are more affordable and easier to maintain than traditional websites.

Mobile Website Tips for Ultimate Exposure

Times are changing, and so is digital technology and all of its elements. Mobile phones are the new device of choice when it comes to accessing the internet; and this calls for a mobile-friendly website if you are a business who wants more local visibility.

Below are important tips to keep in mind when creating a mobile website for your business:

Simplicity in the Layout: Mobile phones have rather small screens and most users are in search of quick information to save time. This means that the layout should be simple and the content should be readable, presentable and accessible via minimal clicks.

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Minimized Load Time: Though you will have little control over the internet speed, it is important that you minimize the load time of your mobile website.

Reduce Graphics: The essence of having a mobile website is to make it more accessible - not more difficult for mobile phone users. Most people accessing the internet using their mobile phones are simply looking for information and this is exactly what you should give them. The more graphics your mobile website will have the longer the load time will be.

Finger Clickable Elements: Most people are now using touchscreen mobile phones to access the internet and in most cases the light pen is absent. To increase the number of people accessing your site, make items clickable using fingers.

Use a Good Theme: Your mobile website design should be inviting with a simple layout and friendly colors. Put white spaces between your content items to prevent a confusing and jumbled look. It is advisable to have a white background and use black fonts. Anything different might cause readability issues.

Put the Important Content at the Top: Mobile phone users access the internet to get information quickly and will want to know what you have to offer by just looking at a few sentences at the top. This means that you should do your best to place important content that your visitors will be looking for when they visit your website. This includes your phone number, address, a description of your product or service, and more.

Add Great Content: You will be working against space so it is important that you maximize what you have. Mobile phone users do not have the time to read lengthy content so your content should be on point and as brief as possible.

Consequences of Ignoring Your Mobile Audience

Due to the onset of massive mobile usage over the past years, there is no doubt that the future of businesses includes mobile phones. There have been many advances in the communication department and mobile phone

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companies are restlessly working to provide consumers with devices that they can’t live without.

The business world is seeing some major benefits from the many improvements made in digital communication. Businesses are always looking for new ways to attract and maintain customers to keep their business running and profitable.

Mobile phones have become important gadgets in our lives, especially now that they are slowly replacing PCs when it comes to internet access. So it is crucial that all businesses have mobile websites to accommodate the many users that are increasingly using mobile phones to surf the internet.

The main reason mobile websites were introduced is to let mobile phone users access websites without difficulties.

There are many benefits to having a mobile website and not having one has its own fair share of consequences.

A large number of internet users use their mobile phones to browse the web and it’s expected to grow at extremely fast rates in the coming months and years. This means if your business’ website is not mobile-friendly, you will not enjoy as much traffic as you could. Less traffic means fewer sales. This means that your website will not achieve the results that it was created to generate.

Statistics show that most people who access the internet with their mobile phones have high expectations when trying to access a website. They will expect that all websites will load with the same speed as they do on their computers. This means if your website is not loading as fast as they expect, they will not waste any time moving on to other websites that are mobile-friendly and easy to navigate; which will most likely be your direct competitors.

Users are more likely to recommend your business if they have an easy time browsing and navigating through your website. This means your business will miss out on some of these referrals if users are continuously having problems accessing your site.

Mobile Website FAQs

What is a Mobile Website?

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A mobile website is a website designed to make website access and navigation using mobile phone devices easier.

Why Do I Need a Mobile Website?

The normal websites that you access using your PC are large and have a lot of items that make it difficult for mobile phones to load them. With projections stating that there will possibly be 4.5 billion mobile phone users surfing the internet with their devices, it is only important that you make your website mobile-friendly to enjoy high traffic. You therefore need a mobile website to let your customers find you easily.

What is the Difference Between Mobile and PC sites?

The main difference is that most PC sites do not work well on mobile phones. They take too long to load and the navigation is pathetic. Mobile sites on the other hand, give users a great experience because they are designed for small screens and are made with touch and keypad features in mind. These sites give users the ability to access important information on the go.

Will the Mobile Website Replace My PC Site?

No, your mobile website will simply enhance your online presence by giving your targeted visitors a quick and easy way to connect with your business from their mobile devices. Your PC website is there to let your visitors know all the details revolving around your business, while the mobile website will provide your mobile audience with what they need to know while on the go. Both sites will be complimentary to each other and work towards ensuring your customers get a great experience while accessing your site regardless of their device choice. It is possible to have the mobile website only as it will work well on both PC and mobile phones.

Will My Mobile Website Increase My Site’s Visibility on Search Engines?

Yes, if your mobile website has been created using the best practices according to search engines, then it will definitely improve your ranking in mobile search engines. This can be enhanced through the incorporation of keywords and linking to social media sites.

What are the Benefits of Mobile Websites?

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With projections showing that more people will be accessing the internet using mobile phones, it is clear that all businesses need mobile websites. Without a mobile-friendly websites, you will lose most of your customers to your competitors. If people can access your websites quickly and easily, you will naturally experience an increase in traffic, referrals, and sales.

This concludes our 5-Day “Mobile Websites 101” E-Course. I hope you have found this information useful and are starting to see how a mobile-friendly website can enhance your business by allowing you to connect with more local consumers.

What is Text Message Marketing?

“Text message marketing” refers to marketing strategies revolving around short message services, commonly referred to as SMS. It is also a very powerful strategy known to link organizations and businesses directly with their customers around the clock. A lot of people are now proud owners of mobile phones and keep their devices close to them at all times. This means that businesses can take advantage of this fact and communicate continuously with their clients.

Mobile phones have features that allow users to send bulk messages to different recipients. Mobile phones are an important part of our lives and sending and reading text messages is an addiction to most people.

Businesses have positively embraced the use of text messages in their marketing strategies and you should not be left behind. This marketing tool involves collecting your customers’ mobile phone numbers and making a list that you will be using when sending your message to target audiences.

The reason why text message marketing is becoming popular is the affordability and ease of use. All you need is a recipient list and your message will be sent to multiple recipients with a push of a button.

Text messages have different features that make marketing a whole different and effective strategy:

Bounce Ad

This is an automatic responder that will send a message when requested by a user. Businesses have to create pre-set messages that will be sent to mobile phone users when demanded.

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Broadcast Feature

This is a service that enables businesses to send an unlimited amount of text messages to as many subscribers as possible. This can be easily done via a desktop or laptop.

Time Release Text

This feature allows business to create broadcast campaigns that will be used in future. The business can select dates during which their messages will be sent to their subscribers. The feature allows businesses to save multiple campaigns therefore making work easier.

Multi-Media Messaging (MMS)

This enables businesses to include customer images or coupons in text messages. This feature is effective especially when you want to promote a new item or when you want to attract more customers by offering coupons through text message marketing.

Text message marketing is simply the most affordable way to create product awareness and promote small businesses. The fuel behind the success of this marketing tool is the fact that more and more people are using mobile phones to communicate along with the fact that text message marketing is extremely cost-effective.

How Text Message Marketing Can Increase Profits

In order for businesses to succeed, there is a great need for an effective marketing strategy. Mobile phones have become a permanent attachment to most people, so they have also proven to be excellent marketing devices in the business world.

People always carry their mobile phones with them everywhere they go; making these small gadgets the new-age mini billboards. Text message marketing is an effective tool with a boatload of benefits.

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Prior to looking at the benefits, it is important to first look at statistics that will show you how important text marketing is if you want to increase your profits:

Text Message Marketing Statistics:

- More than 30% of mobile phone users will rather send an SMS than call- About 50% of mobile phone users receive text messages from

businesses with offers- 70% of users say location based coupons are useful- 98% of text messages will be read within a few minutes of being

received- 30% of mobile phone users interact with brands using text messages- Mobile phone based coupons are 10 times more likely to be redeemed

as compared to traditional coupons- Over 90% of text messages sent will be received and read

These numbers just give a picture of how effective text message marketing can be for any business interested in boosting their profits.

Benefits of Text Message Marketing

According to the above statistics, text message marketing will significantly increase the number of customers to your business. Statistics show that text message marketing has the ability to increase customers by 25%. This means that your business will also enjoy an increase in profits.

Running the text message marketing campaign is quite easy. All you need is the list of mobile numbers and this can be obtained by requesting existing and potential customers to subscribe to your list willingly. If the messages you are sending to your recipients are useful to them, they will not hesitate to recommend your business to their friends and friends – causing a viral marketing effect.

Let’s say you’re having a slow day. You can send out a quick text message to your list with a coupon offer for 20% off. Let’s say just 20% of 100 people respond to your message – that’s an additional 20 sales to your business.

People appreciate when a business informs them about things they are interested in. If your customers are kept up to date on the products,

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services, and special offers you have, they will reward this gesture with loyalty. You will enjoy increased profits because your recipients will always be your customers as long as they remain subscribed to the service.

Using Mobile Coupons to Increase Foot Traffic

Mobile marketing is undisputedly effective and affordable. It is the new way businesses can connect with their clients and improve their traffic considerably. If you want to include mobile marketing in your marketing strategies, mobile coupon marketing is a great point to start.

A mobile coupon is not that different from the conventional coupons we are all used to. The only difference is that instead of being in paper form, it is sent to customers through their mobile phones.

As you probably know, a coupon is a discount given to customers. It involves redeemable offers and is usually setup as a free product with the purchase of two or a percent discount.

There are studies that show a possible increase in the use of mobile coupons in the near future; therefore, all businesses should venture into this blooming marketing strategy.

Florists can use mobile coupons to remind their customers that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so it’s time to pick up their roses – and offer them a 20% repeat-customer discount.

Auto oil change shops can use mobile coupons to remind their customers that it’s time to change their oil – along with a 15% off coupon.

Depending on the type of business, mobile coupons are one of the most profitable and cost-effective forms of marketing to exist today.

Statistics show that mobile coupons are much more likely to be redeemed than traditional coupons. This is because your customers will always have their phones with them every time they visit your store. More people are now interested in signing up for text message marketing and coupons are a plus in efforts to increase traffic to any particular business.

Another huge plus is that the mobile coupon will have a website address which users can share with their friends and at the end of the day, your site will have more visitors who will gradually transform to customers.

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First, you should identify the target group of people you want to attract to your business. This should be followed by campaigns that will get them to sign up for text message marketing service that you will use to communicate. As a business, all you need is a list of recipients and you are good to go. You can use MMS to send coupons to your customers and encourage them to visit your business.

Mobile coupons are quite effective in increasing traffic because unlike the traditional coupons, they are in a gadget that people carry will all the time. A lot of people find it easy to collect traditional coupons but rather difficult to redeem them because they forget them at home. When the coupon is in their phone, everything is easier and your business will enjoy increased foot traffic.

Text Message Marketing Tips

Text messages are very important and not just to our personal lives, but also to our business ventures. More and more people are using mobile phones for different tasks apart from communication. Texting is currently the most utilize mobile phone service and businesses are taking advantage of this cheap yet effective tool to market and promote their services and products.

Below are some important tips that you should keep in mind when dealing with a text message marketing campaign.

- Know Your Clients: Text message marketing is no different from traditional marketing when it comes to knowing your customers. You will have to understand your target audience and important information about them. This will assist a great deal when creating a message that will not only get them interested, but one that will lead them to taking the necessary action.

- Keep it Short and Straight to the Point: Text message can be likened to writing a message on a small note pad. Space is not on your side so you should make everything brief and straight to the point. It is advisable to use shorthand to maximize on space but make sure people understand what you mean.

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- Make all the Offers Special: People will not give you their phone numbers easily; you will have to go an extra mile to make them want to give you their numbers. This can be in the form of special offers and irresistible promotions. If your budget is limited, special discounts will do the trick.

- Messages with Value: Desist from sending any message without value to your customers. Provide messages that are useful to your recipients and ensure they contain interesting deals.

- Be Respectful: Provide your customers with an easy opt-out option so that they are able to leave your list when they want. This will show them that you respect their privacy and they will only want to be associated with you more.

- Business Name: As you market your services and products do not forget that you are also popularizing your brand. You should incorporate your business name in the message to remind people that you exist. Make sure the business name is at the beginning of your message to ensure that your customers know the sender before they read the entire text.

- Call to Action: The message you send should be aimed towards calling people to do something and it should be effective enough to make your recipient want to do something.

Text Message Marketing FAQs

What is Text Message Marketing?

This is a marketing strategy involving the use of text message services to link businesses and their customers.

What Does a “Keyword” Mean?

A keyword refers to the specific word you choose to use as your campaign’s main name. It can be the name of your business or you can choose a word that is relative to your campaign.

What Does “Opt-in” and “Opt-out” Mean?

Opt-in simply means subscribing to your text message marketing campaign and opt-out means unsubscribing from the campaign.

How Will the Text Message Campaign Work?

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It is simple; you will first be required to promote your campaign. This can be through any advertising channel such as radio, TV or the print media. The main aim is to create awareness and get as much people as possible to opt-in to your list. You will have to create great offers that will entice your target audience for the best results. But once they’re on your list, you can send them offers through text message from time to time.

What Should I Do About Spam Complaints?

You shouldn’t worry about this too much in the beginning. The moment an individual opts-in, they are saying that they are comfortable with receiving text messages from you. This, however, does not mean that you have the freedom to bombard your recipients with multiple messages within a day. You should only send important messages with content that is highly useful to your customers from time to time.

What is the Message Limit in a Day?

There is no clear limit to the amount of messages you should send in a day but it is ethical to keep them on the low side. This means that you will only send messages that have special offers and promotions or something that is valuable to your recipients. Sending multiple messages that are valueless to your customers will only lead to them unsubscribing.

I Have an Email Newsletter; Do I Still Need Text Message Marketing?

Yes, look at it this way; how many unread emails do you have in your inbox right now? Probably many. Most people read all of the text messages they receive, so it is best to send text messages in addition to emails for the absolute best responsiveness.

How Will My Business Benefit from Text Message Marketing?

Text message marketing is basically the cheapest, yet most effective forms of marketing available for growing businesses today. Your business will benefit majorly by being in direct communication with your customers; nothing is more powerful than this in terms of marketing and visibility.

What is a QR Code?

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QR (Quick Response) codes are 2-D bar codes created by digital dots that are similar to the UPC codes you see on most products in markets around the world. However, when scanned, they will not give you price information. Instead, they will give you access to the embedded digital media.

The information can be in form of contact details, special offers, coupons, mobile websites, online videos and many more. With QR codes, people now do not have to remember contact information or important URLs; all they need is a smartphone with a camera in order to receive the information instantly.

Quick response codes are commonly seen on magazines, newspapers, print advertisements, television, websites, and billboards. They are basically black and white squares and come in different formations. They are designed to take information from transitory media into your mobile phone.

They look like small crosswords and might appear useless by just looking at them. They, however, carry important information and can easily be scanned using mobile phones instead of a cumbersome scanner such as the one used to decode standard barcodes.

The good thing about QR codes is that they can be placed on a wide range of items. They can be printed on T-shirts, business cards, products, menus, store signs, billboards and any place where it will be easy for the public to see. With imagination and creativity, QR codes can open new doors to success for businesses. It is an infant strategy in marketing but with a bright future especially now that everything is revolving around mobile phones and associated technology.

QR codes are gaining massive popularity because of their different uses. Using a mobile phone camera and the necessary application, users will be lead to the destination you embedded in the code.

If you want to have different information embedded on the QR codes, it is not a must that you get new codes. You can simply use existing ones and change the destination. When people scan your codes, they will be taken to the latest destination you setup.

Or you can simply use multiple QR codes for different purposes that lead to different destinations. No matter how simple, or weird they look, QR codes are becoming more popular by the day and soon will be a part of us just like mobile phones are.

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How QR Codes Can Increase Profits

While most people are still trying to figure out what QR (quick response) codes are, some businesses are enjoying increased sales thanks to these black and white squares. Prior to looking at the benefits and statistics of QR codes usage, it is important to understand what they are.

Originally created in Japan, Quick Response codes are 2-dimensional barcodes that are used to store important information and when scanned using mobile phones, they lead the user to the embedded information.

Statistics

- A large portion of the people scanning QR codes are between 18 and 35 years

- 5 out of 10 people have seen or know what QR codes are- 30% of mobile users have scanned QR codes- 87% of people who scan Quick Response codes do it to get more

information on products and services- The largest number of scans comes from newspaper and magazines- Businesses across all industries are using QR codes to market their

products and services

These statistics are strong indications that QR codes are becoming more popular every day.

Benefits of QR Codes

Saving on Printing Cost

The cost of printing is always rising due to different factors in the market. Small businesses have to spend extra money when advertising their businesses and this affects their income. With QR codes, this amount is minimized as the codes are not as expensive as printing any other information on magazines, newspapers or billboards. All you need is to embed the information you want your audience to go and put them wherever you like.

Customer Excitement and Instant Gratification

People are always curious and will want to know what information is embedded in your QR code. This will lead to multiple scans and if what is

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behind the black and white squares is of good value, you will eventually see an increase in sales as a result. Consumers also crave instant access to information these days and QR codes are a great way to fill that need. Instead of having to wait until they get in front of a computer, consumers can be directed to your QR code destinations immediately upon scanning them with their mobile phones.

Save Time

Just like the name suggests QR codes stand for fast response. Your target audience will not have to look for information anywhere else. When they scan the codes, their mobile phones will decode the embedded information and take them where you want them to go. People want fast action and this is one way to give it to them.

Ways to Use QR Codes in Your Business

If utilized properly, QR codes are very powerful for marketing products and services. You can easily drive more traffic to your website and transform your visitors to customers using these codes. The good thing about QR codes is that they allow you to embed any information you would want to pass to your audience including contact info, promotions, mobile website links, website address, and much more.

Below are a number of ways you can use QR codes to benefit your business:

- Business Cards: This is a great way to use QR codes since you’re already giving out your business cards. To maximize on the small space, only include important information on the business card then have the QR codes printed with embedded information linking to social media sites, your mobile website or with important business information you would like to share with your clients.

- Product Labels: By including QR codes on product labels, customers will want to scan the codes and get more information on the product or simply find out additional information about your business and what else you have to offer.

- Displays on Storefronts: Since most businesses are not open around the clock, you can still make sales online by including QR codes linking to an online store. The codes can be placed on the front window of your establishment where people can easily see and scan them.

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- T-shirts: T-shirts have been used for promotion purposes for a long time and are still effective. You can have your QR codes printed on a number of T-shirts and give them away or sell them at a low price. Your customers will do the marketing for you by simply wearing the T-shirts. If you have the ability, get interns and have them wear them on a special event.

- Be Creative: When the QR codes are being designed, have your logo or business name incorporated to make it look funky and interesting. You can even add a little color. When you do this, make sure the codes are tested thoroughly before having them printed in bulk only to be useless.

- Get Social Follows and Likes: It is quite easy to get more likes on Facebook and more followers on Twitter by embedding the necessary information on your QR codes. The more likes and followers you have the better the chances of converting all these to sales.

Consequences of Not Using QR Codes

QR codes (quick response codes) are the black and white squares that look like mini crosswords that have started to pop up everywhere. They are on newspapers, magazines, T-shirts, business cards, brochures, billboards and a whole lot of other places.

Well, most people have not yet grasped the concept behind these 2-dimensional codes. They are similar to the barcodes that you see on most products, the ones the cashier uses to price the product at the counter using a scanner. They are similar in the fact that both store information but QR codes can store much more information than just the name and price of a product.

There are several consequences of not using QR codes in your business if you are in a competitive industry. People today crave “information” so as a business, you should be aware of methods that will provide ample information on your products and services while keeping the expenses low.

QR codes can be termed as “infant” in the world of business marketing but have a number of benefits that can be quite useful to any business. Not using QR codes in this technology-driven world could cause your business to fall short of its full potential.

One major consequence your business will face for not using QR codes is increased spending on marketing. If you are not using QR codes, it means

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you are using conventional methods to create product and service awareness. These methods are expensive and will only stretch your budget to the extremes. QR codes, on the other hand, are easy to create and do not need expensive maintenance. Therefore, they are a cheap yet effective way to market a business.

It will be unfortunate for your business if you are not using QR codes and your competitors are. They will be reaching customers in places you cannot touch; giving them a substantial edge over you. The main goal of any business is being an industry leader and beating competitors in attracting customers.

Without proper marketing strategies such as QR codes, it is easy to lose your customers and business to your direct competitors.

QR Codes FAQs

What are QR Codes?

QR (quick response) codes are barcodes that can be read by smartphones to reveal information embedded in them such as links to websites without manually typing the URL. They act as a bridge that exists between the real and the digital world and allow customers to access more information on your business.

How Can QR Codes Help My Business?

QR codes have the potential to create a unique experience that will bring about the buzz needed in effectively marketing a business. The codes will save time for smartphone users and are convenient when it comes to giving information on products and services. It is interesting to get content from just scanning black and white squares so more and more people will want to know what is behind your quick response codes.

How Do QR Codes Work?

When a person identifies QR codes they are interested in, they will use an application on their smart phone to scan the codes. Some of the modern smartphones come with these applications already installed so it is an easy task. The application will then take them to the embedded information such as a mobile website or a link to a promotion or different offers.

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How Much Will it Cost Me?

Amazingly enough, most of the processes involved a free. Unless you are interested in custom work or decide to work with an experienced professional, you will pretty much not pay for anything. The only spending will be on printing the QR codes on magazines, newspapers, T-shirts and what have you.

Can I Customize QR Codes?

Absolutely! It is possible to include a brand logo, change colors and a lot of other custom factors. You can use Photoshop to do this and with the 30% error correction, there is room for a lot of customization.

What Can be Included in QR Codes?

QR codes are known to support not less than 9 types of data. These include events, phone numbers, location, plain text, URL links, contact info, email address, SMS, and wi-Fi network key. It is up to you to choose which type of data will best market your business and create a buzz that will lead to more people scanning your QR codes.

What Are the Benefits of QR Codes?

QR codes are effective especially because people will always want to know what you have for them behind the codes. They fulfill that “instant gratification” need that most consumers today have. QR codes are also inexpensive to create and maintain - making them a great marketing tool.

What is a Mobile App?

Mobile Applications (better known as “Mobile Apps”) are causing a major buzz in the mobile phone world. Mobile software developers are continuously creating software aimed at making the lives of mobile phone users more interesting and convenient. In addition, mobile phone users are constantly searching for mobile apps that are fun, engaging, and helpful.

Mobile apps instantly connect mobile users to Internet services that are usually accessed on desktop computer. These apps enable smartphone users to carry out different tasks on their mobile devices without a lot of hassle.

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Some examples of mobile apps would be a mobile website bookmarking device, a mobile-based instant messaging system, instant access to coupons, and more.

The first mobile app was created by apple for their users but with time, software developers ventured into all types of smartphones; making apps easily accessible to the whole world.

Basically, mobile apps are simple software that run on mobile phones without any problem and assist users in different functions. Due to the low processing power of mobile devices when compared to PCs, these apps are created to be completely compatible with mobile phones to avoid any technical glitches.

Most people use mobile apps without even knowing it. For instance, if you have a smartphone and you use a mobile phone browser, then you are using a mobile app. Some mobile apps are pre-installed on smartphones, such as compasses, calculators, calendars, clocks, and many others.

These are some of the more simple mobile apps, but there more complicated ones that can perform quite a range of amazing tasks. It is believed that there is an application for almost everything in life. From the first application, the world of mobile apps has evolved extremely fast to what we have today.

People are addicted to mobile phones and apps play a major role in this. For this reason, businesses are quickly changing their marketing strategies and creating space for mobile apps in their marketing campaigns. There are mobile apps that have already made a name for themselves, such as social media sites. But this does not mean that you cannot create one for your business and get desired results.

With the number of mobile phone users increasing and communication companies designing smarter phones every day, one of the best ways to reach out to people is through mobile phones; applications to be precise. Mobile apps are an important part of the future for any business. Therefore, it is crucial that you evaluate your business to see how mobile apps can help you increase customers, sales, and profits.

How Mobile Apps Can Increase Sales

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The most important part of any business is effective marketing. Business owners are determined to create brand awareness and let as many people as possible know that his or her business exists.

With the availability of affordable smartphones and millions of amazing mobile applications, everyone literally has their eyes glued to these gadgets. For business owners, this is a great opportunity to effectively and affordably market their businesses. If you want to increase sales, you should know what mobile apps are and their benefits to your business.

The main aim of having mobile apps is ease and simplicity. Give this to your customers, and watch your business flourish. If your customers realize that they can easily find you without having to go through countless hoops on their mobile phones, your business will always be on their radar.

A mobile app allows your business to be available right at their fingertips, which will bring your business closer to your customers. With just a simple click, they can get what they want from you. When your customers can give you a call or visit your website with a quick press of a button, they will become happy campers.

Mobile apps allow your customers to instantly access your business via their mobile devices without much hassle and this will work positively towards increasing your sales. People like being connected to businesses and if you can provide that much-needed connection, you will be rewarded with loyalty from your customers.

Mobile apps also include text messages, which are very effective. Only approximately 20% of emails you send to your customers will be read while 98% of text messages you send will be received and read. This means that by using text message mobile apps, you can grow your business by generating repeat sales over a short period of time.

In addition, if you include a promotion on the app download, chances are that anyone who downloads the application will actually visit your physical store for the discount of offer. They will have a chance to see what else you have for them and might buy something else.

If you have a lot of interesting items and your application is cool, then they will recommend your business and in no time, your sales will be up and so will your profits. If you have a small business, do not be afraid of venturing into mobile applications; they can open many new doors for success.

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Mobile App Tips for Your Business

Mobile apps are great tools that not only make life interesting and convenient for smartphone users, but they also make tasks much easier to perform on mobile devices.

This means that mobile phone users are always on the lookout for new and exciting apps that will add a spark to their lives. With this in mind, it is important that you, as a business owner, do everything you can to provide your customers with an application that is not only irresistible, but one that will enhance the communication between you and your prospects.

The following are some ideas you can incorporate in your mobile application to ensure that it achieves your set goals.

Create an Interesting Icon: Most people will click on an icon that looks cool regardless of the contents. To get more people clicking and downloading your application, you should ensure that the icon is one that invites people. You can have a fancy company logo or anything that will look attractive to your target audience.

Make Sure Your Application Fits Your Business: Since you are interested in creating a communication channel between you and your customers, you should ensure that your mobile app is useful to them. Otherwise, it could be a complete waste. Consult an experienced mobile app developer with a creative mind and you will have an application that will be envied by your competitors and a “must-have” for your customers.

Use Promotions: Mobile applications must be downloaded and to get people to download them, you need to come up with an effective campaign. People are attracted to offer and promotions and thus you should use this to your advantage. Have a promotion campaign running for every download and you will be surprised by the number of people who will download your app. This will also ensure that they visit your physical store to redeem the offers, which will lead to more sales.

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Produce “Quality” Over “Quantity”: When the app is being created, make sure that the customer gets valuable information only and not a lot of content. Most people will be interested in brief details that are straight to the point rather than lengthy contents.

Make Your App Irresistible to Your Target Audience: The main reason why you are creating a business app is to give your customers a quick, easy, and valuable way to interact with your business. If you want more and more people to download and use your mobile app, you have to make sure that it meets all of those standards.

Consequences of Not Using Mobile Apps

Initially developed by Apple for their iPhone users, mobile apps have since spread to other smartphones and have evolved to more complex versions that are both interesting and amazing. Mobile applications are a great tool for business people to use in their marketing strategy.

Mobile apps create an instant connection between businesses and their customers, so not using them could have a negative impact on your business.

The driving force behind mobile application is to make life simple and easy for mobile phone users – including your customers. This means that with a business mobile app, a user can easily access and contact your business. Without mobile applications, it means that life for the user in relation to your business will be more difficult.

This is because they will have to go through different processes to find or contact you; such as search the web for your information. This could be a pain – especially if your business is not optimized for mobile visibility and is not mobile-friendly.

Ignoring business apps in your marketing strategy is not a wise move especially now that more and more people are using smartphones. These people want everything to be fast and easy and if you do not give them that through mobile apps, your business has a potential profit leak.

Mobile apps can give your business an edge over your competitors who are not taking advantage of mobile marketing. On the other hand, if you are not using mobile apps in your business, your closest competitor may be

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snatching some of your customers and enjoying the advantages of this effective tool.

The ultimate price you can pay for not having a mobile app for your business is not reaching more potential customers and not being close to your existing customers.

Marketing is crucial in any business and so is the communication between a business and its customers. With this in mind, you should not suffer all the consequences that come with the absence of a business mobile app. Mobile technology is moving extremely fast and your business must move just as fast in order to stay in front of your local customers and prospects.

Mobile Apps FAQs

What is a Mobile App?

Mobile applications are software developed for use on smartphones. Some of the common applications include clocks, compass, calculator, browsers, downloaders, among many others. However, there is a wide-range of mobile apps on the market today. The first mobile application was created by Apple for their iPhone but software developers came up with many others that can be used on different brands of smartphones.

What are Mobile Apps for?

Mobile apps are created to assist mobile phone users in making tasks easier and injecting some fun in the use of smartphones. While some mobile apps are purely for fun purposes, some are more functional and business oriented. There are probably many different ways your customers and prospects would benefit by having a mobile app for your business.

How Will My Business Benefit from Using Mobile Apps?

A lot of people are now using smart phones and depend heavily on these gadgets for almost everything. One of the easiest ways to reach your customers who use mobile devices is to have a mobile app. This will create an instant communication channel between your business and them. Your business will benefit from fast and effective advertising as well as chance to get feedback from your customers.

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How Effective are Mobile Apps?

Considering the number of people using mobile phones on a daily basis, mobile applications are quite effective in marketing a business. If you get a lot of people to download and run your app on their mobile phones you will enjoy effective advertisements and your customers will have access to your business with a simple click.

Where Do I Get a Mobile App?

The best way to get a great mobile application for your business is to consult a qualified and experienced mobile app developer. Together, you can brainstorm about how mobile applications can benefit your business in particular. Then, you can develop a plan to have your app created.

How Do I Get People to Download My App?

It is not easy for people to just download your app without being “pushed” a little. You should offer incentives in the form of discounts and offers to get people to download your mobile app. If your app is engaging and provides value to your customers, they will start telling other people about your business app; increasing your marketing reach without any additional work on your part.

What Kind of App Should I Create?

This will depend heavily on your business and your target audience. One thing to keep in mind is that the app should be interesting, provide value to your mobile customers, and it must be extremely relevant to your business.

This concludes our Mobile Marketing 101 Report! I hope you have found this information useful and are starting to think of ways you can implement mobile apps into your business to increase profits.

If you would like more information about Mobile Marketing, or are ready to get started, contact us at http://www.IowaMobileMarketing.com for a free consultation.

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Mobile Marketing 101 for Businesses Report

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