As a brand manager or digital strategist, it is critical
that you understand how to leverage new technologies, like mobile, to engage your
customers in a manner that adds value to their relationship with your brand. IBM reports
that over 91% of consumers keep their smartphones within an arm’s reach 100% of
the time. These digital lifelines are changing the way that companies interact
with consumers; yet only 25% of companies have a mobile customer service
strategy in place. As a graduate student at Northwestern University’s Medill
IMC program, I have been studying examples of companies that have been
excelling at connecting with consumers on the go around the world. Based off of
insights from two articles on mobile marketing and digital content experiences, it
is clear that the keys to a successful mobile strategy are customer service and
brilliant content.
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| Credit: http://www.pivotguild.com |
Customer Service
There is a lot that companies can learn from
taking the time to reflect upon the success stories from online, namely those
that have dedicated themselves to customer service. The same applies to mobile.
HBR points out that Zappos developed an online shoe empire by empowering
customer service reps to do what they saw fit and by solving customers’
problems. Your company or client’s mobile strategy needs to become the Zappos
of mobile – part of an integrated approach to delivering on your brand’s
promise to consumers across channels. In a recent white paper, BSSDigital recommends you use qualitative and quantitative
research to better understand your consumers’ joys and pain points so that you
can maximize the powerful opportunities mobile technology affords. It's time to expand your
vision from using mobile as a way to convert a sale and see it as the powerful
customer aid that it is.
Content Marketing
The content of your mobile strategy is a way to
foster relationships with consumers. People thrive off of stories and
experiences and when your brand is positioned to be there at the very time of
need with the right information, you are poised to be an aide that the consumer
is ever grateful for. Remember, your content either needs to entertain consumers
or help them get something done. At the intersection of content and utility is
an understanding of how to make consumers’ lives easier. The luxury of having
the real estate for advertising and content that co-exists on a computer is not
present on mobile. BSS Digital points out that you do not need to develop an
app, certainly that is quite a lofty investment, but a better approach is to ensure
that your content is available and easily accessible to consumers on a 3.5-inch
screen. So please, ditch your mobile banner ad budget and invest the resources
into crafting content that the consumer will actually benefit from.
Where do you begin? From my analysis of the recommendations
from HBR and BSS Digital together with my studies in the Northwestern IMC program, here
are three immediate actions that you can take to help get you on the right track as you
look to develop a mobile strategy for the future:
This is non-negotiable. Ensure that your website has a responsive design or that the consumer is automatically directed to a mobile site. You cannot help customers do anything if, when they are looking for content on your site remotely, they are forced to squish, scroll or wait for something to load and get frustrated. Don’t force consumers to go to a competitor’s website for information - because 40% of them will.
2. Use location-based data
to your advantage:
IBM reports that 75% of mobile shoppers take
action after receiving a location-based message. But, the key to doing this
successfully is to ensure that the message you are sending is going to help the
consumer, if not you are just going to be an overbearing creep instantly ruining
the relationship. Geo-targeting needs to be seamlessly integrated into your
overall commitment to customer service and not be another tactic to get a sale.
3. Shift your mindset and
start solving problems:
Take off your marketer hat and actually think if
you, as a consumer, would appreciate what you are proposing. Johnson's bedtime app is a great example of a company solving problems instead of selling
products. The app helps new mothers track their baby’s sleep schedule, connect
with other sleep-deprived parents, get help from experts, and have a lullaby on
hand – all working to build interactions, engagement and loyalty for years to
come. This is a prime example of how to leverage superior content and a
customer service strategy to foster a relationship
Shifting your focus to view mobile marketing as
the powerful content delivery and customer service tool that it is will ensure
that your company or client is well on its way to crafting a mobile strategy that
helps grow your business for years to come.
Martine de Gannes is
currently pursuing her Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications at
Northwestern University's @MedillSchool. She is highly interested in mobile and shopper
marketing and when not in the classroom, you can find her at the nearest golf
course. Follow her at @martsdeg.
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