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10 Tips

Christie Tullis -- Gifts and Dec, 8/6/2011 6:03:05 AM

CHRISTI TULLIS is a retailer turned social branding expert.What is Mobile Marketing? We're not referring to "Hot Babes" mobile billboards rolling down Las Vegas Blvd. or #Dott ie the PuTTin' OuT Hummer. Though anything with wheels is a great form of mobile marketing, we're thinking of the downright cheap side of mobile.
     Envision the cellular device most of us have at our fingertips. How can you maximize your profits through it? Get inside and stay in front of your customers when they're near your location. Here's how to make it happen:
     1| Website - Be sure your site is readable through a mobile device. Better yet, have your current full site made into a mobile site. The easier your site is to view, the more page visits, which means more potential sales.
     2| Foursquare - Use the location-based check-in service to generate nearby walk-in traffic. Create a special for the Mayor of your location to encourage more check-ins. The more check-ins = the more people that know you exist.
     3| Facebook Places - Claim your place on Facebook. When people check in near your location, your business name, photo and any deal you create will automatically pop up.
     4|Facebook Deals - Similar to Foursquare and free. Take advantage of the freeness of Facebook while it lasts after you've claimed your place. Offer $20 off a $40 purchase, a loyalty program, a deal for friends or even support for a charity.
     5| Text Messaging - Reach customers quickly with a pop-up text message. Ask customers for their mobile numbers or simply set up an inbound text message marketing program for quick responses.
     6| Twitter @Mentions & Hashtags (#) - use them to monitor conversation re: a specific topic. Based on hashtags or mentions you can find conversations based on a brand that your store carries to encourage sales. How do you find a hashtag or mention? Search Twitter for a brand or event, then read the tweets to see if there's a hashtag or profile.
     7| Nearby Tweets - Engage people who are near your location to entice a visit. Auto tweets can be set up based on a hashtag (#) so that you don't have to be live on Twitter. For instance, if someone is within a certain distance of your location, you could set up an auto tweet inviting them to stop in with a special coupon for a @Mention. That's when someone makes a tweet using your user name or twitter name. It generates more conversation about you, and is very good for business.
     8| Bluetooth Marketing - Monitor the area near your store with Blue Tooth software to automatically send coupons, videos, business cards or other information as a text message to passersby.
     9| Signage - reemphasize your location-based marketing with signage containing the Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare icons with your user names or domain names.
     10| Cross Market - Introduce your current customers to new forms of social media marketing by telling them in store and following up in email campaigns and printed materials. To be socially successful, keep customers in the loop. Potential customers could be passing by without knowing you exist or what you have to offer. Let us know stories of your social success, post your social media or mobile marketing questions to: www.Facebook. com/PuTTinOuT or Twitter.com/PuTTinOuT. For automatic software solutions: www.PuTTinOuT.com.

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