In the less cynical, spam-filled days of the Internet, there was no prize more coveted than the email address of a potential customer. While well designed, attractive, and compelling websites were a great path to profit, there was nothing better than having a direct line to the inbox of a person interested in your industry. The ability to sell directly to the customer was invaluable, and email marketing was a boom industry.

Today, though, the landscape is very different. The truth is that email marketing is long dead. The technique has been ruined. We all get dozens of spam emails every day, and those of us with a little common sense leave them unopened. It’s a shame because there isn’t wrong with email marketing. When used correctly, it’s a great way to connect with past and future customers, keeping them up to date on developments in your niche. The problem is that it’s been exploited and overused.

The Future Of Direct Marketing

What’s a marketer to do? If customers no longer respond to emails, how can we contact them with important information? What can we do to keep them informed of the latest news, advertise our sales, and send them special offers? Well, it’s simple. We use the telephone.

Over the last few years, the smartphone market has exploded. Most people now carry a phone that can access the Internet, and the most effective marketers are developing their strategies around this fact. They know that mobile numbers offer the perfect solution to the problems of direct marketing.

Why are mobile numbers so much more effective than email addresses? Well, it’s simple. Thanks to the convergence of cell phone and Internet technology it’s possible to send an SMS containing a URL directly to a smartphone. The recipient can simply click the link to reach your site. We can literally deliver information directly to the pockets of our customers.

How To Develop Your Mobile Marketing Strategy

It’s much more difficult to convince customers to hand over their mobile numbers than their email addresses. We tend to think of email addresses as disposable, while mobile numbers are much more permanent and private.

The easiest way to get the numbers of potential customers would be to purchase them. Direct marketing agencies often sell batches of mobile numbers for marketing purposes, with each batch categorised according to interests. While it’s easy to buy mobile numbers, it’s not easy to convert those numbers into sales without prior telemarketing experience.

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While it’s not easy, the best way to gather contact information from potential customers is through your own websites. If you have a sign-up form for a newsletter, you can simply add a field for a mobile phone number. Customers may be a little hesitant to offer that information, but if you’re offering a service they value you should see some success.

How To Use Your Mobile Numbers

Once you have your list of mobile numbers and have decided to send out your first marketing messages, you should use an SMS marketing tool to send out your mail shot, just as you would when sending email messages in bulk.

It’s important to remember that mobile numbers are a resource to be carefully shepherded. When used carefully and sparingly, direct access to the cell phones of customers can be a powerful tool. However, overuse can quickly turn customers against you. The trick is to ensure that the information you send will be welcomed by the recipient. It should always provide value. If you remember that, your SMS marketing efforts will be rewarded.