News
Archive for July, 2009
Txtlocal get Great Review from Web User Magazine
Txtlocal are proud to announce that they are featured in Web User magazines ‘Best Website of the Month’ category.
After months of research, planning and testing, Txtlocal launched what we ourselves described as “the most user friendly and dynamic mobile messaging service on the market.” (June newsletter)
We were therefore delighted to discover that web user agreed with us by praising us with an excellent review. Some quotes taken from Web User magazine described our new site as “smart and user friendly” and a “Low cost solution, perfect for small businesses, clubs and community groups” (Web User July edition)
The main aim of the new Txtlocal site is to enable any organisation, no matter how large or small to send group text messages with total speed and ease. We literally wanted the system to be so easy to use that even a hard core technophobe would be able to send a sophisticated sms marketing campaign. It appears after great feedback from our customers and media publications such as Web User that we have achieved our aim!
We’re proud that the new system has been recognised for its merit as a simple mobile messaging service…and we endeavour to continue to invest in innovation and development moving forward.
Some of the New Features Reviewed…
1) The chief improvement to the Txtlocal control panel is that it now enables users to manage messages in one place.
2) Group texts sends can be staggered to be sent throughout the day.
3) Contacts can be filtered, selected and expanded into groups.
Thanks for the review Web User!
Txtlocal are delighted that the new site has been reviewed by Web User. Sign up for your free account now at www.txtlocal.co.uk and get 10 Free Credits to test us out for yourself.
The Case for Mobile Marketing in Tough Times
Mobile marketing is proving just the tool for shrewd businesses looking for innovative new media strategies to keep themselves ahead of the game during the economic downturn.
SME’s feeling the pinch are searching for ways to cut marketing spend without compromising results. It’s now more important than ever for businesses to improve efficiency, reduce waste and produce targeted responsive marketing campaigns and digital mediums such as mobile are proving the ideal solution ensuring much needed return on investment.
Below are 6 marketing objectives where Mobile Marketing can shine for any business.
1) Direct Response Advertising
For businesses feeling the pinch, return on investment is the key for ensuring profitability. It’s now more important than ever to ensure advertising produces results and costly advertising campaigns may be great for raising brand awareness but are not always the best option for businesses looking for quick sales and ROI. Targeted bulk text campaigns to a qualified database coupled with a strong call to action can prove powerful in reaching impulse buyers at just the right time to entice a purchase. The key to the direct response lies with the fact people carry their phones with them wherever they go and therefore there is no more powerful way to reach people than by their phone. With 75% of people reading their texts immediately the direct impact can be huge. Statistics provided by the Mobile Data Association (MDA) found that response rates for mobile are 4 times higher than other direct marketing mediums such as DM and Email and at only a few pence a text and no production costs a simple text message equates to a fraction of the cost.
2) Customer Retention Marketing
Anyone with a qualification in marketing will know that long term clients are the most profitable. It’s now more crucial than ever to ensure that businesses retain the customers they already have. Keeping customers will not only save businesses money but will make them money. According to a report by The Logic Group, loyal long standing customers account for over 50% of a company’s annual sales, they are also higher value customers happy to pay premium rates of around 30% to 50% more per transaction. For this reason a CRM program is crucial and regular communication via new media techniques such as email and mobile is a key player in helping maintain communication. However, of course no one wants to be bombarded with endless SMS marketing campaigns but a friendly personalised offer or promotion at just the right time will do no harm to your relationship and could provide just the push you need to increase sales.
3) Viral Marketing
Viral marketing includes any strategy that encourages individuals to pass on marketing messages to others. With virtually the entire UK population owning at least one mobile phone, it’s little wonder that mobile communication along with the web is a key viral marketing channel.
With people looking for bargains, text is proving more powerful than ever. Texts are the ideal viral marketing tool capable of reaching much further than initial recipients alone. Good offers and promotions are often shared amongst friends eager to spread the word of a good bargain. If businesses send out tempting offers and promotions then it’s only human nature that people will want to share them and it couldn’t be any easier or convenient to pass on a good tip to a friend than via a quick text. Also, people genuinely like receiving texts from friends, with a whopping 94% of texts being opened and read which offers great opportunities for marketers.
4) Integrated Marketing
Mobile works best when integrated with other larger campaigns and therefore it’s important for it to be integrated into all marketing communications material such as newsletters, websites, e-marketing, POS, Outdoor, TV and radio in the same way a telephone or email address would be included. This gives customers and prospects another medium to get in touch, which many may view as easier than phoning or emailing. A quick text and people can easily register their interest in a product or service. E.g “Text BROCHURE + your email to 60777” All inbound opt-in details are stored in your online account for further contact and an email with a PDF brochure attachment is automatically sent.
Examples of this include businesses such as holiday and car companies that advertise heavily on television, radio and print, a punchy short code, is easy to remember and quick to respond to.
5) Lead Generation
So the question is how can marketers obtain good quality leads at a fair price? The tightening economy is sure to put lead generation tactics in the spotlight as businesses search for ways to generate new leads. Tactics such as Mobile Marketing enable businesses to build their own opt-in database of contacts at no extra cost, simply by publishing it on all marketing communications material. This is a much more practical way of operating than buying in cold call data from a broker. Displaying a Short Code should start to be general practice for every keen ROI business who will use mobile to generate warm leads to prospect to.
6) Measuring and Tracking Results
During the tough economic climate it is more important than ever for businesses to implement marketing strategies that are trackable and measureable. There is no point investing in advertising if it’s not properly monitored. It’s important to track where sales are coming from then analyse the statistics and drop what’s not working in favour of what does work. It doesn’t cost anything to monitor where people heard of a business and SMS text promotions such as 2 for 1, free entry texts and buy one get one free are perfect for monitoring due to easy visual or coded redemption.
Mobile Marketing set for Growth
Although mobile marketing strategies are still unfamiliar to a vast amount of SME’s, a recent survey by O2, predicts that mobile marketing is set to grow by 150% over the next 5 years as marketers seek a more targeted approach to their marketing campaigns. Mobile marketing firm www.txtlocal.co.uk have witnessed firsthand the growth in mobile marketing and agree that the trend is set to continue. Txtlocal MD Darren Daws comments that “A fraction can be spent on mobile marketing campaigns compared to other marketing mediums and yet the response from mobile can be much higher. SME’s in particular need to ensure they generate a good return on their investment and low cost and targeted new media tactics including mobile marketing will continue to be a popular choice.”
In conclusion as marketing budgets are streamlined, marketers need to push their case for value for money from advertising and marketing spend and moving towards more measurable, ROI-focused media such as Internet and mobile marketing. Mobile tactics such as short codes and text messaging should be integrated into larger marketing campaigns as an aid to increase potential in terms of sales, lead generation and campaign measurability.
Africa texts Obama before visit
US President Barack Obama has received thousands of text messages about Africa after his media advisor asked people to send questions before the Presidents trip to Ghana on Friday.
Mr Obama will answer a number of questions sent by text messages - The questions will be selected by journalists from Senegal, Kenya and South Africa.
The US president’s media adviser, Macon Phillips, told the BBC’s Network Africa programme he wanted the messages to be part of a “continental conversation“.
Mr Phillips said people could text whatever they wanted – questions, criticism or just general comment.
“What we can do is look at all these responses and find trends and popular issues and it gives us a better understanding of what people are thinking about,” he said.
“There’s much greater value than just question and answer – it’s yet another way for us to see what’s happening on the ground.”
The White House has set up local SMS short codes for people to send their messages:
Txtlocal specialise in short codes E.g 60777. A number of businesses and political parties throughout the UK use the service to enage and interact with customers and the public and the service is proving very popular.
Text Proves a Hit with Midnight Walkers
Ashgate Hospice in Chesterfield, sent a big “thank you” sms text to the 1200 people who attended the recent Midnight Walk held on 20th June 09. The walk was a huge success raising a massive £123,000 in pledge donations.
The hospice were delighted with the amount raised from the walk and wanted to show their appreciation as soon as possible after the event. Rebecca Mason of the hospice said SMS text was chosen as the best communication channel because it offered the most personal, quick and direct route to supporters.
Feedback from supporters after receiving the text was very positive with many people saying how nice it had been to receive a text from the hospice after the event.
Txtlocal work with a number of charities throughout the UK and Mobile is providing a useful communication tool for relaying event news and information as well as being used to receive inbound text donations via a short code. Example: Text MONEY to 60777 (to donate £2)
The Times reports that Mobile Marketing is set for Big Growth
According to an article published in The Times (1st July 09) Mobile Marketing is powering ahead as a key marketing channel.
The article features a number of reports by leading figures within the industry. However, two key reports focus on the growth rates of mobile as a marketing channel. The Internet Bureau (IAB) and PriceWaterhouseCoopers confirm that the UK mobile advertising market was worth 28.6 million in 2008, a 99.2% increase on the previous year.
The report also predicts that digital marketing budgets are set to grow by 30% by 2010 as marketers recognise the scope for integrating mobile into their brands marketing strategy.
Further positive testimony for the industry is provided by The Managing Director of the Mobile Marketing Association Paul Berney who says “Whatever aspect of Mobile Marketing you look at, there’s a very good story to tell.”