Americans are obsessed with their smartphones. 85% of Americans confess they couldn’t last a day without their mobile phone. 75% claim they even take their phone into the bathroom with them. Whether they’re taking selfies in front of the bathroom mirror or tackling that tough Candy Crush level they just can’t seem to beat, they just can’t be separated from their mobile phone.

Smartphones are good for more than just gaming and taking selfies however. 80% of smartphone users say they use their phone to shop online. Large corporations and online retailers aren’t the only ones that benefit from these mobile shoppers though. Most mobile searches are actually for local businesses, and most consumers will act on that mobile search within the hour. Local businesses that want to capitalize on these golden opportunities need only to develop these five good mobile marketing habits.

Mobile marketing is about immediacy

If you are using social media to advertise your small business and you’re posting once or twice a week, you’re missing out on the real advantage to mobile marketing. Customers checking your Facebook page probably aren’t going to scroll through months of posts on your Facebook feed. They’re looking for information that’s readily available. You should be posting at least once a day. Ideally you can post 2-3 times a day so that whenever customers find their way to your page, there’s a new deal waiting for them.

Timing is everything

Text message marketing can be a very powerful tool, but only if you’re sending the right messages at the right time. Even when you are offering great deals and you’ve got the wording just right, the text will be ineffective if you don’t think about the timing. They don’t want to hear about what’s on the menu for dinner when it’s 10:00 in the morning. Send that same message in the evening when they’re getting hunger pangs and customers will take notice.

Test and then test some more

All your mobile marketing efforts are futile if you don’t know what’s working and what isn’t. You need to constantly test your mobile site to make sure it’s looking good across all devices. You need to make sure your social media pages are easy to navigate even when the developers are changing up how your page is displayed. Most importantly, track the numbers and see what aspects of your mobile marketing campaign are working and which ones need to be adjusted or scrapped.

Keep online directory listings up to date

You should already have your business listed on as many online directories as possible. If any of your contact information has changed, you need to make sure that all of these directories have your most current info. That includes your address, phone number, and email address. Links to social media profiles is also a good idea.

Make use of holidays

National holidays, even the less popular ones, are always good opportunities to drum up more business. Keep an eye on the calendar and be thinking about special promotions you can run on those three day weekends. Then let your customer know in advance and the day of about those specials.

Source:  Firmology