Have you ever been shopping at a store and decided to pull out your smartphone and read customer reviews or check competitor’s prices. If you have, you’re not alone. In fact, 84% of consumers report using a mobile device to shop online while they’re shopping in a store. While every retailer is bound to lose some customers as a result, some will lose a lot more than others if they aren’t keeping up in this digital world we live in. Retailers who understand the importance of mobile marketing are the ones drawing the customers away from others. With the holiday season just around the corner, there’s never been a more important time to start thinking about your mobile marketing campaign. Here are five tips you need to keep in mind as you prepare your marketing strategy for the holidays.

Don’t be too pushy

Some mobile marketing channels, such as SMS, require that customers first opt in before receiving any texts. Thanks to advancements in location based marketing, opting in is becoming a thing of the past. Many brands are using texts and push notifications whenever a person walks through their doors. While you might reach a larger audience this way, they won’t be as eager to buy as a smaller audience who make the first move. Consider letting customers tell you when they’re shopping and let them ask you for mobile deals.

Content is key

Sometimes it’s easy to get so caught up in the technology itself that you forget the importance of the message. Remember that technology is simply the messenger, but the content is the real key. If the content of your message isn’t good, then it doesn’t matter which mobile channels you use to deliver it.

Use the best holiday initiatives

During the holidays, customers are bombarded with good deals. It can quickly become overwhelming. Rather than sending 20 emails, texts, and push notifications about various offers, consider sending one or two of the very best promotions. Your customers will thank you.

Test, test, and test some more

From Black Friday to Christmas Eve, your cashiers are going to be dealing with lines of impatient customers. You want to discover and fix any hiccups before this happens. If you’re planning on using mobile coupons, make sure that coupon redemption is simple. Make sure your employees are trained in how to handle the various promotions you’ll be offering during the holidays. You want each transaction to go as smoothly as possible when the shopping rush hits.

Be reasonable and respectful

Above all, the holidays are supposed to be a fun and relaxing experience. Those in retail know that that’s not always the case. While there will always be stress involved in holiday shopping and finding the best deals, retailers can do their part by not being overly pushy and urgent in their correspondence with customers. In retail, it’s a dog-eat-dog world but customers do notice and appreciate brands that put customers ahead of profits.

Source: entrepreneur.com/article/239658