October 28, 2010
By Bryce Marshall
Director of Strategic Services, Knotice
Many of our most-trusted online and offline marketing tactics have very little capacity to support or adapt to the context of time and place. They certainly cannot get down to specific increments of minutes and seconds, or meters and footsteps - like mobile interactions can. The mobile Web, specifically, unlocks for consumers the power to interact with, find, or demand the content they want at exactly the time and place they want it. Therefore, the mobile Web fills the gaps between layers of static, broadcast, or stationary media… between online and offline experiences… and between Web stores and physical stores.
The best mobile Web attribute is how it gives marketers tactical accessibility to consumers. Brands already have the content consumers are seeking. Marketers should be working hard to fill the gaps between the layers of media with consumer-friendly mobile experiences.
There are three gap scenarios where consumers are hungry for valuable mobile experiences from their favorite brands. Marketers should start here.
Deliver the best of online… to on-the-go consumers
Right now consumers leverage mobile devices to search for information or make purchases while they are on-the-go. They seek convenience within a busy schedule, or a diversion from boredom. They want smaller and smoother interactions – small bites, not full entrees – because the factors of where and when prohibit deeper interaction with your brand through traditional Web or physical stores. But, they are consumers nonetheless. The mobile Web fills the gap between virtual and physical and allows a shopper to buy or start processing a purchase decision immediately.
Deliver the best of online… at the point-of-retail
Right now consumers use mobile devices to help make purchase decisions while in a retail store. In fact, Motorola released a study recently indicating 51 percent of retail shoppers around the globe used their mobile devices in some capacity to help make a buying decision during the 2009 holiday shopping season. Consumers want the kind of specific and detailed information they find online – like user reviews and discounts – to help make informed purchase decisions. Shoppers intuitively know this information is available, but not accessible in a traditional retail setting. This great content should help shoppers make informed buying decisions at retail, and that is possible with the mobile Web.
Deliver the best of online… to make retail portable
Many consumers use the traditional Web to research products, or create a shopping/wish list, all while intending to buy at a retail store. Simply, they are using online tools but not online buying. Marketers can embrace this online-to-offline migration by creating mobile solutions that combine virtual and physical experiences in a consumer-centric mashup. For instance, allow online browsers to create a mobile cart or shopping list, then forwarded it to their mobile device via SMS. The message should contain a link to a personalized mobile shopping list where shoppers can quickly reference product information, SKUs, pricing, and store location information. All of this ensures a seamless and profitable multi-channel retail experience, with the mobile Web acting as the glue.
Mobile users are looking for information right now. They are ready to make a purchase decision right now. They simply crave convenience, direction, and purchase confidence. Deliver these experiences in every mobile Web interaction and your shoppers will be grateful, and you will be profitable.