by anton | Dec 5, 2014 |
Have you ever seen Premium SMS offered as a payment option but you weren’t sure what it was and how it worked? We will tell you everything you need to know about it. What is Premium SMS? In a nutshell, it is a way to pay for goods and services by sending a text message to the provider of that service. The provider will then deduct the money from the sender’s airtime (if you are on pay-as-you-go) or from your mobile bill (if you have a phone contract.) The message will look something like this: “To enter our competition, text your name to 12345.” The phone number will usually be very short. What kind of services is it used for? Currently, it is being used to pay for virtual goods (entertainment and for your phone or computer. Like ringtones, games, wallpapers, chat services, competition entries, voting, and various mobile applications. What will it cost? The goods/ services are usually inexpensive – most likely because consumers feel safer transferring a few bucks opposed to hundreds of bucks. Also, should something go wrong with the transfer, the consumer won’t lose too much money in the process. The rate of the Premium SMS service will depend on the provider. It is important to look at the terms and conditions of the service before you send your SMS. Consumers often make the mistake in thinking that they are doing a once-off payment, but in the meantime they have signed up for a weekly/ monthly deduction. How do I cancel my Premium SMS subscription? The provider is required by law to offer an easy...
by anton | Dec 3, 2014 |
Mobile advertising is the method of marketing/advertising through mobile devices such as smartphones, feature phones, and tablets. While this marketing medium hasn’t taken off yet with the same growth that digital marketing did, it’s going to happen soon as mobile usage is busy taking over across the world. More people are using their mobile devices to access the web than through desktops. The unique selling point of marketing on this platform is it’s reach and versatility. Lower priced tablets and smart phones are busy entering the market which enables anyone to utilise one. This also means that these cost effective devices that are entering the marketing are eating into the overall market share of traditional desktop pc. Why am I telling you this? It’s because this change is busy accelerating the overall growth in mobile advertising and should not be an after thought with your marketing campaigns, but should form part of it. Here’s a couple of advantages to mobile advertising Mobile advertising advantages Improved reach: It’s a fact that the mobile web is getting bigger every day. Starting with a mobile advertising now will give you a leading head start over your competitors. People are using Google, Facebook and many other mediums more on their mobile devices than on desktop computers. ROI: Mobile advertising is cost effective and it can reach a large audience with very limited marketing spend. For less money you can reach more people at the faction of the cost compared to traditional advertising mediums. It’s targeted: With mobile advertising it’s possible to target selected audiences by narrowing down the geography and demographic that you...
by anton | Dec 3, 2014 |
Travel agencies work in a fast paced environment where the devil is in the details. Things can easily go wrong or change in the blink of an eye. Here is how you can use SMS Marketing to increase sales and customer loyalty. Last-minute deals Did someone suddenly cancel and now you have an open booking? Instead of crying over money lost, use text messaging to alert your clientele about last-minute deals. Because SMS is instant, you can send the info and receive a response in no time. You will require a customer opt-in list for this of course, but who would not want to be on such a list if it means they have the chance to get an amazing deal. Hot offers Your customers might not be following you on Facebook, or maybe it has been a while since they last spent time on your website. Maybe they haven’t checked their emails in the last 24 hours. But you know that they carry their phone on their person 24/7. Spare them then the hassle of looking you up or browsing through endless travel websites and brochures. With SMS Marketing, you can put hot deals in the palm of their hand. Give helpful hints and tips Once you know where your customer is going, you can send them some helpful info. After all, making a booking is only one part of a traveller’s journey. Put them in touch with car rental services, alert them to any rules or regulations they should be aware of, remind them to take along important essentials like a passport and money etc. Follow up...
by anton | Dec 2, 2014 |
Mobile advertisements that are sent to mobile phones might sound like it’s disruptive, but since they require permission from the recipient to be sent, people usually like them. This is also one of the fastest growing advertising mediums where mobile ad spenditure is increasing year on year. Users allow mobile advertisements that are sent to them because they might need a special offer or receive a coupon before it opens to the public. They are targeted and relevant. Relevance drives smart targeted marketing and these ads are usually relevant. I know I’m getting a few ads myself; a reminder of discount prices at my favourite golf store and special offers at a local restaurant. I’m notified at the right time about these offers. Mobile advertising is different Mobile advertising is very different than traditional advertising as it can be switched off to be read later. It doesn’t have the same volume issues as radio and TV ads where you have to switch the device off or view a different channel to ignore the advertisements. Mobile ads especially text ads will remain on the mobile phone until the user views or deletes it. Mobile advertising also occupies less space than on laptops, desktops and tablets, and to get the most out of it, it’s important that they contain only the best optimised messages that are easily read and understood. Tapping into the mobile web allows you to dynamically connect with your target audience and engage with them anytime, anywhere. Consumers have already adapted to mobile advertising and it’s the new standard method of advertising. It takes the lead in producing more returns than other marketing...
by anton | Dec 2, 2014 |
Mobile marketing is often used as an afterthought – even more so for Mobile Advertising because it hasn’t been around for long. Most businesses aren’t sure how to use it, let alone where to start. When you browse for mobile tips and tricks on the Internet you will find various articles claiming to know it all. You might be skeptical about some of the things you read and hear, as you very well should be. Which information can you trust, and which are just the opinions of amateurs? The simple answer to all of this is to hire a specialist. It could be an advertising agency or a permanent employee who has expert knowledge on the subject. This person should be able to help you with various things, including how to discern between what works and what doesn’t. This will obviously help to safe you money because you don’t have to spend your marketing budget on figuring out how to use Mobile Advertising successfully. Apart from a person who is knowledgeable about these advertising methods, you also want a good graphics designer on your side. Mobile has limitations that desktop doesn’t have, especially when it comes the size of your display. It is absolutely crucial to use images and graphics correctly. Rather don’t try to do it yourself, or you will probably end up with ads that look anything but professional. Equally important, is your marketing messages. Once again, you have limitations when it comes to content. You can’t try to fit a whole essay into your ad, whether you are constructing a SMS or a banner ad. A...
