Successful network marketing by way of Internet marketing can often be a well-planned mix of other media resources in addition to the Web. Some of the top Internet marketing gurus are starting to realize that their home based business, or even the large corporation down the street, may benefit from a mix of Web site and other Internet marketing and mobile ad campaigning. With businesses such as network marketing , MLM and others that speak especially to an audience of adults 35 or younger, mobile advertising is nearly as effective – and sometimes more so – than Internet marketing.
Short Messaging Service, the use of a code of one to five numbers used to create contact between consumers and advertisers, is having much success, when combined with Internet, print, blog, e-zine and even pre-movie cinema advertising. Advertisers appear on a slide show presentation in a theatre before a movie, or in a small classified ad, on a Web Site, in a magazine, on a billboard, on the side of a truck, or even in a rest room. They are encouraged to respond by texting code 12345 for more information on that great looking house for sale, or to enter the contest, or to find out about that student loan. An autoresponder automatically replies to thank them for texting and to tell them they’ll be called or emailed shortly, or to ask them to go to such and such a site or make such and such a call, or take whatever action the advertiser determines.
Texting is a great “hip” way of getting the attention of the 18-25 year old crowd, and a way of marrying a print campaign or some other such as billboard that, unlike Internet marketing, has limits due to space and cost. The newspaper or the billboard, or the 30 second radio or TV spot can say, “For more info text 54321.”
There is at least one mobile ad vendor that not only works with Internet marketing and other gurus, home based business owners, corporate executives, and even community non-profits to help them plan their mobile ad campaign. The vendor provides an Internet-based user-friendly administrative back end system that allows the advertiser to set up text messages for multiple campaigns and provides great reporting features. The advertiser will know the phone number of each consumer that replies, complete with the date and time of their reply and which campaign they responded too. These replies will come in handy to create a subscriber network, and an opt-in list for e-mail and other marketing campaigns.
Often these mobile ad campaigns can be the network that brings the consumer to the Internet, and the advertiser’s Web site. It could be as simple as someone attending a football game on a Saturday afternoon, seeing the ad on the ball field board to text the local Sports Authority for a chance to win an autographed player jersey. The SMS code might say “thanks for your text. Answer this question right, and we’ll give you the Web address to enter the contest” – and then the baseball trivia question appears on the cell phone. Of course, the Internet phase could be left out altogether, but then the advertiser would lose the opportunity to display the great new products and specials in all their splendor on its engaging site.
The best thing, perhaps, about mobile ad campaigns is that people who respond are immediate leads. While the advertiser only has their phone number it’s easy to set up an autoresponder back that asks for name, address, and even date of birth, allegedly to confirm they’re old enough to enter the contest. When it comes to giving out personal information, more people will give more information willingly in your Internet marketing campaign than anywhere else. It’s easy to request registration – consumers have come to expect it. And they’ll expect it of a mobile advertising campaign as well. You then have your opt-in list and your marketing network is growing.
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