Given current economic conditions, consumers are looking for some type of discount and businesses are looking for new ways to reach customers. Being able to deliver offers and discounts directly to phones is huge. Especially in a recession, where this market seemed to mature overnight. Granted, we all saw mobile marketing coming, but it has formally arrived now and is stirring up a storm...a perfect storm. With conversion rates as high as 30% in some cases, small business owners are reaping the benefits of this by reaching out to their customers in ways that corporate giants can't.

For example, say you own a small local coffee shop in downtown Denver. It's Saturday afternoon and one of Colorado's infamous thunderstorms is about to roll in. The streets are packed and you know when the rain comes folks will scatter into the restaurants, bars and shops nearby...

You know it's coming. You also know you're going to have to settle for less than your share of foot traffic because Starbucks (a better known national brand) with huge marketing dollars and a better location will get more traffic. Why? Because they have more money, a hip image, great PR, etc, etc, etc.

Time to Turn the Tables

Ten minutes before the storm, you shoot out a text message to your customers and make them an offer they can't refuse: "Get out of the rain and enjoy a $1 cup of fresh-brewed coffee at Great Local Coffee" (be sure to include a link to a map for all of us Smartphone users). Now we all know nobody drinks coffee anymore. They still drink lattes, fancy teas and cappuccinos that you sell at full price...he he, you just had a record day and your competition is still trying to figure out what just happened.

The big boys can't react as fast as you. They need corporate approvals, the right person pulling the trigger and the collective will to do something out of the ordinary. Something risky. Something creative.

Text message marketing doesn't work for everyone, but if you have a good idea, it can be delivered immediately with tremendous ROI. That's pretty cool...not to mention profitable.

Your phone number is "one tap" away.

I was coming home from work the other day and pulled up a local restaurant's website on my iPhone.  First of all, I was not driving...I'm firmly against the "I'm going to try and drive, have a smoke, tune the radio and reply to my daughter's text before the light turns green" technique. That's another post...

I pulled up the website and the phone number was right there in front of me (as expected).  Not only was it there, but it was hyperlinked and when I tapped it, my iPhone swiftly dialed the number and I was immediately connected to the restaurant. 

Wow, talk about the Internet doing exactly what it's supposed to do! I was so impressed by this simple feat of great web design that I started searching the web for other brilliant designers. Not many others get it.  In fact, there seems to be a conspiracy to "hide" the phone number and replace it with a web form that my fat fingers will never fill out on a phone.  But, one tap to get a human?  It doesn't get any better than that! Best of all...it's easy to do.

If you are going to rush off and get your contact info on the homepage, here' s some advise.  If possible:

1. Put it above the fold
2. Do NOT make it an image (phones can transform .jpgs or .gifs into numbers)
3. If you can, get a unique phone number from your phone provider so you can track the ROI on this simple, low cost investment. Only use this number on your website and measure away.