by Ivan Braiker
?Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.??Attributed to John Wanamaker. A few weeks back, I wrote a piece (?Mobile Is More Than Increasing Cume?) that outlined some of the more lofty benefits of mobile marketing?increasing cume, generating stronger engagement with listeners, etc. But it also stated the key benefit of mobile marketing for radio: ?mobile will help stations make money.?
Ah, yes, the money. As the only truly measurable advertising medium, mobile is providing tremendous return on advertising dollars, while bolstering station revenues. This week, I want to look at three examples of how mobile makes money.
1. Add a Mobile ?Call to Action? to Existing Advertising
One of the greatest benefits of mobile is the ability to measure the results of the ads?you can tally every time a listener responds to a mobile ?call to action.? Mr. Wanamaker would be able to focus on the half that?s actually leading to sales.
One of our client stations had been working with a regional chain of coffee shops on a campaign for a new coffee drink. The goal was specific: increase sales. But the initial results were lackluster?we knew this because the call to action wasn?t bringing enough action. The spot was recut and the second version provided the return the client was seeking.
2. Use Your Advertisers? Campaigns to Build a Database That You Sell ? to Your Advertisers
This is a tremendous secondary benefit of mobile marketing?you?re building a database of opted-in prospects and customers who have actually chosen to receive content on their mobile devices. And it?s the station that owns this database?and can sell ongoing access to their advertisers.
In one recent example, a station worked with a restaurant chain to air spots that featured a mobile call to action. Listeners were told to text PEPPER to a shortcode for a chance to win a $100 gift card. More than 2,300 listeners texted in to win, and each received a message back asking them to opt in to receive future offers from the restaurant. Nearly half did. The station sold access to this database to the restaurant, and continued to build it through the restaurant?s advertising.
3. Have Your Advertisers Sponsor Mobile Alerts
This one can achieve some of the loftier ideals I discussed previously?increasing listener engagement?while also providing bottom-line benefits. Stations can offer free mobile alerts?such as updates on breaking news, weather, traffic, sports, school closings, music and entertainment news, etc.?to listeners who opt in to receive them. Statistics show that text messages are typically opened within 4 minutes.
Stations can charge advertisers to sponsor the alerts?providing an easy means for advertiser to be associated with valuable mobile content. No matter how much research you have done, it?s hard to know what sort of response advertisers will get for a radio spot. But by adding mobile marketing, radio stations may just make Mr. Wanamaker?s quote obsolete.
Ivan Braiker can be reached at Ivan Braiker ivan@hipcricket.com
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