Mobile is already a very dominant force in the market. Mobile search is fast overtaking desktop search. An increasing number of people conduct local mobile search and walk into a brick and mortar establishment they find on the very same day. The gist of this is that mobile is very, very important today and small business owners shouldn’t ignore it.
The mobile platform also provides a unique opportunity to small business owners. It allows them to stand toe to toe with large corporations and companies. Naturally, you need to take advantage of this platform and start doing that immediately. There are several strategies that you can employ for this purpose. Some of these strategies are listed below.
Make Your Website Mobile Compatible
If your website is new, chances are that it’s already compatible with the mobile platform. Most website designers and developers automatically create a mobile-friendly website. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to check. That’s especially true if your website is old and hasn’t been upgraded in quite some time. The easiest way to check mobile compatibility is by accessing your website on your own smart phone.
If your website is quick to load, looks good on the screen, and all the links are easily clickable, your website is compatible with mobile platforms. If your website doesn’t load quickly, doesn’t look good, and you have difficultly accessing the links, it desperately needs an upgrade.
Mobile Marketing and Ads
This is a whole new ball-game and needs to be handled well. There are plenty of opportunities for you to exploit. The ad copy, for example, needs to be short, clear, and succinct. You don’t need to put in a lot of effort because you’re creating an ad for a much smaller screen. You can make mobile ads more tempting by simply offering a mobile-only coupon or discount to your prospects.
That would immediately grab the attention of the customers. Mobile marketing is actually a very sophisticated process and can easily overwhelm people who don’t have experience or skill in marketing. It’s a good idea to let a professional handle this while you focus on other strategies.
SMS and MMS
In the world of SnapChat and WhatsApp, it’s easy to consider SMS and MMS obsolete. Most people don’t even communicate through SMS today. However, they are great tools for small business owners to utilize. You might not be aware, but about 95% of the SMS and MMS that you send to your prospective customers are opened and read. No other mode of communication can come close to this other than actual phone calls.
Of course, there are some government rules and regulations you need to keep in mind before you start sending people messages. These rules will ensure that you’re not accused of spamming.
There are other strategies you can use as well; you can develop a mobile app for your business. Apps are usually downloaded by your most loyal customers who regularly use your services. However, keep in mind that smart phone memory is limited, and people rarely download apps frivolously.
