Redbox conceived by the McDonald’s corporation, the king of the American psyche was strategically placed in restaurants and stores to allow as much accidental contact with the public as possible. Its bright red twelve-by-twelve case is eye-catching and slightly reminiscent of the English telephone booth. As the busy American bustles through fast food restaurants, in and out of supermarkets and convenience stores, the bold, attention grabbing Redbox offers vending machine entertainment at vending machine prices. As fast as buying a soft drink, easier than placing a dinner order, Redbox reminds consumers that an inexpensive movie is a great way to relax, offer cheap entertainment to the kids or a great partner to take-home-dinner.

Unlike the traditional video rental store, Redbox requires no membership card, no separate visit to the video store, and no late fees. Redbox movies can be returned to any Redbox kiosk, enabling people on a road trip, or vacation to pick up a movie and return it even when they get home – all the way across the country, or across town. Redbox never closes, never takes a holiday or a lunch break, it is always available and just around the corner.

Considering Redbox’s imaginative approach to video rentals, it is no surprise that their advertising campaign has been equally innovative. Redbox, created with the busy consumer in mind, has invested heavily in reaching these customers on the go through mobile marketing and social media. Redbox boasts of 3.6 million Facebook ‘likes,’ 33 million email subscribers, 10.3 million monthly visitors to their website, 5.4 million iPhone app users, 3.4 million Droid app users, along with more than 3.3 million text message subscribers (Redbox.com).

Most interesting of these campaigns has been Redbox’s multi-tiered text message program. Consumers can text a variety of requests into Redbox’s short code number, from ‘FIND’ to locate a Redbox kiosk in their area, ‘SIGNUP’ to receive a promo code each month and updates on special offers and text message member freebies, ‘NEW’ to learn about new releases of movies and games to ‘REDBOX’ to join the mobile club. Recently, Redbox unveiled an interactive and engaging text message program involving movie trivia. Placed on Redbox kiosks, signs and advertisements, Redbox asks a trivia question and invites consumers to text in the word ‘TRIVIA’ to play. Every movie buff loves this kind of engagement. Participation in the trivia campaign invites consumers to opt-in for ads and freebies from Redbox, encouraging a deeper relationship with the customer.

In ten short years, Redbox has shown that an old industry reimagined can reengage society with enormous success. Virtually any company, from a small local store, to a large chain, wanting to reach their customers in a more personal way, can use mobile marketing to their advantage. Seventy-three percent of the cell phone owning population in America text message. The average young person exchanges around 109.5 text messages a day ~ more than 3,200 message a month! (Pew Internet & American Life Project, 9/19/11).  Analysts predict that as more Americans invest in Smartphones, tablets and better cell phones, these rates will climb. Additionally, the technology is advancing with every day. At one time mobile marketing campaigns were limited to simple short texts. In today’s market a text message can provide a text with information, coupons and discounts or it can link consumers to a website, a photo or a video. The possibilities are endless.

Take a page from Redbox’s book and start your own SMS marketing campaign to build your company today! Qittle is here to help you get started. Click here to learn more and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge while you’re at it!

In his piece, Hasen reminded readers that the iPhone is not the be-all-end-all gadget. The companies he observed in 2011 offering the most successful mobile campaigns, with the highest return on investment, offered their consumers a choice in their access to information.  Hasen cites QR Codes or SMS codes, allowing customers with smartphones the ability to scan the QR Code, and those with more limited cell phone capabilities the opportunity to participate in mobile campaigns as well. Another possibility is offering a link within an SMS text to the website that customers can click on, enabling customers to select their preferred point of contact: text message or email.  The more people accessing a campaign, the more return a company will see on its investment.

While Hasen indicates that the ideal mobile marketing campaign is versatile, and relevant to the most users possible, he also stresses that companies do not need to ‘settle’ in their campaigns. Smartphones can do more, and smartphone owners are a growing demographic within the mobile marketing community. As a result, campaigns that offer a mobile web link or expanded option provide these customers with a more advanced, more informative and more personal connection. This deeper connection and better information do provide the user with a more positive user experience, bringing them back again and again.

Don’t forget that these same customers are talking – or rather texting, emailing and posting to Facebook and Twitter throughout their experiences in store and online. One bad experience spreads across the virtual landscape like wildfire. Hasen warns companies about this possibility and encourages them to be proactive in their approach to social media. Create a Facebook page, start a Twitter account and actively use these tools to connect with customers.  Encourage a positive dialogue about your company, products and services. Through these social media mediums companies can offer the best possible customer experience and mitigate potential problems.

As companies realize the full potential of text message advertising, more and more vendors will enter the market. This influx of options for companies will provide more variety and selection, but it will also create more opportunities for unqualified or predatory companies to function within the market.  Companies looking for a mobile marketing service provider ought to carefully examine the provider’s certifications and client list, as well as look at a few campaigns directed by them. Certification from the Mobile Marketing Association is a plus as well, as the MMA offers its members guidance on customer privacy issues and laws, access to studies and relevant market information, as well as the opportunity to collaborate with others in the industry.

Qittle is an SMS advertisement provider that has held its position in the market for over four years, serving a variety of industries and companies with high levels of professionalism, customer satisfaction and mobile advertising experience. Click here to learn how to start your mobile marketing campaign today, and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge!

Used most effectively in the 2008 elections, President Barack Obama underlined the effectiveness of the mobile marketing campaign – particularly in first-time voters and the younger demographics. While the Republican candidates are toying with text message campaigns, Obama has already kicked his 2012 SMS campaign off. This year using links within texts to videos and donation sites.

Most interesting in this primary cycle are the Republican candidates choices regarding the ways they have embraced this technology and their rates of success. From my research to date, Romney and Paul have the most extensive and easiest to use mobile message strategy. Both campaigns make opting-in to their text message campaign very easy through their websites. Paul even allows the recipient to designate the type of text they would like, information or volunteer and donation opportunities or all of the above.

Santorum appears to be using mobile messages on a local level, allowing states to set up their own text message campaigns as need arises. In Iowa, Santorum offered a text message reminder to those who opted-in on January 3^rd, reminding them to attend their caucus. Despite my searching, I could not locate a mobile marketing campaign for Gingrich, either on a local level or on a national level. That is not to say there isn’t one, but if he has one, it is certainly hard to locate.

Romney and Paul have used mobile text messages to let people know where they will be during the day. In states like South Carolina and New Hampshire, where appearances at local restaurants are key to connecting with constituents giving this information to base supporters encourages their deeper engagement and connection to the candidate. Text messages can also be used to dispense key information about recent events within the campaign, giving those who have opted-in an exclusive scoop before the media or general public becomes aware.

Michelle Bachman, before she bowed out of the race, used SMS messaging in geotargeted ads at the Minnesota State Fair to inform those attending the fair that a proposed tax increase directly affected the food served at the fair. In the same piece published January 10^th, The Mobile Marketer predicts that geotargeted ads, ads sent only to those who have opted-in within a certain geographical area, are the wave of the SMS political campaign future. These ads ensure distribution of relevant information about events, laws and taxes directly in constituents’ communities.  In this way, politicians can speak specifically to concerns of certain areas without covering subjects or issues that are irrelevant to that area. Say in one area crime is a big issue, while two cities over job creation is the top issue, politicians could speak directly to the interested communities about their specific concerns.

Media outlets have also begun using mobile messaging to cover political campaigns and the public’s response to them. WFAA.com, a Texas media company used SMS in conjunction with paper ballots to conduct a straw poll on January 14^th.  When the poll closed over 3,300 people had placed their vote via text message, while only 707 paper ballots were cast. The ease of participating via text message far outweighs casting paper ballots, as reflected by the results of this straw poll.

Tonight candidates will once again take the stage in yet another debate, while I cannot argue the benefits of debate or their effects on the voting public, I can comment on the effectiveness of social media within a political campaign. Voters today want to be heard. They want politicians who are in touch with their real concerns. They want a mutual and reciprocal relationship. Text message campaigns are the natural and effective way to connect Washington to everyday America.

Local politicians at the city and state level can employ text message campaigns for a fraction of the cost of the old political mailer, or political calls and radio advertisement, learn more about mass texting and its potential in your political campaign today! Click here to get started for the upcoming election and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge with Qittle!

Starbucks’ success represents that perfect marriage of an excellent product with good business practices and smart use of available technology. Born in Seattle in the Pike’s Place Market in the early ‘70’s, Starbucks introduced the espresso concept (and all of its beautiful and tasty counterparts) to America, and particularly to American youth.

Forty years later, a good cup of coffee has come a long, long way. From the onset, Starbucks embraced its employees as more than simply people to steam the milk and mop the floor. Rather, each and every employee is welcomed into the Starbucks team as a ‘team member.’  The company encouraged its employees to invest more than hours on the clock into their coffee shop. Because of this attitude, Starbucks employees tend to be happy workers, and position openings hard to find – despite the company’s large size.

It is this different mind-set that is particularly appealing to those of us who witnessed Starbucks rise through the ‘90’s. This same mindset led Starbucks to free-trade coffees, and cutting-edge environmental practices, allowing those of us thirty-somethings to feel good about our Starbucks love affair.

Young and old alike are drawn to Starbucks these days for more than just a hot cup of coffee – a warm and inviting ambiance encourages coffee and tea drinkers to hang around, get comfortable, read a book, study or quietly catch up with a friend. The attention to detail, comfort, and the Starbucks experience birthed the Starbucks music scene. Carefully selected music has led to seasonal Starbucks music cds, and singers whose entire claim to fame derives almost exclusively from Starbucks. Starbucks has also led the way in offering free Wi-Fi to its customers, making it even more inviting.

As we speak, Starbucks has once again shown itself willing to progress and adapt with technological advances and cultural shifts. Its most recent advertising campaign is an integrated SMS, web and in-store program. Promoted through a text message campaign in which customers text in the world ‘GOLD’ to 69728, Starbucks responds almost immediately to the customer’s cell phone with a prompt sending users to the Starbucks website, where customers can enroll in a rewards program based on Starbucks gift cards which holds money for coffee purchases, while simultaneously awarding and tracking points earned through coffee transactions.

Customers purchase a card in-store or online and register the number with Starbucks.com. Every purchase made with this card earns customers points. Customers are encouraged to reload their existing card online or in-store, saving on the environmental demands and the cost of creating new cards.

Cardholders get rewards and perks year-round simply from having a card. Customers who regularly use the card advance through levels, a basic membership, Green membership and Gold membership. Green is earned by simply earning 5 points. Green membership is rewarded with free product in-store such as refills and syrups. Gold membership is earned by earning 30 points in one year. This level earns customers free drinks, a personalized card and special, illusive, membership perks, which make me instantly and inexplicable want them – whatever they may be!

While a customer rewards card is not a new idea, the level of integration shown in this most recent campaign offers new inspiration for the potential of customer rewards through text message campaigns. Qittle can you and your company realize the potential of new mobile marketing strategies and reward your loyal customers. Click here today to learn more and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge!

My husband wanted a new deck and BBQ Grill.

I wanted new flooring downstairs.

I won because I am willing to fight dirty. I somehow succeeded in tying in painting the entire house to the new deck project. Suddenly, flooring seemed like an excellent idea to my husband.

The drawback to this victory is that I am now expected to have an actual plan for the flooring project, which has now grown to include a moveable, secret bookcase, framing in all the closets we own and converting our fireplace. (Some things on this list are going to happen…others are not…If you suspect that certain items were put on this list to throw me off course and redirect me back to the deck project, you are probably correct. However, I am of focused mind and spirit – and I will not be deterred).

Which leads me back to the home improvement shop, the QR Code and the fact I have no plan or practical home improvement skills whatsoever. It was in this moment of panic that I spotted the handy QR Code on a piece of Brazilian cherry wood, scanned it learning lots more about cherry wood and realized, the home improvement market would be well served by a mobile marketing campaign, as would its customers…like me.

Anyone who has ever planned, and paid for a major home improvement project knows that patience and bargain hunting pay off. A few years ago I managed a major deal on granite countertops for my kitchen remodel after hunting, watching and waiting. I now see that this process could have been so much easier had I only been part of a mobile campaign in which stores, both local and chain stores could have sent me discounts and incentives on their products, installation and services. Often those of us bargain hunting for our projects, would love to be alerted when these companies receive large shipments or overstock in product.  There are certain projects that even us DIYers would rather pay for, can anyone say dry wall?? However, the installation costs can eat up a huge portion of a project’s budget. During slow times of the year, like the fall and early winter when business is slow, a discount on these services is enough to get people to commit to their projects and hand over the drywall tape.

Not only could hardware stores send push notifications to customers who had opted-in about product specials, discounts on installation and overstocked items, but specialists within departments of the store could send out weekly tips on home improvement projects. Advice sent out to customers’ phones in a text message on how to lie tile the right way, or which woods do well for the deck we will someday install, and how to fix plumbing problems are helpful and would be welcomed by DIY home improvement junkies like myself.

I have also found through my own experiences, that the stores that really helped me meet my bottom line, gave good advice without exploiting my lack of knowledge and tried to give me a good deal, are the first stores and people I call when another project comes on the table. In other words, when it comes to my home and my home improvement store – I am incredibly loyal. I can only see this loyalty deepening with tips, useful advice and money saving ideas.

Although some in this industry may not see the advantages of mobile message technology, everyone in this industry understands the significance of word-of-mouth. Mobile messaging is word-of-mouth made even easier. Today’s consumers are quick to text their friends about great deals, exciting news (like new flooring!!), and to spread the word about companies and individuals offering great service and products at affordable prices.

While it seems that some in the industry are realizing the potential of QR Codes in informing and educating their customers, sending a text message to mobile phones is a great way to build customer loyalty, increase word of mouth and help your customers save money! Qittle can help supply these tools, click here to learn more and to get your first month of service completely FREE of charge today!

Soupskol is an annual soup-cooking competition that takes place in conjunction with Aspen’s oldest winter festival, Winterskol. This winter festival was created in 1951 by Aspen locals to ‘Toast Winter,’ and to celebrate the wonders of winter in the Rocky Mountains. Soupskol, the brainchild of the late Reggie Barbour, a local soup master, evolved as part of this winter celebration. As everyone familiar with Aspen, Colorado knows, the culinary delights of this resort town are extraordinary. Mr. Barbour challenged the chefs, cooks and food aficionados in Aspen (this is, after all, the home to the Food & Wine Festival every summer) to create a signature, masterpiece soup and to offer it to Winterskol attendants in a free competition for culinary bragging rights for the rest of the year.

For two hours tonight the best restaurants in town, such as Merry Go Round (last year’s winner), The Restaurant at the Regis and the Red Onion will throw down with the amateurs like, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Challenge Aspen and the local Elk’s Lodge, along with many others to find this year’s champion. Locals and visitors in the Aspen area will have the opportunity to taste as many soups as they please and are encouraged to TEXT TO VOTE for their favorite at the end of the night. Each restaurant will be assigned a unique number for voters to text in as their personal favorite.

Soupskol is an exciting and creative application of mobile text messaging. Rather than simply using SMS text to promote a business or offer coupons and discounts, Soupskol organizers are promoting an entire event. Through participating in this event restaurants and their culinary styles are in turn promoted, particularly if they win.

Because such a high population of Americans own mobile phones and send text messages, up to 73% of all mobile phone using Americans, offering a text-to-vote campaign encourages voter participation. Attendees to the Soupskol will not have to hassle with tasting soups, recording or remembering their favorite numbers, walking to and locating a voting station and then placing their vote. Rather, this year attendees can make the soup rounds, record their favorites in their phone as they go, and as easy as 1,2,3 – place their vote when they are ready.

Event organizers, cities and festival planners can all use a SMS text to further engage attendees at their events. Today’s consumer enjoys engaging through their mobile devices, whether through competitions, voting or simply polling to see which parts of an event they liked, or those they would like to see improved. In this way organizers truly have their finger on the pulse of their supporters. Many companies and festivals that have used text campaigns at their events have found that quizzes and competitions build excitement with their attendees and increase their enjoyment of the events. This same excitement translates to word-of-mouth business, as those enjoying the quiz or competition text their friends and family to tell them what they are doing, where and how much they are enjoying it.

Let Qittle help you dish out your bulk text program at your next event, click here to get your first month’s service completely FREE of charge!! Then meet us down at Soupskol for a cup of hot soup, some friendly competition and Aspen style hospitality!

The Phoenix Suns announced in early December that in an effort to more widely reach their entire fan base, they are implementing an interactive SMS campaign in 2012.  Mobilemarketingwatch.com reported that the Sun’s text campaign will focus on engaging fans through multiple participatory experiences. The Phoenix Suns will also track fan interest in order to more specifically tailor future ad campaigns.

The Phoenix Suns are headed in the right direction with their advertising strategy. While many companies have turned their focus to the smartphone, with its multi-faceted capabilities, the Pew Research Center reported earlier this year that only 35% of Americans own smartphones. As a result mobile advertising specifically for smartphones, like apps, can only reach one third of any company’s audience. For this reason, smartphone exclusive advertising is not the most effective form of advertising today. A better statistic is the 83% of Americans who use their cell phones and the 73% of this number that send and receive text messages. Companies who tap into this statistic with SMS campaigns can reach almost their entire target audience.

The Suns weren’t the only sports team in 2011 to realize the potential of text message campaigns. The Chicago Bulls also implemented a revised text message program in early 2011. The Bulls have begun using their text campaign to keep their fans informed about their team through text messages containing game scores, player stats and other relevant information. Jeremy Thum, director of the interactive marketing for the Chicago Bulls was quoted saying, “SMS has been a key component of our digital marketing platform for three years. (SMS) functionality, however, moves us closer to our goal of expanding mobile capabilities while allowing our fans control over content they receive.”

The Cricket World Cup 2011 also utilized text messages to build fan base throughout the world. In partnership with service providers throughout the world, The Cricket World Cup offered followers of the matches free alerts and scores from matches.  In many countries throughout the world, cell phone ownership rates exceed the actual population of the country. Particularly in third world countries, cell phones are much easier to afford than computers; as a result, information in these countries is often accessed and passed through text message. Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, particularly in developing countries such as India, where it is actually #1, creating a strong fan base with mobile users builds Cricket’s popularity and keeps people worldwide in the know about their country’s teams and standings. In turn, this popularity feeds ticket and product sales worldwide.

These professional organizations have discovered the benefit of mobile marketing strategies. These same techniques work for smaller teams, recreational organizations and virtually any business. Click here to learn more and get your first month of service from Qittle completely FREE of charge!

“If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” ~ Mother Teresa.

These words resonated with me today as I reflected on the meaning of messages. It seems like everywhere I look I am surrounded by messages.

Candidates in New Hampshire are expounding their messages today and tomorrow for the last times. President Obama is redefining his message of ‘change’ to ‘progress.’ Retailers are trying to brand their message. Some are successful enough in this object that my ten-year old insists on drinking Coke from his Coke cup with his Coke Bear tucked under his arm.

While I admit to experiencing ‘message fatigue’ from time to time, I see the truth in these words of Mother Teresa’s, if we want a message to be heard, we must continually send it. Like fueling a lamp with oil.

For many in the faith community communicating a message is the single most important aspect of their ministry. While some more traditional folks may object to the use of technology for this purpose, there is no escaping the fact that increasingly, particularly in the younger demographics, technology is the best and most effective way of transmitting a message.

Churches and religious communities, just like businesses, must recognize that their audience has changed. Gone are the days when churchgoers switch off their cell phones during service. Gone too are the days in which a paper bulletin passed out after service is enough to keep congregants engaged. The younger demographic expects an exchange of information. Nielsen news reported December 15^th 2011, that American teenagers sent on average 3,417 texts per month. In the 18-24 year old demographic, an average of 1,914 texts were sent per month, and even up through the thirty and forty year old demographics, as many as 709 texts were sent per month. The trend is growing, not just with the youth of America, but with every demographic. Mobile messaging is an effective and easy way to reach everyone in the congregation.

Park Community Church, in Chicago has implemented an extensive text message program for their congregants. Tim Schradeder, Director of Communications at Park Community Church explained in a 2009 blog on echohub.com, “Our church is in the heart of downtown Chicago, our average age is 29, and 60 percent of the people who come to Park are single. Since texting is a primary way people in our church communicate, it made sense for use to begin implementing the use of text messaging in our services and weekly communications.”

Because so many individuals in the younger demographics have turned to mobile messaging, they respond well to invitations and recruitment via text message. Simply opting-in to receive messages keeps these individuals engaged in their faith community and updated on events. Many of these churches have creatively used mobile messages during service or outside of service to reinforce a message or reach followers with updates, reminders and news.

Some churches during service have created a text message Q&A in which congregants can send in texts during the sermon with questions about the sermon or other faith related questions. The pastor can then address these issues during his discussion, or immediately after.

Other churches have begun asking their congregations to text in prayer requests. These requests either scroll throughout the service, or during songs.

Pastors have begun prefacing a sermon with questions sent out during the week to the congregation, and then he or she forms their sermon that weekend around the thoughts, concerns and questions of the people. Likewise pastors can follow up later in the week with additional thoughts from the previous weekend’s sermon or with reminders about that talk. In this way, church goes beyond Sunday, into everyday.

Text messages are a great way to seek volunteers for community projects, or announce new activities. Some churches even have established a text message system through which individuals can text in the group they would like more information about, and receive in return a complete schedule, the person offering the talk or study and the location.

Youth groups and summer camps can drive enrollment for their activities through text message as well as update parents on activities during the week or event. In this way parents will feel more informed about what is happening with their children while they are away.

Make your church or youth group’s love message heard! Click here to learn more about mass text messages and all the ways Qittle can help and get your first month of service completely FREE today!

Through their strategic approach to SMS text message campaigns, QR Codes and other mobile advertising Proctor and Gamble stands out for their ability to reach their key demographics and market to them. Proctor and Gamble, which produces a diverse number of products ranging from dental care to cosmetics and cleaning products, tailored their mobile campaigns in 2011 to very precise demographics.

For example, their line of cosmetics, CoverGirl ran an ad this year promoting their LashBlast mascara. Consumers were asked via mobile marketing campaign to snap photos of their  ‘bold, notice-me-looks’ with their mobile phones and text them back into the company. The 18-24 year old demographic is very much interested in the social aspect of text messaging.  P&G has tapped into the younger generation’s expectation of more than simply information or coupons from the companies they choose. As a result, companies like P&G that offer their customers an open exchange, tend to appeal to this age group.

While Proctor and Gamble has been wooing the younger generation with two-way communication, they have also been working on the moms out there with fast and helpful tips. This year P&G’s laundry line, Tide Brand laundry detergent, launched its very own app for both the iPhone and iPod to help consumers share ways to use the product while on the go. This sort of interactive exchange appeals to many on-the-go women, who are treating their own stains or those of their children while managing work, soccer schedules, snack and homework regimes. A helpful app with quick ideas that work is a sure way to win over women everywhere!

Currently Crest, P&G’s oral care line, is running a QR Code promotion which customers can scan while getting ready for bed, or beginning the day. This promotion, which began back in October of this year, offers customers who scanned the QR Code with their phone earned (It is the teeny, tiny square on the back of the Crest tube of toothpaste) a percentage off of a 4 pack of toothpaste. In this way Crest and Proctor and Gamble are returning to a more traditional incentive program while using a fairly new technology in the US.

Of course, Proctor and Gamble, with its large marketing budget has the available resources to explore innovative ways to reach new customers. However P&G has not forgotten its other older and very loyal demographic, as a reflection of their ongoing commitment to this demographic, they continue to print newspaper ads for weekly papers.

While it is commonly accepted that paper coupons are redeemed only at a 1-3% rate, and SMS coupons are opened 99% of the time and redeemed close to 20% of the time, the important thing to note about P&G is that while wooing one demographic, they are not neglecting another. For companies like Proctor and Gamble, that can afford a 1% redemption rate on a promotion, it is a worthwhile investment. For smaller companies with a more restricted budget, as text message campaigns are initiated, it is imperative to educate and inform your older and perhaps more loyal customers on how to get, redeem and benefit from mobile marketing initiatives.

With 91.4 million people in the US currently using smartphones in the United States, the possibility for smart and interactive text message campaigns are endless. As we look to the future of mobile marketing we would be wise to take a page out of Proctor and Gamble’s book, diversify, embrace new technology and to remember the people that brought us where we are today.

To follow Proctor and Gamble’s lead, click here and learn how Qittle can get your company on its own strategic mobile marketing campaign today and get your first month of service completely FREE!

Needless to say, I spent more than a few minutes today researching gyms in my area and thinking about what amenities I look for in a gym and how much I am willing to pay for these amenities.

It seems that I am not the only one this January resolving to live better and save money doing it. Of course, gyms and fitness facilities, along with every retailer on the planet, are reaching out to newly health conscious consumers by advertising specials on memberships, clothing and fitness classes.

However, I find myself increasingly annoyed by what I perceive as unwanted and inundating advertisements.  I am not going to begin eating an all-raw vegetables diet this year, and I would really love that particular diet plan’s advertisement to stop scrolling on my sidebar. Likewise, I don’t care which celebrity lost weight with a certain diet program. I don’t want to buy the same workout shorts, or own the same weights.

Like many other consumers, I find myself open and receptive to advertising I seek out from the companies I am interested in trying or learning more about. For this reason, while looking for the gym of my choice, I found myself thinking about ways gyms could effectively reach interested customers with relevant information about exercise programs, discounts on memberships or trial periods for their gym, without putting customers off or annoying them.

In my search, I found three gyms using innovative mobile marketing programs to reach new customers or returning customers.

Gold’s Gym has an active Twitter presence in which customers are encouraged to post when they are going to the gym and the results they have seen since joining. In 2011 Gold’s Gym began using QR Codes, the little square boxes seen on everything from the sides of buildings to the backs of cereal boxes. Many QR Codes lead consumers who scan them directly to a website or enter them automatically into a text message marketing campaign in which customers can get discounts, coupons or updates directly on to their phones.

24Hour Fitness has created its very own smartphone app, where members can log in, search classes, instructors and times, find clubs through GPS technology, and track personal fitness goals such as BMI as well as track changes in weight and count calories. Bill Quinn, vice president of 24HourFitness.com at San Ramon, CA was quoted in the Mobile Marketer in 2009 saying, “We see a lot of potential to grow our mobile presence, because mobile is such a great fit with fitness.”

The Aspen Club & Spa, located in Aspen, Colorado, has utilized an active Twitter campaign as well. However, the Aspen Club & Spa has also incorporated a mobile marketing campaign with Qittle. Through this mobile marketing program, Aspen Club & Spa has used text messaging to reach out to its customers in a personal way through encouraging customers to vote for their favorite ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestants and encouraging their Meatless Mondays program earlier in 2011. Text message campaigns have promoted 10-day fee-free trial periods for the club and spa, along with many other promotions including friends, family and discounts on other services offered at the spa and club.

Text message programs allow gyms to reach the 73% of American adults who own cell phones and send and receive text messages. Of the 83% of Americans who own cell phones, 31% actually prefer a text message over a voice call. SMS messages sent to consumer’s cell phone are opened and read at 99% rate. Gyms, like the Aspen Club & Spa, who personally reach out to their customers through their cell phone, know that their messages are received, opened and read.

Learn more about SMS marketing systems and begin reaching your customers on a more personal level in 2012 by clicking here! Qittle offers its first month of service completely FREE of charge. Help your gym members reach their New Year’s Resolutions today!!

In light of the increasing significance of this form of advertising, I would like to wrap up 2011 with a brief two-part look at the most innovative text message campaigns of the year.

The beverage industry has really taken text message campaigns to a higher level this year. As a result I would like to take a look at what I consider to be the top three innovative uses of mobile advertising in the beverage industry in 2011.

Coca-Cola has long been an avid user of SMS text message campaigns. However, in the international market this year, Coke created SMS text message purchasing capacity on some of their vending machines. In a June 17^th, 2011 article posted on the MobileMarketer.com, this innovative form of purchasing Coca-Cola products was explained in detail. Customers use an SMS text message code to select their beverage; the cost of the purchase then shows up on the consumer’s phone bill, rather than requiring a deposit into the machine.

Doug Busk, mobile brand strategy and global connections at Coca-Cola Co. explained the effectiveness of this payment method, “What we’re seeing in a couple of use cases is that this increases purchasing frequency. Any time you take the friction out of the system, you increase frequency.”

In addition to simplifying the payment method of a Coke transaction, customers who choose this payment method are automatically enrolled to receive text message promotions directly to their phones. Coke has for many years used codes printed on the tops of soda bottles to offer their customers free music and other incentives. In 2011 Coke used these product codes to give their customers free mobile phone minutes or data.

Bud Light has been working in 2011 to create strong partnerships and to promote those relationships through text message campaigns. The most significant of these relationships has been their contract with the NFL. As we reported in our September 27^th piece, Bud Light has made it their aim to befriend their customers through ticket promotions and games, as well as the opportunity to win free tickets and NFL prizes. In return, Bud Light is the ‘new beer of the NFL,’ creating a win-win relationship for both parties.

QR Codes, those cute little squares that began punctuating products throughout every market in America this year, are a fun, easy and innovative method to get customers to opt-in to programs. Phones enabled with bar code scanner capacity, primarily smartphones, can scan the code. The phone will then automatically take the user to either a webpage with information and incentives, or trigger an automatic SMS text response in which the consumer will be offered an opportunity to opt-in for coupons and updates from the company.

Starbucks has embraced the power of the QR Codes this year. Considering that 39% of mobile phones in the US today are smartphones, this market only promises to grow (http://venturebeat.com/2011/12/29/comscore-mobile-usage/). Starbucks has used its various QR Code promotions to benefit its customers and reward them for their continuing loyalty. Many within the mobile marketing industry have praised Starbucks for their ability to use technology with purpose.

Raise your glass, or Caramel Macchiato to a fantastic year in group texting service and ring in the New Year with your company’s unique and exciting campaign. Click here to get started with Qittle today and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge!

Casey & Sarah

I wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a Happy New. I pray and hope you have an amazing 2012 full of hope and love.

It’s going to be a big year around the Qittle offices as we welcome Mike’s new baby into our family, add a new brother in law when Kellee and Aaron get married and I’m super excited to announce that I asked my girlfriend, Sarah to marry me and she said yes!!!

We wish you the very best in 2012 and thank you for being a part of our story!

thanks

Casey

The Japanese Earthquake, Tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster beginning on March 11 are certainly among the most traumatic world events this year. Even today, the exact number of lives lost remains unclear; some estimates put the number as high as ten thousand. (www.guardian.co.uk). However even in the midst of this terrible disaster, the cell phone enabled people to communicate within the island and throughout the entire world about their well being and safety. Text messages enabled families to reunite and to find each other amid chaos and fear.

In the midst of this disaster Japanese citizens who carried cell phones serviced by NTT Docomo, a dominant cell phone carrier in Japan, were able to opt-in to receive notifications about new earthquakes or aftershocks. This text message service utilized an advanced technology called Cell Broadcast. A form of SMS texting with the remarkable aspect of this technology being that cell phone towers can broadcast a message to every phone in range, without requiring more bandwidth for more recipients. Meaning that this mass text message would not slow down or effect other text messages being sent at the same time. The MIT Technology Review initially reported on this use of SMS text messaging on March 13^th in a piece that examined how an expansion of this technology could warn people worldwide about rocket attacks, natural disasters and environmental threats.

Text messaging services set up by the Red Cross and many other organizations made donating to the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear victims much easier. SMS donations have proven to be an effective way of raising large sums of money in small increments. Because text messaging tends to be used at higher rates by younger generations, (The average teenager in America sends 3,417 texts per month (www. tech.fortune.com/2011/12/15/nielsen-u-s-teens-exchange-7-text-messages-per-waking-hour )), the dollar amount of donations through text message donation services tends to be lower, however the response in general is higher.

While Americans watched the events in Japan unfold on the other side of the ocean, we turned more and more toward our mobile devices for news, information and updates. According to an eMarketer report published December 12, 2011, mobile phone use for the year was up 30% this year over last, pushing it over the one hour mark per day. This is compared to the 44 minutes we spent reading newspapers and magazines combined each day.

The worldwide trend is mobile! Mobile phones and text messages are witnessing the events of history and empowering us to connect in times of disaster and need. This same power translates to the business world as well. Help your customers be more informed with text message advertisements in 2012. Click here to learn more about Qittle and SMS mass texting messages today and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge.

The significance of cell phones as an information tool became clear early this year with the death of Osama bin Laden in May. Twitter reported that from 10:45p.m. Sunday, May 1^st to 2:20a.m. Monday, May 2^nd an average of 3,000 tweets per second were logged, the most tweets recorded ever! Minutes before President Obama’s news briefing numbers of tweets peaked with 5,106 tweets per second (NPR.org).

In times past, news of this proportion would have been passed through more traditional media avenues such as radio, television and the Internet. However, most Americans were alerted to the news at the same time as many traditional media outlets via tweets from the unforgettable Sohaib Athar, neighbor of Osama who witnessed the raid and subsequently tweeted about it, to text messages sent out by President Obama to those who had opted-in to receive text messages notifications from him, to friends and family members who passed along the news via text message as they received it.

Just yesterday as the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il was announced to their world, text messages captured the emotion and reaction of the Chinese, whose lives and political stories have been intertwined since at least the Korean War. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Chinese reaction flooded mobile messaging networks, and emoticons captured their varying emotions, from sad faces to laughing faces and victory symbols

Traditional media outlets have been taken surprise by the grassroots news that has flooded out of text message communication. Efforts to rethink traditional practices has begun with news organizations creating their own SMS text message programs through which they can pass along news to listeners and viewers and incentive programs to entice news consumers to continue to use them as their news source.

Likewise, text message services and social media networks have had to examine the methods of news transmission via their networks, and their responsibility to balance access of information, freedom of speech and thought along with accuracy of that information. Earlier this month NPR featured a segment discussing just this issue. In this discussion it came to light that many social media companies are beginning to recognize the significance of their role in providing news to their subscribers. In order to help cope with the potential newsworthy or controversial content posted, YouTube has sought professional news directors to work with countries and organizations throughout the world to determine what ought to be posted, and what must be held back. Many other networks continue to count on the judgment and discretion of their users.

While the media continues to grapple with the changes brought about by mobile phones and a more mobile society, companies must grapple with the reality of these changes as well. Twenty-twelve is anticipated to see another 73.1% increase in mobile commerce, while mobile advertising to reach $4.4 billion dollars by 2015. What’s your company’s mobile plan?

Mobile phones are changing more than they way we communicate. It is changing the world – Don’t be left behind, start your text message advertising campaign today with Qittle and get your first month of service completely FREE of charge!

Twenty-eleven will forever be synonymous with the Arab Spring. However, I would argue rather than a single season of revolution, 2011 has been the Arab Year. It seems that Mohamad Bouazizi of Tunisia expressed the desperation and despair felt throughout Tunisia and many other places in the Arab world when he set himself on fire in late December of 2010.  As news of Bouazizi’s ultimate protest made its way through cell phone networks, social media and traditional media avenues, his life and untimely death sparked the quiet fires of unrest that had been smoldering in the region for some time.

The subsequent protests and unrest that began in Tunisia exploded throughout the entire region in the early months of this year.  Because many regimes in the Middle East controlled traditional media outlets, the general population has turned to cell phone communication via Twitter or SMS text for news from outside of their countries. Cell phone ownership levels in Northern Africa and other areas of the Middle East are quite high.  In early January, the Kipp Report announced that cell phone ownership in Egypt had reached nearly 80% of the general population. The cell phone has proven to be a largely uncensored form of communication, allowing people in repressive regimes to communicate more freely.

Leaders such as President Mubarak of Egypt realized the power of the mobile phone and social media too late. When he finally realized the power of these forms of communication, his efforts to silence the protestors by shutting down cell phone service and Internet connections had the unexpected and opposite effect he had hoped. Rather than silencing the movement, he forced it out into the streets of Egypt. Waleed Rasheed, an activist was quoted saying, “I would like to thank Mubarak so much…. he disconnected mobile phones on Jan. 27. More people came down to the streets on the 28th of January because he disconnected.” Within a week Mubarak had resigned as president of the county he had ruled for almost thirty years. source

Protest in Egypt

Of course we have watched the events of the Arab Spring with wonder, and as we approach the close of 2011 it seems there are more questions than answers for the future of that region of the world. It is noteworthy that Egypt held peaceful democratic elections this fall, and the formal end of the Libyian conflict bodes well for the future.  Without question the cell phone and SMS text have been instrumental tools in organizing the population to assert their rights and liberate themselves. Text messaging, Twitter and social media will continue to play an integral part of the telling of this story.

Tell your story with SMS text messaging in 2012! Click here to learn about Qittle and the services it offers businesses, organizations and non-profits, and get your first month of service completely FREE!

Statistics say that you probably love your cell phone more than practically any other technology in the market today, and perhaps more than your wallet or toothbrush.

Hubspot recently published some interesting statistics indicating the almost total dependence worldwide upon cell phones.

Chances are, you like your cell phones more than America Online or TV. IPhone growth numbers are already ten times faster than the growth of America Online. Today there are more cell phones on the planet than televisions. In fact, there are some countries this year that reported more cell phone subscriptions than people.  Worldwide the population of the planet is approximately 7 billion, cell phones are beginning to approach total permeation at 5.1 billion cell phones in circulation. In the United States, 91% of the population has their phone at the tips of their fingers 24/7.

Statistically, you are more likely to notice your phone is missing than your wallet. On average, people notice a lost phone in 68 minutes, and a lost wallet in 26 hours.

While the average email is responded to within an hour and a half, the average text gets a response in just a minute and a half. Mobile coupons sent via cell phone are 10 times more likely to be redeemed than any other kind of coupon.

Of the 5.1 billion cell phone owners, only 4.2 billion own toothbrushes.

These numbers are only expected to grow as the younger generation enters the market. To date of those in the 24-34 age bracket 62% have a smartphone, while 54% of the 18-24 year old bracket owns one. (allthingsd.com20111103). As this demographic attains more buying power, their built-in dependence on mobile phones will result in even more searches via cell phone. Messages sent directly to customers who have opted-in to receive notifications and discounts can only translate to more business online and in-store. Particularly as the Hubspot article cites, 70% of the time an online search via smartphone results in action, either a purchase or an in-store visit.

For business owners these numbers illustrate an important and growing trend within society. With more cellphones than televisions worldwide, it is clear that advertising dollars spent on television ads are not reaching the largest market possible. Conventional marketing practices of the recent past are no longer effective or engaging enough for the modern consumer.

The marketing experts at Mobile Marketer, recommend companies create an SMS text message campaign, and based on the initial results (because text message campaigns are so efficient companies can track redemption rates) separate customer lists according to their redemption rates. For example, consumers who love discounts on one list, consumers who redeem only free offers, and those consumers who seldom redeem. In this way companies can target offers to those most likely to use them, and avoid contacting customers who are less interested and in turn avoiding the possibility of annoying them with too much engagement.

Mobile marketing is here to stay, considering the mobile marketing statistics emerging from the advertising market, it is no surprise to learn that this year alone more than 7 trillion SMS text messages were sent and received worldwide. How many of those were from your company?

This year, embrace cell phone love and be part of the advertising trends of the future, start your mobile marketing campaign today! Click here to contact the folks at Qittle, learn more about SMS text message campaigns and get your first month of service completely FREE!

Sales projections earlier this year from Google anticipated that consumers would double peak this holiday season as they search for bargains both post-Thanksgiving and at the last minute. This second peak is expected to hit brick and mortar stores, in particular, during the last two weeks before Christmas.

The second peak in sales can be explained in part by the high number of online sales in retail these days. While this may seem contradictory, the primary drawback to online sales is the long lead-time necessary to purchase and receive items. This realization is always a shock, one many consumers experienced this past weekend as Sunday, December 10^th marked the last date on many websites to buy online, pay basic shipping (or get free shipping) and be guaranteed to receive the gift by Christmas.

The two-week window created by this delay allows brick and mortar retailers to step in and regain their place in the market. One way to take advantage of these last 12 (or 14) days of Christmas is through a mobile marketing campaign.

Google projects that 44% of total last minute gift searches this year will originate with mobile devices. In the same report, 65% of consumers using smartphones or high-end mobile devices reported searching for a business with their mobile device and subsequently making a purchase there in person.

RedBox has obviously been doing its homework on the data concerning mobile marketing this holiday season, because they have created a clever and fun holiday text message incentive program. In their 12 Days of Deals and Prizes they are promising customers who opt-in by texting FUN to 727272 each day the chance to receive discounted movie and game rentals, from $.25 to $1, but the chance to win prizes such as PS3, Nintendo Wii, games, headphones, gift cards ranging from $250-$600, a Blu-ray Disc Player, and a Nook, along with many other prizes as well.  Beginning December 13^th, and running until December 24^th, each day will feature a new discount, and a new opportunity to win.

This program is exciting in that it engages customers multiple times over the course of just a few days, on their own incentive. Many families love holiday movies this time of year, RedBox’s motivators getting customers to rent from them rather than their competitors during the holidays may prove to establish a year-long habit.   Free gifts and discounted videos will help to entice customers to rent more movies and games from RedBox.

There is still time for your company to create its own 12 days of Christmas promotion with fun incentives, great deals and even more opportunities to bring customers in to your physical location. Click here to learn more about Qittle, bulk SMS texting and all it can offer you and your brick and mortar store! While you’re at it, Qittle would like to offer your company a holiday gift of its own, a whole month of service complete FREE of charge!

These are words you do not want to hear if you have children of any age, a spouse in a mid-life crisis, or friends suddenly consumed with an extreme mountain-climbing obsession.

However, in the marketing world, what everyone else is doing is extremely important. And because everyone else is doing it, you probably don’t need me to tell you – everyone, EVERYONE is on Facebook. Your old high school girl friend, the kid who sat next to you on the bus, your mom, your grandma and more than likely, your favorite company are ALL on Facebook.

Perhaps because we have become a ‘friend’ oriented society, it isn’t enough anymore for companies to simply provide goods or services within a market. Today, consumers want to ‘Like’ their companies, be entertained by them and be engaged with them on a deeper, more personal level.

Due to this new reality in the marketplace, Facebook has become an absolutely essential aspect of integrating your company into the everyday life of your customers. Convevo Partners, a marketing consulting firm specializing in the convenience and retail petroleum industry, reported that in 2011 the top 100 chains in the country increased their presence on Facebook from 16% to 55%, and have a collective fan base of 3.5 million. (Convenience Store Decisions, 2011).

While most marketing experts would recommend their clients start with Facebook for reaching out into the social networking scene, text message campaigns are a close and effective partner to Facebook. Greg Erlich, president of Convevo Partners, advises companies looking toward a greater social networking presence, “If a chain has to pick one form of promotion to tie to their Facebook page text marketing is the best bet.”

The Technology page of Convenience Store Decisions, November 2011 issue featured a few campaigns run by convenience stores on social media platforms that were both engaging and effective. The first was a Facebook conversation prompted by Par Mar Stores in which customers responded to the question, ‘If you were going to Zoombezi bay in Columbus, Ohio, what Par Mar item would you take with you?’ Respondents were awarded randomly with tickets to a local amusement park.

Last spring, Casey’s General Store began a promotion in which customers opted-in via text message, photo or video to communicate their love for Casey’s. Once entered, these customers were pitted against one another in a March Madness-type of bracket competition. Contestant/competitors then advanced through the competition by popular vote on Facebook.

Kangaroo Express, recognizing that many people, particularly in the younger demographic use their cell phones all of the time, has expanded its text messaging campaign. It now offers RooClub weekly and daily offers to its text message customers. Redemption rates have jumped from the 1-3% on paper coupons to 7% for buy-one-get-one-free offers and up to 60-70% on free days on text message coupons. To encourage more customers to opt-in to the program, Kangaroo Express offers free gas card contests to those who opt-in during a certain period.

These campaigns illustrate that a social media marketing strategy can and must be multi-faceted in order to be successful. Companies must be creative with their message and remember to enjoy their customers. Simply a presence on Facebook, with linked in deals via text message, is not enough to truly engage consumers today. Erlich cautions against simply promoting your product or company too much through social media. Instead the primary goal of social media presence is to become as integrated in your customers’ lives as their ‘Friends,’ to share stories, play games and introduce your product as just one more aspect of their lives.

It’s time to start doing what everyone else is doing. It’s time to start your own Facebook/SMS text messaging marketing campaign! Qittle can help you get started. Click here to learn more and to get your first month of service completely FREE!

In 2011 we saw mobile phone ownership in the United States reach 83%. The average number of text messages jumped from 39.1/day to 41.5, with much higher rates of texting in the younger demographics, around 110/per day. (Pew Internet & American Life Project, September 19, 2011). Smartphone ownership in 2011 has picked up, with 35% of Americans owning one.

Particularly due to the high text message rates of younger users, one can expect that not only will cell phone ownership in U.S. approach total permeation, but companies will increasingly recognize the fact that consumers are using their phones to do more than communicate with friends and family, but rather to conduct business, shop and bank.

In September Google unveiled its vision for mobile banking with Google Wallet. The idea behind the Google Wallet is brilliant. More and more smartphone users are shopping online at home, in stores or while window shopping, however with every mobile transaction there are real security concerns about entering one’s bank or credit card number and security code while on Wi-Fi or using 3G.

Theoretically Google Wallet will resolve this security issue by storing all of one’s bank and credit card information on one’s cell phone, locked with a personal identification number required for all transactions. Currently the Google Wallet is only available on the Nexus S 4G on Sprint with Citibank MasterCard. In large metropolitan areas the Google Wallet is accepted where stores display the logo, and at specific online sites.

This service and its potential benefits are particularly relevant to business owners throughout all industries. Not only is it more essential than ever to have an online presence; but also to have that online presence tied into a text message is critical. One third of the American population has the ability to shop online via their phones, the average American is sending and receiving almost 40 texts a day. They are popping in and out of their text messages looking for new messages periodically throughout the day – more perhaps than their email. A text message sent directly to a customer’s phone containing a link to your company’s website, complete with Google Wallet, or some competitor (Who has yet to exist, but will soon – I’m betting) makes your customers’ shopping experience, easy, simple and seamless.

Currently, Google wallet offers very limited service, however the genius of this system will soon spread throughout the marketplace either through Google Wallet or other companies offering a similar service.

Some have criticized Google for its lackluster introduction of Google Wallet and its limited support. IPhone users, who constitute a large and vocal majority of the smartphone market, have been completely excluded from the service, along with Blackberry and Nokia. While the window is open for a competitor to swoop in to promote this service or a similar service, I suspect that Google Wallet will spread itself once word gets out.

To integrate your own text message service into your company’s marketing strategy and to announce your use of the Google Wallet click HERE. Qittle is always here to help businesses see through the latest in mobile marketing news, translate it and make it applicable for you and your company.