What are Mobile marketing Opt-ins and why are they important?

A Statista report suggests that there will be approximately 4.78 billion mobile phone users in 2020.  With such a broad audience available on mobile, brands and businesses seek more and more growth via mobile marketing. 

Why Brands are Opting for Mobile Marketing Opt-ins?

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Today, business associates are becoming eager to prove the brand superior and withstand the competition to create a niche for themselves in the market. To stand out amongst all the noise, these corporate houses, entrepreneurs, and startups are continually working to improve their efficiency.

They also promote themselves by deploying various marketing channels like social media marketing, email marketing, and whatnot! One such tactic is mobile marketing, which is today a prominent way to reach out to potential audiences.  

But, in this competitive world, marketers need to take every step wisely and follow healthy marketing practices so that they do not prove themselves as spammers. Also, they can not simply dump their communication/brand messages onto their audience. 

Unlike “interruption marketing” where no brand seeks permission to promote their services/ products/ brand as a whole; mobile marketing opt-ins are an excellent way to proceed as it requires the consent of the receiver.

Interesting read: Free Email Marketing Tools to Save You Time and Money

For example, a TV add is a form of interruption marketing as no brand will seek the audience’s permission to shoot the ad campaign.

But if you have ever witnessed, when you go to a website, and a pop-up box appears in front of you stating “Allow Notifications” or “Sign-up for our Free Newsletter”; all such messages are seeking your permission. Hence they are a small part of mobile marketing opt-ins. 

Still confused and wondering ‘What is Mobile marketing opt-in and how it can be beneficial to your business or your customer.

What is Mobile marketing opt-in?

Mobile marketing opt-ins can be stated as permission marketing, as it requires due permission of consumers before the marketers can deliver marketing collateral and messages to their audience.

Herein, the brands concentrate on respecting the privacy of their consumers and do not disturb the audience which seeks out for marketing collaterals.

In simple words, in mobile marketing opt-ins, a brand wants to reach you on your mobile and seek permission for the same through, a direct point of contact.

It can be via a mobile number or OPT or any form of communication where they ask users to agree for getting promotional activities and marketing offers or information. Here, a direct message is sent to the customers. 

Mobile marketing possesses qualities of both mobile apps and mobile web. 

Mobile Web

On the mobile web, brands can prepare their mobile landing page and redirect their consumers on to it so that they can either subscribe to email marketing or SMS marketing.

Interesting Read: Best Ways to Turn Email Subscribers Into Social Fans

Such a landing page can also include further website/product links by which the audience can carry forward with their website tour. By this tactic, a brand also gets more traffic on its website. 

Mobile Apps

Whereas in the mobile app, the brands can interact with consumers when they download the application on their mobiles. Once the download is finished, a message appears seeking the location information, SMS permissions, read/edit contact details, and so many other permissions are asked via push notification.

Depending upon the app for which a user is signing up, the form of direct communication and consent may vary. 

Why is Mobile Opt-ins Beneficial?

Mobile opt-ins help brands to directly communicate with the consumer and consumers can also respond through texting, scanning or submitting information to mobile websites or apps.

However, consumers might be hesitant to give their mobile number or to come in direct contact and therefore, brands need to prepare bait for them by giving them immediate information about upcoming sales or offers.

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Okay! Now let us try and understand how Mobile marketing opt-ins are useful for the business. 

How Are Mobile Marketing Opt-ins Important for a Brand?

So here are some points, which you can refer to when answering this question.

1. Easy to Send Promotions and Sales Offers

Business text messaging has turned out to be an attractive and cost-effective method for the promotion of brands as almost 90% of the time a text message is read within 3 minutes of receiving the message. 

2. Marketing Campaigns

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To create a niche in the market for your brand, a marketer needs to lead its campaign in an integrated manner by targeting their consumer in several different ways at several different places.

Thus, with mobile marketing opt-ins, you get a direct route to draw your customers by communicating with them and making them engage with your brand. 

3. Share Discount, Coupons, Vouchers and Gift Cards as a Treat to Your Consumers

A brand that offers discounts, coupons, vouchers and gift cards is like a cherry on top of the cake for its customers. However, it can turn out to be a headache for the marketer and therefore, the wise decision would be to have a time limit or a one-time-use tag to all. 

4. Easy to Send Virtual Gifts

A gift is what everyone loves; it helps the marketer to increase the brand loyalty of the product among the customers, and it makes the customers feel special.

Especially, when you are sending gifts to those audiences who have opted for your marketing promotions, the possibilities are high that they will encash these virtual gifts, ultimately leading to better brand recall. 

5. Better Opportunity to Personalize your Text Message

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Everybody craves attention; everybody wants some love, and so are your shoppers.  When you have a database of the audience which is eagerly waiting for your message, if you send them a personalized text, they will definitely turn towards your brand.

If they have something on their wish list or in their shopping bag, make sure you make them remember it. Let your text show them some warmth for your customers.

6. Alerts

Mobile opt-ins are suitable to send push notifications on your customer’s mobile. This will make your customers think about your brand and remember their good time spent on your store/ e-store. Also, you can tell them if there is a high fashion sale or some other offer well in advance. 

Make sure your loyal consumer base has some more perks than the ones who come to your website in a peek-a-boo style. Let them know beforehand about the upcoming sale or let them be an insider to your app.

7. Tracking the Goods

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Now the brands follow to share the delivery status to their customers and also share any delivery updates or tracking notifications. When you have permission to contact the audience, you can connect with them and give them an option to schedule their delivery as per their comfort.

8. Arrivals and Check-ins

Seeking the example of the airline industry, with the mobile marketing opt-ins, airlines have introduced check-in service through SMS, in which a customer can request arrival and departure information using the flight time and number, as well as any information about your flight like delays or gate changes.

9. Integrate SMS across all media

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In creating their opt-in base, the corporate incorporate SMS marketing through all their marketing mediums. It ensures to integrate the message for their customers who have preferred to opt-in. 

You can use various channels mentioned below via which you can reach out to your audience and let them opt in for marketing collateral permissions. Some of the popular channels could be:

• In-store signage
• Billboards
• Leaflets
• Social media
• Email
• Website
• Radio and television
• Any other form of advertising your brand uses.

It is a fact that employees can be the first point of contact with your prospects and customers. So you must coach them on how to effectively give the right information and share the required instructions to customers so that they can go ahead for marketing opt-ins. 

Take a leaf out of the below message which your employees must deliver to your audience at the time of store visit. 

“If you’re interested in some exclusive discounts and events from our store, you can sign up for our texting program by texting OPT-IN to 33333.”

For web/app visitors, the message could be:

“Sign-in to our Newsletter so that you never miss any attractive promotional offer Shooted by Our Store.” 

10. Run a Contest

To get a mobile number even from your customer for a mere subscription is a tough nut to crack. People can willingly sign up for your SMS program is by giving something exciting to them. 

Thus, you can get opt-ins by launching a marketing campaign or a social media contest like a Pinterest contest and Facebook contest. You can turn to offer several prizes in return. The campaign will not only increase the opted-in customer base. It will also generate leads, which can lead to increased sales.

The Last Note

Lastly, you can understand Mobile marketing opt-ins as any other communication network between a consumer and a brand. Where they communicate with each other via social and mobile media. Brands can go for the classic combination of both social and mobile marketing to reaping the benefits of both while sidestepping their drawbacks.

Consider the example of a growing brand called Paytm, where you, as an audience, can scan a QR code to make a payment and get a digital coupon code for free. Such activities will surely make the consumer happy, and you will be able to win a loyal customer in return. Not only this, but the customer will also willingly sign up for the app to receive other benefits. 

Marketers have the power to engage their customers across all the channels. Without spending a lump sum amount of money with the help of cross-channel marketing. So what is your favorite story of implementing mobile marketing opt-ins? Tell us in the comment section about the challenges you faced to convince the audience for giving voluntary consent?