Smartphone-toting consumers are the bright shiny embodiment of the potential for commerce everywhere.
Why? As one research firm has noted, it’s because for many consumers, especially young adults, the smartphone is their “remote control of life.” Constant communications, always-on media consumption are the hallmarks of today’s young consumer, and not a few tech-savvy old goats like me (let’s just say I’ve passed the half-century mark). And a lot of consumers are using their smartphones to be smarter buyers. So boat loads of awesome, am I right?
In two words, yes but. . . One of the fastest ways to create tension in budding marketer-buyer relationships or one that’s been established? Trying to take control of that “remote control of life” for these consumers.
Making the consumer aware of deals because they’ve opted-in to receive mobile messages? Well, yes, but as Vibes, a mobile-marketing technology company, noted in recent surveys they conducted, there’s a not-so-obvious line mobile marketers and aspiring commerce-everywhere providers have to keep in mind: the fastest way to get somebody to churn-off your contact list is to “send too many messages.”
This is why investing in context-aware capabilities is going to be hugely important over the long haul for digital and mobile marketers. But starting now, creating opt-in opportunities — which once achieved gives the mobile markerter a chance to query about context information — is crucial.
As a mobile marketer, you have to build that mobile link to commerce everywhere — use it judiciously.