The era of the smartphone has arrived, and small businesses would do well to take advantage of this trend. According to Nielsen Research, smartphones accounted for 31 percent of all mobile phones in 2010 and are projected to make up a majority of the industry by the end of the year. Creative and innovative small businesses’ advertising efforts can be greatly enhanced with the use of mobile internet access. Here are a few ways how:
Instant Access
With more people accessing the internet from any location, information transmission is instantaneous. As a result, companies would do well to respond quickly to their customer base. Special promotions can be communicated to core consumers through text-messages or emails. Inquiries from customers by the same media can be answered in a short time and will endear a company to them.
Location, Location, Location!
Most smartphones have the ability to track their users’ location and give them information about what’s in the area. Small businesses should market themselves using Yelp! or other consumer-information websites that search specifically for this data. There are also a number of apps such as FourSquare that give customers points for “checking in” at stores or offices, and acknowledging these accomplishments will attract mobile-heavy customers.
Information
The generation of consumers that uses smartphones has access to a wealth of information about businesses, companies and products. Small businesses that spend a little time making more information available will reap the benefits of being more accessible to their customers. Companies that have no information or reviews available for consumers to research will be overlooked by the new digital customer if they don’t use mobile applications in conjunction with the more traditional marketing techniques, such as promotional products.