Newsstand

August 6, 2011
Mobile SMS Featured at DMA2011 [DMA11]

SMS marketing is the latest strategy in the integrated marketing toolkit. As the number of cellphones, smartphones and hand-held devices skyrocket, its importance to marketers will also increase dramatically. The benefits of text message marketing include unparalleled reach, high read and redemption rates, speed, control and cost-effectiveness. Direct marketing professionals will be heading to Boston this October to attend DMA2011 so they can get the information they need to capitalize on this rapidly expanding marketing medium and how to integrate it seamlessly into their marketing mix.

Advertising by SMS (short message service) has become a legitimate marketing channel, up 128% in the last two years alone. Advertisers and marketers can now reach millions of consumers of all demographics through their phones. The campaigns that perform the best, however, are those with a targeted call to action. SMS marketing offers a variety of ways to communicate with a target market beyond simple messaging. As the technology continues to improve, marketers can now reach consumers through text messaging, mobile browsers, apps and SMS. The messages can be combined with activities such as a poll or game to engage consumers and draw them in. Once consumers are engaged, they can be directed to a mobile website, provided with a coupon, or given a click-to-call telephone number.

Mobile marketing ROI may still be tough to measure, but metrics are constantly emerging. Beyond simply measuring responses to a survey or coupons that are redeemed, marketers are working to determine how to put a dollar figure to these responses. They’re trying to assess the value of somebody instantly reading a message, and working to convert club memberships and loyalty rewards into data so that managers have actionable information on which to base decisions.

Because Mobile SMS has such significant potential in integrated marketing, DMA2011 will put plenty of emphasis on it to help attendees find the answers they need. A panelist discussion at Sunday’s Master Class will cover “Fast Forward: Mobile’s Next Big Push.” Topics covered at Ask the Expert Roundtables include “Mobile Search Advertising & the Importance of Data in Understanding Customer Intent” and “Mobile Marketing: What's Working, What's Not & What's Coming?” During the concurrent sessions, the Mobile track will feature presentations on mobile, mobile devices, and location-based services that provide marketers with unsurpassed opportunities to reach out directly to where their audience is at any given time. A Mobile Marketing Certification Workshop covers the fundamentals of mobile marketing and incorporates hands-on exercises and real-world case studies to help attendees apply their acquired knowledge immediately. And the Mobile Marketing Hot Spot Pavilion on the exhibit floor will feature displays, exhibits, 1:1 consultations, multimedia presentations and opportunities to exchange ideas throughout the day with leaders in the mobile marketing eco-system.

Over 10,000 attendees will discover the latest in integrated marketing and mobile SMS at this year’s DMA2011 Conference & Exhibition, October 1-6 in Boston - the global event for real-time marketers. Don’t miss the opportunity to find out how to use this dynamic marketing opportunity to your greatest advantage.

The DMA Newsstand Archive