With the invention of smartphones and other mobile internet devices, consumers have the power of the internet available to them around the clock. There are many options that offer alerts and notifications of daily deals, GPS location of services, shops, restaurants, events and just about everything needed to turn an average Joe into a savvy consumer. With the ability to research and reach out to social networking sites at the touch of a button, if you are not able to stay in the loop, your small business could literally disappear. So are you in the loop, are you ready?
It is very important to keep in mind that there is a growing market of consumers who access everything through their smartphones and mobile internet devices. The convenience of having everything at your fingertips makes it easy to research and find what you are looking for. There are challenges when marketing to these savvy consumers especially if you are a small business that doesn’t have time or resources.
Many of the traditional marketing techniques for small businesses can still be followed but they have to be adapted to impact this new breed of consumer. In order to be able to market to the savvy consumer, you need to know who they are. Typically the Mobile Savvy consumer that has their nose in their phone or mobile internet device spend very little time talking on the phone. They are around 18-36 years old, and use their phones to browse the internet and communicate with people via social networks like Twitter and Facebook.
Getting familiar with Facebook and Twitter will help you understand how to connect directly with your customers. Staying up to date on trends, topics, blogs, in style and events will help you figure out what they like and will enable you to become a part of the community by contributing and creating your own events. Now remember if you plan to SPAM you will be ignored like a leper and your reputation will be shot. Even if it’s clever it will break you, the Mobile Savvy Consumer will see it a mile away.
Besides, you don’t need constant promotion and it will not work if it annoys people, instead use your personality to create an online brand. Jump off the soapbox and listen to comments , feedback and be honest. Communicate what’s going on at your business and any exciting news you have to share or if something goes wrong, let them know. These Savvy Consumers appreciate honesty over fake exuses.
You can save a lot of money marketing to this ever growing market, but the connecting and bond that you can build within this online community of Savvy mobile consumers is priceless. Not to mention the value of direct consumer feedback you will receive from this very open and honest market.
