There are more than 240 million mobile users in the United States. Because cell phones and personal digital assistants are the modern consumer’s constant companion, mobile marketing quickly is becoming an interactive marketing channel that can complement and enhance your other marketing initiatives and communication channels.

Mobile marketing initiatives are the most personalized method to interact with a customer base in real time. With the right approach, you can deliver a customer experience that builds loyalty to brands, channels and services not based solely on price. As with most marketing initiatives, however, to be successful with mobile marketing, it’s important to do your research and plan your approach.

These 10 tips are basics that can help you create an effective mobile marketing campaign and integrate this communication channel into your larger marketing plan. They also represent principals in many winning mobile campaigns in both the United States and Europe. In general, these basics will help you avoid some common mistakes and put the power of text to work for you.

Tip 1

Evaluate mobile options. Mobile marketing is amazing, but it represents a wide variety of options and methods of communication. Take time and evaluate what form — or forms — of this communication channel will work best for you. Perhaps you want to send out coupons to rush-hour drivers for discounts on a car wash, but not tips on selecting a wax to preserve their vehicle’s finish. Meanwhile, a culinary supply store might find text tips on what’s fresh at farmers markets increase business. It’s possible to allow consumers to text to purchase, text to make reservations, text customer service — the options are endless.

Tip 2

Define your ultimate mobile goal. Use the unique capabilities of mobile to support your existing overall marketing plan. You must have some idea what you want to do with these mobile customers and how you want to integrate the interactivity mobile connectivity gives you. There are many ways text and

mobile applications can be integrated across channels to offer total support of the brand.

For example, one multioutlet retailer not only encourages consumers to purchase via mobile, but it offers mobile customer service support as well. The retailer wants to be available to its customers no matter where they are, and no matter what the hour or the day. Mobile is proving to provide this connectivity and is supporting existing Web sales as well as brick-and-mortar locations. Overall, this retailer is providing an interactive experience across channels for consumers, and they are responding with increased sales and customer loyalty.

Tip 3

Know your target. Mobile marketing is personal. You are messaging an individual — not an address, a business or a family. It is a must to define your “core” customer. Many marketers find that their target is really a subsegment of their overall client base. As a rudimentary rule, 14- to 34-year-olds are most receptive; the 35-plus group will text to make their lives easier and already are using it in their business and their personal lives; and the 50-plus group is using text to communicate with their children and grandchildren, and in their jobs. But these guidelines can differ depending on your application and geographical area.