Generally speaking, main goal of today's ads is increasing brand awareness or brand preference. Most ads broadcast messages only one way : from advertisers to customers or better even to new customers. Additionally ads are meant to activate customers in visiting the website of the advertiser. So far nothing new.
But in practice, when we are attracted by an ad we normally don't directly go to the website. Even if we would like to. Why not? Simple, because most of the time we are confronted with ads when we are on the move. And when we are on the move we generally don't have much time to pay attention to ads. How can mobile change this?
Start a mobile conversation! Put a visible banner in your ad saying : "Want more info? SMS INFO [name of your brand of product] to 12345. Your customers receive an immediate text message containing a link and unique code. With this link you enable customers to go to a basic mobile website. What do customers expect to find on this mobile website ? The same as in any other 'normal' conversations : not an overload of information or story. Just basic information but also another simple question. Asking you what you would like to do next? Would you like to receive a brochure, that we call you to make an appointment or to order the product and collect the discount that we offer you?
When you do this you already have a mobile conversation. Perhaps not directly from advertisers point of view because you haven't sold anything. But from customers point of view it is great. Why? Because as a customer you not only have to remember the ad. At a more convenient moment you have to go to the website of the advertiser. And you will have to search for information about the product and the special discount.
When customers use sms reponse they don't have to search for information. Even more important from customers point of view only relevant and specific information is presented by them on demand. That makes a great difference. Just think of an example that when you were interested in a product or service you didn't have to google for information. Information is nowadays never coming to you on demand. You always need to go after it......Offering your customers the opportunity to receive only relevant information on demand just by sending one text message adds a new dimension to any ad.
Beside that customers receive information in realtime and are able to respond in realtime. And from advertisers point of view we are able to measure all these interactions in realtime and even look at realtime response and conversion rates! Recently a publisher started an offline and online media campaign using our sms response tool. A simple banner said SMS DISCOUNT TO 12345. Just one second later you would receive a text message containing a link and unique code. On a mobile website you would find basic information about the magazine, key figures and benefits and one question : Would you like to receive next two editions with 50% discount? Results show that from the start until the end of the media campaign more than 40% of all sms response ordered the next two editions!
Ads contribute in increasing brand awareness and brand preference. Adding sms response to ads offers advertisers a starting point for mobile conversations which increases response and conversion rates. And last but not least creates a great customer experience because information and discounts is coming to you on demand and that is worth talking about in 'normal' conversations.
