2017 Business Trend in the SMS Marketing and Communication World

With person to person SMS continuing to decline due to the proliferation of messaging applications such as WhatsApp, 2017 will see a further increase in the use of SMS for mobile advertising. According to Portio Research some 1.7 trillion Application to Person (A2P) SMS will be sent globally by 2018. One of the main reasons is that SMS is the only application available on every mobile handset.

According to the research here are some trends for mobile advertising and the use of SMS in 2017.

2 Factor SMS Authentication

We are seeing a growing number of companies using SMS as a security layer for its services. SMS will be increasing used to share notifications, login confirmations, password resets and updates on status or content shares with users.

Internet of Things

With more devices connected to the internet now and the so called ‘Internet of Things’ expanding, many more connected devices will use SMS for real time alerts and information to device owners.

Mobile DMP or Mobile CRM (Customer Relationship Management Software)

A mobile DMP (Data Management Platform) is a centralized platform that ingests, organizes, and segments a marketer’s first- and third-party mobile and desktop audience data assets in one place for audience creation, analytics, and execution. Brands use mobile DMPs to:

• Build sophisticated audience segments across first- and third-party data for precision at scale.
• Create, optimize, and activate cross-platform mobile and web campaigns for consistent messaging across all consumer touch points.
• Leverage deep mobile integrations to send audience data to top execution platforms and power targeted mobile in-app, web, and video advertising.
• Connect audience interactions across mobile and desktop touch points to provide the most cohesive customer experience anywhere, and track response and actions across various screens and channels.
• Generate robust audience analytics to get deep actionable insights into your mobile audience composition and in-market behaviours. 

Email marketing has been used for years to keep in contact and maintain relationships with customers. Lately, with the increasing use of mobile phones over desktop computers, we’ve seen marketers rapidly adapting to mobile consumer habits by transitioning their Email marketing programs, like Constant Contact and Mailchimps to a mobile DMP, specifically with SMS capabilities in order to reach and engage their audiences more directly through text messaging than Emails. 

• Open rates on desktop computers have dropped over 18% in the past couple of years. 
• 89% of consumers will delete a poorly formatted email if viewed on mobile. 27% will unsubscribe.
• According to a report commissioned by SinglePoint, it was found that text message open rates exceed 99%, and even more shocking is that 90% of all text messages are read within 3 minutes of being received on the mobile phone.
• When you compare the open rates of text messages to email marketing open rates for a business such as a restaurant (23% open rates), you’re looking at over 3X the amount of your customers opening your text messages over your emails.

Sectors which will increase use of SMS in 2017

The main sectors which will increasingly use SMS as their mobile advertising platform will be retail, government and travel sectors. As business and organizations move towards paperless offices, SMS will be used to deliver promo codes, marketing messages, billing cycles, payment alerts and transaction alerts.

The number of businesses globally who use SMS for their mobile advertising is growing as it provides a low cost, reliable and secure way to contact customers. Remember that 98% of SMS messages are read. 


No longer does one need to question the need for dedicated mobile marketing budgets or justify the spend on the medium. Existentially speaking, mobile is here to stay.

For more information on mobile marketing and trends, please feel free to contact us.

Setting up the best Text Emergency Response System in Canada

I found a revealing article in today's Calgary Herald that most companies are at-risk with their emergency response plans and they are not fully prepared for natural disasters or emergencies (http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Gaps+found+corporate+Calgary+emergency+response+summer+floods/9188776/story.html).

The report said Calgary’s June floods and State of Emergency significantly affected large downtown organizations - 92 per cent of respondents had their commute to work disrupted and 86 per cent closed one or more premises. A lot of businesses found that although they had a plan on paper, it may not have covered all the elements they needed to respond to the emergency, continue business, and get back up to full capacity as quickly as possible.

In particular, many businesses found it very difficult to effectively communicate with their employees to let them know about office closures, remote working arrangements, and dates for reopening. The lack of communication systems and limited access to organizational databases hindered the speed and efficiency of several companies’ communication efforts.

Now that businesses are back on their feet, it is important to consider if this happens again, how they can be as operational as possible. This includes thinking of things like cloud-based computing solutions versus servers in the basement, and even just having a centralized place for all staff personal phone numbers. 

The latest cloud technology is available at http://modisclub.com to help you easily manage and reach your emergency contact list from any mobile or web terminal. Users can simply text a specified Keyword (eg. SOS) to a long code (cell number) to opt-in to your list at anytime, and they will instantly receive your custom text push notifications. Text messaging has proven to be the most effective and cheap form of communication in the mobile age, and you can reach a large group all at once by just one click or scheduled automatically. The latter can be especially useful during a stressful period.

For more information on how to quickly implement a mobile emergency response plan using this text messaging system, visit http://www.modisclub.com. More details and affordable pricing are also available at http://www.modisclub.com/emergency_sms.html. You may also contact us for a direct discussion on the best way to set up a free trial today so that you are ready in any emergency situation  from now on.

I use 5 apps 99% time and 95 apps 5% time, Why?

There are billions of apps in the app store occupying terabytes of data but it’s almost impossible for a mobile user to install even 1% of those. A single user need not use so many apps.  And that goes for the apps that are used by users on a daily basis. We are trying to find out that why is it so that only 5% of the apps are used while the remaining are not actively utilized or used in any manner?

On a general account a user does not really install more than 50-60 apps in their Smartphone. Imagine yourself as the user in this case. How many apps do you regularly use? Obviously not more than 3-4 apps everyday!

This poses a serious question to those who want to write success in the app store because only 5% of apps are too small for a developer to get lucky. So what makes us use only some of the applications while most of the other applications remains passively used or not used at all?

Source: GlobalWebIndex

Now if we are looking into the frequency of usage of particular apps, let’s look into the leading apps here. Most of the apps in the free category are games, utility, entertainment, news, messaging or social apps. Hence they all need to be accessed frequently or a number of times a day at least. It clearly suggests that the content that is consumed also holds the key to the frequency of usage of any application.

This is one of the main reasons that out of all these categories games are released with multiple versions after the success of the first while other app categories only receive timely updates with the UI. This is because a game app comes with an expiry date. Once all the levels are done, the app developer needs to develop the next version to make sure that usage frequency to the app is maintained. If an app development company can do that it remains in the 5% of the apps or goes down to the remaining 95%.

Now let us come to some other categories of apps such as productivity, medical, health and fitness etc. These app categories are less general than social or entertainment apps. These apps need purpose of the user to be used. In short it needs efforts to utilize these apps which might not follow the periodic trends of a social, game or entertainment app. It has always been seen that users using running or fitness apps tend to passively use their applications. Hence these apps start off with good usage stats but eventually become dead and pushed down to the remaining 95% of the apps.

Productivity apps follow the same pattern. Think about Evernote or any note taking application. How many times as a user did you use a productivity app. No wonders that these apps vouch towards utility quotient with apps so that they have a dedicated segment of users to use them in periodic intervals, if not frequently. You might not be the only person who uses these apps once in a while.

Revolutionary has to become evolutionary

We have already discussed the stage at which the touch screen devices lie at this moment of time. They could evolve further to gain more access to enterprise usage. If that happens, then a lot of utility based apps can find a potential user base for enterprise app usage. However the 5% figure of frequently used apps won’t change further but a potential segment of enterprise apps will definitely flourish.

No matter if enterprise apps could seriously make it to touch screens and compete MS’s dominance of legacy software or not. What would remain constant is our nature of using software. The summation of Human behaviour of all app users will tend to rollback or (may be) standardize towards a normal distribution. In that case, the apps that fulfills or compliments the behaviour the most basic aspect of the user behaviour will be most frequently used while the other that doesn’t’ won’t make it big.

Are you trying to fit into the 5% of that lot??

For more information on App versus Mobile Web, or if you are considering getting an app designed and developed, please contact MODISclub for more advice. 

Source: OpenXcell

Mobile Apps and Privacy: What You Should Know

Anyone who has a smartphone is likely familiar with mobile applications (aka “mobile apps”).  Mobile apps are software applications designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices.  The use of mobile apps has increased exponentially over the last few years bringing the number of individuals using mobile apps to almost half of all smartphone users. Given the fast evolution of the mobile industry privacy concerns have been, in some cases, overlooked by app developers and technology companies.

Privacy Concerns Related to Mobile Apps

Last year the Pew Internet Center, a Washington based nonpartisan fact tank, conducted a study entitled “Privacy and Data Management on Mobile Devices“. The study revealed that the majority of smartphone users are concerned with how their personal data is collected, used and disclosed through mobile apps. It was revealed that in 2012 57% of all app users have either uninstalled an app due to concerns with respect to sharing personal information or have refused to install an app altogether for similar reasons. This indicates that protection of personal information and privacy is a very real concern for smartphone users.

 Shift from Mobile Apps to Mobile Site

Privacy concerns are clearly something that cannot be ignored by app developers or app users. Given the fast evolution of the mobile industry app developers must remain vigilant when it comes to protecting user privacy. Users should also be aware of what personal information they are disclosing and providing when downloading and using apps and how this information is being used and distributed. Perhaps this could be a catalyst for the shift in user preference from mobile apps to mobile sites? 

To assist companies and brands with the decisions on mobile app versus mobile site development, MODI$club has listed some pros and cons between the two options - http://www.modisclub.com/smart_mobile_marketing.html. 

Contact MODI$club for more information before investing your money in your next mobile development.

The Benefits of a Mobile Website Conversion

Why Mobile-Friendly Websites Are Critical to Your Strategy

Mobile applications redefined the user experience but represent only a pit stop in the continuing evolution. 

Mobile is what a lot of consumers use to look for businesses right now. In truth, every business already has a mobile website because your website can be seen on mobile phones. It's just that the businesses may not know how bad it looks on a mobile phone.

The Benefits of a Mobile Website Conversion

• Utility: Unlike apps, users can access mobile websites on any type of smart phone or tablet. While an individual may be able to see your traditional site on a mobile device, it may look terrible. For example, the text may be too small for viewing. With a mobile website conversion, you can make sure that your site looks great across all platforms.

• Enhanced Local Optimization: Many smart phones and tablets have the ability to identify a user's location. With a mobile website conversion, individuals in your community seeking the services that you offer may find it simpler to quickly locate and browse your site to find your business' location and contact information.
• Cost to You: A mobile website conversion is generally less expensive than developing an app. It's also less expensive to maintain.
• Cost to the Consumer: Unlike some apps that individuals download onto their mobile devices, it doesn't cost any money for a customer to access your mobile site. Plus, if you opt for a mobile website conversion, your site may use less data to access, which may matter to those who don't have an unlimited cell phone plan.
• Increased sales: If you sell products through your site and offer customers the ability to safely shop with their mobile devices, you may see an increase in sales. You can increase your website's traffic by up to 15 by optimizing your site for mobile devices. The reason: consumers like to shop wherever they are. People don't want to wait until they can reach a computer with an Internet connection to make an online purchase if they don't have to.

Businesses should keep in mind three factors when developing a mobile website: the site needs to be able to detect when mobile users are accessing it; it needs a way to adapt content to a mobile format; and it needs a way to present that mobile-ready content.

Mobile-optimized websites and emerging web apps based on the platform can help businesses avoid the mobile app store glut by sending users right to their websites--which, in turn, can help dig users out of the piles of mobile apps that may be suffocating their overall mobile Internet usage.

How-To convert your website to a Mobile Website

• See for yourself. Get a cell phone that has Internet access and evaluate your current website. How does it look? What do you like about it? More importantly: what do you hate? As you look at how you current site looks miniaturized, consider:

• • The time it takes each page to load
  • Text size
  • How the graphics load and look
  • How well the animations load and look
  • The ability to easily click on hyperlinks
  • The ease of navigation
  • If pop-ups are a problem
  • How simple it is to navigate to different pages on your site
• Remove the clutter. The right mobile website design is vital, and mobile website conversion is all about ease of use and simplicity for your users. While graphics, buttons and different hyperlinks may work well on your current site, they may be frustrating or unnecessary on a mobile site. A mobile site should be intuitive, only need a limited amount clicks to get from Point A to Point B and be über user-friendly. Evaluate the most useful and relevant features of your current site to help you cut the fat and create a personalized experience.
• Test, test, test. Whether you use a free or paid online service for your mobile website conversion, or get professional help, continually test your mobile site to make sure that it loads quickly, is simple to use and performs its necessary functions well.

While mobile sites have limitations, the opportunities that they create beyond the desktop can be invaluable. For more information on this topic or if you would like help converting your website into a mobile optimized site, please contact us or visit http://www.modisclub.com.

Is it time for a mobile site?

Lately, one common question marketers have is "Is it time for a mobile site?". Most regular websites render fine on a smartphone, but may have a lack of conversions for mobile users, as well as a high bounce rate.

Generally, a page that can be enlarged can be read on a mobile device. What you run into for the user is a lack of functionality and interaction with the site. Dropdown or slide out navigation is nearly impossible to click on; if you’re using video or Ajax functionality it can be lost or not noticed on a mobile device.

When is it time to consider taking things one step further, you can look to your analytics data for indicators. The data can then tell you if it’s time to move into the mobile realm. 

If a conversion is set as a goal, you will also be able to see that data. Now you can compare normal Web users to mobile users and the likelihood of a conversion from each. If you don’t have a mobile version of your site, conversions from mobile are likely pretty low or non-existent.

Mobile site should have a simplified navigation. Extra colors are also stripped out to allow for faster loading, as well as an easier to read page. An easy scroll up and down is all that is needed, no need to resize the site at all. For a simple demonstration, visit http://www.modisclub.com on both your desktop and a mobile device.

There are a variety of ways you can compete in mobile. These days, most designers and marketers advocates of a complete website overhaul that makes a moving from a desktop to mobile site seamless. Responsive design can automatically render your current website’s content in a mobile friendly manner.

Sometimes, a complete overhaul just isn’t in the cards. It might be expensive, logistically very difficult, or you might need to take some steps to show management that the investment is worth it. If a full overhaul of your website isn’t in the cards, a mobile friendly site can be built on a separate domain or a subdomain which should cost less than a website. Scripts can be placed that automatically redirect mobile devices into the correct website. Whatever option you choose, good content, calls to action and user experience is vital to success.

If Not Now, When Will It Be Time?

These days, most of the Web is accessed via mobile phones. Email is accessed via a mobile at a rate of 36% and growing according to a Knotice study from earlier this year. Making calls is now the 5^th most popular action to take on a mobile phone. The #1 use for a mobile phone is surfing the Internet.

A study from April 2012 listed China as the top country for mobile Web users. Globally, the percentage of pageviews attributed to mobile nearly doubled from 6.5% in October of 2011 to 12.3% in May of 2012.

Can you afford to not have a mobile solution, likely not. These tips were designed to help you convince the skeptics in your organization to give it a try.

Stay tuned for our blog on the benefits of a mobile website conversion. For information on this article or to have your website assessed for a mobile friendly version, please contact us or visit http://www.modisclub.com.

MODISclub empowering Habitat for Humanity to promote Women Build

MODISclub is proud to sponsor Habitat for Humanity in the efforts to provide housing to families in our communities. On April 19, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta will be hosting a social event and charity fundraiser using MODISclub's turnkey SMS marketing tools to promote ticket sales and the cause of the event, called Heels 'n Hammers.

Details of the Women Build SMS campaign include Text-to-Win contests, SMS Door Prize draw, SMS reminders and alerts, as well as SMS mobile donation. Through these time saving initiatives, the organization is bringing convenience to their audiences making the charity even more accessible than before.

With Habitat for Humanity's forward thinking mentality, we have helped the organization reached their short and long term goals through non premium mobile short code technology. They can reach their audiences where they are now as well as in the future - through cell phones.

For more information on the mobile tools and strategy Habitat for Humanity is using to facilitate and promote their events, please visit http://client.modisclub.com or contact us.

The following is a news release issued by Habitat for Humanity in regards to the sponsored event:

MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SOUTHERN ALBERTA HOSTS HEELS ‘N HAMMERS GALA IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN BUILD 2012
CALGARY, AB, March 28, 2012 – Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta and presenting sponsor Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP hosts Heels ‘n Hammers, an inaugural gala evening in support of Women Build 2012 on Thursday, April 19 at the Palomino Room, BMO Centre (Stampede Park).

This social event and charity fundraiser will be emceed by CTV News Anchor, Tara Nelson and will feature tasty culinary treats, terrific silent and live auction prizes, and a special country music performance. Tickets are $150 and are available online at www.habitatsouthernab.ca.

“Proceeds from the Heels ‘n Hammers Gala will help make homes affordable for families in need,” says Leslie Tamagi, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, “Many local families are just surviving, living month to month, making it nearly impossible to get ahead. Through homeownership, families will break the cycle of poverty, get a new start and most importantly, hope.”

Women Build is an international movement that helps bring women together for a common purpose: to change the lives of families in their own communities. It promotes the involvement of women in the construction of Habitat homes, allowing participants to learn new skills and trades so they can contribute to providing families safe homes in which to grow. Women Build 2012 will take place from May 7th – 12th in the SE Calgary community of Auburn Bay. The development will comprise of a duplex for two families to call home.

Heels ‘n Hammers sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP; Second Storey Sponsors: CrossIron Mills and Harmony Park Development; Hope Sponsors: Insignia Energy and MODI$club; and Media Sponsors: CTV and KooL 101.5 FM.

About Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta
Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta is a non-profit organization working for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. Our mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. Consisting of Chapter affiliates from Brooks, Calgary, Medicine Hat, and Mountain View, Habitat Southern Alberta is a member of Habitat for Humanity Canada, and part of a worldwide network that spans 80 countries, which has built over 500,000 homes. Locally, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta has served more than 130 families, building more than 130 homes. For more information, visit www.habitatsouthernab.ca.

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Media Contact:
Cathy Alfonso Marketing & Communications Manager, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta Phone: (403) 253 – 9331 ext. 224 Email: calfonso@habitatsouthernab.ca www.habitatsouthernab.ca

PRESS RELEASE: New ways Canadian political parties are using to reach new demographic of supporters

  

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Through MODI$club Alberta’s Political Party launches mobile SMS campaigns to reach and engage new demographic of supporters

CALGARY, AB, March 2012 – MODI$club has been providing mobile marketing and communication solutions for retails, institutions and non-profit groups for the past three years in Canada. Now, even Alberta’s political candidates have taken notice of the medium, wanting a piece of that mobile market share to help them retain old supporters and gain new voters.

Because MODI$club is a flexible, easy to use, “freemium” mass texting tool, eighty seven PC Alberta Party candidates have chosen the company to provide them with their own SMS keyword (eg. VOTE) where voters can simply text in specific candidate names to receive exclusive invites, policy info, updates and time sensitive alerts on-the-go.

“We are excited to try out the mobile medium through MODI$club because it is hands down the most versatile and cost effective system from what we have seen,” says Christina Rontynen, campaign manager for the PC Alberta party. We believe that SMS is the most convenient and effective way now to help the party directly reach and engage voters so that they can make informed decisions.”

In September 2010, Canadians sent an average of 163 million text messages per day and the mobile gold rush is not even close to peaking. Hence, marketers are now quickly turning to this must-have medium as a complementary communication and promotional tool.

The Canadian political landscape will see more and more mobile initiatives in coming elections, especially after Barack Obama’s presidential campaign made either history or political spectacle in August 2008 when it attempted to announce Joe Biden as the vice presidential candidate over text message. Nielsen estimates that the Biden text was received by 2.9 million mobile phone users in the US, over the course of that weekend of August, making it one of the biggest, broadest mobile marketing stunts to date.

In the past two years, the medium has caught on in north america and become a mainstream marketing and communication vehicle, including marketing TV shows, cars, soda, deodorant and all types of goods and social services. Businesses all over the world have long been using text campaigns not just for buzz but also build loyal supporters by keeping them engaged in a timely and effective manner.

In Canada, MODI$club sees the immense potential of this medium being used more effectively. The company has since gone and made the medium more accessible, usable and affordable. Businesses and organization can now use one platform to set up various targeted SMS campaigns that work on all carriers’ network and on all phone types. The turnkey system can also be connected to most countries globally, making it one of the most powerful marketing and communication tools for our economy and politics.
 
ABOUT MODI$club
MODI$club is a product of a full service marketing, design and technology company that started in 2000 called NexusV. The company understands how giving brands a strong multi-channel presence is today’s key to customer engagement and the gateway to long-term growth.

The company approaches each project with the same mission: to discover creative, fresh ideas that break free from category conventions. NexusV wants to help companies be unique and move their audiences.

Other services provided include:
Brand strategy, logo and stationery design, print publications and other graphic design services;
Website design and development, content management system (CMS), email management system, timesheet management system, custom web application development, web hosting and more;
Traditional (print and radio) and Internet marketing (SEO).

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CONTACT
Interviews and more information, please contact Kean Tan at 403.209.5988 in Calgary or 778.996.0888 in Vancouver at anytime. Questions can also be emailed to keantan@nexusv.com. For direct access to MODI$club, visit http://client.modisclub.com.

5 Proven Ways to Generate Revenue from Facebook & SMS

The first question people ask is, “Can Facebook really generate money?”.  

If you’ve read any of the Facebook marketing case studies over the last year, you’ve seen examples of small business profits and boosts in ecommerce sales via Facebook sharing. If your business is ready to move toward Facebook profits, your next question should be: “What distinguishes profitable and unprofitable Facebook marketing campaigns?”

First, consider your revenue model. What steps will get your users to buy? How do you attract their attention in the first place? What does the conversion funnel look like? And how does Facebook fit with the marketing channels that already work for you, like email, text messages and affiliate revenue?

There are a number of strategies companies use to do Facebook business effectively. Let’s look at five of them.

1. Advertising Based E-Commerce 
2. Fan Based E-Commerce
3. Facebook Ads and Email
4. Facebook Ads and Text Messaging
5. Generating Traffic to Your Ad-Supported Site

Which revenue model should you choose? Click on MODI$club's Facebook page and the "Like" button on the page to access full details of each of the above points. This is also to demonstrate how one can incorporate Facebook with other medium, such as Blog, to increase traffic to your Facebook.

Also, make sure you understand the amount of time and creativity required for fan marketing before you start. Companies that jump into fan marketing without that understanding and a good plan usually post in a way that doesn’t lead to much interaction. Then, EdgeRank reduces the reach and value of your Facebook page. Overall, the ROI of your efforts becomes low or negative. But when you get the right fans from effective channels, such as SMS campaigns (text messaging), and engage them with interesting content, profits often follow.  

 
For more information and help on your marketing and communication strategies outline above, please contact us at nexusV.com or MODISclub.com.

Have you already switched to a new email marketing strategy?

Is your current marketing strategy more dynamic, more targeted, more mobile? If you haven’t, make room in your 2012 marketing plan for SMS marketing campaigns.


With the convenience of SMS keywords and MODI$club's FREE mass SMS messaging platform, marketers can now boost their digital initiatives by incorporating mobile. Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned professional, get started with your first SMS marketing campaign before your competitors do. It is time to see mobile as a marketing must-have.


Added value

SMS campaigns differ from email newsletters whose aim is usually to inform subscribers about the latest news. For a more effective call-to-action, the convenience and briefness of SMS will allow you to reach your target. SMS can be used to feature special offers, reminders or alerts on the go – a good way to lengthen your brand exposure.

Add some catchy benefit in the message, like:

• discount code
• gift card code
• announcement of competition
• password for something
• exclusive information

140 characters

Write as short and precisely as possible. Your aim is to grab attention and clearly indicate what the receiver can get from you, where to go, or what to do. It’s your call to action!

Include links

With the expansion of smartphones, you can include web or mobile site links in SMS. Guide them to mobile-friendly landing pages with additional information that is visually and audio rich.

For more information and ideas on mobile SMS marketing, please contact us for free advice.

Attention Musicians & Event Planners: Sell Out Your Shows with SMS marketing

Bands or event planners can now use text messages to alert their fans about upcoming ticket sales for shows that are likely to be sold out. What about undersold shows?

Artists and venues can use a service like MODI$club to send a message to fans letting them know of extra space at upcoming events a day or two before, perhaps offering discounted tickets to fill the venue. This could really help out up and coming bands that otherwise might have trouble selling out concerts. Combined with a strong social media strategy, text message marketing could be a useful marketing tool for artists to take advantage of.

Artists can also use text messages to engage directly with fans. Can you imagine being able to send a text to your favorite band and get a reply on your cell phone? With MODI$club, such instant reach is possible. Bands can also use SMS marketing to offer discounts on merchandise and CDs. Maybe make it interactive: watch video clips on a mobile site or ask fans to text in their favorite song by the artist in exchange for 50% off the latest album.

Of course, the best part of text messaging is that it is an instant two-way communication.  A band could send a text out before a concert asking for song requests, so that fans hear exactly what songs they came for. Fans could even text in song requests during a live show, and the band can choose their set based on the number of votes for certain songs. Maybe a banner or projector could be set up above the stage to display the number to text as well as a live-updating list of requests. With text message marketing services a new era of live music or performance with fan interaction is possible.

MODI$club is a text message marketing service who helps small businesses send text messages to their customers via the web. Visit us at MODISclub.com to sign up for a free account. Follow us on Twitter , be part of our Facebook community

Is Short Code SMS Marketing Suitable for Forprofit as well as Nonprofit Organizations?

Almost all mobile phones supports text messaging – 97% of them and all smartphones do. To this end SMS has the widest reach of any mobile medium, making it an ideal marketing and communications tool for businesses and perfect for nonprofit organizations too.

Perfect for fundraising considering that text messaging has taken off across the world and continues to gain popularity. In terms of mobile fundraising  SMS is also an approved carrier-billing method.

Texting is not just a teen activity… That’s a myth these days with all ages sending and receiving text messages.  Today may brands, nonprofits, associations and businesses realize this and are using text messaging to interact and engage with their customers, employees, members and volunteers.

SMS Short Codes and generally a 5 or 6 digit number or numeric string of letters that spell a name or give a call to action which people text into like “Mobile” with a key word like “donate.”

Increasingly people are becoming familiar with popular brands using SMS short codes in their marketing campaigns. Usage by non profits and government entities are on the increase too,  realizing using short codes enable them to reach more and more people.

Mobile campaigns text messaging can include links to the non profit’s mobile Internet website or mobile WAP page very easily these days. Paving the way for continued engagement via text messaging.

Websites and telephone numbers can be accessed via links in the text message reply. These are most effective when stating an immediate “click to call” instruction and the response can be dealt with via charity’s call center. A "show to redeem" incentive is also widely used for businesses offering discounts and promotions.

More than 97 percent of ALL mobile phones support text messaging, consumers don’t need smartphones or expensive data plans to engage with their favorite charities.

Industry statistics say that on average, texts are read in under five minutes of delivery whereas the average email is read within 48 hours. SMS users are active across all demographics. In the USA 53% of those engaging with short code are over 35 years old.  82% of 18–24 year olds and 72% ages 25–49 year olds send and receive text messages.

There are more than twice as many active SMS users as active users of email and the gap is widening in favor of SMS users year on year.

It’s estimated that  over 65 % of email is spam, less than 10 percent of SMS is spam.

Mobile phones overtake landline services for many people across the world. This mean for permission based mobile communication are becoming ever more critical nonprofit organizations.

In conclusion SMS marketing could mobilize millions of people and dollars if done right! For more information or assistance in your mobile marketing and communication strategies, please contact a representative at MODI$club.

Reference Source: iLocalSearch

Increase Mobile App Discovery and Usage

Marketers must ensure their apps are not only found and downloaded but kept, too

Mobile apps are used as marketing tools by many brands, but they need to be marketed themselves in order for app users to find and then download them. Not only must the price be right, having a right marketing channel that effectively connects Mobile apps to users plays a crucial role in helping them decide which apps to download.

May 2011 research from MTV Networks found that recommendations from people they know and user reviews or recommendations were nearly tied as the top factor in discovering a new entertainment app for purchase or free download. The most effective pier to pier recommendation is still SMS. In Q4 of 2010, Canadians sent 16.4 billion person to person text messages.

When deciding to download a free entertainment app, mobile app users said the app store ratings were most important (50%), followed by personal recommendations from a trusted friend (43%). For paid apps, price was the leading factor (63%), with the availability of a lite version to try for free enticing 49% to download.

Once an app is discovered and downloaded, the question turns to whether users will keep that app loaded on their smartphones. Nearly eight in 10 respondents to the MTV Networks survey said they “often” swapped out old apps when they found new ones that better served the same purpose, so apps are always in danger of being replaced.

Even favorite apps, some used frequently, are often abandoned after a few months. Just 11% of users kept their favorite TV or movie app for at least a year, and only 17% kept their favorite gaming app that long. It was more likely in both categories for apps to wear out their welcomes in less than a month.

The survey indicated that ease of use, updated content and a pleasant look and feel were in demand for TV and movie apps, while gamers wanted a challenge and good gameplay.

Marketers must push out their apps to potential users, not rely on simple presence in an app store—even in a “featured” area—to bring in downloads. Using one of cell phone's most basic functions like SMS to market their apps make it easy to bridge the gap. Many brands boost app success by sending text links of free App download, surveys or other similar incentives when app users opt-in via a Short Code. That means not only the app experience must be solid and its function valuable to the consumer, finding ways to keep downloaders interested and engaged longer are also important for the brands.

More information can be found on MODI$club for you learn more about using SMS marketing to boost brands and app success. Or contact a representative at MODI$club for further discussion.


Reference Source: eMarketer

Brands Shift Focus of Mobile Outreach

Agencies say more clients are interested in Android devices and SMS advertising

As more consumers interact with brands via both smartphones and feature phones, marketers are approaching mobile advertising in new ways.

STRATA, a software company for media buying and selling, polled agencies about their clients’ preferences in Q1 2011. When it comes to mobile advertising, 37% of respondents said they are creating display advertising the most, and 25% noted SMS advertising. This is compared to 63% for display advertising and 15% for SMS advertising in Q4 2010.

Location-based advertising also doubled as a priority, with 7% of respondents saying they are mostly creating location-based advertising for clients, up from 3% in Q4 2010.

While the iPhone and Android devices receive a lot of press, the reality is that most consumers still have feature phones. And while smartphone owners are more engaged with their devices, many feature phone owners are also willing to interact with brands via mobile.

“SMS often gets overlooked, but the vast majority of users of all ages are texting,” said David Berkowitz, senior director of emerging media and innovation at digital marketing agency 360i, at the 2011 Public Relations Society of America’s Digital Impact Conference in May.

In September 2010 eMarketer forecast that SMS would be the biggest single mobile advertising format in 2011, with a 38% share of mobile advertising spending.

Not only are marketers shifting their advertising focus, but they are also open to working with various mobile devices. According to STRATA, 76.3% of respondents said their clients are most interested in advertising on the iPhone, down from 80.6% in Q4 2010. Android devices are also popular and 46.1% of respondents said clients were interested in advertising on Android, up slightly from 45.8% in Q4 2010. Interest in BlackBerry as an advertising channel, at 51.4% in Q4 2010, dropped to 35.5% in Q1 2011.

As mobile advertising becomes a bigger focus for marketers, they are diversifying their programs, and working with more devices and various types of ads. As consumers increasingly use smartphones or become accustomed to interacting with brands via SMS, marketers can reach specific groups and target audiences by using a mix of advertising and working with several platforms and devices.

Keep your business ahead of the digital curve. Learn more about SMS marketing and the tools that can effectively help you reach and engage your audiences now.

Referenced Article from eMarketer

58% Of Mobile Web Users Get Their Content Fix Through Browsers

Yes, smartphone apps are still in vogue, and most mobile app stores continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Yet consumers spend more time engaging with the mobile Web on their smartphones than through ad-supported apps, according to STAT (Simple Targeting & Audience Trends) report. It claims more than 58 percent of mobile internet users in the U.S. are getting content through their browser(s), compared to 42 percent via mobile apps.

An explanation for the discrepancy was not given, but I suspect this has something to do with the existence of more websites than there are apps, and that jumping from one app to the next to consume content isn’t as good a user experience as simply opening a new page or tab within your mobile browser of choice.

Additionally, a lot of major Internet services (Gmail, Bing, Google search etc.) tend to function as good or even better through the mobile browser than via native apps.

As for the favored mobile platform, SMS remains the most ubiquitous and effective one that works seamlessly with a mobile browser. Using SMS to bridge the gap between the end user and a mobile Web site should yield the best results.

Partially from Tech Crunch article by Robin Wauters

Press Release - Earth Day 2011

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PLEDGE AN ACT OF GREEN ON EARTH DAY 2011 THROUGH MODI$CLUB’S PAPERLESS MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONCALGARY, AB, April 21, 2011 – Earth Day is the largest, most celebrated environmental event worldwide. More than 6 million Canadians join 1 billion people in over 170 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues – one such project is MODI$club.

Daily actions pollute and degrade the fragile environment on which humans and wildlife depend on to survive. Earth Day promotes awareness of environmental issues and is a powerful catalyst for change. A simple change to ones carbon footprint in communication can make a difference. MODI$club provides the opportunity for this positive action.

MODI$club is a service that allows individuals and businesses to send or receive selected coupons, promotions, news, surveys and other messages through text message (SMS). The switch from the traditional print medium to SMS helps reduce the billion tons of garbage filling our land each day.

“In this ever-more socially conscious and digitally focused world, mobile marketing can’t be beat for its ecological benefits and speed of communication,” says Kean Tan, co-founder of MODI$club. “With the widespread adoption of text messaging, to leave SMS marketing and its benefits unattended, will cost many businesses their future.”

SMS marketing and communication has the lowest carbon footprint of all types of mass advertising and alerting. Environmental benefits include the reduction of paper usage, elimination of toxic printing ink, omission of gasoline usage in the distribution of printed materials, and so on. The opportunities to reduce cost and reduce waste through this communication tool represent incredible ROI for marketers and recovery for our environment.

MODI$club is currently being used by many industries to communicate directly with their targeted audiences, regardless of size. The industries include retailers, restaurants, expos/tradeshows, golf courses, distress centres, health and body companies, charities and non-profits.

Canadians sent a total of 4.2 billion text messages in March 2010 and 538 million text messages were sent to mobile campaigns. Clearly businesses need to start investing in SMS marketing to appeal to the technology savvy and social conscious audiences. Mobile giving, an innovative mobile donation campaign and AMBER alerts campaigns are just some of the latest activities in which Canadian cell phone customers are now participating. Also, more and more Canadians are embracing SMS marketing since companies like MODI$club offers its service for free and the industry has established a strict anti-SPAM regulation.

SMS marketing makes sense in this day and age, and MODI$club is here to also offer the tools for free for businesses and organizations to make an impact in many ways. Not only does SMS marketing make a positive impact on the environment, it is also changing the way we save time and money. For more information, visit www.modisclub.com.

- 30 -


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kean Tan
MODI$club
403 209 5988
keantan@modisclub.com

The Most Important (and Overlooked) Fact About Lead Generation and Why You Should Care

Digital Marketing World speaker Russell Kern recently spoke about one of his passions: lead generation. Here are some of his advice:

What’s the most important fact (or two) about lead generation that people overlook?
The critical importance of the title of the offer, which motivates a response. The title of a webcast or video or whitepaper can affect the quality of the response given and how an offer is positioned. A title, such as “10 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Software” will attract a different kind of lead than “10 Trends in Cloud Computing Today.”

Why should anyone care about lead generation?
It’s how to jumpstart the revenue-generation process for a company and how to help increase the effectiveness of the sales channels. Its enables highly paid salespeople to focus on proposing and closing deals versus prospecting for opportunities, which can be done through lower-cost lead-generation methods.

What’s your favorite tool/app/idea for lead generation?
I love the use of a survey as a lead-generation strategy. I like how it determines who is in market, what they have currently, and when and why they might replace what they have.

Do you have a favorite story about a lead?
My favorite story about lead generation is less is more. Most marketers think they need to generate dozens and dozens of leads for salespeople. The truth is a good salesperson would rather have one highly qualified lead than 10 unqualified. If the marketer would spend more time with an inquiry, confirming interest and desire before passing it to the sales channel, the sales channel will think the marketing program is more effective.

For more information on effective brand integrated multi-channel demand generation—from data to delivery, visit MODI$club or contact us.

Source: MarketingProfs

Best Practices for Mobile Retail Strategy

Efforts should address each stage of the purchase funnel

Mobile devices accompany consumers everywhere throughout a busy day. Through mobile initiatives, retailers have unique opportunities to engage with consumers as they move through each purchase phase—whether they’re in a store, in transit, at work or at home.

Data from InsightExpress showed that during the holiday 2010 season, smartphone owners used their devices at different stages of the purchase funnel: to receive sale alerts (awareness), look for better prices and product reviews (consideration) and redeem coupons (conversion). This gives retailers many opportunities to connect with consumers and encourage purchase and loyalty.

Forward-thinking retailers are devising mobile strategies to address each stage in the consumer purchase funnel—awareness, engagement, consideration, conversion and loyalty. For example, retailers are use mobile to aid in the awareness stage, enabling consumers to research and learn about products via SMS and mobile websites. They can facilitate engagement via the mobile channel through targeted coupons and special offers as well as invitations to opt in to sweepstakes and contests. And retailers drive consideration via mobile by offering complete access to product ratings and reviews, promoting free trials or samples and links to social media feeds so that consumers can see what friends have to say about potential purchases.

For many retailers, mobile remains a work in progress. Among US retailers polled in the fall of 2010, 60.7% reported planning to beef up their existing mobile web presence or SMS campaigns. Nearly 40% of those polled planned to launch more SMS campaigns or test various mobile initiatives. “It’s clear that retailers need to do more than dip a toe in the mobile waters.” said Tobi Elkin, eMarketer writer/analyst and author of the new report “Mobile Web: Best Practices for Retailers.”

Also read our blog on topics like:

1. How are businesses using text message marketing to boost sales?
   

2. Five Social Media Projections for 2011

3. Untapped Potential for Mobile Loyalty Programs

For more information and help on starting your own mobile strategy, please contact us or visit our website.

Source: eMarketer

SMS Text Marketing Case Studies

How are Businesses Using Text Message Marketing to Boost Sales?

So you've heard a lot about SMS marketing, but how can your business use this mobile marketing medium to boost your sales. We've examined a few case studies for you to show how some of the world’s largest companies are using text message marketing to build their business.

Dunkin Donuts SMS Text Message Campaign #1

GOALS

• Entice trial of Dunkin’ Donuts hot lattes to high school/college age students in the Boston area
• Drive in-store redemption of $0.99 small hot latte mobile coupon in month of October

MECHANICS
The SMS offer was sent to 7,500 targeted opt-ins. Boston radio DJ’s invited participation; “text in to DD-123” each Thursday morning. In addition, 400,000 Mobile Internet (WAP) ads ran in Boston targeted content. Over 1,000 Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owners and workers were educated with marketing materials about how to help consumers redeem the SMS coupons.

RESULTS
The targeted WAP and SMS messaging coupled with radio created a 21 percent increase in store traffic and redemption of the mobile coupon. The SMS message promoted the viral element of the coupon. This proved to be a very beneficial aspect of the campaign, in that 17 percent of participants forwarded or showed the message to a friend. In the research subsequent to the campaign, 35 percent considered themselves more likely to buy lattes and coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Dunkin' Donuts SMS Campaign #2

A two month mobile interactive ad campaign in Italy has resulted in a 9% increase in sales for Dunkin’ Donuts, according to the two companies that created it.

As a result of an SMS-based marketing campaign, customers were able to get coupons for Dunkin’ Donuts product by using their mobile handsets to respond to advertisements displayed on store signage, billboards and on the radio.

By sending a short message to the published numbers, users receive an immediate reply featuring a free gift coupon or special offer redeemable at local outlets.

Sales were reportedly up 9% within the first three weeks of the campaign. By enticing consumers to request special offers, Dunkin Donuts ensures that they achieve a great consumer push without running the risk of breaking down the client relationship by contributing to the wealth of 'spam'.

The key to the success of campaigns such as this one with Dunkin’ Donuts is ensuring that the power of the SMS medium is put to good use in an ethical way and one which doesn't encroach upon users' privacy

And Dunkin Donuts' Italian franchisee GianLuigi Contin says that the SMS marketing solution has been a positive brand-building experience: "We are directly reaching our targets with a message they can understand. Cellular coupons are not cute promotions, rather they are serious marketing tools that not only extend the brand but are also directed towards the people we want to reach."

Source: Mobile Marketing Association

On-Package Promos

Starburst's "More Juice More Burst" campaign looks to engage teens by using their cell phones to text a unique promotional short code found under specially marked packs of Starburst Fruit Chews.

Using the code J-U-I-C-Y (58429) across any cell phone carrier, and online at starburst.com, users can find out instantly via a return message if they’ve won juiced-up technology prizes like a 42-inch flat-screen TV, i-Pod Photo and more.

With more than 60 million on-pack impressions, the Starburst Brand More Juice for More Burst contest was, at the time, the largest short-code, cross-carrier campaign for a consumer product goods company in U.S. history. Using packaging to drive the promotion, the company reports that online daily visits have nearly doubled since its April debut. Text messaging has accounted for 40 percent more traffic than anticipated.

Source: InsideBrandedEntertainment.com

McDonalds Text Message Holiday Promotion

McDonald’s makes everyone a winner - Just send a text to Santa & get your gift within seconds.

GOALS
Create a new mass market sweepstake mechanism for McDonald’s Italy where consumers can participate and win directly in the restaurant. Bind winning a prize to the purchase of the product & activate POS to increase response.

MECHANICS
Print unique codes on cups for consumers to send in with 1 text message – right in the restaurant. The revolutionary idea: Every code wins - for the first time even physical prizes. Presents ranged from mobile content such as personal calls from Santa, sending postcards to friends, personal photos with Santa to attractive physical prizes like prepaid credit cards with 20.000 Euro, 13.000 x free airtime and 150 mobile phones. This innovative prize pyramid combining physical prizes with millions of digital presents was shown on TV and in the restaurants (on products, traymats, menu boards, etc.). SMS & WIN granted customers a very Merry Christmas!

RESULTS
A stunning 25% response rate - with more than 1.5 million participations in five weeks. The best result of a McDonald’s mobile marketing campaign ever.

Source: Mobile Marketing Association

Walgreens Debuts New Mobile Site, SMS Alerts

Walgreens announced today the launch of several new mobile features including Prescription Text Alerts, which notify customers via text message when their prescriptions are ready, as well as a brand new iPhone app and mobile site.

“We strive to lead the market in bringing new and innovative technology to our pharmacies and pharmacy patients,” said Mark Wagner, Walgreens Executive Vice President of Operations and Community Management. “Text alerts are a valuable time-saving tool, and the latest example of how our mobile applications are further connecting the Web to Walgreens stores and pharmacies, giving customers on-the-go convenience wherever they are.

The company is now offering special offer texts, which allow consumers to find deals and coupons using their mobile devices, as well as the addition of Blackberry and Android apps that bring the full power of Walgreen’s mobile site to a quickly-accessible mobile app.

Source: www.mobilemarketingwatch.com

Hilton Uses SMS With Success

The Hilton Hotel group has successfully used SMS messaging to increase guest numbers to its hotels and build customer loyalty.

The hotel sent out important marketing messages such as on-site specials and promotions directly to its members’ mobile handsets. SMS allowed the hotel to get the messages out instantly and at the most appropriate time of day.

The use of SMS as a direct marketing tool resulted in a 10-25% increase in offer redemptions sent out by the hotel and proved to be an integral part its direct marketing and loyalty strategy.

Source: www.EmailMobileMarketing.com

Just What The Doctor Ordered

A Queensland-based chiropractor, long plagued with no-shows of appointments made perhaps weeks earlier or by last minute cancellations, now sends SMS reminders to patients of their appointments that day and asking they notify the clinic if they cannot make the appointment. This has increased the successful appointment rate and also allows opportunities to fill cancelled appointments.

Fight Against Swine Flu

Bulk SMS is being used in an attempt to both contain and combat Swine Flu in the United States. Although some of the initial public panic around Swine Flu seems to have died down, more people are becoming infected throughout the U.S. every day; a country that now has the second highest infection rate in the world.

In this campaign, US citizens can text PIGFLU to 41411 and receive regular updates about Swine Flu. Sponsored by cellphones.org as a public service, the only charge is the regular cost of receiving text messages. Bulk SMS messages will be sent to subscribers with World Health Organization updates, information about new outbreaks and information from national health authorities.

Source: www.CellPhones.org

ELLEgirl Magazine Text Message Magazine Promotion

GOALS

• Encourage ELLEgirl readers to focus on advertisements
• Provide readers with reasons to buy, keep and read the magazine
• Capture the interest of media savvy, ad-saturated, instant-gratification-driven Gen-Y readers
• Authentically link print magazine to the mobile and online space

MECHANICS
A full page spread introduced the instant win calendar. Each day of the month a different advertiser is featured in the calendar. Readers are instructed to find the ad in the magazine, snap a picture of the advertiser’s ad using their mobile phone and send it to Mobot to get a chance to win a prize and get more information about the advertiser’s products. The Mobot visual search technology recognized the pictures sent in and responded back with notification of whether the reader won a prize along with product information from the advertiser. Examples of prizes include Target $100 gift certificate, Sweetooth handbag, and a Split tube dress.

RESULTS
A follow up survey revealed that purchase intent was on average 14% higher, advertiser favorability was on average 18% higher, and aided recall was on average 15% higher among participants compared to non-participants. Readers enjoyed the promotion and entered on average of 22 times during the month. Instead of throwing out the magazine after a few days reader participation actually increased as the month progressed.

Source: Mobile Marketing Association

Pepsi Co. SMS Super Bowl Promotion

In the run up to the 2007 Super Bowl, Pepsi unveiled 15 new can designs and created a range of promotions as part of a major new branding initiative. Its Super Can contest gave fans the chance to win Super Bowl tickets for life and a jewel-encrusted can valued at $100,000. Alongside traditional and online promotions, Pepsi also became the latest brand to deploy a mobile advertising program on the Sprint Mobile Media Network, and one of the first to incorporate video into its campaign.

GOALS

• Expand the promotion of its Super Can contest
• Increase awareness of the 15 new Pepsi can designs
• Drive traffic to its mobile web site
• Increase video and wallpaper downloads

MECHANICS
Pepsi was able to cut through the noise around the Super Bowl as the exclusive advertiser on the Sprint Mobile Media Network’s homepage in the days leading up to the big game. And, as a result, drove consumers from four different banner display ads to Pepsi’s branded mobile web site, where consumers engaged in a variety of actions.

Pepsi enabled users to download a custom wallpaper of the “blinged-out” Pepsi can, click to see the video spots featuring the new Pepsi can designs, and click through to Sprint Power View -- the only made-for-mobile video programming network in the United States with original sports and entertainment shows -- where they could view live Super Bowl video clips, sponsored by Pepsi.

RESULTS

• 9 million impressions
• An average click through rate of 4.5 percent, with the most popular creative achieving an 11.5 percent average
• 175,000 Pepsi wallpaper downloads

The program was one the first to integrate several engagement mechanics, including content downloads, click-to-view a video ad, and click to see a live TV broadcast. At a time when advertisers are vying for consumers’ attention across multiple media channels, Pepsi built awareness and engagement for a major marketing initiative using the Sprint Mobile Media Network – leaving a lasting impression with the 175,000 people that now see the Pepsi wallpaper every time they look at their Sprint mobile phone.

Source: Mobile Marketing Association

Guinness Beer SMS Text Marketing St. Patrick's Day Promotion

GOAL
In March 2008, Yahoo! conducted a study to measure the brand impact of a mobile campaign on the Vodafone Live! platform.

MECHANICS
Using the Guinness St. Patrick’s Day campaign, we surveyed those exposed to the campaign and a matched control sample, to understand differences in:

• Brand awareness
• Mobile ad awareness
• Brand favourability
• Purchase intent

RESULTS

Campaign results for the target audience, men age 25-44, were extremely positive as a result of exposure to the campaign on Vodafone Live!. Exposure led to:

• 2.5 million impressions
• 25%pt lift in mobile ad awareness
• 12%pt lift in brand favourability 9%pt in purchase intent

Benchmarked against online norms, these results emerge as above average or excellent campaign impact. Additionally, irregular/non-drinkers of Guinness reacted well with a significant impact on purchase intent.

Source: Mobile Marketing Association