From my somewhat limited, but growing daily, knowledge of mobile marketing, it is a fascinating vehicle for two-way communication with customers or potential customers. Mobile marketing is one area where the United States is behind our counterparts in Europe and Asia. But it appears that’s about to change pretty quickly.

Just to get the question out of the way up-front, “Why would a promotional products distributor be interested in mobile marketing”? Because one of the fastest growing suppliers in our business last year is a mobile marketing company, offering text packages, QR code packages, mobile web sites, and more. So I’ve become enthralled with it.

I believe the statistic I read said that 89% of people will read a text message within minutes of receiving it. That’s pretty strong. Yes it does remind me of how email marketing was in its infancy. And yes I realize email marketing has become much less effective. So maybe you ought to jump on the text bandwagon before people start tuning it out.

But more importantly, this seems to be such a personal way of marketing. People and their cell phones are almost inseparable now. And with most mobile marketing the recipients have requested you send them information. Now that’s effective.

So you put in an advertisement for people to text a keyword to a number and they can receive more information, participate in a poll, enter a contest, etc. Or maybe you have a QR code in your ad they can scan or take a photo of, use their QR reader app, and get to your website. Maybe they do either one of the above and get to a mobile web site you’ve set up. Then you’ve got them until they decide to opt out, which is as simple as replying “Stop”.

Now that you have them you can communicate with them periodically with specials, coupons, perhaps emergency information, or whatever suits your particular organization. I’d say as long as what you are sending is of interest, you will have them for a long time.

I’m so pumped about this that I’m sponsoring two FREE webinars on March 22, 2011 to introduce people to text campaigns, QR codes, mobile web sites and mobile marketing. You can attend just by clicking on whichever you choose below. All times are central.

I want to attend at 11 am on March 22.

I want to attend at 4 pm on March 22.