Location Based Marketing Success Tips.
Location based marketing is undoubtedly one the best digital technology-based developments that have ever happened to product manufacturers, retailers, and sales and marketing professionals alike.
The appeal of this marketing approach relies heavily on two main elements: 1) multi-media content usage and 2) option for interactivity, both of which are made possible by using modern digital technology.
Why Location Based Marketing is Becoming Very Popular
Even with the initial costs involved in the purchase of digital signage hardware, location based marketing is still a form of cheap adverting.
Cheap, not in the sense of something shoddy or of poor quality, but cheap in the sense of being highly affordable and practical to use, compared to other advertising and marketing media.
How Location Based Marketing Uses Technology to Innovate.
Location based marketing can provide marketing activities that are not capable of being done using other channels. One of these activities is known as proximity marketing.
Proximity marketing is all about the localized wireless distribution of advertising content. This simply means that consumers can receive targeted advertisements through various wireless gadgets or devices that they have on hand when in the vicinity of any given location that is broadcasting the content. The consent of the recipient to the ad content is, of course, necessary.
Any of the following devices are capable of receiving advertising and marketing content that are wirelessly broadcast:
Cellular or mobile phones that are in a particular cell site’s reach;
Bluetooth or WIFI enabled gadgets that are within transmission range; when used for advertising purposes, this activity is known as bluetooth advertising;
Any device with GPS capabilities that enables it to ask for localized content from internet servers, and,
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology used in smartphones which makes content transfer very easy, by simply bringing the
NFC-enabled smartphone close to the source that is wirelessly broadcasting the content.
With all its impressive technology-based capabilities and innovations, location based advertising and marketing are truly valuable media. However, even the most magnificent medium is not enough to guarantee success, if all the other factors that are integral to its operation are not given attention, as well.
Here are some tips to help ensure success in location based marketing:
Qualify your content to be laser precise towards your market – if, for example, your digital signage hardware is located in a restaurant, feature only content that is relevant to the restaurant’s business. If someone from a different industry asks to piggyback on your digital signage content, don’t agree, even if you are promised to be paid well for it. It will be very jarring to have to see an ad featuring a skin ointment for rashes, coming after a series of menu items or an advertorial or infomercial about the restaurant.
Make your content cross-platform friendly. This means that what consumers see as your high quality content on your digital signage should likewise remain high quality when wirelessly broadcast. Websites and other content should be mobile-friendly.
Provide location-based special offers that can be easily availed of; make content interactive as much as possible.
Don’t waste opportunities to engage the consumers even if they are only prospective customers. Remember that if they like your marketing efforts now, they may be converted in the near future.
Use social media and social networks to promote your location based marketing efforts.