Mobile Marketing and Commerce

Mobile marketing and commerce is on the rise in the United Sates but is way behind most of the other countries. This means there is room for companies’ mobile marketing campaign to grow in the U.S. Japan as the most advised cell phone companies in the world and NTT Docomo is at the top. This company has some of the most advised cell phones that not only update your social networks but also pay for things at vending machines, which can be used with QR Code and the phones also us fingerprint/face recognition system for the protection of personal data. Cell phones are become more personal each day. If your friends cell phone rings and they are not around would you pick it up? The changes are you will not pick it up because of how personal the cell phone as become. Even most spouses do not pick up each other cell phones.

After doing a survey about how people use there cell phones I really now understand the most of the U.S. own a cell phones. Out of 13 people that took the survey 100% of them own cell phones in an age range of 21-43 years of age and 54% where woman. I feel if I had a few older people take the survey I would have seen them not having a cell phone. But this is not always true because when I am on the train to and from work everyone is on cell phone or iPod. I am seeing older people 50-70 years of age using cell phones and even iPhones. This will continue to increase because the older people are now embracing new technology. In my opinion I feel sometimes they go after the most advised phone on the market and have a hard time using it.

Who is the primary user of your cell phone? What do you look for in a cell phone?

A lot the people that took the survey said they are the only ones that us their phone. Not one person said they share their phone with someone else. Most people said they just need reliability, functionality and durability phone. Some are looking for more things like small size, easy to operate, camera, access to the Internet. The comment that was said the most is for their phone to work every time they pick it up and have service.

How often do you change or upgrade your cell phone? And why?

Most of the people that took the survey said they are in 2-year contact and that they cannot get out of unless they pay a fee. Most of the time the reason they want to change phones is just for better technology which means they must wait until their contract is up to get it. There where a few people they said they really don’t need to change cell phone that often.

What would you like your cell phone or mobile device to do that it does not currently do?

Not dropping called and better reception is the number one answer for this question. Some of them said they want the iPhone but they don’t what to switch to AT&T because the reception is not good. Only a few said they wanted to physical changes down to their phones like bigger screen, bigger keys and full keyboard. Water damage is something that happens to cell phones all the time. I feel if they would make most cell phones waterproof this would help a lot with having customers complaining and coming into the store to get it fixed.

Do you still have a home phone? If yes, which do you use more, your home or cell phone? If no, how long have you used a cell phone as your main phone?

Out of 13 people only 4 people have a home phone/landline. Most of them have not had a home phone for 3+ years and they don’t see any reason to have one. Having a home phone is not seen that often anymore and I don’t see them coming back anytime soon. The only use for landlines these days are for business use only, but this is starting to fade as well.

How you do feel about mobile advertising overall?

On this question I received all kinds of different answers. Some said if they are paying for a phone I expect to see no ads, the ads are just annoying and they are ignored most of the time. Over all most people do not like getting advertisement on there phone and some referee it to be like getting a telemarketing call. So what does this mean for the future of mobile marketing campaigns if people do not really like this kind of advertisement? Companies are going to have to find ways to make mobile marketing more personal so people don’t feel like they are being harassed

What games, if any, do you play on your cell phone? Which games would you like to be able to play on your cell phone?

With a lot of games out on the market I was thinking that a lot more people would be playing games on their phones but I was wrong. From the survey only 6 people are playing games on their phone and most are just playing the games that came with the phone. Keeping this in mind I don’t feel that playing games on cell phones are really going to increase of the next few years.

What do you primarily use your mobile device for? Ex: calls, text messages, check emails etc.

Out of all the things that phones can do these days everyone said they text message more then anything. Right behind that was making calls and then emails. The smarter phones get the more they will be able to do and I feel using your phone to get on the internet will be at the top of the list of things people primarily use their mobile device for.

Are you comfortable with your personal information being broadcast over short distances in exchange for the added convenience or for exclusive content?

Everyone said “no” they do not feel comfortable with their personal information being broadcast over short distances. I feel the same way and I think when new technology comes out with fingerprint/face recognition it will help keep peoples minds at rest about this.

Did you feel mobile ads will replace traditional ads? Why or why not?

One of the people that took this survey said it best. “We are comparing apples and oranges. Mobile ads will not replace traditional ads. Mobile ads are finally being recognized as another medium for advertising. Mobile ads will not replace traditional ads because traditional ads still have a way of drawing us in, relating to us, making us bond with other people (as corny as it may sound, think of the Superbowl. People have parties to watch the Superbowl and look forward to what kind of commercials will entertain us, amuse us, and disappoint us. That's how it bonds people) Mobiles ads are still quite impersonal. That's the main reason why traditional ads won't be replaced by mobile ads. Traditional ads have it’s own place in advertising and so do mobile ads. Each exist in the advertising world in its own right.” I feel this sum up the answers for what most people said in regards to this question and I do agree with the statement.

What service or features on your phone do you think should be free?

Text and unlimited data should be built into every plan. Over all people did not say anything should be free just built into the plan for a flat rate. I feel cell phone companies will not do this because they make a lot off of customers going over minutes and data.

Why did you choose your provider? What are your reasons for staying with them?

The reason the most people picked the provider is because it has national coverage, signal clarity, features, and customer service. I found out that most people are only using AT&T because it has the iPhone. Once the iPhone goes to a new provider a lot of people will me moving to the new provider as well. I have also noticed that more people are having problems with AT&T dropping calls.

Do you update your Facebook with your mobile phone?

About half of the people who took the survey said they do update their Facebook with their mobile phone. The reason I asked this question is because I noticed a lot more people doing this. Just wanted to see how many are.

Over all I feel mobile marketing will continue to grow but the only way it will be affective is by finding ways to connect with the costumers on a personal level. With new technology coming put each month it should be easier to connect with the right people without intruding in to their personal lives. I plan to us mobile marketing in my business but I will be getting a third party to run the campaign under my supervision. The company that I will be using is Mozes which helps me: By providing a self-service web platform to create, deliver and analyze the effectiveness of mobile marketing campaigns; by providing strategic services that help our marketing partners to execute their mobile engagement strategy; and by providing in-venue services for live events, conferences and tours (Mozes.com, 2009). I feel by letting a company like handle my mobile marketing goals will help my overall marketing plan.

Reference:

Mozes.com. (2009) Retrieved November 16, 2009 from: http://www.mozes.com/go/music.