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Every business owner is continually searching for new and more effective methods of driving traffic to their door, whether it is a brick-and-mortar or virtual door. One of the newest and most profitable opportunities to come along recently is the ability to market and sell to customers over the Internet via mobile technology.

Since customers are using their smartphones and tablets more each year to interact with the Internet, you can now use their devices to expand your marketing plan. However, before you jump in with two feet to send out sales notices to your target market, you should be aware that mobile marketing has its own quirks and parameters.

While some aspects of mobile marketing are similar to standard Internet marketing, others are not. Here are the top 5 tips to help you get started using mobile coupons to drive revenue to your business.

1. Make Your Offer Clear

While eMarketer predicts that more than 70% of digital coupon users will redeem a coupon from their mobile device this year, this metric does not mean that your customers will act accordingly. Since mobile users tend to scan their email and texts quickly while they are on-the-go, it is critical to make your discount offer crystal clear.

Digital coupons can work in several formats including coupons that are sent out to customers via email, posted coupons in a store to increase on-site purchases and text coupons that can be used online. Complex and ambiguous offers do not fare well on digital devices no matter how good you think the offer is. A best practice is to create simple, clear coupon offers.

2. Personalize Offers to Reward Loyal Customers

Mobile coupons can be personalized depending on a customer's behavior in the store or on a website. Set up programs to reward return customers for using your company. As we all know, customers have many competitors to choose from when it comes to buying products and services.

When you offer specials to your loyal customers, you give them another incentive to return to your business. Set up targeted coupons to your frequent customers to reward them and you can build up your business incrementally.

3. Give Them Something in Return

When customers sign up for your mobile coupon list, it doesn't mean that they want to be bombarded with requests to buy. Intersperse your special offers with tidbits of information relevant to your customer base and free giveaways and drawings. You can pair up a survey with a freebie as a reward.

Your customer will get something for free and you will receive valuable data from them. Give them a free product if they refer a friend who becomes a customer. Tell them about a great local event related to your business or another website that complements your own. Or give them a rich mix of coupons mixed with other relevant content for the best interaction with your target market.

4. Use Texting for Brief Messaging

Research shows that 98% of SMS messages get opened and viewed within just a few minutes of being received. While this is exciting news in that you can take advantage of texting to send information to your customers, it is better to limit it to very brief interactions that are likely to result in a higher ROI.

If you overuse SMS for customer communications, then they may not respond to SMS as readily. Send text reminders for events, personal specials or other high-value offers. Texting is also useful for delivery reminders or personal communication with a customer.

5. Promote Mobile Coupons Everywhere

Just like any type of successful marketing campaign, you will get the best ROI from mobile coupons, offers and SMS messaging by promoting them in every way you can on social media sites, your own website, inside your brick-and-mortar store and in your email campaigns.

You can also invite prospects and customers to participate in your mobile coupon program every time you make a sale or offer a different type of special with simple call-to-action messages such as "get our mobile coupons" or "get coupons on your smartphone." PPC ads are another method of adding to your mobile coupon list.

If you start with these simple tips, you can easily get started on a successful mobile coupon campaign. Your customers will love the convenience of showing a coupon from their smartphone instead of having to remember to bring a paper coupon into the store.

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