obile marketing has made a huge impact on the sporting industry. After the 2012 Olympics, mobile marketing was a catalyst to the changes in IOS standards Rule 40 debate which saw many athletes taking to social media to demand change.
Despite the success of mobile marketing at the 2012 London Olympics which saw a 50% growth rate in sms advertising, the 2016 Olympics in Rio has been labeled “the first truly mobile Olympics.”
But brands are taking advantage from numerous major sporting events to capitalize on the excitement that surrounds sports. This year’s Super Bowl is a prime example, with brands creating all kinds of ingenious strategies to engage customers.
Ted Dhanik, CEO of engage;BDR said: “Mobile as a major channel is somewhat of a godsend to brands looking to get involved in the Super Bowl… mobile traffic during the big game is a significant opportunity – whether people are at home, at a bar, or at a party, most of them have their phones on them, and many are engaging in social media commentary, looking up stats, or just browsing.”
Previous marketing strategies in sport were dominated by social media and a frenzy of hashtags. Most were uninspired. This year, brands used sms messaging to raise awareness of a bigger marketing strategy. And subsequently received more engagement on social media.
It is not only brands that recognize the value of sms marketing around sports events. Sport organizations are also benefiting from the potential of text message marketing.
Thanks to mobile apps, many sports teams have a direct communication with their fans to create a buzz in the build-up to games and join in the celebrations (or commiserations) after the game.
Because the vast majority of fans have a smartphone, bulk text messaging to raise awareness about products, available tickets and news is an affordable and viable option to interact and engage fans.
College sports fans are an even easier target as they have grown up with mobile phones and are more open to sms marketing than any other generation. Creating a buzz around college sports can have the same impact as sports teams in the NBA, NFL and MLB.
It’s not only US sports that is seeing a sharp rise in revenue thanks to mobile marketing. The Bundesliga in Germany and English Premier League in UK with Optus and Sky Sports offering fans a chance to watch live games and see all the goals in their mobile phones.
Because sport is of global interest, teams in popular leagues such as the EPL and La Liga in Spain, can enhance their verticals across multiple platforms – and because 91% of text messages are read, text message marketing is the best way for sports teams to provide relevant information to their fans and participants.
And you do not need to be a globally recognized sports team to take advantage of mobile technology – sms marketing can work effectively for clubs at grass roots level and sports centers in local communities and city high streets.
Of course, piggy-backing on major sporting events gives smaller brands the biggest potential to launch marketing campaigns to attract more customers, but sms marketing can also be used to as part of an ongoing strategy to strengthen customer loyalty.
Modern consumers are more prepared to stay loyal to a brand they trust. If you provide a great experience and a customer service that makes your customers feel valued, they are more inclined to be responsive to your marketing efforts.
Getting to know your customers is not a new tactic and is not easy to deliver in a customer-centric strategy when you have so many customers to cater for.
Keeping up with social media activities and keeping good records about your customers to build up a profile and recognizing their achievements and goals with a quick sms message helps strengthen relationship bonds and makes your customers know you care.
There are of course different avenues to explore, but by implementing a highly targeted mobile marketing strategy is a powerful and cost-effective way of retaining loyal customers and encouraging them to spend more.
