webinar 4.27.11 (revised)

Engaging Youth Through Mobile: The Next Direction for SMS Marketing to Students

April 27, 2011

2 © Alloy Media + Marketing, Confidential and Proprietary. All Rights Reserved.

Agenda•Introduction to Webinar + Research- by Andrew Belth

•Why Mobile to the Youth Market?- by Jeffrey Sass

•Mobile Planning, Strategies and Case Studies- by Andrew Marino

•Questions and Answers


Over three-fourths of college students own a laptop, cell phone, TV, headphones, MP3 player or digital camera.

Which of these items do you currently have?

Source: 2010 College Explorer


Cell phones Connect College Students9-in-10 college students have a cell phone Top cell phone activities include:99% Talk to family

97% Talk to friends

96% Texting friends93% Texting family91% Taken photos

80% Sent photos

65% Used calendar

63% Played games

63% Recorded videos

61% Accessed the internet

57% Sent or read e-mail

56% Updated “status”

55% Updated social networking site

54% Texted while driving

51% Listened to MP3s

43% Downloaded ringtones

Source: 2011 TRU Study


Why Mobile?

MY Phone…Not a computer… an accessory!Especially among younger demos• 45% of 18-24 year olds own a smartphone (Edison Research)

• 50% of 25-34 year olds (Edison Research)


Mobile: Center of Our Universe

Impactful• Less Clutter• In your face• Immediate, purpose drivenUbiquitous• Puts you in the pocket of your customers


Mobile: Center of Our Universe (continued)

Interactive• Actions & calls to action• Rich media - animation, audio & video• Click to call• Social Integration• Capture data• Opt-in for more• Distribute content • Distribute offers/coupons


Mobile: Center of Our Universe (continued)

PersonalLocation Aware• Highly targetable• RELEVANTIntegrates with other media• Print• Radio• TV• Out of home• Social

Text “GEICO” to 69937


Why Mobile to the Youth Market?

It is where they are, nearly 24/7, for:• Information: alerts, news feeds• Communication: texting• Entertainment: music, video, apps, games• Sharing: images, video, location check-ins• Social: over 40% of social network activity is from mobile

- 80% of 18-24 year olds have social network profiles• Commerce: shopping, offers, pricing


SMS/Text Messaging OverviewCommon Terms

Keyword: A customized word that customers use to respond to a direct marketing initiative. Example:Text “Keyword” to 121212 to receive a special offer!

MMS (Multimedia Message Service): Allows the user (marketer) to send files, pictures, videos, etc. (SMS, by contrast, does not permit this)

Opt-In: Like email, an opt-in is a confirmation that a customer wants to receive a company’s SMS messages. Opt-ins are as simple as the user texting directly to the short code or signing up for SMS online.

Opt-Out: Like an email unsubscribe link, it allows recipients to stop receiving SMS messages from a sender. An unsubscribe option is vital to such programs.

Pull Campaign: A short code or keyword call-to-action, often used in conjunction with other marketing material.

Push Campaign: Text messages that are sent out or “pushed” to recipients to generate response.


History and Stats on SMSText messages are typically read within 15 minute of receipt and responded to within 60 minutes of it being opened.

31.9% of all mobile subscribers used a Web browser on a mobile device from March 2010 to May 2010, according to comScore.

30% downloaded a mobile app during that same time, as compared with 6.7% the year before.

SMS was invented in 1985—over 25 years ago. It was aimed at a business audience. The first SMS “push” was on December 3, 1992.

SMS developers were surprised at its popularity, especially with a young audience—because it was a medium their parents didn’t understand.


SAMPLE: RECRUITMENTPush Campaign

objectiveTo increase recruitment for one of theUS Military Forces. ChallengeHow do we incorporate SMS to increase response? Review the campaign and proposesupplementing the email creative with asimple text message.

target audience802,000 individualsAge 17 – 2448% female / 49% male / balance undeclared

Need cash for college? We’ll pay you up to $20G just for signing up. Go to[ link ] for the 411. (optout, reply: out)


SAMPLE: RECRUITMENTPush Campaign

Approach•Target only those mobile users with matching email addresses. •Choose the right call-to-action. •Base it on past experience—e.g., what is the offer/incentive that provides greatest performance?

Deployed the email at least three times, in conjunction with SMS deployment for best response.


SAMPLE: ENROLLMENT DRIVEPush Campaign

objectiveTo generate attendance at a universityopen house to drive enrollment. ChallengeTarget the audience using a post card and anas yet undetermined additionalmarketing channel.

Review the campaign to proposed supplementing with SMS “push” message, QR code and follow-upemail with the post card. Alsoconsider a pull SMS message, withcustomized keyword and shared shortcode to reduce costs.

University of Namehere: Open house May 20. It’s happening with you! Register: http://tinyurl.com/3kkpjz9 (optout, reply: out)


SAMPLE: ENROLLMENT DRIVEPush Campaign

challenge (continued)•If cost an issue, consider eliminating email for testing purposes, leaving a post card and QR code with matching SMS push. •The SMS pull can be included as an add-on to increase call-to-action options and increase response•Include email in future campaign / roll-out after testing bears out.


STRATEGY AND PLANNINGtips and considerations for sms

160 characters is limiting, but use abbreviations only whennecessary. If using abbreviations, use forms that will befamiliar to your audience.

Like humor, informality can go awry. Avoid informallanguage, slang or snarky comments.

Be on the look out for double entendres.

Begin with your company name for brand awareness.It also differentiates you from spam.

Email doesn’t like words such as “Free” in subject lines,but that’s a great word for SMS. So are Coupon,Contest, Sweepstakes, Sale, Special Offer, etc.

Put your offer upfront. 160 characters is not a lot ofroom to be playful.

If using a link, consider using a tiny URL to save space.


STRATEGY AND PLANNINGtips and considerations for sms (continued)

Include opt-out language.

Consider SMS push as a supplemental channel rather than a stand-alone, as multiple touch points increase response

Remember, with smartphones like BlackBerry and iPhone, email is a mobile channel and your audience might be better-suited to respond via email rather than SMS.

Consider alternate channels in your mix: TV, radio, print ad, print mail, email, and social media. All of these vehicles can support an SMS short code as a “pull” response mechanism, which is not only inexpensive but expected by today’s markets.

Consider optimizing your landing page for mobile visits before your SMS “push”, so if users click on a link, it renders properly on their mobile device.


STRATEGY AND PLANNINGtips and considerations for sms (continued)

Determine your goals prior to your marketing initiative to determine which channels are the best fit.

Determine how you define success for your campaign: Is it a spike in web traffic? Is it conversion? Is it a simple awareness program that doesn’t require any action on the recipient’s part?

Remember to test creative copy, response codes, landing pages, etc. to fully understand your campaigns’ results.


Questions & Answers

Andrew BelthSenior Vice President of Direct Marketing, Alloy Media + [email protected]

Andrew MarinoSenior Account Executive, [email protected]

Jeffrey SassVice President of Business Development, Myxer954.360.0360 [email protected]

webinar 4.27.11 (revised)

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