SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA — With mobile device dependency central to today’s digital lifestyles, enlightened brands are creating new mobile relationship marketing strategies that go well beyond simple app and mobile advertising delivery.
In a new study from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, conducted in partnership with SAS, 61 percent of marketers surveyed reveal they have deployed some form of mobile engagement. Furthermore, 54 percent of respondents say the mobile channel has become critical to customer interaction, retention and brand differentiation.
The criticality of mobile should not surprise marketers considering that the world’s mobile device population is estimated to swell to more than 7.7 billion devices this year (BusinessInsider.com), including smartphones, tablets, phablets, laptops and connected devices.
Developing comprehensive mobile relationship marketing strategies largely remains an area for improvement as only 17 percent of marketers have mobile strategies that are fully integrated and aligned with their overarching marketing strategies. Some 31 percent admit that they either have no strategy or simply view mobile as a campaign and not a business strategy.
Interestingly, when marketers were asked to identify a brand that stood out as a leader in mobile relationship marketing, no single organization emerged, and many respondents felt that while some brands were making strides, no one brand had yet proven to be the mobile champion. “Savvy marketers are still perfecting how and where mobile integrates with their strategies, yet a number of them have figured out that mobile is the channel their customers have defined as critical. Therefore, it must lead as a business strategy and not simply remain a less expensive, faster, readily available advertising vehicle,” noted Liz Miller, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the CMO Council.
As marketers look to advance mobile, budgets and confidence in data are key challenges holding back advancement.
Key findings from the study reveal that:
• For many organizations, the place for mobile in the overall customer engagement strategy remains undefined.
• Measurements must take on a decidedly business focus and move away from campaign metrics in order to match the strategic opportunity inherent in mobile.
• Mobile is an underfunded area, as reported by about half of the respondents, possibly leading to mobile initiatives falling short of expectations.
• One mobile size should not fit all, with an overwhelming majority of respondents developing one mobile experience for use across all operating systems. Yet less than one-third are creating unique experiences based on device type, OS or behavior.
“What is so clear from this research is that mobile is a big game-changer for marketing organizations that can see mobile as a business strategy and not as just another channel,” commented John Balla, Principal Marketing Strategist at SAS. “Mobile is digital—it generates data that is too valuable not to analyze because whether you use analytics or not, your competitors surely will. And the multi-functionality of mobile devices and the advent of wearables provides marketers with an unprecedented opportunity to personalize engagements and to be relevant in ways that evolve into lasting relationships.”
