Simple Local Mobile Listbuilding?

15 replies
So I am certain that building mobile lists locally can provide a stream of long term income. I seem to be in an area that hasn't quite locked on to SMS mobile marketing or the utilization of QR codes but when the tipping point arrives around here the guys with the lists will be big winners. So I would like to start building a local mobile list now. We have a pretty good sized local college and tech schools (12,000 plus students) and we are one of the state's premier medical centers. We also hold 3 major summer music festivals within a 30 mile radius that draw upwards of 240,000 attendees each year. Local attendees that live in the area are also rabid fans of these four day music fests and the hype leading up to each one is pretty intense.

So taking some lessons from WF I am going to build my local mobile list leveraging these events by having an SMS contest to win a set of each tickets throughout the year (about a $350 value per pair and I will try to get a business to sponsor those), i.e. "Text Rockfest to 54545" I am going to try and do this on the cheap using QR to SMS codes posted wherever I can, free bulletin boards etc, placing a couple hundred bandit signs with both the texting instructions and a scannable QR that delivers a return text for opt-ins, door to door flyers with some other local coupons I promote and vinyl signs on my vehicles. I am also thinking about having about a dozen 2' x 2' and 3' x 3' vinyl banners made with different trackable QR codes and texting instructions and try to partner with local businesses for temporary placement in their business windows. I can set up a autoresponder for each so that when someone enters/opts in they will get a coupon from that sponsoring business at no cost to that business. That way if I ever want to expand my local SMS business on a consulting basis I will be able to return to those businesses later with a SMS offer. However, overall the goal is to build a large and growing local mobile list that I may use to promote local and affiliate business offers.

Please poke holes at this plan or suggest other cheap local advertising ideas that could support this idea.

I am ready to go..

Cheers!

Chris
#listbuilding #local #mobile #simple
  • Profile picture of the author DrPaul
    I seriously hope you don't live in my part of North Central Florida, because I am so swiping this idea.

    It really sounds like you have all the bases covered, from distribution, to content, to upscale services in the future.

    All I can say is, be sure to keep your list fresh and deliver high quality content on a regular basis. Keep up a good reputation with your list and you will find it easier to get high quality clicks with your promotions.
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    • Profile picture of the author SendCards
      Originally Posted by DrPaul View Post

      I seriously hope you don't live in my part of North Central Florida, because I am so swiping this idea.

      It really sounds like you have all the bases covered, from distribution, to content, to upscale services in the future.

      All I can say is, be sure to keep your list fresh and deliver high quality content on a regular basis. Keep up a good reputation with your list and you will find it easier to get high quality clicks with your promotions.
      I feel like I have my bases covered....but....always looking for a little feedback..

      What kind of offers do you see yourself putting out there to your list as you build it Doc?

      Thanks,

      Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Warrior Ben
    This is a great idea and you are really ahead of the curve on this.

    My recommendation would be to really figure out how you plan to monetize your list and then build it accordingly. Your subscribers will be opting in for a certain reason, so you want to make sure that the offers you target them down the road are related to the opt-in.

    For instance if you plan on selling college students "how to make money courses" and you market it to your list, you probably want to build the list by telling them that you will be providing them with money making ideas, not to win free concert tickets.

    You are on the right track by starting this now though-- having your own SMS list will really help you make the transition to selling your services to business owners by having a group you can already market to.

    -Ben
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    • Profile picture of the author LongTail Silver
      Imagine being able to demonstrate your value to a local biz owner by sending out an offer of his/her choice to your list of thousands right there on the spot, with a warning that his employees had better be prepared for a rush.

      "Don't take my word for it. I will SHOW you how powerful it can be."

      When the flood of new business comes through the door, you WILL have a client thereafter. Plus your list will love you for the daily local deals they would get from you.

      Basically, you can be the local SMS-version of groupon. And a LOT more profitable for most biz owners than Groupon will ever be.
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      • Profile picture of the author SendCards
        Originally Posted by LongTail Silver View Post

        Imagine being able to demonstrate your value to a local biz owner by sending out an offer of his/her choice to your list of thousands right there on the spot, with a warning that his employees had better be prepared for a rush.

        "Don't take my word for it. I will SHOW you how powerful it can be."

        When the flood of new business comes through the door, you WILL have a client thereafter. Plus your list will love you for the daily local deals they would get from you.

        Basically, you can be the local SMS-version of groupon. And a LOT more profitable for most biz owners than Groupon will ever be.
        I think I just wet myself......very cool :p

        Cheers!

        Chris
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        • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
          Have you wondered why for the last 10 years Radio, with their competition phone ins, haven't done what you are proposing?

          After all I bet every one of them covering This Rockfest thing has had tee shirt, back stage passes etc etc competitions.

          And your local newspapers too I would have thought.

          So why do you think they have not taken those numbers and e-mails and hooked up with businesses that have no link whatsoever to the initial opt in reason?

          Just make sure you are very clear in your literature that if someone texts in for a free ticket you are going to be sharing their number with completely unrelated businesses for marketing purposes.

          And don't be surprised at the massive drop off rate after the ticket prize has been awarded.

          'Free' is the absolute worst quality opt in reason you can have. The opt in is for one reason only. To get that free thing.

          Dan

          PS: I am English so maybe you have different laws, so please check, but if you did that here you would be getting your clients £5000 fines per complaint, bad publicity and you drinking out a straw in hospital for the rest of your life when they catch up with you.
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    • Profile picture of the author SendCards
      Originally Posted by Warrior Ben View Post

      This is a great idea and you are really ahead of the curve on this.

      My recommendation would be to really figure out how you plan to monetize your list and then build it accordingly. Your subscribers will be opting in for a certain reason, so you want to make sure that the offers you target them down the road are related to the opt-in.

      For instance if you plan on selling college students "how to make money courses" and you market it to your list, you probably want to build the list by telling them that you will be providing them with money making ideas, not to win free concert tickets.

      You are on the right track by starting this now though-- having your own SMS list will really help you make the transition to selling your services to business owners by having a group you can already market to.

      -Ben
      Thanks Ben, to be truthful I just want to jump in and do anything to get started with SMS locally and the music fests are touted everywhere you look around here. Each fest has it's own set of fan demographics and and are not cheap to attend. They also each have their own paid sponsors with budgets that I will be approaching to partner up with offers on the side since my lists would be their customer base already. I will probably even be able to partner with the fests themselves to offer last minute ticket or camping deals at $400 to $600 a pop, at 3% that could be a nice payday.

      But in the end I want to have a multiple targeted and captive lists and be able to target each group with other offers both local and national, then rinse and repeat in another city. I just hope our local SMS and QR "IQ" is high enough to get good optin because I know I will need at least 1000 on my lists to get good response rates that will attract advertisers.

      I already figured out a quick and dirty way to estimate the local "QR IQ" which I think will be important to determine going forward. It is really pretty simple..

      I already have a few cities that I know are of the same demographics that would work as well if I can see success here.

      Any other ideas are very welcome..

      Thanks again,

      Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author herbaluss
    I was thinking of doing the same thing... but i cant grasp what will keep the people on my list for the long-haul and make it worthy.
    Am I just going to become a groupon or something and promote local deals because im sure some of the big dawgs will try and eat me alive after they get wind of this.
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    • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
      It's not who you think it is who will be pushing you aside.

      It is the mobile phone companies directly.

      This started in the UK 2 months ago and is advertised everywhere. It will be rolled out to other busineses and the other 3 mobile companies here will be joining in soon to start the war.

      No need for local businesses to build their own lists when the phone company will provide geo targeted, specific opt in lists using NFC and whatever Apple decide to go for.

      Here is the UK TV ad for O2 to give you a bit of an idea.

      O2 Priority - Moments

      You lot in the US are way behind the trend but Vodafone will be sorting Verizon out next year.

      The link is not to put you off by the way, it is to make you aware. That is what Marketing is about. Being aware of the changing Market and dealing with it.

      Dan
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      • Profile picture of the author SendCards
        Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

        No need for local businesses to build their own lists when the phone company will provide geo targeted, specific opt in lists using NFC and whatever Apple decide to go for.

        Dan
        Dan, I hope they do as that would just add credibility to small local SMS companies offering the same. Plus you and I both know they will basically rape the small business person on price. They won't be giving the service away and they probably won't be out pounding the bricks representing themselves as a local business or developing personal local relationships.

        As for your other observations, in my local area this plan will work as they are behind in using and understanding SMS marketing. I never claimed it would work everywhere unless approximately the same conditions exist. I especially have no knowledge of how it would work in the UK.

        Our opt-in conditions for this offer are very clear and will follow best practices guidelines of the Mobile Marketing Association. Some drop off will be expected but then another yearly cycle begins and we can start building the list with another set of ticket drawings. Also I never said FREE, I agree that free can be a bad message and produce a not very valuable opt-in. My message is WIN Tickets. These tickets can be as much a $500 for two so there is a high perceived value along with the other services we will provide.

        Thanks for your input. We will know if I am on the right track in just a couple weeks...

        Chris
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    • Profile picture of the author SendCards
      Originally Posted by herbaluss View Post

      I was thinking of doing the same thing... but i cant grasp what will keep the people on my list for the long-haul and make it worthy.
      Am I just going to become a groupon or something and promote local deals because im sure some of the big dawgs will try and eat me alive after they get wind of this.
      I think it is up to us to continue offering value to the list and keep building it. I think a daily deal could burn your list out pretty quick personally. My thought is to not just harvest the list but to cultivate it... Instead of blasting a daily deal, one of your weekly text messages could "ask" the recipient if they want to be on the Local Daily Deal Alert? If so please "Text DEAL to 75757" Make sure everything is opt-in. This is permisson marketing at it's best. Ask don't blast! We already know what the response rates should be, create a great offer with value and don't get greedy. The better way to be greedy is to build bigger and better lists. Just my opinion.

      You also need to find out what makes your local community tick. I am sure that I could do the same thing locally for the Green Bay Packers, drawings for say three sets of two tickets. At the end of the football season these fans don't just go away and hibernate, they are rabid fans year around. Imagine sending out Packer alerts all year around and then when training camp rolls around you work with a local travel or bus company and put together a 3 day tour.

      For my particular music fest niche I can see partnering with a local tour company and offering Branson tours or trips to the Roll N Roll Hall of Fame. Or feature some auction alerts with music memoriabilia or just keep them updated on next years fest news. Tickets and campsites are already starting to sell out for next year 2012.

      Cheers!

      Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author herbaluss
    I was actually looking at doing that college marketing list also after seeing that WSO from i can't remember his name.... these guys actually they took action and are on a roll now.... damn maybe i should get my marketing material together and get on that in my area also.

    I think college / universities would be the best to target in any area.
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  • Profile picture of the author PapaPizza
    Mobile phone list building is a long way off. Consumers are not ready for it. I can't think of any list I'd want to be a part of that would try to sell me stuff via text.
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    • Profile picture of the author scarab
      Originally Posted by PapaPizza View Post

      Mobile phone list building is a long way off. Consumers are not ready for it. I can't think of any list I'd want to be a part of that would try to sell me stuff via text.
      I am fine with your personal position on joining a list, however the Mobile Consumers(who out number you 350M to 1 in the USA) don't care what you think. Read the report published by Google & the MMA, republished by myself, and you will really find out what Mobile users like and don't like. SMS Text messaging is in fact something they DO LIKE!

      Please don't take this as a personal attack, it is all in the numbers. What you like and what I like, and what business owners like does not matter. If we want to make money today and in the future we will go with the numbers.
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    • Profile picture of the author jasonthewebmaster
      Banned
      Originally Posted by PapaPizza View Post

      Mobile phone list building is a long way off. Consumers are not ready for it. I can't think of any list I'd want to be a part of that would try to sell me stuff via text.

      I am building a mobile subscriber's list here - but not to sell stuff, rather to give out mobile coupons! Then I get business owners to pay me to send their coupon, and they even build my mobile list for me for free!! LOL
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