Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Chapter 5: Expanding Close to Home with Localization and Mobile Marketing

In This Chapter

• Understanding different types of mobile commerce for retailers and e-tailers
• Sending text alerts
• Building business with mobile coupons
• Targeting local customers online

In an increasingly competitive environment, you have to make every possible effort to reach customers and convince them to buy from you. For storefront locations, you need to not only reach out from your Web site but also draw local online shoppers to your location. This is where mobile commerce — m-commerce — offers unique advantages to both e-tailers and traditional retailers looking to extend their brands online.

For the most part, m-commerce refers to the way companies use cellphones or other mobile devices, such as PDAs, to market and sell to customers. If you own a cellphone, chances are good that you have already experienced mobile commerce. Here are some examples:

• Paid a bill by entering a specific code into your cellphone.
• Voted for a contestant on a reality show by texting a short numerical message.
• Entered a contest or giveaway.
• Sent a short text (to request information).
• Checked into a particular store or restaurant using your phone and received a coupon in exchange for promoting the business in real-time to your friends.
• Made a donation to the Red Cross or other charitable organization by sending a short text from your phone.
• Received a text message from a favorite store, alerting you to an exclusive bargain. ...