Wanted: A mobile marketing strategy for SMEs

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In the world’s fastest-growing mobile market where there are more mobile phones than toilets, a marketing plan without a mobile module is a non-starter. It is critical for even business-to-business small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Marketing emailers and websites should be modified for mobile phone screens. It is not difficult to customise emails for mobile but it needs to be simplified. If you want to grab the attention of a busy executive in the middle of a busy day, you need to be short, crisp and simple. Her attention span will be limited and you need to get your message across in the shortest possible time.

Here are some best practices that SME brands can follow to quickly move in and compete well:

Understand the platform

Most developers use Flash for embedding video and images in email but devices not supporting the program will have a problem. HTML5 seems to be the norm but some devices may not support it. As a marketer, you need to determine what kind of devices your prospects use. It is also important to know where people are reading their e-mails. It will help you optimise your mobile marketing plans.

It is always a good idea to use e-mail text as informative and as clean as a full HTML e-mail. That way you have a better chance to reach out to a diverse user base with one design. If you are linking to your website, make sure that the site is optimised for mobile devices. You should also make the layout simple and avoid multiple columns and data tables.

According to the experts, you should ensure that the email is no more than 600 pixels wide. Most mobile devices have screens between 320 and 480 pixels wide, but tablets, which are larger and getting more common, therefore should also be considered while developing the mobile e-mail strategy.

Keep images to fewer than 70 dots per inch (DPI) so that they can load quickly. Experts advise the use of “media query,” which is a line of code embedded in the email design that can recognise the device used by the reader and then alter the e-mail structure accordingly.

Select the subject line carefully  

The art of succeeding in email marketing—and mobile marketing—is the subject line. It has to offer a strong value for the audience receiving it. Limit the subject line to five or seven words so that the message is not cut off on the screen.

Spend time on the subject line to get the point across to the reader. The best subject lines are the ones that tease and get the reader interested. Make use of the pre-header text, which can be two to five lines to draw the reader in. You should also include a phone number in the pre-header so that the reader can call directly from their mobile devices.

Position your call for action right 

When you design the emailer for mobiles, the call for action theme should be planned near the top of the mailer whether it is about downloading a research paper, completing a survey or reading use cases.

On a mobile device, scrolling down is painful and your prospect just might miss the key action button. Any forms that you want recipients to fill out should be kept to three fields or fewer.

Simplicity is the new success mantra 

Easy to open, scan and understand are vital to getting the attention of users of mobile devices. People prefer small bits of information to decide if it is relevant to them.

A good balance of text and images is the key. If your email text is smaller than 12 points, iOS will automatically scale up the size. To avoid inadvertent changes in the layout when a reader opens the message, keep the font size between 15 and 22 points. Avoid cluttering the message with flashy images that don’t serve a purpose and use a colour combo that is easy on the eyes.

Remember the difference between a mouse and fingers 

The recipient’s finger functions as the mouse on a mobile device, so links should be made into easy-to-use buttons and any scrolling functions need to be large enough to navigate with fingers.

According to Apple, the comfortable minimum size of a tappable user interface element is 44 by 44 points. It ensures that prospects can use links without accidentally clicking on something else.

Timing is important 

Be mindful of the time you send your emails. According to experts, it is the biggest determining factor of which device a reader will use to view the message. Mobile e-mail views spike before and after normal business hours, while browsers and desktops still rule 9 to 5.

Remember, your mobile marketing strategy shouldn’t stop at the email inbox. Think about where you are directing clients to go on the web through their handheld devices and what they will see when they get there.

(With inputs from Jagdish Bhat)