Forward '09 Speaker Preview: Mobile Branding with mobileStorm

mobileStorm's CEO and Founder, Jared Reitzin, schools us on branding for mobility.

What is "mobile marketing"?
The ability to market to anyone anywhere via mobile phones.

What does "brandologie" mean to you?
The science of branding

What is the difference between Marketing and the Science of Branding? With marketing there should be a direct response and a way to track the results of your selling efforts. Branding is harder to quantify. You might spend a lot of money to create a compelling website with images and copy that speaks to people and targets your customer base. You can see the draw you’re creating, but there is no direct correlation to revenue. With marketing you should have a call to action: I have a database, I’m sending out x amount of emails or SMS messages. I’m able to track these efforts and generate a certain amount of revenue. There is a direct correlation with what you spend and the results you see. You should really be able to calculate your ROI.

Why do you think mobile coupons are taking off?
Everyone wants a deal in this economy. Coupons have historically been a great way to drive sales. Couponing isn't a new concept but when you can offer someone a coupon to come in and get 10% off at lunch 10 minutes before their lunch break, that is very powerful and chances are you will get their business. And since mobile coupons are digital, you are saving a tree. Everyone wins.

How can mobileStorm help other companies build their brand identity through mobile marketing?
Like any other channel we’ve taken the approach that business needs to have multiple channels, one size doesn’t fit all. There are different demographics, age groups, genders and cultures. In some cases direct mail really works, in other cases it fails miserably. Younger demographics are going through social or text messaging channels. So providing multiple ways to communicate to various groups and demographics in a mobile storm is the way to go. Each channel has its own benefits and its own types of returns, but make sure you’re using multiple channels.

How can organizations embrace mobile marketing on a shoe-string budget?
There are companies out there like mobileStorm who have invested in the infrastructure to make mobile marketing an inexpensive and turnkey proposition. It’s easy enough now that within minutes you could be promoting a short code and keyword for less than $100 per month.

How is the current economy effecting your market?
We’re in a great recession proof industry and you can’t stop marketing from happening. What’s the old saying, 80% of business is done through your existing customer base and it costs twice as much money to obtain new customers. So you have people wanting to build databases and market to them, with mobile marketing you’re saving money to market to your existing customer base and tracking the results of your investments.

You were 22 when you started mobileStorm. How has your personal brand changed over the years as you've gotten older and more established?
I created jaredreitzin.com as a way to tell my stories and help entrepreneurs. I believe this site has really helped increase my personal brand and established me as a small business entrepreneur. The one thing I do know as the years go by is that there is still a lot more to learn, but I just love business. I am a scholar of it.

More about Jared Reitzin
Jared’s website
LinkedIn profile
Jared’s digital marketing blog
Jared’s video on Vator.TV
Crunchbase profile
Facebook profile