What is Proximity Marketing And Who Is It For?

What Is Proximity Marketing And Who Is It For?

Proximity Marketing is “… the localised wireless distribution of advertising content associated with a particular place.” (Wikipedia) Businesses can use technology such as Near-Field Communication (NFC); Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi to identify mobile device users in specific locations, and then entice them to buy with relevant content and promotional offers.

A variety of businesses such as airlines, retailers, hoteliers, museums, and large food stores use Proximity Marketing. There is a common misconception that Proximity Marketing is out of reach of SME’s with limited marketing budgets, but this isn’t the case. In fact, it can be more cost effective for the small business owner – they can use mobile marketing technology to target consumers who are in the right place at the right time with relevant content. More than ever, consumers are using their mobile devices to research products and make purchases. So it makes sense to use mobile technology to reach and engage potential customers with a personalised and targeted approach.

How Does Proximity Marketing Work?

Mobile technology allows you (with permission) to track consumers’ locations via the GPS on their mobile devices. You can use this information to find out your potential customers’ shopping habits; their interests, where they like to congregate, and so forth and send them appropriate marketing information.

In a similar fashion, you can use Proximity Marketing to target consumers via transmitters to their mobile device when they are near your place of business, be it a store, restaurant, or cinema, etc. You can then entice them into buying by sending a digital coupon, promotional text or video, or other relevant and personalised offers. And, by monitoring your customer’s movements via beacons or transmitters as they go around your store, you can flag up a product on the other side of the store they might be interested in depending on preferences they’ve shown. You can further help your customer by providing a faster mobile payment checkout option.

What Are The Benefits?

• Proximity marketing technology allows you to engage with consumers on their terms and they are often happy to share their location to receive personalised offers.
• It’s quick and more convenient for your customers who use their mobile devices on the go.
• You can track and learn much more about your customers’ shopping habits and interests so you can directly market meaningful and relevant content.
• Your marketing effort has the potential for going viral and for acquiring more customers – people will share news of promotions with friends and family in real-time.
• You can create a better buying and interactive experience for your customers by using creative and fun ads that work well with their mobile interface.
• You can track customer response instantly, by asking questions about their buying experience and product satisfaction, allowing you to personalise future marketing and enhance customer service and experience.
• It costs less than conventional marketing so can yield a higher ROI.

Marketing is always evolving, and it can prove costly for SME’s to keep up with trends. With Proximity Marketing, however, you can’t go far wrong – mobile technology has become increasingly sophisticated yet is easily accessible for consumers and businesses alike. By offering Proximity Marketing, you can create a memorable buying experience for your customer; and engage more fully by giving them personalised content and offers relevant to them. Then let word-of-mouth do the rest! As an SME owner, you can embrace Mobile and make it a priority within your marketing strategy to stay ahead of the field, or risk getting left behind.