The How, What, and Why of Mobile

FutureM is a week of events around Boston about the future of Marketing... the name could easily mean the future is Mobile since the current mantra for building on the Web is "Mobile First." Watch more of some great sessions at the FutureM YouTube Channel.


This panel discussion, "Building and Marketing for an Increasingly Mobile Future" had an all-star cast  that inspired the below How, What, and Why of Mobile.  In summary - Mobile is now (waiting for the future is too late for your business) and new tech allows content to get smarter about the user ... wherever they want it.


Moderated by Jeff Moriarty of the Boston Globe, the panel was: Keith LaFerriere VP, Director of User Experience Arnold Worldwide; Miranda Mulligan, design director for Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com; Steffan Berelowitz, CEO of Blue Train Mobile; Grant Stratemeyer, VP of Business Development, Celtra; and Todd Parker, partner at Filament Group.


The "How"


Allow me to make the "How" of mobile development really easy... hire HTML5 specialists (like the folks on the panel) to design your content so it works on any platform your audience is using - PC browser, mobile browser, mobile app (iPhone, iPad, Android, etc.), in-store signage, kiosks, etc. Read Rob O'Regan/emedia vitals for more about how the recent awesome launch of BostonGlobe.com is now  the leader of state-of-the-art development concepts like ... big word warning!... Responsive Web Design and Progressive Enhancements.


The "What"


Mobile is so different than previous marketing methods that marketers need to relearn how they talk to (and with) customers. Consider ways that your company can leverage these unique functions for employees and customers to have the right experience, on the right device, at the right time:

- instant gratification to buy or engage with you anytime. It's a phone!
- at their "point of highest desire" including in-store product availability

- talking to customer service with one click-to-call
- finding you with GPS maps - destination/store finder/store maps

- bar code scanning
from any print magazine, poster, napkin, etc.
- all with pin-point accurate incentives like coupons and game-play points...and.

Remember how the mobile buying experience is different from a stationary browser-enabled one. There is magic in a customer's location.


The "Why"



With only 15% of your market actively using their phones, you may be comfortable putting off your mobile strategy. Don't. Here are a few good reasons why... 


- This 15% is growing faster than any market. Ever. Learn how your company needs to evolve in order to communicate this way.


- Mobile is not expensive. Developers are eager and market-priced fairly at $75-$150 per hour. Get some guidance on the hard part - your content strategy and new business models.


- Mobile customers are your best customers. They spend more! This is not just because they have the money for nifty smartphones, but they want to use it for both coolness and efficiency. Don't you want to sell to, and learn from, early adopting, more active, young-minded "Tryers" - !?


Here is a roundup of points so you can...


Need more proof? Here is an long and regularly updated list of how Mobile is growing and being used.