Is there anything a phone can’t do? The answer to that question is, in most cases, no. There is, in all likelihood, nothing that a phone can’t do. After living in New York City for more than five years, I’ve become accustomed to certain realities of the city life. 24-hour bodegas, free festivals, and high prices come with the territory. But perhaps chief among the adjustments I’ve had to make is the ability to sleep with unusually high levels of noise pollution. Buses, garbage trucks, the plastic door on the free daily newspaper distribution box outside my window: none of these things bother me anymore. In fact, I have more trouble sleeping in quiet suburban environments than I do in Manhattan. And it’s for people like me that the new NY Nap App was invented. This clever iPhone app recreates the noises of the city. As Gothamist put it, “Not only will it deliver an urban white noise backdrop so you can drift off, but you can also be awoken by the sound of a NYC sanitation truck anywhere in the world!” So don’t let a lack of noise keep you from sleeping; there’s an app for that.
See what I mean about the sheer range of possibilities at play here? But let’s get back to more standard fare: mobile payment possibilities. And let’s think, along with John Jantsch, how these apps and capabilities can help your marketing:
The mobile device continues to evolve and one trend that’s finally picking up steam in the US is the act of making and accepting payments via mobile payment systems. Mobile payments are already very common in other parts of the world where less infrastructure friction (read: entrenched industries that don’t want to change the game) allowed for faster adoption.
The question marketers of all kinds need to start asking is if their customers are mobile, how mobile does the business need to be? I get push back every time I mention text messaging and SMS, but like it or not you can’t sit this out, you’ve got to start getting serious about every aspect of mobile marketing, including this one.
While mobile payments may seem like just another way to accept money, much like checks and credit cards, I think you’ll start to see integration that other forms of payment don’t offer. It’s tough to integrate with someone’s checking account, but on a mobile device loaded with a database, GPS and compass, well, you’ve got the makings of a location aware loyalty program with the ability to offer loyalty specials and club and membership perks through an electronic wallet kind of approach.
Remember that marketing is best when it simply means an improved product. And in this case, easily integrated location based rewards programs is a great example of improving the payment possibilities for your customers. Payment can become more than just the straightforward transfer of money. It can boost the very interaction you have with your customers, providing just one more perk to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
How would you use mobile payment options to increase customer loyalty and interaction?
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- Target Goes Mobile with Smartphone Coupons
- Mobile Marketing is also on the Customer’s Side
- JCPenny, Back-to-School, and Mobile Advertising
