So why we are all looking forward to closing out the year with a flourish, what can we do now to capitalize on the increased consumption throughout the holiday season that can generate sustained gains in the new year?

Text Marketing Is the Answer.

Text marketing, also known as SMS marketing or text message marketing, is a targeted marketing tool, focusing on those consumers who express interest in your brand. Text marketing campaigns include conveying informational messages about products or services, as well as offering promotions on products or services in the form of mobile coupons distributed via a single-use coupon code by text, or a common coupon code published through Facebook, Twitter, and the like. When used correctly, text marketing can build brand awareness, influence consumer traffic, reward customer loyalty, and increase sales.

Text marketing begins with building your mobile marketing database. Interested consumers must opt-in to the text marketing service from their mobile phone, texting a keyword to a short code or scanning a QR code with a mobile device equipped with a QR reader application to receive information and/or offers from a business via text. The telephone number from which the keyword is sent or the QR code is read is added to a mobile database, which is solely owned by the business running the marketing campaign. Once stored in the database, the business can communicate with the customer via text, sending additional promotions or messages, at any frequency the business desires. The customer has the ability to remove themselves from the mobile database at any time by opting-out of the service through a simple text. Mobile marketing databases cannot be bought or sold so you have to build your own database if you want to take advantage of the many benefits of text marketing.

Through text marketing, business can promote themselves and their products, building brand awareness and putting themselves in top-of-mind status with consumers.   Business can inform customers about new products and increase awareness of their community involvement initiatives.   Mobile coupons featuring specific products at discounted rates can also help to increase product awareness and drive sales of that product.  Promotions valid for a certain time of day or day of week can influence when consumers buy products.  Discounts or rewards based on buying, subscription, and redemption patterns can be a way to say thanks to loyal customers and keep them coming back.  Businesses can also engage consumers in dialogue through text marketing, soliciting feedback from customers about product preferences and customer experiences, providing a level of consumer engagement through marketing previously unavailable. 

Ring in the new year with text marketing at work in your business and set yourself apart from the competition. Unlike the daily deal scenario, a text marketing solution empowers the business, eliminating the need for third party marketing affiliates. The consumer has the benefit of having information and offers they want at their fingertips, and the business has the ability to communicate with their customers when they want and with the message they want.

With estimates that over 91% of the American population use mobile devices, mobile marketing can reach more potential customers than ever before. Traditional forms of marketing, through newsletters, postcards, and brochures, have been the status quo for many years. Businesses that adopted email marketing programs were seen as on the cutting edge, delivering information to potential customers more quickly than print. However, with the emergence of mobile marketing, the sharing of information on properties is instant, delivered to anyone, anywhere. Imagine a college student sharing photos and property details about a potential rental property with parents or roommates through a mobile webpage while walking through the property. Imagine a broker instantly sharing photos and property details with another broker over lunch. Mobile to mobile, photos and details sent and received, anytime, anywhere, delivering efficiency that is unprecedented in real estate marketing campaigns.

While traditional forms of marketing seek to target certain types of properties to potential buyers, based on location, socio-economic factors, and previous buying patterns, nothing is more effective than delivering information instantly to consumers who request information on the property. Without having to wait to for an agent to return a call, without having to hope a paper flier is in the box, without having to do a prior search on MLS for a property in a certain neighborhood, potential customers can manage their own time and interests in their property search. Interested consumers scan a QR code or text a number listed on the property sign and relevant information is instantly delivered to the consumer’s mobile device. A call from the agent or a showing of the property can be scheduled though their mobile device, as well. Effectively ensuring that potential customers have access to information allows both customers and agents to be better informed and prepared to negotiate deals.

One might think with increased efficiency and effectiveness, mobile marketing is a marketing tool that only the most elite real estate companies can utilize. However, mobile marketing is actually very accessible and inexpensive. With minimal cost at the outset, production costs for mobile marketing campaigns are a fraction of traditional marketing costs. Printed products are also reusable, further reducing costs and waste. While a mobile website can be costly when commissioned independently, sophisticated mobile marketing software creates mobile pages for properties, eliminating the need for a stand-alone mobile website for the properties which are promoted via mobile marketing. Further, 99% of the marketing work is done by agents through the mobile marketing software, without the need for specialized or outsourced marketing specialists. This also means that businesses and agents have greater control of when and how the marketing message is created and delivered.

As consumers’ desire for convenience and necessity for portability continue to grow, a mobile presence for any real estate company is vital. Start your mobile marketing approach today to better meet the needs of your customers and position your business to grow in the mobile age.

Moreover, mounting questions as to whether the deep discount model is sustainable for businesses are increasing.  Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman conveyed in his blog on August 30, 2011, “We’ve also heard consistently from certain categories of businesses (very popular ones I’m afraid) that daily deals are uneconomic for them, which does raise questions around the sustainability of “50% off” daily deals for these types of businesses.”  Just as problematic for these company and their customers, internal research from Groupon shows just 22% of the people buying coupons are making a repeat visit to a business after using the coupon.

Despite these trends, and especially in this economy, couponing is a proven marketing tool.  One cannot argue that deals are always appreciated and customers love to save money.  So perhaps it’s just that the right deals are not making it to the right consumers at the right time.   How can businesses focus on attracting new customers and keep those customers coming back without a Groupon-like service?

Text (SMS) marketing offers a cost-effective, sustainable solution, differentiating itself from the featured, daily deal craze on a number of key elements:

• Text marketing is sustainable.  It allows businesses to reach their customers with their desired promotions, without having to negotiate a “50% off deal”.  Offering products or services at 25% of retail value is not sustainable long-term.
• Text marketing is branding.  It allows business to distinguish themselves from competitors.  In an “all things are equal world”, direct contact through mobile marketing can create top of mind awareness for your business and/or product.  Rather than simply offering a one-time deal, text marketing allows businesses to create a consistent presence in the minds of their customers.
• Text marketing is flexible.  It allows businesses to reach their customers at their desired frequency, without having to wait to be “chosen” by a third-party.  Text marketing campaigns that meet a company’s objective can be created within minutes and scheduled daily, weekly or monthly. 
• Text marketing is targeted.  It allows businesses to communicate directly with consumers who have expressed interest in their brand by opting into the text marketing experience rather than blasting offers to bargain hunters who are interested only in one-time, random deals.
• Text marketing is good for the business owner.  With a text marketing strategy, the business builds and manages its own customer database.  Robust text marketing applications allow for detailed analytics on customer subscription and redemption patterns, providing businesses with data not previously available from other couponing methods.  These behavior patterns can be used to inform products and promotions, ultimately improve sales.
• Text messaging is good for the consumer.  Text is the new preferred method of communication.  While email and web-based marketing methods seem to be experiencing customer fatigue, statistics show that text messages have a 90% read rate and that most messages are read within 3 minutes of receipt.  Customers can opt-out just as easily as they opt-in.  Redemption is made easy because the coupon is on the customer’s mobile device.

As daily deal offerings are not living up to their hype, businesses need to expand their marketing approaches. Text message marketing enables businesses to attract new customers, increase customer frequency, reward customer loyalty and boost sales.

Using QR codes for real estate marketing is an efficient tool for initiating consumer engagement and is effective at delivering information to one’s target audience at the time when the consumer is expressing interest in your inventory.  A QR code, or quick response code, is a two-dimensional barcode.   While first used to track parts in auto manufacturing, QR codes can now be found on signs, in magazines, on advertisements, and products.  QR codes are used to identify objects and link information to those objects.

QR codes for real estate are being used by brokers and agents to successfully market their inventory at a lower cost than traditional advertising, with the combined benefits of print and media advertising.  QR codes for real estate can be associated with mobile web pages and when scanned, will return relevant information about a property, including the property photos, description, price, MLS number, and agent contact information.  QR codes for real estate are printed on standalone signs or on sign riders that are affixed to traditional property signs.  Additionally, QR codes can be printed in magazines next to property listings, included on-line in advertisements and even placed on business cards.   QR codes for real estate can be reused, and depending on the type of signage the QR code is placed on, it too can be reused, further reducing marketing expenses.

A comprehensive solution for mobile marketing using QR codes for real estate allows a business to manage its mobile property listings, as well as track their results using powerful analytics previously only found in online marketing approaches.  Sophisticated web-based software enables non-marketing personnel, such as owners, managers, agents, or administrative staff, to create property listings and assign QR codes to those properties, enter descriptive details, upload photos, create mobile web pages, specify agency contact information, and more.  Analysis on the number of requests made on a listing, the times and dates requests are made, and the agents and personnel associated with the properties can provide insightful information to capture leads, make sales and provide more product information.

While nothing will ever replace the personal interaction between an agency and a potential buyer, using QR codes for real estate marketing can increase customer care and satisfaction.   QR codes for real estate marketing allows for consistent, accurate information to be delivered to interested buyers at the point in time of their interest.  Discover the benefits of QR codes for real estate marketing and allow your real estate business to grow.

With estimates that over 91% of the American population use mobile devices, mobile marketing can reach more potential customers than ever before.  Traditional forms of marketing, through newsletters, postcards, and brochures, have been the status quo for many years.  Businesses that adopted email marketing programs were seen as on the cutting edge, delivering information to potential customers more quickly than print.  However, with the emergence of mobile marketing for real estate, the sharing of information on properties is instant, delivered to anyone, anywhere.  Imagine a college student sharing photos and property details about a potential rental property to parents or roommates through a mobile webpage while walking through the property.  Imagine a broker instantly sharing photos and property details with another broker over lunch.  Mobile to mobile, photos and details sent and received, anytime, anywhere, delivering efficiency that is unprecedented in real estate marketing campaigns.

While traditional forms of marketing seek to target certain types of properties to potential buyers, based on location, socio-economic factors, and previous buying patterns, nothing is more effective than delivering information instantly to consumers who request information on the property.  Without having to wait to for an agent to return a call, without having to hope a paper flier is in the box, without having to do a prior search on MLS for a property in a certain neighborhood, potential customers can manage their own time and interests in their property search.  Interested buyers scan a QR code or text a keyword to a shortcode listed on the property sign and relevant information is instantly delivered to the consumer’s mobile device.  A call from the agent or a showing of the property can be scheduled though their mobile device, as well.  Effectively ensuring that potential buyers have access to information allows both customers and agents to be better informed and prepared to negotiate deals.

One might think with increased efficiency and effectiveness, mobile marketing is a marketing tool that only the most elite real estate companies can utilize.  However, mobile marketing is actually very accessible and inexpensive.  With minimal cost at the outset, production costs for mobile marketing campaigns are a fraction of traditional marketing costs.  Printed products, as well as the QR codes and the keywords, are also reusable, further reducing costs and waste. While a mobile website can be costly when commissioned independently, sophisticated mobile marketing software creates mobile pages for properties, eliminating the need for a stand-alone mobile website for the properties which are promoted via mobile marketing.  Further, 99% of the marketing work is done by agents through the mobile marketing software, without the need for specialized or outsourced marketing specialists.  This also means that businesses and agents have greater control of when and how the marketing message is created and delivered.

As buyers’ desire for convenience and necessity for portability continue to grow, a mobile presence for any real estate company is vital.  Start your mobile marketing approach today to better meet the needs of your customers and position your business to grow in the mobile age.

• Build and manage your own customer database
• Create a direct relationship with your customers
• Define your promotions and frequency
• Real time analytics, including redemption rates and customer usage patterns

Packages start as low as $60/month with no setup fee.  Start building your mobile database today!

Clear objectives lay the foundation for success.  Is the driving factor increased sales?  Which sales?  Be specific about your objectives.  For example if you are a restaurant struggling with Tuesday night revenue,  one objective might look like the following:

Increase Tuesday night sales next month by promoting our live music and offering a buy one get one free Prime Rib entree.

The more specific your objectives, the easier it will be to measure results.   Without clear objectives your campaign with be like a ship without a rudder.

2.      Understand your target audience

Who is the optimal target for your mobile coupon campaign?  If your restaurant offers breakfast and dinner, should you send a dinner offer to both breakfast and dinner customers?

Is your objective to increase next month’s Tuesday night sales or long-term Tuesday night sales?
Study your target audience.  Is it likely that you can convert the mobile coupon customer into a repeat customer?

What technology should I use?  Using an email or mobile application based solution, requires your target audience to have a data plan on their mobile phone.  Currently 70% of all mobile subscribers have do not have data plan.  Using the least common denominator such a text messaging can open the market to a larger audience.

Choose your target audience wisely and short-term gains will give way to long-term prosperity.

3.     Choose the right service provider

Choosing a service provider that best fits your objectives is a critical factor in successful mobile marketing.  Look for answers to following questions to make an informed decision.  How frequently can I send a mobile coupon?  Can I send an information message as well as a mobile coupon?  Can I create and schedule an offer to fit my schedule?   What is the cost of sending a coupon?  What are the redemption options?  How is redemption measured?  When and how do  I determine the redemption rate?  Is the solution easy-to-use for my customers and my staff?

4.      Make a compelling offer

Without a compelling offer, people will not act.  Take the time to write a compelling offer that will move your target audience to action.  Take an internal or external survey for ideas.

5.      Make redemption easy

Convenience drives redemption.   97% of all mobile phone subscribers carry their phone with them at all times.  If it is convenient to receive a coupon and use it, your redemption rate will increase.  Don’t forget about the redemption experience while in your business.  Your staff has to efficiently execute the redemption.  Put the redemption mechanism close to the point of sale.  If you are a high volume business, look for specialized hardware to make the redemption process simple and efficient.

6.      Convert customers into loyal customers

Execute.  Make sure all equipment is functioning properly, inventory is properly stocked, and your employees are properly staffed and ready.   Mobile coupons can bring increased activity, but you need to be ready.

Customer satisfaction is paramount for these mobile coupon customers.  If you use a “deal” service provider convert those customers into your mobile loyalty program.  If you do not have a mobile loyalty program think about establishing one.  In the end, increased customer frequency will result in increased sales.

Show the mobile customers your organization’s strengths.  Make sure they leave with a positive experience.  Show the customer the reasons why they should return to your business vs. the one down the street.

7.      Analyze Campaign Results

Start with your redemption rate.  If you chose your service provider wisely this should be simply reviewing real time analytics.  If you have to calculate the redemption rate by hand, you need to revisit your selection criteria.  Next calculate your internal cost of the promotion.  Examining your internal cost, the cost of the promotion, and sales should provide a solid understanding of your success.  Mobile coupons are a balancing act between bringing in more business without giving away the house.  If your sales are 25% of normal rates and your internal cost is 35%, you just lost money.  Hopefully, you created loyal customers and can recoup that investment.  On the other hand if your internal costs are 35% and your sales are 60% of normal rates, you just found a new, innovative, and sustainable way to market.

8.      Refine and Repeat

Refine your approach over time.  Practice makes perfect.

Karl Self is the Chief Technology Officer for Avisod, LLC. specializing in text message marketing.  He can be reached at karl@avisod.com

In this example we will encode a Quicktime video file into a Flash video file using the Flash Video Encoder that is part of Adobe Flash CS3 from Adobe.  This is one of numerous ways to encode a Flash video file.  The rest of this article assumes you have the Flash Video Encoder installed.

First start by opening Flash Video Encoder.  Start by clicking on the add button and select the raw video file.  In this case we will select the file named bull.mov.  After selection it will place the file in the main window.

Next click on the settings button.

Now select your options including the quality.  We will use medium quality in the example.

After you have determined all the settings, hit the ok button.  This will bring you back to the main screen where all that is left is to hit the start queue button.

After the encoding process has completed, you will see a green check mark next to the file name.

In this example, we only encoded one file, but you can convert several files at once using this same method.  The resulting flv will be named the same name as your original media file except it will have the .flv extension.  In this example bull.mov was encoded into bull.mov.

As you can see by this example, encoding into flash can be an easy task if you have the right tools.  This is only one of several ways a video can be encoded into flash.  You can use this technique or find one yourself.  Either way, encoding into flash is a painless endeavor.

Once you have the flv file you can play the flv file on your computer using VLC media player.

Background

Flash is a container file format created by Adobe to delivery video files over the internet.  More technically an flv file can be defined by the following definition:

FLV files generally contain video data that is encoded using the On2 VP6 or Sorenson Spark codec and audio data encoded using an MP3 audio codec.   –Adobe Systems

Other videos format such as .avi, .wmv, .mov, and .mpeg are compressed/encoded into the flv file by a Flash encoder.  The benefits of Flash are numerous and are outside the scope of this article.  If you have recieved, created, or downloaded an flv file it might seem at first difficult to play the flv file.  In fact, is quite simple.  You just need the right software.

VLC Media Player

The VLC media player is your friend.  VLC plays numerous video formats including flv files.  VLC is developed and maintained by the Open Source community and therefore it is fee to use.  You can download VLC from by clicking on the download button from their front page.

After installing VLC, playing an flv is as easy as right clicking on the filename.

After VLC launches the media player has all the similar functions you would expect such as play, pause, seek, etc.

VLC has numerous advanced features that might be far superior to your current media player.  For more information on the VLC player, please visit their wiki page.

There are numerous software applications than can resize images including GIMP, Photoshop, and ImageMagick.

Today we will be resizing images using the Image Resizer PowerToy Clone.  The is a free software application that runs on several versions of the Windows operating system.  The article assumes you have downloaded and successfully installed the PowerToy clone.

Using the software is very simple.  Open up the original images in Windows Explorer.  The screen shot below shows the files used in this article.

The file sizes are all greater than 3MB. Using this file size would result in poor performance and the end user experience would not be optimal.  Simply changing the dimensions (height and width) on the original image file after uploading your file in a text message will result in an image appearing smaller, but will not reduce its size.  Therefore, the image will appear small, but have the performance characteristics of a large file.

We will now demonstrate how to reduce the size of the first image darby.jpg that is 4.4MB. Right click on the filename, in this case darby.jpg, and select the Resize Pictures option from the drop down.

Selecting Resize Pictures from the context menu will bring up the following options.  I have selected the advance button in order to show all the options.  I suggest selecting a custom size.  It will take some trial and error to determine the  custom size that works best for you and will depend on your camera.  I am using 300 X 306 here.  Make sure you check both the Make pictures smaller but not larger option and Resize the original pictures.

Note:  Resize the original picture will overwrite the file so always have a backup of the originals.

Finally, select the ok button.  Selecting the ok button will resize and shrink the file size of the original.  You can see from the following screen shot that the darby.jpg was redued from 4433KB to to 44KB.  This is a dramatic reduction in size and it is highly recommended to use this approach to file size.

The resulting image has acceptable image quality, but now has the added benefit of improved performance.

This technique can also be used on a batch of images.  If for example you have a set of new employees’ pictures, you could resize all the files with a few clicks of the mouse.

Follow the same process as before just select multiple files from windows explorer.  Select the first file.  Next hold down the shift key and select the last file.  This assumes you selecting a block of files.  You can select random files by holding down the ctrl key and clicking each file name.

Next select the Resize Pictures from the context menu.  You get the context menu by right clicking on the selected file names.  Finally, select the same options as previously discussed and press the ok button.

As you can see from the following screen all the files were resized using the batch method.

Resizing images can be done quite easily.  After performing these steps a few times, it takes only a few seconds to transform a whole batch of images.

This article demonstrated one of numerous ways an image file size can be reduced.  We hope you have found this helpful.

darby.jpg reduced from 4433KB to to 44KB