Retailers Lure Black Friday Shoppers With Mobile Text Marketing

When American retailers prepared for the annual shopping phenomenon known as Black Friday in 2010, mobile marketing was in its infancy.

Boy, marketing tools grow up so fast these days, don’t they?

The Day-After-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza of 2011 leaned more heavily on mobile text marketing initiatives than ever before as retailers looked for ways to tilt mall crowds in their direction. QR codes and mobile apps no doubt played a role, but so too did simple, effective text message advertising. Text messaging gave retailers the chance to reach shoppers with quick sales announcements that spur the buying rushes synonymous with Black Friday. In that sense, consider mobile text marketing the modern-day equivalent of Kmart’s famed Blue Light specials.

The benefits of text message advertising, though, go beyond what the Blue Light could ever accomplish. Retailers who connect with shoppers via text message also capture shopper information that can be used repeatedly during the holiday shopping season and beyond.

Imagine a car full of women driving the streets at 6:30 a.m. Their phones light up with a text message from The Toy Store. The hottest toy of the season will hit the shelves at 8:00 sharp, but only 200 are available. Where do you think they were heading?

Imagine a shopper walking the north concourse at the mall. His phone lights up with a text message from The Bath and Beauty Store on the south end. A big sale begins in 30 minutes. He turned around and picked up the pace.

The powers of mobile text marketing are evident year-round, but they were on full display last week when shoppers were out early looking for great deals and, in many cases, expecting to have to beat the crowds to get those deals.

See how some retailers used mobile technology this Black Friday at Mobile Marketing Magazine. Are you a business owner with special mobile plans for this holiday season? Share them with our readers on our comment board.