If anyone still has doubts about the emergence of mobile marketing, it’s probably only because they don’t yet own an iPhone, the most advanced and efficient handheld web browser on the market today. The latest application for the iPhone is a feature which allows users to deposit their paper checks to the bank without visiting an ATM. They can automatically send the money to their bank account and access those funds without getting off the couch.
USAA, a private bank based in Texas, noticed that users were being prevented from realizing an entirely virtual, wireless banking lifestyle. Even if you were trying to live a more eco-friendly paper-free banking lifestyle, when someone handed you a check, you’d be forced to make a trip to a brick-and-mortar bank to complete the deposit. Now that extra errand might be a thing of the past. USAA’s newest application allows iPhone users to take a photo of the front and back of their check and send it straight to the bank for immediate remote processing.
Between online banking, automated bill pay and PayPal, people are increasingly moving their business to online venues. From paying the electric bill–to buying a car–to ordering movie tickets–to getting this season’s must-have wardrobe staple before it even hits the racks–digital fund transfer is now a staple of modern life. Even the food service industry has been making the move to online purveyorship. Have you tried ordering a pizza or groceries online yet? It’s the wave of the future. With just a few clicks, dinner is on the table. Online shopping, billing and banking are practically outdating wallets. And cell phones are quickly catching up—they not only reflect the same services through web access alone, but offer even faster and more direct applications, platforms and interfaces which streamline the mobile experience.
With handheld mobile devices providing more and more solutions for day-to-day tasks, it’s obvious to draw a connection to mobile marketing. Once upon a time, the mindset was that great marketing should make a big impact and reach broad audiences; think television commercials. Then came the computer, and marketers rallied to target much narrower audiences and address them more personally. Once again, the next giant leap for marketing isn’t about going bigger, but rather going smaller; small enough to fit in someone’s pocket or the palm of their hand. Now, audiences can be addressed anywhere.
As applications like virtual check depositing become mainstay, mobile devices may prove themselves to be the most viewed, most visited, most familiar space to connect with your consumer base. Now is the time to get ahead of the curve and explore mobile marketing opportunities. Ask how Mad 4 Marketing can help you reach untapped markets with focused, creative mobile marketing campaigns.