The brand and the next revolution of the mobile market

It seems like every ten or twenty years there is a game changer in the market. At first it may seem innocuous, even modern or “geeky”. For Generation Y and above, the Internet went from novelty to the spotlight in a matter of a few years. Within the Internet, Facebook and social media went from coffee shop chats to corporate boardrooms in half that time. So what’s the next game changer?

In a word… mobile.

By mobile, I don’t mean mobile phones. By mobile, I mean a change in the way your goods and services are viewed and purchased.

• Means shopping at a park bench, not from a desktop computer

• Means buying in real time from a smartphone or tablet, not at the register

• It means watching a video of the interior of a house from a mobile device vs. waiting for a real estate agent to show the house

• It means collecting additional product information now, rather than earlier. waiting for a seller

What is driving this change? First, the adoption of web-enabled smartphones and tablets. According to Nielsen, the turning point from basic phones to smartphones is this year. Also, networks are stepping up with 3G and 4G networks to better serve mobile shoppers.

Just as the advent of superhighways shifted the epicenter of consumption from city centers to mega-malls, the emerging mobile era will shift us from desktop shoppers to real-time shoppers.

What does this mean for you, the business owner, the marketer, the brand manager? Two very important things come to the forefront…

1. Change your location

Just as downtown stores had to move to malls and then to the web, you need to be ready to bring your products and services and meet your customer at their new location…for example, walking to work, sitting in a airport, standing outside your door after hours, etc. Having a big, bulky website that doesn’t fit on your mobile screen and is hard to navigate is like leaving your store front and center. It puts the burden on the consumer to get to you. And sooner or later, someone will facilitate that process. Is that someone you?

2. Tailor your message.

Mike McKearin, a web strategist, likes to say that “if content is king on the internet, then context is king on mobile.” Think about the environment your customer will be in when making this purchase. This is not the time for an “About Us” or company history. You meet with your client when he needs immediate, relevant and actionable information. He allows them to communicate with you, follow you, connect with you. Make the process easy by creating mobile-friendly experiences. Use a QR code, sticker or 2D code to instantly link your print and sign media with your online mobile marketing.

Now is the time to surround your team and anticipate the next change in consumer behavior. Creating unique, compelling and intuitive mobile experiences will keep your business and brand relevant and your customers engaged.