NACStech: Going Mobile with Coupons

LAS VEGAS -- Mobile coupons are a prevalent and pervasive marketing solution, according to Rick Sales, president of Abierto Networks LLC, moderator of the session, "Toss the Scissors -- Coupons Have Gone Mobile," at NACStech. With 94 percent of the U.S. population using coupons while shopping and 72 percent of U.S. adults and 87 percent of teens using text messaging, mobile couponing can play a key role in the c-store marketing mix.

In light of this, speakers Tom Bell, vice president of IT at Certified Oil Company; Erika Curtis, product specialist of electronic payment systems at Growmark Inc.; and Larry Jackson, managing director of Good To Go Markets shared their experiences, strategies and best practices in harnessing the sales and marketing powers of mobile couponing.

Curtis spoke about the three main categories of mobile coupons -- SMS, Enhanced and Intelligent -- as well as their features and benefits. For retailers, mobile coupons offer myriad benefits, including building brand loyalty and driving customer in-store purchases while using existing technologies consumers already use, he said.

Jackson stressed that mobile coupon and customer loyalty programs are even more effective platforms when tied into social media.

"(Like texting) social media sites are also opt-in and permission-based entities and people have to want to be part of the action," said Jackson. "If you have a loyalty program and an app, you can integrate it and tie it in with social media. You want to make sure you use all the different tools at your reach. It's an easy way to get in front of the customer."

Sales also stressed that converging digital marketing technologies such as mobile coupons, social media and digital signage, allow them to be much more effective than when used alone. And when tied in with store loyalty programs, mobile couponing gives retailers yet another great way to target and engage with customers, said Jackson.

"The real power of this is the data you receive back and how you use it," said Jackson. "Your loyalty program allows you collect a large amount of data and sift through it…that data helps us to build relationships with our customers to the most efficient level."