The key difference between SMS marketing campaigns and sending out Bluetooth messages is that while the first can effectively target a precise segment of population, the latter is less discriminative as all users within the range of the emitter will receive the advertisement. On a side note, this is why Bluetooth marketing campaigns are often referred to as proximity marketing. This method of advertisement has recently been gaining in popularity and is generally employed by storefronts in order to boost their clientele, but the indiscriminative character can lead to certain trouble if not approached correctly. In fact, the content of the message is immensely more important for business owners, as they need to avoid their messages being catalogued as spam or junk mail.

Price considerations for Bluetooth proximity marketing

Although a Bluetooth marketing campaign is more difficult to conduct properly, the advantage it holds over SMS campaigns is the reduced cost. While the SMS approach implies paying the network provider for each message sent, the only thing required for marketing with mobile phones via Bluetooth is the emitter. Essentially, it all boils down to the payment plan versus the one time purchase of a Bluetooth device.

Granted, at first sight the proximity limitations make Bluetooth advertisement feasible particularly for brick and mortar retailers rather than online vendors. On the other hand, renting property in the circulated part of town can translate into the ability to install Bluetooth emitters and advertising business websites as well. Basically, with a bit of creativity there is no limit to what marketing with mobile Bluetooth devices can achieve. In essence, the Bluetooth advertisement can be regarded as the digital billboards of the future. However, since with great advertisement power comes great responsibility, business owners need to learn how to avoid the drawbacks and legal complications first.

Proximity marketing campaigns guidelines

The first aspect that should be crossed off the “to do” list is making it clear for every passerby that the Bluetooth emitter is present and currently working so in order to avoid receiving your promotional pitch all they need to do is turn it off or block you. While this takes care of the legal complications of the proximity marketing campaign, the goal is not only to get the message across but also to ensure that it is read and that it has a good conversion rate. Read the rest of this entry »