Perhaps you Nashville TN Mobile Barbers have heard about text messaging and how that might help bring more customers into your business. Getting started is relatively easy and can be low cost. Here are a few things you need to know before you start.

In a study by the Direct Market Assoc Market Mobile Haircuts Nashville Trend Report 2010, they found an average of 7-8% redemption rates for text message campaigns. Only 2-4% conversion or redemption rate for email and print coupons came is at a very low 1-2% redemption rate. However having a managed campaign brought the text message campaign up to almost double the average results- to 14-15% and as high as 30-40% for some industries. Good luck with mobile marketing in your business!

1. Getting Started with texting - in our Denver based offices, we have found that many business owners or marketing directors start with an email marketing campaign first. This should contain at least 3 emails sent several days apart that encourage the requestor to take action every step of the way. Once you have defined your irresistible offer, have a followup sequence that generates optins using email, you know you have a compelling offer and the conversion that you need to monetize your results. For text messaging the process is similar.

1. Know the law - There are some basic requirements and regulations to be aware of. These include things like providing the opt out on every message, staying within the 160 character limit, not using unaccepted characters, begin clear about what the client will get and delivering exactly that. Without these in place your campaign may not get approved and or after spending money for it, it may be shut down. Text message campaigns are monitored by carriers. To get some ideas you may read the non- profit governance body - Mobile Marketing Association's Best Practices document as a starting point. Most business owners prefer to have their first campaign set up and managed by a third party so that it is setup correctly. You should receive (ask for) the monthly reports so you can see the number of text messages sent, number of opens and then on your end when your client comes in to your location or calls in with their text message promo code, it is critical that you have a way to track the number of redemptions you are getting on a weekly and monthly basis.

1. Try it - Before you finalize your own campaign, see what other businesses are doing with mobile. It will also get your ideas flowing about what you can do with your business. Subscribe to as many text message campaigns as you can find. Use the mobile web frequently. The more familiar you are with the technology the quicker you will be able to adapt. (Before your competition does).

1. Get a text message plan - If you don't already have an unlimited data & text plan - get one now. Yes this is a minor investment in your business, but you wouldn't think of starting your business without having a phone service and phone number would you? Mobile marketing is the next email marketing and will become even more essential to your business communications plan. Three times as many people own cell phones as computers and the cell phone, now a smart phone is becoming our personal computer. Your business will need to be able to communicate with your customers in the manner they prefer which within 5 years will be completely by smart phone or similar devices.

1. The offer - Compare your email optin to a text message campaign. You may decide to change the email campaign to match the offer on your text message campaign that you house on your website. OR you may decide to run a completely separate campaign that might be offered only to your walk in clients or prospects you meet with in person. Start by determining what you want to offer to your customers using a text messaging campaign. Make a list of your clients and brainstorm what you'd offer them.

1. Presenting the offer and tracking - Decide how you will present the offer so they can choose to opt in to get the goodies. Write out the short opt in message. This will go on a flier, or on your website as a widget or you may even deliver the message verbally. The message should let your prospects know what the offer is, exactly how many messages they will get and that they can opt out at any time. Reminding them that they may be charged by their carrier if they don't have an unlimited text message plan is also required for your text message to be approved. You may choose to use a similar offer and follow up sequence for your text message campaign as you do for your email opt in campaign.

1. Launch the campaign - find a provider and check with agencies as well as the on line do it yourself options. Pricing at agencies generally is $1100-2500 per month for them to do everything from start to finish and monthly meetings with you. Online you can expect an average of $140-180 / month for 3000 text messages. Our programs include the management of the campaign and start at $149/ month and unlimited text messages.

1. There may be some training too. If you decide to only make the offer in person, there might be a little training of your staff to help them understand how to present the new offer and how to receive the coupon or other ways to redeem the offer. Be sure to track your redemption with an automated system so you know the results.

Patrice Barber - Speaker, Author, Serial entrepreneur

She is known as the Online Money Magnet expert because she knows first-hand how to use the power of the internet and mobile marketing to dramatically increase sales. She has over 15 years experience and her methods truly work. More than half of the Rapid Achievement Program members have doubled their sales within 3 months. Key to her client's success is her signature Just Results - Rapid Achievement Program and GENESIS, the only complete online marketing platform housing and tracking all your client contacts, automated follow up, email marketing, mobile, website analytics, social media, e- commerce and quick books download. It was developed in partnership with Adobe.

Patrice is President of the Denver based Taylor Made Small Biz Inc. She has taken two of her 6 companies to over $1 million in revenue. Contact them online at [http://www.JustResultsTeam.com] or by phone 303-216-0472. Get a FREE example of how a text messaging campaign works. Request 5 tips to successful mobile marketing. You will receive 5 messages, a max of 2 messages per week for 3 weeks. You can stop receiving messages at any time. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text PATRICE to 98019.