Almost every mobile phone being produced today has the ability to send and receive text messages, also known as Short Message Service (SMS) messages. SMS is limited to 140 characters of plain text, but that's a good thing because short messages are a quick read that save your customers time reading through the stuff that isn't important. SMS is perfect for sending alerts, reminders, coupons, and other messages that get to the point quickly. You can also include links to mobile Web sites, downloads, and phone numbers. You can read about sending text messaging campaigns in Chapters 4 and 5.

MMS messages are text messages with the ability to include more text as well as multimedia enhancements such as pictures, video, and sound. Think of MMS messages as e-mails that get delivered directly to a phone's message inbox via a phone number instead of an inbox in an e-mail service via an e-mail address. MMS messages are perfect for sending product brochures, greeting cards, audio messages, and videos that show your products or services in action. We show you how to create and send MMS messages in Chapter 6.

People check their e-mail at home, at work, in bed, in the bathroom, on the sidelines at the kids' soccer games, and even while they drive (but don't do that!). E-mail is still one of the best ways for people to exchange and share private messages and files with each other. More people than ever are checking their e-mail on mobile devices because people are always on the go. Mobile e-mail is also one of the lowest-cost ways to deliver your message — it's low-cost for you and your customers. You can read about designing and delivering mobile friendly e-mails in Chapter 7.

Phones with Internet browsers have the ability to access the Internet so people can interact with Web sites from almost anywhere. People who browse the Internet on phones and other mobile devices are often looking for directions, contact information, reviews and ratings, and other stuff that helps them make fast decisions while they are away from their computers. Because mobile phones aren't as powerful or big as computers, you need to make sure your Web sites are formatted to provide a good experience to your mobile visitors. After you have a handle on the differences between designing Internet pages for computers versus mobile devices, you can build mobile sites for your products, your promotions, and your entire company. Read more about designing mobile Internet sites in Chapter 8.

You can provide rich software-like experiences to smartphone owners and people who use mobile devices such as the iPad by developing mobile applications for them to use. Applications are like computer programs that are installed on the device, and they are useful for all kinds of things, from checking account balances to playing games. The benefit of providing mobile applications isn't limited to productivity or entertainment, however. Mobile apps can include your advertising and branding, and you can even sell your mobile applications to make money. You can read more about developing mobile applications in Chapter 9.

Mobile phones can do a lot of cool things, so it's easy to forget that the primary function of a phone is the ability to make and receive voice calls. In fact, voice calls are a lot more convenient while people are on the go in some circumstances. For example, phone numbers in mobile Web sites or text messages can be clicked or touched to automatically dial the number, and placing an order or listening to a voice message is easier to do than staring at a screen or typing while walking down the street or standing in line. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a technology that allows you to send and receive voice calls from people and interact with them without involving a live person on your end of the call. We explain how to implement IVR in your mobile strategy in Chapter 11. Of course, you can also use mobile to send and receive live agent calls, so we show you the benefits of doing that in Chapter 11 also.

Why wait until you're in front of a computer to interact with customers and colleagues through a social media site when you can be involved in conversations through a mobile device and never miss a conversation? Social media is one of the main behaviors driving the adoption of smartphones. Your business can be a part of the growing number of real-time conversations when you include social media in your mobile marketing strategy. You can find out how to make your social media marketing strategy more mobile-friendly in Chapter 12.

A mobile device's screen is the focus of attention multiple times per day for everyone who owns one. Wherever there are lots of eyeballs, there are lots of opportunities for advertising to deliver your message. Mobile advertising can be placed on mobile Web sites in much the same way as regular Web sites, but that's not all. You can also advertise in mobile applications, during downloads, in mobile videos, in mobile e-mails, voice and IVR calls, and in text and MMS messages. We show you how to place ads and sell your own mobile advertising space in Chapter 10.

Mobile phones and devices can act like order-takers when the goal of your marketing message is an immediate purchase. You can sell your stuff through mobile Internet sites and voice ordering systems, and you can sell downloads and other content by accepting payments by credit card or by charging the purchase to your customer's mobile phone bill. Mobile phones can also act like digital wallets that can pay for things at retail through mobile point-of-sale systems and bar code scanners. You can read more about enabling mobile commerce in Chapter 13.

In addition, marketers have always been concerned with the general geography of prospects and customers when engaging them, but mobile devices are capable of revealing the precise present location of those prospects and customers. You can use mobile technology to detect someone's location in order to deliver a location-relevant message, or present a relevant ad or offer. Alternatively, you can place your marketing in relevant locations and allow people to interact with your marketing messages when they are nearby. Marketing based on location isn't limited to one type of technology. Location can be a key factor in almost every type of mobile marketing campaign or engagement offer. We discuss location-based tactics and tips throughout the book when location is relevant to the technology being discussed.

Marketing, at its core, is about communication and engagement. As a marketer, it's your job to communicate and engage your customer — that is, impart information and news about your products, services, and related activities to your audience (customers, clients, partners, and society at large) so that they can know what your organization does and how to connect with you. Because (as explained in Chapters 1 and 3) the mobile channel requires that you either have permission from a consumer prior to proactively engaging him on his mobile device or that the mobile consumer is aware of your mobile programs so that he reaches out and engages you, the best way to do either is to mobile-enable your traditional and digital media by putting mobile call-to-actions in your media and inviting consumers to pull out their mobile devices and contact you. (See Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 for more on understanding the approach to mobile marketing and how to build your strategy.)