The impact of mobile marketing can’t be overstated. According to IDC, more people in the U.S. will access the Internet through a mobile device than through their PC by 2015. In this new series, Elite Email takes a look at highly successful campaigns to uncover their mobile marketing lessons. This week’s case study: How Immix Wireless took advantage of Central Pennsylvania’s love for SMS messaging and sports entertainment to garner increased engagement.What’s more exciting than watching Triple H make his long awaited return to the ring on WWE Smackdown? For the people of Central Pennsylvania, the answer to this question came in the form of winning tickets to the show for free via a smart SMS promotion. Even if you’re not a fan of the WWE and sports entertainment in general, there’s no way you won’t be on your feet and cheering after you learn a little more about how Immix Wireless turned this event into an opportunity for SMS success.
Putting the Plan in Motion
While some of the other case studies covered in this series delve into the topic of building a new SMS contact list, the guys at Immix Wireless faced an entirely different problem. As a leading cellular service provider in Pennsylvania, this company obviously knew a thing or two about texting. However, the big problem facing this brand came in the form of reengaging a dormant mobile audience.To overcome this issue, Immix Wireless’ team identified the upcoming WWE Smackdown event at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania as a prime foundation for a major SMS push. As part of this campaign, existing subscribers and new contact list members alike were invited to text in the keyword “WWE” for a chance to win four tickets to the big show.
Hyping Up the Match
To help spread the word and boost participation numbers, Immix Wireless advertised the promotion via several platforms. Aside from the in-store banners and posters found in the retail locations across ten counties in the region, this cellular service provider also notified existing contact list members via an early access push message. Additionally, an extensive social media and on-site digital campaign helped spread the word to those browsing the various virtual fronts operated by the brand.
The Final Count
After the final bell rang for the night and WWE Superstar Triple H made his much-awaited return to the ring, the lucky fan who won the tickets wasn’t the only person happy with the outcome of this campaign. In total, Immix Wireless enjoyed a participation rate just under 10 percent, in addition to adding a healthy dose of new members to its contact list. Considering that this promotion lasted only a week, this success story becomes even more impressive. Outside of the initial success offered by this program, Immix Wireless also gained the confidence to run larger, more extensive SMS campaigns based around future sweepstakes and giveaways.
Setting the Stage for Your Own Success Story
So now that you’re up to speed with the excitement and results surrounding Immix Wireless’ WWE-oriented SMS campaign, what’s next for your brand? For starters, this story proves that texting with your customers goes beyond the initial opt-in phase. While most brands tend to run powerful campaigns and then follow-up later with another push to boost subscriber numbers, Immix’s example transcended this practice and accomplished far more by reengaging current subscribers.Naturally, you always want to find new members for your SMS audience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to offer high value messages and promotions to the people already on your list. Even if you’re not giving away tickets to one of the biggest sports entertainment events of the year, it’s still a smart call to start with your current subscribers and work your way out to new members. By doing this, your organization can stay at the forefront of these shoppers’ minds, all while continuing to expand its reach.From here, the other major lesson provided by Immix Wireless revolves around the timing of the event. By running the campaign for only a week before the big event, this organization generated an astounding amount of interest and a sense of urgency among the local population that didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity. For the brands that want to send their audiences into a frenzy like the WWE fans during a Smackdown main event, combining this concept with a powerful giveaway and an approach that motivates subscribers, both new and old, is a clear recipe for success.
