Mobile Marketing - Introduction PDF

Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Introduction Mobile marketing is a critical digital strategy aimed at reaching customers via their smartphones and other mobile devices through channels such as SMS, mobile apps, social media, and mobile-friendly websites. It offer...

Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Introduction Mobile marketing is a critical digital strategy aimed at reaching customers via their smartphones and other mobile devices through channels such as SMS, mobile apps, social media, and mobile-friendly websites. It offers direct, personalized communication and high engagement rates, making it an essential tool for businesses. However, it also presents challenges like privacy concerns and the need for device compatibility. Effective mobile marketing requires understanding the target audience, utilizing tools like CRM software, and crafting strategies to engage and convince customers about the benefits of products or services. 3  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Overview What is Marketing ? Mobile marketing is one of the most important and latest methods in digital marketing that companies, whether startups or well-established businesses, should pay attention to. This type of marketing aims to increase public awareness of a product or service, reach the target audience, and boost sales, among other objectives. Nowadays, almost everyone, whether young or old, relies on their phone for a significant part of their daily life. This has created a primary need to target this demographic according to each field. Approximately 80% of people who browse the internet daily own smartphones. 6  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing What is Telemarketing? Mobile marketing is a strategy aimed at reaching your target audience through mobile phones to promote a specific product or service. There are various ways to communicate with customers via mobile devices, including: 1 Phone Calls 2 SMS 3 Social Media 4 Email 5 Mobile Apps 6 Websites Paid 7 Advertisement These diverse communication methods have made mobile marketing more significant than traditional marketing techniques like TV ads and print media, and even more important than marketing through regular desktop computers. 7  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Characteristics of Telemarketing Ease and Simplicity: Smartphones are accessible to everyone, and with just a click, you can get anything you want, whether through a website or a specific app. Geolocation Targeting: Mobile marketing allows for easy geographic targeting when promoting products or services. Data Collection: It enables the collection of results and data from advertisements or marketing campaigns conducted via mobile phones, which can be useful for future campaigns in terms of ideas, content, and target audience. Low Cost: This type of marketing is cost-effective, requiring only a click from the customer to place an order or purchase a product via their phone. Target Audience Reach: It facilitates easy access to the target audience due to the various marketing methods available through mobile devices, such as apps or text messages. 8  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Advantages of Telemarketing The reliance on mobile marketing has significantly increased as it has become one of the easiest and most cost-effective marketing methods. Here are the key advantages of promoting through mobile devices: Wide Availability: Smartphones are accessible to all demographics, with a large percentage of people always carrying their devices and everywhere. Low Cost: Mobile marketing is cheaper compared to other promotional methods. Constant Use: The frequent use of mobile phones throughout the day makes marketing through them very effective.. Easy Follow-Up: Mobile marketing allows for easy follow-up and constant communication with the customer. Ideal for Small Businesses: Small businesses can rely on mobile marketing as it doesn’t require external marketers; everything can be done via the phone. Step-by-Step Marketing: Mobile marketing enables better marketing step-by-step, whether establishing a local presence or marketing beyond your country's borders. 9  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Disadvantages of Telemarketing ❑ Customer Skepticism and Anxiety: Some customers may feel suspicious and anxious due to calls from various companies. ❑ Customer Annoyance: Customers may feel annoyed by frequent calls or messages promoting a product or explaining an offer. ❑ Outdated Contact Lists: Companies may rely on outdated contact lists, leading to many issues in customer communication. ❑ Lack of Trust: Customers may be unable to trust the company or product due to previous experiences with scams and fraudulent activities. ❑ Reduced Sales: Sales may decline if any of the above issues occur, affecting the effectiveness of the marketing campaign. 11  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Types of Telemarketing There are various types of mobile marketing: 2. Marketing through Social Media: Almost everyone has at least one account on a social media 1. Marketing through Mobile Apps: platform, These platforms allow you to easily select your target Having a website is no longer sufficient in today's market. audience, and many companies provide tools to help you create Creating a mobile app has become easier than ever. an effective marketing plan or advertisement. An app for any company, restaurant, or institution greatly simplifies the customer's decision-making process when it 3. Marketing through Text Messages: comes to making a purchase. Many websites and companies Despite the passage of time, text message marketing remains now offer numerous services and tools to create a mobile highly effective, similar to email marketing. app through simple steps. The process is no longer as complicated as some might 4. Marketing through Websites or Blogs: think, thanks to continuous technological advancements and Websites or blogs are designed to be compatible growth. with mobile devices, not just desktops, ensuring a better user experience on smartphones. 12  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing The Proper Fundamentals of Telemarketing To build an effective and well-founded strategy for promoting a product through mobile marketing, several key steps should be followed. Here are some of the most important steps: Identifying the Using Social Setting Utilizing Text Target Media Objectives Messages Audience Platforms 13  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Setting Objectives There are many objectives you can set for your mobile marketing plan, such as increasing brand awareness, attracting new customers, or boosting sales. Choosing the most appropriate goal for your campaign is crucial, and there are specific criteria that should be applied to ensure the goal is achievable. These criteria are known as SMART Goals, which include: Specific The goal should be clear and well-defined. Avoid vague objectives and focus on what you want to achieve precisely. Measurable The goal should be quantifiable so you can track progress and determine when it has been achieved. Achievable The goal should be realistic and attainable, considering the resources and constraints you have. Relevant The goal should be relevant to your overall business objectives and aligned with the specific context of your marketing campaign. Time-Bound The goal should have a specific time frame for completion, providing a deadline to work towards and creating a sense of urgency. 14  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Identifying the Target Audience The second and most crucial step in creating a marketing plan for your product is to understand the audience you wish to target. You need to identify several factors about your target audience, including: Age Group: Determine the age range of your target audience. Gender: Decide whether you are targeting men, women, or both. Location: Specify the geographic areas where your audience is located. Interests: Understand the hobbies and interests of your target audience. Additionally, it's essential to consider the appropriate social media platform where your audience is most active. For example, Instagram is popular among younger age groups or teenagers aged 13 to 29. Therefore, take some time to identify the best platform for your campaign before starting. This will ensure that your marketing efforts are directed to where your audience is most likely to engage. 15  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Using Social Media Platforms Determining the platform to start promoting your project is a crucial step in your marketing plan and cannot be overlooked. According to the 2019 annual report from several statistical sites, it was found that more than 3.4 billion people use various platforms throughout the year. This is an increase from 2018, which had an estimated 3.1 billion people using social media sites. Additionally, more than 50% of these users are from the Arab world. Regarding specific social media platforms, according to the 2019 report, the following trends were observed: Facebook: Still holds the top spot for daily visitors, with about 1 billion people visiting daily and approximately 2 billion monthly users. YouTube: The site sees daily visits from over 140 million people. Instagram: The number of visitors has increased significantly compared to previous years, with over 160 million users. Twitter: Ranks fourth in terms of usage and number of users. 16  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Utilizing Text Messages Determining the platform to start promoting your project is a crucial step in your marketing plan and cannot be overlooked. According to the 2019 annual report from several statistical sites, it was found that more than 3.4 billion people use various platforms throughout the year. This is an increase from 2018, which had an estimated 3.1 billion people using social media sites. Additionally, more than 50% of these users are from the Arab world. Regarding specific social media platforms, according to the 2019 report, the following trends were observed: Facebook: Still holds the top spot for daily visitors, with about 1 billion people visiting daily and approximately 2 billion monthly users. YouTube: The site sees daily visits from over 140 million people. Instagram: The number of visitors has increased significantly compared to previous years, with over 160 million users. Twitter: Ranks fourth in terms of usage and number of users. 17  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Utilizing Text Messages Effective Tips for Writing a Short Text Message: Mention the Company or Product Name: Ensure that the message includes the name of your company or product. Use the Customer's Name or Personal Information: Personalize the message with the customer's name or relevant details that enhance the message's context. Include a Call to Action (CTA): End the message with an action prompt, such as "Click here," "Visit our website for more details," etc. Add Strong Impact Words: Use words that create a strong impression, such as "now," "immediately," "new," "you," etc. Avoid Overloading with Messages: Do not send too many messages to avoid being blocked or marked as spam. Main Disadvantages of Short Text Messages: Limited Word Count: The message length is restricted to a certain number of characters. No Image Attachments: It is not possible to attach images to text messages. Requires Time and Effort: Crafting an effective and impactful message that yields results can take time and effort. 18  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Popular Tools for Telemarketing 1. SMS Marketing: Many companies rely on this marketing tool, sending multiple messages to various recipients with just one click. 2. Chat Applications: Chat apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber facilitate easier communication with customers. These apps help businesses interact with clients more effectively. 3. Sponsored Advertisements: Especially those that appear through Google AdWords, which are optimized for smartphones. 4. QR Codes: QR codes can be used for various purposes, such as directing customers to your website, a specific phone number, a particular social media platform, a Google map location, and more. 19  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Meaning of a Marketing Calls It is considered one of the oldest marketing operations used to promote a product or service. By relying on telemarketers, companies can achieve their objectives, such as reaching new customers or increasing sales. Despite the emergence of social media platforms and many other digital marketing methods, marketing calls are still widely used in various fields today. 20  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Who is a Telemarketer? A telemarketer is responsible for making calls to targeted customers ❑ Difference Between a Marketer and a Telemarketer: according to a sales list, encouraging them to purchase a product or ❖ Marketer: explaining its features. This person also answers customers' questions Responsible for creating successful marketing plans for the and inquiries using a pre-prepared script. company. ❑ Responsibilities of a Telemarketer: Develops new marketing ideas and strategies. Conducting sales calls to potential customers. Uses various digital marketing tools and platforms. Explaining product features and benefits. ❖ Telemarketer: Responding to customer questions and concerns. Focuses on making marketing calls to customers over the phone. Being knowledgeable about product details, prices, offers, and Uses scripts to guide conversations and answer customer more. questions. ❑ Common Goals: Common Goals: Both roles aim to increase sales and enhance customer awareness Both roles aim to increase sales and enhance customer awareness of the product or service and its key features. of the product or service and its key features. Common Goals: Both roles aim to increase sales and enhance customer awareness of the product or service and its key features. 21  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Key Responsibilities of a Telemarketer ❑ Handling Customer Complaints: Address customer complaints and ensure appropriate solutions are provided to resolve their issues. ❑ Making Targeted Calls: Conduct phone calls to targeted customers to promote products or services. ❑ Answering Customer Inquiries: Respond to customer questions and inquiries professionally, based on your expertise. ❑ Handling Incoming Calls: Answer incoming calls from customers, providing assistance and information as needed. ❑ Persuading Customers: Convince customers to purchase the product by clearly explaining its key features and benefits in a courteous manner. 22  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Key Steps in Telemarketing Before making a call to a customer, it is essential to prepare well by following these tips: ❑ Choose the Right Time: Ensure you select an appropriate time to call the customer, avoiding early mornings, late evenings, or mealtimes. ❑ Maintain a Suitable Voice Tone: Your voice should be clear and pleasant. It should not be too loud, which might annoy the customer, nor too soft, which might make it difficult for the customer to hear you. ❑ Stick to the Script: Adhere to the prepared script and avoid deviating from the key points you need to convey to the customer during the call. ❑ Stay Positive: Do not make calls when you are in a bad mood, as this can negatively affect your tone and the overall conversation with the customer. 23  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing How to Convince a Customer About the Product or Service You Offer ❑ Be Knowledgeable and Confident. ❑ Start the Call Well. ❑ Avoid Mentioning Prices Early ❑ Highlight Product Features. ❑ Allow Room for Discussion. ❑ Stay Focused. ❑ Follow Up on Unresolved Issues. ❑ Respond Quickly. ❑ Ensure You Have Key Information. 24  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Essential Skills for a Telemarketer Use the Customer's Name: Build rapport by using the customer's name, but do not overdo it to avoid irritation. Avoid Excessive Apologizing: Refrain from apologizing too much to the customer. Focus on Solutions: Strive to resolve the customer's problems immediately without making excuses. Leave a Good Impression: Ensure the customer has a positive impression at the end of the call. Listen Patiently: Allow the customer to speak about their issue without interruption. Be Patient: Handle customer complaints calmly and absorb their anger if necessary. Develop Customer Base: Work on expanding and developing your customer base. Follow a Well-Planned Marketing Strategy: Implement a well-thought-out marketing plan to achieve your goals. Improve Content: Continuously update and improve your messages or phone advertisements to suit the target customers. 25  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Conclusion In this unit, we discussed an introduction to mobile marketing and highlighted several important points, including: What is mobile marketing and what are its advantages and disadvantages? The proper fundamentals of mobile marketing. The most popular tools for mobile marketing. The meaning of a marketing call and the tasks of a telemarketer. How to convince a customer about a product or service over the phone. The key skills a telemarketer should possess. 27  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Glossary No. Term Definition 1 1 Mobile Marketing Promoting products or services through mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, utilizing channels like apps, SMS, and social media to reach audiences effectively. 2 SMS Text messaging service for direct communication between mobile devices, commonly used in mobile marketing. Target audience refers to the specific group of people or demographics that a marketing campaign or message is 3 Target Audience intended to reach and resonate with. QR codes (Quick Response codes) are two-dimensional barcodes that can be scanned by smartphones and 2 other devices equipped with a camera. They are used to quickly and efficiently provide information or direct users 4 QR Codes to websites, apps, or multimedia content, often integrated into marketing campaigns for easy access to digital resources. Social media refers to online platforms and websites that enable users to create, share, and interact with content 5 Social Media and connect with others. It includes platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others, widely used for communication, networking, and marketing purposes. 3 Telemarketing involves promoting products or services through direct phone calls to potential customers, aiming 6 Telemarketing to generate sales or gather information for marketing purposes. Advanced mobile devices combining phone, internet, apps, and multimedia capabilities for communication and 7 Smartphones productivity. Social Media Social media marketing involves using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote 8 Marketing (SMM) products or services, engage with customers, and build brand awareness and loyalty. 28  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Introduction What is Marketing Telemarketing ? relies on communicating with the client over the phone to explain the benefits of the service or product you want to market. This method has become prevalent among marketers in our current era, as face-to-face meetings with clients have become rare due to the significant time and effort required. Nowadays, every company has a dedicated marketing department, whether it's social media marketing, email marketing, or telemarketing. In this chapter, we will explain the format of telemarketing, as it is one of the successful and widely used marketing methods today. Since the art of marketing is closely linked to the art of sales, we have included some strategies related to the art of sales in this chapter to provide a comprehensive picture for the telemarketer. We have also eliminated some redundant points between marketing and sales. 3  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Overview This chapter focuses on telemarketing, a key component of modern marketing strategies. Telemarketing involves communicating with potential clients over the phone to highlight the benefits of a product or service. This approach has become increasingly popular because it is more efficient than face-to-face meetings, saving time and effort. Companies now have specialized marketing departments that utilize various channels, such as social media, email, and telemarketing, to reach their audience. This chapter will delve into the specifics of telemarketing, exploring its structure and methods. It emphasizes telemarketing's effectiveness and prevalence in today's marketing landscape. The chapter also integrates sales strategies, acknowledging the intrinsic link between marketing and sales. By combining insights from both fields, it aims to provide a holistic view of telemarketing and equip telemarketers with comprehensive skills for success. 5  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Identify the Product or Service and the Beneficiary Category First, identify the service or product you want to market and gather all relevant information about it so that you can share these details with the client and be prepared for any inquiries. Next, determine the target customer group for your marketing efforts. Are they men, women, parents, seniors, or another demographic? This step is crucial to avoid wasting time marketing to a group that doesn't need your product or service. 7  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Prepare Well for the Call Do not start making the call until you're fully informed about the product you want to market. Leave no room for surprises during the call. Anticipate all questions and prepare all possible answers. It's also best to have a sheet of paper with all the information written down beside you and to take notes during the call. 8  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Use a Distinctive and Articulate Style in Conversation Your style of conversation can certainly be the reason for the success or failure of the call. Always choose words that capture the client's attention and make them listen to you. Maintain your composure and focus, listen carefully without interrupting, and speak with enthusiasm to convey your confidence in the product. Keep a balanced pace; neither speak too quickly, which might rush the client, nor too slowly, which might bore them. 10  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Do not Use these Phrases There are certain phrases and expressions you should avoid during the call because hearing them can negatively affect your goal. For example, using the word "I" repeatedly might make the client feel you're more focused on yourself than on addressing their perspective. It's better to say, "Let me explain the nature of the service" or "I'll now verify your details if you could give me a moment." Additionally, addressing the client by their name shows your interest in them. Avoid words that indicate hesitation or lack of confidence, such as "maybe," "we'll see," or "I think." Instead, use phrases like "certainly," "yes," or "there's no doubt about it." This helps convey confidence and reliability to the client regarding the information you provide. 11  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing If you are redirected to a call recording system If the client doesn't answer the call, or their phone is turned off or out of coverage, you may be directed to a call recording system. In this case, leave your name, company name, and phone number, followed by a brief message explaining the purpose of your call. Request permission to call back at a later time, mention the scheduled time, and assure them that they can respond if they are interested in the product. 12  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Tracking customers and recording their feedback After contacting customers and persuading them about the product, you have successfully marketed your goal. However, it's important to follow up with customers again to record their feedback and take it into consideration for continuous product improvement. Additionally, during this follow-up call, you can describe new products to the customer or inform them about new offers. 13  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Ending the call Many overlook the importance of how a call is concluded, focusing solely on convincing the customer of their objective. However, the conclusion of the call is as crucial as its beginning. It's where the customer's acceptance or rejection is confirmed. If the customer agrees, request their details and finalize the specifics related to the marketing objective. In the case of rejection, seek permission to contact them again to inform them about future offers or new product features. Additionally, at the end of the call, you can ask the customer to refer friends who might be interested in the product to expand the customer database. 14  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing The art of telephone sales The mobile phone has evolved from being a luxury item to an essential tool for communication, becoming one of life's necessities. This importance has not escaped the attention of contemporary marketers. Thanks to this revolutionary invention, we can now reach customers anytime, anywhere! But is this really true? Is telephone sales as simple as it sounds? While you might think telephone sales is just making a quick phone call, it's actually a highly complex process that involves psychology, sociology, marketing principles, and sales techniques. 15  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing What is meant by telephone sales? ❑ Telephone sales is one of the modern marketing techniques where both traditional and electronic phone features are utilized to precisely reach the target customer and guide them towards completing a successful sales transaction. The process of telephone sales relies on four main factors, similar to any other marketing communication: 1. Sender: The sales representative, experienced and capable of efficiently conducting indirect sales. Possesses personal and intellectual qualities conducive to managing dialogue in favor of the serving institution. 2. Receiver: The potential customer, mentally prepared to respond flexibly and willingly to the seller's experiences, making their purchasing responses more adaptable. 3. Message: The sales objective highlighted and tailored by the seller to align with the receiver's desires. It is crafted to be clear, attractive, and engaging for the customer. 4. Feedback: Any communication process is not one-way. As the sales representative delivers a message to the target customer, the customer also evaluates and responds to it, sometimes contributing to its development. These elements collectively facilitate effective telephone sales, enhancing engagement and promoting successful transactions. 16  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing What is meant by telephone sales? Based on the four elements mentioned earlier, it's clear that telephone marketing relies on the following components: experienced salesperson + potential customer + clear message + positive feedback However, are these elements sufficient for completing a successful sales process over the phone? Certainly not. While these elements qualify you to pick up the phone and make a call, convincing the customer to continue the conversation and ultimately purchase the service requires additional strategies. Before delving into those strategies, it's important to note that telephone sales can be conducted through two methods: 1. Using mobile phone applications or text messages. 2. Making direct phone calls, which we will focus on in our upcoming discussion. 17  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Successful Strategies for Telephone Sales ❑ Sales is inherently a challenging and demanding field. Sales representatives are bound by sales targets that they must commit to and achieve in record time. Initially, these targets may seem achievable, but with the first actual sales deal, the difficulty becomes apparent. Customers themselves vary in their psychological and purchasing responses to the services offered. Moreover, the strength of competitors and the diversity of their promotional messages can distract customers and make capturing their attention a losing battle. These are all challenges faced by direct sales representatives. ❑ So, how much more difficult does it become when trying to convince a customer to purchase a service over the phone, relying solely on their auditory senses? The task is indeed tough, but not impossible. Through smart marketing strategies, you can not only capture the customer's attention but also successfully close the sales deal. How? Here are some effective strategies: 18  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Lay the ground first Selling over the phone should not be your first step in the marketing process. Instead, it should be preceded by various marketing efforts that prepare the product for the customer and help them accept your message when you present it to them. For instance, if your potential customer hasn't seen your product on Facebook, YouTube ads, or any other promotional materials indicating your presence or how you can serve them, how will they react when you call them out of the blue announcing a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity for them? Most likely, they will either end the call immediately, block your number permanently if you're unlucky, or if you call at an inappropriate time, they may express their frustration, associating your brand with a negative experience right away. How do we avoid this mistake, then? By preparing and planning ahead to attract the targeted customer, placing them in a tightly controlled sales funnel. This way, you can gradually lead them to the service step by step. By the time you reach the stage of telemarketing, the customer will have already been exposed to psychological and logical stimuli that make convincing them easier and more flexible than before. 19  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Identify your goal Before contacting your targeted customer, you must first define your objective. I don't mean the sales target that is set for you, but rather the purpose of the sales process itself — the goal for which the customer will be convinced to engage with your service. This objective is not about the organization's profit or achieving your sales target; rather, it's about the benefit the customer is seeking and should find with you. From this point, you can start planning for a successful sales call. If you manage to articulate the gains that the targeted customer will receive from dealing with you, craft your message to reflect the magnitude of these benefits and highlight your communication skills to explain why this deal is beneficial, then the sales call becomes not just a task, but rather a service you provide to the customer. Essentially, you're reaching out to them instead of them exerting effort to reach you. 20  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Preparation is key at all times Despite the spontaneity that fosters warmth and rapport between the caller and the client, sticking to a specific script often yields better results. I'm not suggesting writing a full script with every question and answer memorized robotically—far from it. What I mean is preparing a script beforehand that acts more like a live reference guide. This script helps organize the call process, saves time, and ensures you have all the necessary information readily available. It allows you to handle client questions promptly, adding a layer of professionalism and quality to your performance. 21  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Choose the appropriate time One of the toughest challenges salespeople face in their field is bad timing. The client might already be interested, and all opportunities set up for a successful sale, but in just one wrong moment, all these efforts can go to waste. Therefore, before making any sales call, you must first determine the appropriate timing to contact them. This can be done by analyzing the times they engage with your social media ads or by tracking email open rates. As soon as they open your email or even a text message, initiate the conversation immediately. 22  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Reveal the client’s desires After choosing the appropriate time to engage with the client and ensuring they have been exposed to sufficient positive promotional messages that aid in persuading them, avoid spending too much time repeating these messages to the client. Instead, initiate by asking exploratory questions that help you understand them better and enable you to fulfill their desires more closely. Perhaps after asking these questions, you may uncover a need for an additional product and close two deals in one. Maybe they require a higher-priced product or own a store and seek a larger collaboration? There are many possibilities that can arise from a well-placed exploratory question. Before concluding your next sales call, make sure you have derived maximum benefit from it and haven't settled for just scraping the surface of its potential benefits. 23  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Take control Allowing the client to express themselves and understanding their requests is indeed welcome and beneficial for the sales process, as we've discussed. However, losing control or letting the discussion be dominated by the client is a waste of both time and effort. While listening to and empathizing with the client is essential, we must remember that some clients engage in unnecessary arguments, not to mention hesitant clients who are unsure of what they want in the first place. Therefore, controlling the timing of each sales call is your compass for achieving the best results. If you linger too long with one client, you might find yourself having conducted three calls per hour instead of thirty, which certainly won't make your sales manager happy at all. 24  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Do not give up Sales phone calls face many frustrations; on one hand, it's not the preferred communication method for many customers, and on the other, it receives a lot of objections and rejections. Talking on the phone isn't universally welcomed. Nevertheless, a professional salesperson should steer the conversation effectively so as not to give up at the first rejection. Instead, they should provide alternative options that suit the target client. If the client says the timing isn't right, the salesperson should schedule another appointment that works for them. If the client shows little interest or outright rejects the product initially, the salesperson should craft a persuasive, personalized message that addresses the individual's needs. If the product is completely rejected the first time, the salesperson should follow up later with new tools and a more attractive presentation. If the client initially agrees to the product but then hesitates or cancels the order, the salesperson should call them back, providing logical reasons that support their purchasing decision and reignite their enthusiasm. The first rejection is not the end of the road. All the salesperson needs to do is evaluate their approach, identify strengths and weaknesses, and come back stronger, capable of successfully closing the sale. 25  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Conclusion In this unit, we discussed an introduction to mobile marketing and highlighted several important points, including: What is the art of marketing over the phone and enumerate the various elements that should be followed during, before, and after conducting marketing phone calls? What is the art of sales over the phone and enumerate the various elements that should be followed during, before, and after conducting sales phone calls? 27  Chapter 1 Introduction of Mobile Marketing Glossary 1 No. Term Definition It is a marketing strategy that focuses on the efforts that lead the customer to do business with the organization 1 Flywheel again, and how to convert them from a loyal customer to a repeat customer. 2 It is the sales manuscript whose goal is to track the buying process from the beginning, identifying and analyzing 2 Sales Funnel the paths that led the customer to a successful purchase decision, with the goal of increasing sales. "TOFU" stands for Top Of the Funnel, and it refers to strategies focusing on satisfying the needs of potential 3 TOFU customers without pressuring them. This is achieved through tools like blogs, visual content, and others to answer customer questions and clarify the services of the establishment. MOFU 3 "MOFU" is an abbreviation for Middle of the Funnel, referring to marketing efforts where the product is directly 4 promoted. This can be through advertisements, podcasts, seminars, or marketing presentations. "BOFU" is an abbreviation for Bottom of Funnel, which refers to the final stage of the sales process. In this stage, 5 BOFU direct contact is made between the seller and the target customer, and the purchase deal is successfully completed. 28  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Introduction What is Marketing ? To help you prepare a good mobile marketing plan, we have dedicated some guidelines that will, God willing, assist you in developing your mobile phone marketing strategy. We will briefly discuss these guidelines in this chapter, and then delve into some of them in detail in the following chapters. 3  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Overview Mobile marketing is a critical digital strategy aimed at reaching customers via their smartphones and other mobile devices through channels such as SMS, mobile apps, social media, and mobile-friendly websites. It offers direct, personalized communication and high engagement rates, making it an essential tool for businesses. However, it also presents challenges like privacy concerns and the need for device compatibility. Effective mobile marketing requires understanding the target audience, utilizing tools like CRM software, and crafting strategies to engage and convince customers about the benefits of products or services. 5  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Guidelines for preparing a strategic plan for telemarketing Here are some tips to help you prepare your mobile marketing plan: You should have a responsive website design. Send SMS messages. Prepare Quick Response (QR) codes. Consider developing mobile applications. Set up organized and segmented marketing campaigns. Utilize gamification. Focus on social media platforms. Use email marketing. Make phone calls. 7  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Providing a Responsive Website When we say that a website is responsive, it means that it adapts to all display mediums, such as accessing the web through a computer screen, tablet (iPad), laptop, mobile phone, or even a television. When accessing these websites from a mobile device, they have entirely different standards and characteristics. All elements on the site are scaled down to fit within the boundaries of the screen, making it difficult to find texts or specific sections within it... To overcome this issue and prevent such occurrences, your website must meet and fulfill the requirements of mobile phones and portable devices for users. 8  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Sending SMS (Short Message Service) texts You might be thinking that SMS (Short Message Service) has become a thing of the past, overshadowed by new technological developments and instant messaging apps. However, SMS still remains a relatively inexpensive tool when considering the advantages it offers! By leveraging these messages, you can promote offers and new products, provide a channel for nurturing relationships with potential customers, receive feedback from them, bring your brand or company closer to the target audience, and maximize their engagement, and all of this is achieved in a very simple and effective manner. Besides being cost-effective, it's also an easy-to-use tool. 9  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Creating Quick Response(QR) Codes This is simply a QR (Quick Response) code, which is a code that can contain data such as phone numbers, SMS messages, texts, or even a link that leads to a website address. These codes are excellent tools that help integrate multimedia. Modern mobile devices have cameras capable of capturing and scanning these codes, allowing the user to access specific content through them. Therefore, you can use QR codes for various purposes and functions, ranging from directing users to your website through their mobile phones, to printed advertisements, ticketing, messages, and much more. 11  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Developing Electronic Applications So far, we've discussed several advantages of mobile marketing. Now, the most important advice is here: develop your own business application. Having your own mobile application is not just a distinctive feature in the digital world; it also provides more convenience to users. Another benefit of having an app is gaining customer loyalty, as they will remember you whenever they need something. The app facilitates content dissemination, promotional offers, and introducing new products. 12  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Preparing Organized and Segmented Marketing Campaigns To have a successful marketing campaign, you need a solid bank of data about your customers. When it comes to selecting specific metrics for dividing your marketing campaign, you can easily find them on social media platforms or through analytics tools on your website. Understanding how to analyze this data allows you to improve your business, refine your strategies, and focus on specific approaches for particular audiences. Moreover, you can expand your business and activities by targeting new audiences. For this reason, never hesitate to prepare a well-organized and purposeful marketing campaign. 13  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Exploiting the Advantage of Gaming If you're not familiar with this point here, we mean games themselves—this increasingly prevalent approach in our daily lives. Many companies are betting on transforming their content into games to capitalize on a growing market trend. For those seeking work in digital education, games provide a wonderful way to engage audiences and capture students' attention. By creating a game that disseminates the information you want to teach, you ensure capturing the learner's attention, encouraging interaction, and piquing their curiosity to learn more. This approach helps overcome barriers that traditional methods may pose to learning. 14  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Focusing on Social Media Platforms Marketing through social media has become an inevitable necessity for any marketer or business owner, regardless of the type of product or service offered and in any field or industry. Social media marketing involves creating appropriate content for each platform (such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) to promote various products and services. This content must be tailored specifically for each platform—each social media site has its own characteristics, which we'll discuss later—aiming to increase sales and also help spread brand awareness among potential customers. 15  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Focusing on Social Media Platforms, cont. Any method of marketing relies on money, especially traditional methods, one example is the printing of promotional materials such as posters, banners, and flyers, which can be quite costly. Similarly, advertising campaigns on television or radio also require a considerable financial investment. This is unlike marketing through social media, where you can start marketing for free by putting in the necessary effort to create suitable content. Moreover, the most significant advantage of social media marketing lies in the analytics and data it gathers. This allows you to measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and assess the impact of the content you provide. Having your company or service presence on social media helps you to spread awareness among people, which is highly important in attracting potential customers interested in what you offer, ultimately leading to them buying from you. 16  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Email Marketing Email marketing is one of the oldest and most effective strategies in digital marketing. Through it, you can achieve highly targeted visitors to your company's website or online store. Email marketing relies on communication between a website and its targeted users. It's a marketing method that allows you to send promotional messages to users who have previously visited your site. To understand the importance of email marketing, you only need to open your own email inbox. You'll find messages from e- commerce stores you've purchased from before, informing you about products that may interest you. You'll also see emails from various websites informing you about new important content added to their site. 17  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Phone Calls Telemarketing, or "telesales," is the direct communication with customers to sell services through phone calls. Making a phone call to a customer involves following a series of steps, including: 1 Setting a Time 2 Flexibility Customer 3 Taking Notes 4 Responses 5 Study 6 Focus 7 Engagement 18  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan How to conduct a successful phone call with a client? Setting a Time If your business relies on phone calls to sell company products, choose an appropriate time to communicate with the other party or the client. This will increase the chances of a quick response in terms of answering and responding to the proposed idea or product. Flexibility Selling over the phone is a process where the customer only hears your voice, so your facial expressions are unknown to them. Therefore, be sure not to give the impression that you are uninterested or dismissive of what they say, or that you rely solely on words in your responses. Remember, what reaches them is your voice, so be flexible in your vocal expressions and reactions to achieve more positive outcomes. 19  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Taking Notes After ending your call, make sure to take notes about what was discussed during the conversation. You may need these notes when following up with the client again, or they can be beneficial for future phone sales calls. Responses It is important to maintain emotional stability at all times, provide good reactions, and not respond to provocations that may come from some customers, attempting to handle them intelligently. Customer Study Before making the phone call, study the customer's personal details and anticipate their reactions so that you can prepare appropriate responses to their questions and inquiries. 20  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Focus If you are using phone sales as a means to sell your product, avoid engaging in any side activities during the call. Focus on your goals and the outcomes you want to achieve from communicating with the customer. Engagement The call shouldn't necessarily be formal throughout. Try to break the routine and formality with light-hearted banter related to the topic, or by complimenting the client's efforts or projects, for example. You can also talk about other things unrelated to the discussion, such as common hobbies, which will help facilitate communication. 21  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Conclusion In this chapter, we discussed some tips and guidelines that may help you in creating your mobile phone marketing plan. We briefly mentioned the importance of having a website, the significance of SMS marketing, introduced Quick Response (QR) codes, and hinted at the importance of having a website again. We also talked about the necessity of marketing campaigns, and touched on utilizing the gaming feature. 23  Chapter 3 Guidelines for Preparing a Telemarketing plan Glossary No. Term Definition An advertising campaign is a series of interconnected promotional 1 Marketing Campaign messages centered around a single theme, aimed at persuading the audience on behalf of the company ultimately. The target audience refers to a segment of customers who share similar interests, desires, purchasing power, and possess both 2 Target Audience emotional and logical readiness to be attracted and influenced by your marketing message. The target market is a broader and more comprehensive term than the target audience. In the former, the focus is on a specific segment of the 3 Target Market audience, studying their characteristics and methods of targeting them. Whereas the target market refers to the entire market segment targeted and the study of all the targeted segments within it. QR (Quick 4 Quick Response Codes Response) Geographic targeting refers to focusing on location as a key factor in 5 Geo-Targeting selecting the targeted segment. This can involve targeting a specific area, province, country, or even continent. 24  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Introduction Social media marketing has become an essential necessity for any marketer or business owner, regardless of the type of product or service offered and in any field or industry. Social media marketing involves creating suitable content for each platform (such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) to promote various products and services. This content should be perfectly tailored to each platform—each social media site has specific characteristics, which we will discuss later—aiming to increase sales and also help spread brand awareness among potential customers. --/-- 3  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson The Importance of Social Media Marketing It's true that you know social media marketing is highly important for your business, but there are specific details worth paying attention to so that you can define your goals correctly, which we will outline for you in the following points: 1- Increasing customer awareness of what you offer. 2- Social media marketing suits any business. 3- Social media platforms help you understand the market. 4- You can start with any budget. --/-- 6  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Increasing Customer Awareness of What You Offer According to a remarkable statistic from the famous Oberlo website about the impact of social media on customer purchasing decisions, the following insights have been revealed: - 54% of social media users rely on it to search for new products and services. - 71% of customers who like a particular product recommend it to their friends and acquaintances on social media. - 73% of business owners in any field believe that social media marketing is highly effective. - Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes daily on these platforms. --/-- 7  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Increasing Customer Awareness of What You Offer, Cont. Having your company or service present on social media helps you raise awareness among people, which is extremely important to attract those interested in what you offer and encourage them to make purchases from you. Not only that, but your continuous engagement makes you closer to them, encouraging them to buy from you consistently and become loyal customers. This saves you a lot and ensures continuous profitability. --/-- 8  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Social Media Marketing Suits any Business A good marketer must deeply understand the market to make the right decisions. Market research involves knowing new trends and customer interests to offer products that suit them. Market research also depends on monitoring competitors, what they offer, the quality of content they use to promote their products, and how customers interact with them. All this information can be easily found for free on social media platforms. You just need to know where to look for this information. --/-- 10  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson You Can Start with any Budget One marketing method that relies on money, especially traditional methods, is printing promotional posters, banners, and other materials, which incur costs. Similarly, advertising campaigns on television or radio also require financial investment. This is unlike social media marketing, where you can start marketing for free by putting in the required effort to create suitable content. Moreover, the key advantage of social media marketing lies in the analytics and data it gathers. This allows you to measure the return on investment of your marketing campaigns and the effectiveness of the content you deliver, unlike other methods. --/-- 11  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Social Media Marketing Strategy Without a clear, step-by-step strategy, you won't achieve good results on social media platforms. That's why you'll find the following elements outlining the steps you should follow: 1. Define your goal for social media marketing. 2. Gather all the information about your customers. 3. Create content that grabs attention. 4. Establish a schedule. 5. Analyze the results. --/-- 12  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Define Your Goal for Social Media Marketing Let's say I own a restaurant. I'll leverage social media by primarily offering exclusive offers to followers, along with content showcasing the quality of food and recipes we offer. If I own a company providing specific services (such as medical services, transportation services, or IT services), most of my content would consist of educational explanations and information for clients. Additionally, I'll focus on engaging with them, assisting with any issues, and answering their queries to build trust in my brand. This approach ensures that the content I provide aligns with my goals, strengthens relationships with customers, and ultimately leads to increased profits. --/-- 13  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Gather All the Information about Your Customers Studying your customers' personalities, goals, and the challenges they face is the key to the success of any marketing campaign. Therefore, you need to ask yourself several questions to paint an accurate picture for them: What is the average age of your customers? Are your customers predominantly male, female, or a mix of both? What is the economic status of your preferred customers? Do they need to have large budgets or are you offering services that are more affordable? Are there specific problems or challenges that could prevent customers from reaching you (such as time constraints, location issues, or childcare responsibilities)? What are the interests of your customers that relate to what you offer (such as reading, football, photography, internet browsing)? Understanding these aspects will help you tailor your marketing campaigns effectively to meet the needs and preferences of your target audience. --/-- 14  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Gather All the Information about Your Customers, Cont. I mentioned in the previous point about the importance of content quality and how to make it relevant to the customers you target in your marketing campaigns. This content is crucial for achieving your goals. No matter how high the quality of service you provide, if the content you offer is poor and inappropriate, you won't achieve anything. The content must be of high quality to grab attention. Therefore, illustrative images and videos that explain your products or services should be a significant part of the content you provide, proving to your customers the quality of the products and services you offer. Try to capture photos or videos of your customers using your products, encourage them to share their experiences with their friends and followers, and then repost this content on your social media accounts. --/-- 15  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Establish a Schedule Content creation is a taxing process because it needs to be continuous and takes considerable time. That's why organizing this process and creating large batches of content simultaneously is essential. To achieve this, you should rely on social media management tools. These tools enable you to create a complete content calendar, scheduling posts at predefined times. As a result, you can pre-produce content for an entire month in advance and schedule it for publication at specified times using these tools. This saves time and effort, allowing you to focus on communicating with your customers and engaging with them effectively. --/-- 16  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Establish a Schedule, Cont. The most famous of these tools are: - Hootsuite - Buffer The content schedule will make it easier for you to monitor the content creation process, identify strengths and weaknesses, whether you are the one creating the content, relying on a team member, or using marketing services. --/-- 17  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Analyze the Results I mentioned earlier that what distinguishes social media marketing is its ability to provide extremely precise insights into results. Additionally, it allows you to test multiple styles and methods of content creation. Every social media platform, without exception, offers you free analytics tools to help you leverage these platforms effectively. Now, the question is, what are the factors you should constantly monitor? --/-- 18  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Analyze the Results, Cont. Let me answer through the following list: 1 Sales: This is the most important result for you. Increasing sales indicates success in your marketing efforts. Followers: 2 The more followers your social media accounts have, the better. Therefore, you should monitor follower growth rate continuously. Engagement with Content: 3 The amount of comments and likes your content receives is a crucial indicator. --/-- 19  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Analyze the Results, Cont. 4 Impressions: Every social media platform measures the reach of your content (Impressions), and the higher this number, the better. It indicates that your content is being seen by more people. 5 Sharing: Social media users share good content with their friends, making this factor extremely important. You should encourage your followers to share your content. --/-- 20  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Conclusion In this chapter, we discussed the importance of marketing through social media and mentioned 4 advantages of this type of marketing. We also discussed the key elements of social media marketing strategy, highlighting 5 important items in this context. --/-- 22  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Glossary No. Term Definition This advertisement is widely used, especially in social media advertising, 1 Impressions focusing on impressions as a measure of the effectiveness and quality of the advertisement in attracting the audience's attention. "Reach" refers to the rate of delivery of content or advertising messages to the audience. In this context, there is less emphasis on the extent of interaction of 2 Reach the targeted audience with the message compared to the focus on the success rate of reaching them. It refers to the organic reach to the audience, achieved based on the quality of Organic 3 the message presented and the speed of interaction of the targeted audience Reach with it, without relying on any financial payments to reach this audience. 3 The term opposite to its predecessor, in which money is paid to electronic 4 Paid Reach platforms or websites with the aim of reaching the targeted audience accurately and quickly. --/-- 23  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Introduction Marketing through social media is considered an effective and reliable method for large, small, and startup companies to reach their targeted customers for their business activities. Customers interact more with brands through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and many other widely popular social networking sites. Facebook surpassed 2 billion monthly active users as of the second quarter of 2017, and now it is one of the largest social media platforms. --/-- 3  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson What is Social Media Marketing? Social Media Marketing is a form of online marketing that involves creating and sharing content on social media networks to achieve your brand's marketing goals. Social media marketing includes activities such as posting text, images, videos, and other content that engages the audience, alongside paid social media advertisements. --/-- 6  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Popular Social Media Platforms for Your Marketing Campaign Many beginner marketers or business owners who lack sufficient experience in digital marketing often ask this question. The answer is to rely on the social media platform where most of your customers are present. By the way, this doesn't mean you should rely on just one platform and ignore others. You can leverage all social media platforms for your marketing efforts, but you should prioritize them based on importance. Let's summarize the nature of the most popular giant social media platforms to make it easier for you to choose: --/-- 7  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Facebook Facebook is a social platform with a large user base, predominantly aged 26 years and older. It is the preferred site for many people to share life experiences and family news. Most Facebook users are decision-makers in purchasing (parents), making marketing on Facebook crucial. Therefore, large companies rely on it. Additionally, Facebook is more suitable for services that require constant customer interaction, as it includes the Messenger messaging system, which many people rely on. --/-- 8  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Instagram Instagram is a platform dedicated to visual content, making photos and videos the main focus. The largest user base on Instagram is aged 30 and below. If you offer entertainment services or products (restaurants, clothing, various activities), Instagram is the most suitable place for you to start marketing. --/-- 9  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Mid-Activity If you have a store selling children's clothes and toys, which social media platform would be suitable for marketing your store? --/-- 10  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Twitter(X) Twitter is the largest social network gathering influencers and opinion leaders in all fields. Therefore, if your field relies on interacting with influencers and decision-makers, you should rely on Twitter. --/-- 11  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson LinkedIn LinkedIn is a giant platform often dubbed "Facebook for professionals." This platform was acquired by the giant company Microsoft due to its influential impact. If your service caters to professionals such as programming, marketing, or design, having a presence on this platform is crucial because you will definitely find your clients there. --/-- 12  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson YouTube YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, with billions of people accessing it daily to watch videos across various fields ranging from entertainment to educational programs. Creating video content is not easy, which is why marketing through YouTube is not for everyone. It requires more time, preparation, and ongoing commitment compared to other social media platforms. Therefore, if you offer services related to activities or content creation (such as design and graphics services, tourism services, sports activities, educational services), YouTube is the ideal platform for you. --/-- 13  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Important Tips for Social Media Marketing Now you have a complete picture when it comes to social media marketing and all its aspects, and you have a clear strategy to achieve your goals. However, there are some things you should consider, which we are keen to provide to you in the form of a set of tips: 1. Use video as a primary format. 2. Utilize advertisements. 3. Post consistently. 4. Engage and involve your customers in the content you create. 5. Leverage influencer marketing. 6. Use hashtags. --/-- 14  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson How can Social Media Marketing Help You Achieve Your Goals? Social media marketing can help achieve these objectives: 1. Increase website traffic. 2. Build customer base and generate more sales. 3. Support brand awareness. 4. Enhance brand visibility. 5. Improve communication and interaction with targeted audiences. The larger and more engaged your customer base and targeted audience are on social media, the easier it becomes to achieve more goals in your marketing plan. --/-- 15  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Steps of Social Media Marketing If you’re ready to start marketing on social media, follow these steps: 1 Good Planning 2 Content Planning (Posting) 3 Unique Content 4 Listening and Engagement 5 Analysis 6 Advertising 7 Monitoring Competitors --/-- 16  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Good Planning The first step is to think about your social media strategy. Before starting your marketing campaigns on popular social platforms, you should develop your plan first! With these tips, you can begin developing your social media marketing plan. Consider these questions: - What are your business objectives? - How can social media help you achieve your business goals? - What is the age group of your audience? - What is the gender you are targeting: male, female, or both? - What are the interests of your audience, and how can you reach the largest possible targeted audience? Think about how your audience thinks! Think carefully! These considerations will guide you in creating an effective social media marketing strategy tailored to your business needs. --/-- 17  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Good Planning, Cont. Starting social media marketing without a strategy is like sailing a ship in the sea without a compass - you might enjoy the clear skies and blue waters thinking you'll eventually reach your destination, but you'll likely end up lost! Maybe it works for marketing on Twitter but fails miserably for Facebook! Here are some questions you should ask yourself before developing your social media marketing plan: - What do you want to achieve through social media marketing? - Where will your target audience go? - What message do you want to convey to your customers through social media marketing? - What type of business do you have, and which social network is best to reach your target customers? These questions will help you craft a strategic social media marketing plan that aligns with your objectives and effectively reaches your target audience. --/-- 18  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Content Planning (Posting) You'll need to plan your content in advance rather than creating and posting it automatically. Also, to ensure maximum reach on social networks, you need to publish compelling content that your audience loves, at the right time and moment. There are various social media scheduling tools, such as Buffer Publish, that can help you automate the posting of your content at your preferred times. This saves you time and allows you to reach your audience when they are most likely to engage with your content. Make sure to post consistently and provide valuable information to your customers so they find the experience useful and engaging. Your shared content can include images, videos, infographics, instructional guides, and more. You may need an integrated team to ensure regular publishing. --/-- 19  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Unique Content When using social media for marketing, your content should be unique, original, and specific to your brand (avoid copying content) to gain more followers, likes, and potential customers. It's also an opportunity to link to articles on your website. If you share links from other sources that provide valuable content, don't hesitate to post them. Formatting and linking to external sources helps enhance trust and credibility on social networks between you, your customers, and your followers. You might even receive backlinks in return. --/-- 20  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Listening and Engagement As your business grows on social media, conversations about your brand will increase. People will comment on your posts, mention you in their own posts, or send you direct messages. Sometimes, people may discuss your brand on social media without your awareness, so monitoring social media posts about your brand is essential. If the comments are positive, you have an opportunity to surprise and delight your audience. Otherwise, you can provide support and address any issues before they escalate. Manually checking all notifications across social media platforms isn't efficient, and you might miss posts that don't tag you directly. Instead, you can use a social media listening and engagement tool that gathers all mentions and messages related to your business, including posts that do not tag you directly. --/-- 21  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Analysis Throughout your time, whether you're posting content or engaging on social media networks, you'll need to understand your performance. Are you reaching more people on social media than last month? How many positive mentions do you get each month? How many people used your brand's hashtag in their social media posts? Social media platforms themselves provide this information. For deeper analytics or easy comparison, you can use analytics tools like Buffer Analyze. --/-- 22  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Advertising When you have the budget to grow your social media marketing, the first thing you should consider is advertising on social media platforms. Social media ads allow you to reach a broader audience beyond your organic followers, providing a greater opportunity to reach potential customers. Advertising on social media platforms is often more cost-effective than search engine advertising. Social media advertising is particularly powerful nowadays because you can precisely target who sees your ads. You can create targeted audiences based on demographic characteristics, interests, behaviors, and more. When running multiple ad campaigns on social media simultaneously, consider using a social media advertising tool to make bulk changes, automate processes, and optimize your ads. --/-- 23  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Monitoring Competitors It's very important to monitor your competitors in your industry. Through monitoring your competitors, you can gather valuable information such as new keywords and other important insights that can benefit you in one way or another. If your competitors are using a specific social media platform or advertising with a particular link, text, image, or video that seems to be yielding good results and sales for them, you should consider doing the same but aim to do it even better! --/-- 24  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Conclusion In this chapter, we discussed the definition of social media marketing and explained how it can help you achieve your goals. We also became familiar with various popular social media platforms. Additionally, we covered the steps involved in social media marketing. --/-- 26  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Glossary No. Term Definition The term "blog" is derived from the combination of two words: "Web Log". Blogs are typically managed by an individual or a business entity, with regular 1 Blog entries of content about a specific topic, descriptions of events, or other resources like graphics or videos. "Blogging" can also be used as a verb, meaning to continue adding content to a blog. Collective intelligence is intelligence that arises from collaboration and Collective 2 competition among many individuals, and it manifests when there is Intelligence consensus on a particular issue on social media platforms. LinkedIn endorsement refers to the process where a connection on the site 3 Endorsement validates one of the skills listed in your profile. Engagement The engagement rate is a well-known metric on social media used to describe 4 Rate the amount of interaction (likes, shares, comments) that content receives. --/-- 27  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Introduction "No one will know your product unless you market it" is a very basic statement, yet many do not give it its due. Some believe a good product will sell itself, while others find it daunting to market it themselves, preferring to delegate it to someone who might charge more than the product's price or promote it in the wrong place. Nowadays, all these problems are a thing of the past. You can take charge of promoting your product yourself and achieve returns professionally at the level of experts. Throughout this unit, we will learn about the stages of marketing, from understanding your audience, analyzing their needs, segmenting them, to determining the language to communicate with them effectively. --/-- 3  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Identifying the Audience You Are Addressing Before you begin developing the practical and tactical details of your marketing plan, it's essential to thoroughly understand the audience you are addressing: Who are they? What are their characteristics? The following segment clarifies how to answer these questions. --/-- 6  Lecture number Title of the lecture/lesson Dividing the Audience into Segments In order to understand your audience well, you should