So, you’re walking down the street past the local cafe.
All of a sudden, you get a message on your mobile phone –
it’s the cafe, asking if you want to download a coupon for
a free cappuccino. You press OK, and the coupon and a menu
is downloaded straight to your phone. You browse through
the menu, and, feeling a bit hungry, you turn around and
head back towards the cafe for a quick snack and a
cappuccino. You present the coupon on your phone’s screen
and get your drink. You’re happy, and the restaurant just
turned a passer-by into a customer, thanks to Bluetooth
Marketing.
So, aside from the funny name, what exactly is Bluetooth
Marketing? How does it work? And what does this mean for
the average consumer?
By now, many people are already familiar with Bluetooth.
It’s a standard feature on almost every new cell phone sold
today, as well as many laptops and desktop computers. One
of the more common uses for Bluetooth is to connect to a
hands-free headset, but it can actually do a whole lot
more. Bluetooth is a standard that allows many different
types of devices to communicate with each other wirelessly.
So, with Bluetooth, your cell phone could also connect to
your computer to synchronize your contacts list, transfer
songs and ringtones, even upload those pictures you just
took with your camera phone. What’s more, if your friend
also has a Bluetooth phone, you could easily send them your
pictures, songs, videos, games, or other files stored in
your phone, all without having to worry about having the
right cables to connect.
So, what does this have to do with marketing? Well, through
some clever use of technology, companies are now using
Bluetooth to send their latest promotions to the mobile
phone — that ubiquitous device that almost everyone uses
and carries with them at all times. How does it work?
A small, Bluetooth enabled file server, specially
configured for this purpose, is mounted in a busy location.
The server will continuously scan the area for Bluetooth
enabled devices as they come within range (up to 100
meters). When found, it sends the user a message asking if
they wish to receive the advertiser’s content. This could
be a coupon, a video, Java game or any other multimedia
file. If the user responds with a Yes, the file is sent
automatically. If they respond with a No, the server logs
this decision, and will not ask the same user again the
next time they come within range. This so called
“blacklisting” feature ensures that users are not
continuously bothered with requests to download things they
don’t want.
And, unlike text messaging, Bluetooth transmissions are
free, so users don’t have to pay to receive content. What’s
more, since files don’t pass through any cellular carriers,
Bluetooth Marketing works even where there is no cell
signal, such as subway stations or other “dead” zones.
So what are the benefits and pitfalls, both for prospective
businesses looking for a new and unique way to connect with
their customers, and for consumers, who may view
advertising on their cell phones as a sort of invasion of
privacy?
For advertisers, Bluetooth Marketing allows them to send
their promotions to people for very little cost. Aside from
the initial purchase of the equipment, Bluetooth Marketing
campaigns are essentially free to run. Since file
transmissions via Bluetooth are free, it doesn’t matter if
they send 100 messages or 100,000. More importantly, users
who choose to accept the message inevitably take the time
to look at it. This differentiates Bluetooth marketing from
other types of advertising, which goes largely ignored by
the target group. Advertisers also have the opportunity to
market their products and services based on the proximity
of the consumer. For example, restaurants can send coupons
to people as they walk by; movie theaters can send video
trailers of new releases to people standing in line, etc.
What better time to send promotions to customers than when
they are physically close?
From the consumer’s point of view, Bluetooth Marketing may
present some unique concerns. Would people be spammed with
ads they don’t want as they’re walking down the street?
Will advertisers be able to record their cell phone numbers
and use it for marketing purposes? And what if someone
doesn’t want to receive this kind of marketing — ever?
Fortunately, most of these issues have been addressed.
Again, Bluetooth servers must always get permission first
from users before any content is sent. And if the user
refuses, the software remembers this, and will not ask
again in the future. This ensures that only people wishing
to receive content will get it — a benefit to both
advertiser and consumer. Also, personally identifiable
information is never collected by the system. The server
only detects each phone’s MAC address, a unique hardware
ID, but nothing else. It cannot collect phone numbers or
any personal information from any user. So users never have
to worry that their phone number or anything else is being
collected and used by the advertiser. And, of course, users
can always choose to never participate in any Bluetooth
campaign by simply setting their Bluetooth to “invisible”,
so they won’t be found in the first place.
Bluetooth Marketing has been popular in Europe for several
years now, and is only now beginning to catch on in the
United States. With applications beyond just simply sending
coupons to customers, many types of businesses can take
advantage of this unique technology to connect with their
customers in a fun and personal way. So the next time
you’re walking down the street and you get an unexpected
message on your phone asking if you want a free cappuccino,
just say Yes, and look around you. You may not have noticed
the cafe on the corner, but they noticed you!
—————————————————-
ZipZone Media, a New York City based company, is a leader
in the emerging field of Bluetooth Marketing. You can reach
them at 1-718-969-2436, or visit their website at:
http://www.zipzonemedia.com
Source: http://ceoconsultant.com
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