Mobile Marketing

Rob ConeybeerManaging Director, Shasta Ventures

@robconeybeerhttp://280.vc

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Why is Mobile Different?

• Effect of geography is more pronounced

• Having a top search ranking matters more on mobile than on the web

• Web presence must be optimized for the mobile screen

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Why is Mobile Different?

• Instant-on

• Sensors

• Apps

• Reach

• Word of Mouth

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Instant-On

• Enables snacking• Not possible on the web if PC wasn’t on

• Consumers have extremely short attention spans• If something takes more than a few seconds … they may

skip altogether• Instant-on leads to a great product experience (buying or

ordering something can take less time than adding it to a “to-do” list)

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Sensors

• Mobile devices are loaded with sensors• Location (GPS) & accelerometers (motion, activity)• Photography & microphone

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Apps

• Native applicatons lead to top end-user engagement• Mobile apps are essentially specialized browsers

• On mobile, consumers think in terms of Applications• … versus websites on the wired web

• To make the most of smartphone sensors … develop a native application

• The chiclet icon matters – A LOT• Navigational high ground• Emotional attachment to the graphical representation

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Reach

• Over 1 billion people are on either Android or iOS today• Vast majority are hooked up to payment systems• Combined with instant-on, consumers can take impulsive

action immediately when tempted – think of supermarket check-out aisles

• Problem becomes awareness and brand-building, not fulfillment

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Word of Mouth

• Completely different than the wired Web

• Combining portability and a great screen with instant-on, mobile makes it easy for customers to “show, not tell”

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Implications

• Can build huge businesses faster than ever before

• Huge direct impact on real-world businesses that haven’t been disrupted in the past – due to free distribution

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Mobile Trends We’re Looking At

• Intersection of the Real World and the Internet

• Internet-Powered Hardware

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Have a Great Story

• Starting with a great product

• Makes it easier for your customers to help you!– customers – word of mouth via social media– advisors – fundraising, recruiting, introductions– friends

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Elements of a Great Product

• Delivers high value to users

• Huge market

• Easy to describe

• Doesn’t require a lot of capital to test & initially scale

• Wasn’t possible until recently

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Great Products…

• Enable Promotion– great products drive Word of Mouth and free PR

• Enable Distribution– great products are welcomed by channels of distribution– great products leverage new channels like smartphones and the web

• Enable Pricing– great products leverage new technologies keeps costs as low as possible– great products provide opportunities to disrupt conventional pricing strategies

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Never Forget the Marketing Mix

• Price

• Product

• Place (distribution)

• Promotion

What about the phrase “the best product doesn’t always win?”

That’s becoming a lot less true with the rise of social media and its ability to amplify word of mouth about great products

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@robconeybeerhttp://280.vc

Rob ConeybeerManaging Director, Shasta Ventures

@robconeybeerhttp://280.vc