Mobile Media and Marketing Part 2: Which Tactic is the Right Tactic?

Last Thursday, my fellow classmates and I were privileged to hear some insider mobile marketing strategies from a representative of Nordstrom. This Seattle-based, retail industry powerhouse does indeed dabble in this new trend, and it was interesting to learn about their tactics.

Given the type of upscale, refined service that Nordstrom provides to their customers, Nordstrom quickly learned after doing a preliminary round of mobile marketing techniques via text message to customers, that the SMS route was not for them. However, they have found success with the relatively new QR codes, like this,  

that Nordstrom strategically places on products and advertisements that allow any smartphone user to scan the image with their phone, and it takes them to virtually any sort of related site that Nordstrom wants. They have found this tactic to be more successful, as it allows their customer's to get an added experience from Nordstrom.  

Recently I've been seeing QR codes on all sorts of products and packages which poses the question, which mobile marketing route should a given company use to draw in their clients? I think the answer to this is, it depends on the type of company. In Nordstrom's case, the QR code provides a less-invasive way to reach out to their clients, but this obviously isn't the same right approach for everyone.

Mobile marketing is obviously the new craze but just a word to companies looking to jump onto this bandwagon - exercise caution with your approach because too invasive of tactics could drive potential customers away instead of bringing them in. 

-Michelle