Mobile
marketing is tough enough without having to struggle to define it. The term itself is self-explanatory, right? Like long-haul trucking or indoor plumbing. Apparently not. To clear up any confusion,
the Mobile Marketing Association has helpfully released a new definition of the term, which it describes as:
"A set of practices that enables organizations to communicate and engage with
their audience in an interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device or network."
Wait, now you really are getting confused? Don't worry, MMA has a deeper explanation of the
definition. In a release issued yesterday during its Mobile Marketing Forum in Los Angeles, the trade group says the key lies in the "two parts of its taxonomy." Uh oh. Get out your notebook.
1. "The 'set of practices' includes "activities, institutions, processes, industry players, standards, advertising and media, direct response, promotions, relationship management, CRM, customer
services, loyalty, social marketing, and all the many faces and facets of marketing."
How can a set of practices include "institutions" and "industry players?" And what's the difference
between "faces" and "facets?" I'd like further clarification on that. But on to the second part of the elaboration:
2. "To 'engage' means to "start relationships, acquire, generate activity,
stimulate social interaction with organization and community members, [and] be present at time of consumers expressed need. Furthermore, engagement can be initiated by the consumer ('Pull' in form of
a click or response) or by the marketer ('Push').
Thoroughly perplexed? Sorry, that's all the MMA has on the meaning of mobile marketing. If you want further elucidation, you'll have to follow
up directly with the organization.