As we start incorporating mobile into our marketing mix of communications in 2008, it's important to remember that mobile is not a strategy unto itself, but rather a channel that relies on other media to deliver a message. Mobile marketing is complex because it is based on new systems and software. It relies on new kinds of content and devices, as well as emerging consumer behavior.

Here are some of the qualities that make the mobile channel unique:

• Always with the consumer, always on
• Every message is read, yielding high conversion rates
• Personal, one-to-one
• Interactive (two-way)
• Time and location sensitive
• Collects valuable data effortlessly

U.S. consumers are continuing to adopt a more mobile lifestyle. There are more than 233 million wireless subscribers in the US. Because many phones are now able to access the internet, there are now opportunities to reach a global audience via the mobile channel.

Here are some more facts about the way consumers in the U.S. use mobile now:

• More people own a mobile phone than a computer.
• 63 percent of subscribers are using text messaging.
• The number Data service users (including regular users of MMS) is growing quickly.
• 15 percent of current subscribers access the mobile internet via their handset.
• Age 18 - 39 is the sweet spot for mobile, equally for males and females.

Because mobile is an opt-in-only channel, launching successful mobile campaigns inherently means making consumers aware of them via other media i.e., embedding the mobile call to action in media that will attract the attention of the targeted groups. Additionally, the more integrated the mobile campaign is into the rest of the brand's advertising and promotions, the more effective it can be.

The most successful mobile campaigns make valuable, preferably unique, offers that reward, entertain or support various activities of the target consumers, such as:

• TXT2WIN sweepstakes
• Discounts and Coupons
• Timely alerts
• Content (ring tones, etc.)

Some additional elements that impact the success of mobile campaigns with consumers:

• Timing
• Frequency
• Relevance
• Perceived value
• Appealing content
• Incentive
• Opt-in ability

Most important of all, mobile marketing should be pervasive, not invasive: it should speak directly to end users within the content they have elected to receive. If not, they will lose interest.

Here are some of the technologies looming on the horizon for mobile marketers:

Bluetooth
A small but growing number of marketers are using Bluetooth technology to deliver content to mobile handsets within close proximity of a Bluetooth transmitter. While Bluetooth has over 25 percent penetration in the U.S., only approximately 7 percent have their Bluetooth "enabled" (turned on to receive content).

Infra-Red
A lower-end version of Bluetooth, Infra-Red (IR) can also be used to beam content to mobile devices that are positioned close to an IR source.

Location-Based Services
The potential range of mobile location-based services is very wide, but the services available today fall into three categories:

• Mapping and routing information, a service offered over a mobile operator portal
• 'Where is my nearest,' generally also offered over a mobile operator portal, to locate the nearest restaurant, bar, ATM, gas station, etc., often with directions provided
• Find-a-mobile, a service that enables a third party to locate a particular mobile number (typically used by parents to be able to locate their children), offered over the internet or through retail outlets by the developers of the service

Flash
Currently all U.S. carriers (with the exception of a Verizon trial in progress) are blocking the use of Flash on their networks. However, Adobe is aggressively working with handset manufacturers and carriers worldwide to extend the use of Flash onto mobile devices. In Japan, sophisticated information services using Flash Lite have characterized the first wave of innovation, and now over 80 percent of i-mode sites use Flash. But Flash Lite extends readily to the critical task of developing dynamic, highly customizable user interfaces that live on the handset. The animated graphical user interface simplifies complex search operations, eliminating the need to navigate through a series of hierarchical text menus.

IP-enabled Applications
Applications that live on the handset, but can pull in data from the internet have tremendous versatility. They can be used for an endless number of content and real-life situations (such as house hunting, monitoring athletic tournaments, podcasting, etc.). The challenge that exists is downloading the applications to the handset. Some U.S. carriers, such as Verizon, have restrictions on the types of applications that can be downloaded. Only about 40 percent of US mobile subscribers can currently download applications.

Mobile Social Networking
Online social networks such as MySpace and Facebook are making successful forays into mobile marketing. MySpace Mobile has nearly one million paid subscribers. Services such as SMS.ac and Twitter are turning mobile messaging into a group experience. Other new mobile social networks, such as Zannel, Cellfish and BuzzD combine multi-media messaging with applications such as photos and video. As social networks grow in popularity, their mobile versions are sure to follow.

The opportunities for mobile are enormous, and 2008 is set to be the year when mobile marketing starts taking off in the U.S.