What’s the number one mistake small business owners make when it comes to mobile marketing? It’s thinking mobile means mobile phone.

While mobile marketing includes cell phones, it in fact also includes tablets like iPads and Kindles. More importantly, the underlying and often unstated premise is that your audience is actually using these mobile tools…and often enough they’re favoring mobile tech use over desktop PCs. This means that if your event outreach efforts are not mobile friendly, you’re losing out on your audience.

Too many entrepreneurs would disagree, thinking “why can’t they just go home and check it out on their computer?” The fallacy in that statement is ignoring the fact that your audience doesn’t have you or your event as their top priority. Just like you, they’re busy and easily distracted. If something isn’t available to them conveniently, they’re likely to forget about it or move on simply due to a lack of free time from real life and unwavering responsibilities.

Think of all the opportunities you have to check something out on your phone. While in the car, while waiting in line, while waiting to pick up kids from school, while at the hair salon, while in a meeting…and so the list goes on and on. In all these instances, mobile tech is available while a desktop is not. Also note the undivided attention your audience is able to offer in these rare moments. Now consider that over 93% of Smartphone users tap into their mobile gadgets while at home. Think of the last time you did the same…perhaps while stuck watching TV with a toddler, or perhaps when graced by visiting in-laws and knee deep in conversation.

Mobile updates are relevant, but they’re absolutely crucial in event marketing. Event marketers know they have a small window of opportunity to catch and engage users. Miss it and they’ve moved on. To harness all the potential of mobile for your next event, start with making sure your website and landing page are mobile friendly. Information should be at a users’ fingertips and without needing to be scrolled for like some scavenger hunt. For anyone confused about the difference, check out this Pinterest Board for some great examples of mobile-tailored landing pages.

Proper use of mobile event marketing offers convenience in…

  1. Event registration made easy – Keep it simple by allowing attendees to register and pay for events via their mobile tech.
  2. Send updates and reminders with text messages – To fully reap the benefits of event-related texts, your mobile-friendly event landing page should start with a feature to opt-in for text message updates.
  3. Successful email campaigns – Mobile-optimized email campaigns will have a higher click-through rate and ensure your message is heard and acted upon.
  4. Instant information sharing – Use QR codes on invitations, event materials, presentations and handouts.
  5. Pair social with mobile – You now know the frequency of social media use with mobile applications. Kick off event invitation and registration by connecting your audience with your social platforms to encourage sharing and reposting.
  6. Real-time mobile marketing – There’s only so much mobile event marketing that can be done ahead of time. The real challenge (and conversely the benefit of mobile event marketing) kicks in once the event has kicked off. In addition to using QR codes, make sure you have a mobile portion of your event management platform. This means real-time mobile friendly information, including the agenda, sessions, timings, updates and any changes. Go one step further and let attendees create their own custom agenda (and opt-in for notification updates) when there are multiple sessions to choose from.