Mobile Marketing today is not only for big corporations with big wallets.  The text message coupon has quickly spread into the local space and has generate instant results with an out standing ROI for small businesses. The real question is not if your company can use mobile, is it how to use it effectively?

Waveland Bowl is a small business in Chicago, Illinois that has be using traditional marketing for years.  They have recently turned to interactive media to help generate returning customers as well as new prospects.  These are the tools they used that increased their slowest night of bowling into their busiest according to Gary Handler the operator of Waveland.

Marketing Tools:

  • WHAMmobile is a mobile marketing company that provides SMS coupons and solutions with small business packages that are affordable to include within a companies marketing mix.
  • Facebook is a social media outlet for engaging and finding new prospects to send updates about your service or products.



This marketing strategy cost Waveland Bowl $89.99 / month.  What was the return?

Waveland Bowl printed a creative sign to put between the bowling lanes within the establishment.  The creatives had a call to action that stated.  Text: Bowling / To: 444888 to receive free bowling.  What was the result?   Within one month they received over 300 mobile subscribers. After they sent their first broadcast, 75 people redeem the coupons and increased their concession sales over $1,500 on a Tuesday night.  A typical Tuesday bowling night would generate around $500.00 from concession.

The coupon was not the only portion of the campaign that was a success.  The owner that has now proven that he is one of small businesses top innovators with technology, created a viral campaign driving people to his Facebook page. His SMS text coupon broadcast contained this call to action. “Bring this text message in for one free game of bowling. Exp. 09/09. Fwd to a friend.  Receive more incredible deals at our Facebook page.”  The Facebook page was embedded into the text message as a link which gave them access to the page instantaneously.

By using this technique Waveland Bowl increased their Facebook following exponentially.  This now gives them the ability to send free updates to people via Facebook daily.  Again, how much did this cost?  $89.99.  Their response to this small business marketing initiative was that this is the best form of marketing they have ever utilized.

People try to convince themselves that traditional media is dead.  I believe it is not dead but it can be enhanced by using mobile marketingand social media.  Finding the right strategy is important, but finding cost effective solutions is the essential element in generating success.  Spending thousands on print, television and radio can find a return of almost 100% by adding a element as simple as SMS marketing or social media marketing.

One of the leading Houston based marketing companies set up this marketing initiative for the local bowling alley.  I hope their creative strategies have created ideas and maybe spawned creative solutions for other businesses and services.