How a Good Mobile Marketing Campaign is Like Sushi

I’m about as big a sushi lover as they come.  I have been known to go out for sushi at least one night per week and I’m slowly learning to make it at home.  It was on one such outing that a thought struck me: “You know, Justin, sushi is a lot like mobile marketing.”   Here’s how:

Some Things Just Shouldn’t Be Transparent

The best sushi I’ve ever had has been the kind whose ingredients were unknown to me.  Total mystery.  All I knew was that it was delicious, and that was what mattered.

Like good sushi, your customers don’t know or care how your campaigns and marketing tools work.  They will probably never see the inner workings of your website or iPhone app.  But, if for some reason, one of these tools should ever malfunction, you can guarantee that the customer will react accordingly by spitting it out.

So be sure to choose tools that let things that belong “Behind-The-Scenes” stay there.  Like most technology, the best tools are the ones that no one can tell you use.

The Ingredients Will Always Be Different

You can put just about anything from cream cheese to jalapenos to raw salmon in sushi.  There is no finite set of ingredients. Like eel? Add some. Have a soft spot for tuna? Tuna it is!

Similarly, there is no reusable “cookie-cutter” mobile marketing campaign.  Every campaign should be approached differently and tailored to fit the needs of your client.  Remember that little “mom-and-pop” diner whose website you designed?  Do they really need $20,000 iPhone app?  Probably not.

Bring the Heat and Wow Your Customers

Have you ever had wasabi?  It’s the pale green paste that is typically served with sushi, and is probably the single hottest thing I’ve ever eaten.   Most people use it in extremely small portions, and that’s still enough to clear your sinuses.

Just like wasabi, there should be things about your campaign that widen your customers’ eyes and make them think, “Damn, that’s hot!”.  When your customer interacts with your brand in the mobile space (for example, scans your QR code) they should receive an experience that is surprisingly (even shockingly) good.

Smartphones are available now with GPS capabilities, Bluetooth, and cameras that are better that many digital ones you can buy in the store.  This provides an opportunity for you to create an experience unlike anything your customers have seen before, and in doing so, connect them with a brand that they will never forget.  So get creative.

How delicious is your mobile strategy?