According to a report by Mobile Marketer, the use of mobile-only promotions as a marketing strategy is declining while omni-channel promotions are gaining ground.

The growing trend of omni-channel strategies use mobile alongside desktop and in-store experiences rather than as a replacement. Derrick Lin, Senior Brand Strategist at Resource/Ammirati sheds some light on the context surrounding mobile marketing strategies:

"Three years into the mobile era, the context around mobile marketing development is very different. Mobile has become a very prevalent, natural, and straightforward part of a consumer's shopping journey and in turn retailers have fully embraced mobile as a table stakes channel."

If that isn't clear, here are a couple examples of current omni-channel strategies being used:

1.  Target's Cartwheel Promotion

Here, Target offers shoppers coupons and discount codes on their mobile devices, but forces them to redeem the offers at the point-of-sale in the store.

2.  Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light Birthday

This strategy is the opposite of Target's. The idea is that a friend can buy another friend on a social network a beer for their birthday. It begins as a desktop Web promotion but ends with the beneficiary redeeming their free birthday drink at a restaurant or bar with their mobile device. Ryan Halper, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Gratafy, explains it best:

"It is a Web-based promotion using responsive design so it renders on smartphones, tablets or desktop, but part of the experience, the redemption, only functions on mobile."



 

While omni-channel contests and promotions are the trending strategy this holiday season, mobile-only promotions aren't irrelevant by any means.

Brands can use mobile-only promotions if they find that their target audience engages more on, let's say, a mobile app. Secondly, mobile-only promotions can utilize strategies such a geo-fencing, augmented reality, and Apple Pay, to name a few.

The main takeaway is this:

Your business should definitely incorporate the use of a mobile device at some point in your promotional strategy. Whether it's mobile-only or omni-channel, the key is making the experience seamless and easy. Consumers in 2014 don't have the patience for slow-loading apps, bad mobile-websites, or coupons codes that don't work.