While the world has been focused on the use of mobile to add real-time consumer engagement and metrics to traditional advertising, the sleeping giant in a recessionary economy is MOBILE CRM. Your dollars spent on mobile marketing campaigns and promotions can be leveraged into exponential returns with a Mobile CRM program in place.

What is mobile CRM? Mobile CRM is the systemic integration of mobile communications into a companys or brands customer relationship management program. Mobile CRM provides:

Rapid development of an opt-in community and database
A method to increase loyalty becoming part of customers mobile lifestyle
Reduced cost of client acquisition, retention and repeat sales
Increased productivity and efficiency of your staff and systems that support existing and prospective customers
A more personalized level of concierge and lifestyle services

First, let me share a few quick ideas on where to integrate mobile with your existing CRM programs. I recommend that any mobile strategy should integrate these functions into an enterprise-wide strategy.

Web Add strategically placed Opt-in registrations and Send-To-Phone buttons throughout your website

Call Center Provide Send-to-Phone functionality and templates to your customer service representatives

Direct Mail Allow people to opt-in to receive mobile updates in distinct categories, thereby socializing your consumers that you understand them and will only send content of interest

Email Add opt-in mechanisms for mobile alerts and highly-targeted information

Newsletters Add a mobile or WAPsite newsletter alternative on your Website with existing opt-in forms.

Training Combine mobile text, videos, and applications to serve up instructions, on-going education and training.

Loyalty Programs Develop a mobile loyalty program that allows customers to obtain points, look-up and prize redemption from any mobile device or add these mobile access features to your existing loyalty system.

Here is a 5-step process to Maximize your advertising spend with CRM :

Scenario Planning: Think through where and when consumers are when they need your information or service. What percent of time are they mobile? In what environment - such as airport, store, walking, at an event, etc??

Workflow Analysis: Map out how these consumers currently have an interactive dialogue with your company/brand and where are the potential areas that you would like to increase or improve your consumer engagement

Mobile CRM Strategy: Using the Scenario Planning and the Workflow Analysis, create a go-to-market strategy that integrates with your existing CRM program(s).

Pilot: It is clearly proven that early adopters, those companies who enter the market first by deploying and monitoring pilot programs, are more profitable than those companies that stretch the analysis and timeframe in order to get it perfect. In fact, we have found it less expensive to generate real information in a pilot than have three more meetings about possibilities.

Full Scale Implementation: Leverage your pilot and expand your MOBILE CRM system to integrate multiple forms of mobile communications and content management (including: SMS, WAP, video) into a scalable mobile CRM system.

About the Author: Jeff Allen is a founder of Gold Mobile. He looks forward to responding to your questions, comments, lessons learned, metrics,or marketplace requirements. email: jallen@gold-mobile.com