CHICAGO ? A Vibes Media executive at the Results 2012: Mobile Marketing Day conference said that testing different mobile initiatives is imperative for brands to build a solid mobile strategy.

During the ?How to Develop And Execute An Effective Mobile Marketing Campaign? session, the executive discussed how mobile is revolutionizing the marketing industry. The executive also discussed how brands are using mobile in their strategies and benefitting from it.

?Mobile is the glue that weaves together digital touch points and offline touch points into the customer journey,? said Jack Philbin, president of Vibes Media, Chicago.

?The customer journey is always about getting consumers to the next phase in a relationship,? he said.

The panel was part of Mobile Marketing Day in Chicago, organized by the Chicago Association and Mobile Marketer. The event was sponsored by Microsoft Advertising, Vibes Media and Mobile Marketer.

Mobile pattern
The customer journey can be broken into four main areas ? awareness, engagement, transaction and loyalty, per Mr. Philbin.

Offline touch points, which include print, signage, loyalty programs and in-store experiences all have the possibility of being used to promote mobile services. Smart brands are tying their mobile initiatives to their social media, email, search, television and print strategies.

Mobile is becoming more sophisticated with faster networks, consumption, upgraded devices and more time and location-sensitive content.

In particular, time and location are crucial in capturing mobile users? short attention spans on their mobile devices.

A successful mobile marketing campaign uses both art and science to communicate with consumers, according to Mr. Philbin.

Well-rounded strategy
Effective SMS campaigns include clear calls-to-actions, relevant content, demographic-sensitive information and a consistent tone.

Having one mobile initiative does not mean that a brand has a mobile strategy. It is important for companies to lace together their mobile efforts into other traditional marketing channels to think of ways that mobile can enhance marketing overall.

For example, Chase Bank layers its digital strategy with multiple mobile efforts. The bank uses a mobile site, applications, SMS programs and mobile deposits to reach as many consumers as possible on multiple devices.

It is also important for brands to include a post-click action in mobile initiatives that will help build loyalty.

Gap has an SMS program that sends users a text message attached to a survey after they have made a purchase.

?If you are using mobile advertising, that is great but it is not a strategy,? Mr. Philbin said. ?If you are not experimenting with mobile, you are not learning.? 

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York