Entry By Linda Doell

Like attention-grabbing neon signs pointing the way, mobile marketing can help bars and nightclubs attract and keep customers. A forward-thinking establishment can improve its connection with customers by offering coupons and other incentives right over their mobile devices.

For big nightlife holidays like Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day, a mobile campaign can be the difference between a normal Tuesday night and a hugely profitable event.

Mobile marketing provides a huge potential market. In the three-month period from June to September 2011, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices, according a comScore MobiLens report. A whopping three-fourths of those used text messaging with the number of users increasing from 69.6% in June to 71.1% in September.

Bars and clubs can tap into that mobile clientele with a variety of mobile marketing approaches, including short message service (SMS), email, and quick response (QR) codes. Think of all the opportunity to get the word out about your business with an effective text message marketing campaign. Here's some of the top benefits of using mobile marketing, in no particular order:

1. Target the audience: With mobile marketing, the message goes directly to the cell phone of the potential customer, unlike traditional advertising. Studies show that an average of 90% of text messages are opened and read, unlike the 20% average for e-mail advertising campaigns. Take a cue from TAO, one of Las Vegas' premier nightclubs, which started a successful text message marketing campaign as a way to inform customers about its weekly parties and DJ nights. TAO posted fliers throughout its establishment inviting customers to text a keyword to a short for exclusive deals.
2. Control the message and its impact: Use a short code and a keyword on fliers and posters that give potential customers a simple call to action to respond. Each person who responds is actively interested in what the bar or nightclub has to offer. A nightclub could encourage customers to text to several different keywords as a way of managing its database. Sandbar Cafe in New Jersey manages its customers this way, with separate key words for its general mailing lists and VIP reservations. Separate lists for reservations are handy on heavy-traffic days like St. Patrick's Day.
3. Build a relationship: Cultivate your database of customers and actively interact with them to keep them interested in your business. One way to do that is by regularly notifying them about promotions, sales and new products. Your business can also keep customers by sending them coupons for their loyalty. Use a mobile coupon on search sites like Google to offer discounts on drinks, food and cover charges. Valentine's Day is a couple night, so another good coupon would be a two-for-the-price-of-one promotion. On the other hand, St. Patrick's Day tends to be a group outing, so why not offer a coupon for a discount for groups of three or more? Mobile banner ads are another way to get that coupon out there. Use Foursquare and ValPak Mobile Coupons to reach consumers too.
4. Grow clientele base: Use QR codes to link in with an SMS campaign to allow potential clients to sign up for the texting list. Use a street team to hand out VIP cards with the QR codes or short code and keywords. Allow customers to sign up for the text messaging from the nightclub's Facebook page or Twitter account, which will drive customers to the message list. Got a special for Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's? Send it out to the customers you have cultivated through mobile marketing and social media. Why not give them an extra incentive -- like a discount -- if they share the text, tweet or Facebook post? It would be more money in your pocket when their friends also respond.

Mobile marketing is all about reaching and connecting to people on one of their most-used personal devices - their cell phones. Potential customers who actively respond and are kept interested can be converted into loyal patrons.