If you’re looking for a new way to target consumers in China, why not consider doing it through mobile phone marketing? In this Click-Z article: a very large opportunity for mobile marketing I am once again reminded of the vast marketing potential of the mobile phone in China.
The author Laura Marriott writes:
China has more than 400 million mobile users, more than those who use a fixed line phone, and boasts impressive wireless data statistics.
Marriott also references another fine article titled The rise and rise of mobiles in China where the plot thickens:
Now, Shanghai Daily reports that mobile handset ownership in China has topped 409 million, or 30 handsets for every 100 people, a rise of more than 5 million new handsets every month.
According to the Shanghai Daily, “Short messages sent in the first quarter reached 98.82 billion, up 47 percent from a year ago.”
None of this surprises me.
First off, mobile phones are far cheaper to own than fixed phones, and offer more flexibility — not only for the obvious reason. Most users in China do not get a monthly bill on their phone, but often opt to just add money.
Second, text messaging is often preferred over giving someone a call. Why? Because in China, you always have to pay when you use your phone — at least 0.40 mao per minute and up to 1.50 yuan per minute to call another phone. With texting,
you only pay 0.10 mao per minute — a bargain! I should know…my husband and I almost exclusively used text messaging to communicate by mobile phone.
Companies are starting to catch on. For example, my gym in Shanghai used to send short text messages reminding me of their upcoming events.
But the possibilities could stretch far beyond that…