It describes the SoLoMo’s usage for marketing across the various industries. It provides deep insight on what SoLoMo is all about and how it is implemented for getting better results than the traditional marketing strategies.
2. Table of Contents
Sr No.
TOPIC
Page
1
ABSTRACT
1
2
SOLOMO EMERGENCE
1
3
SOLOMO DEFINED
5
4
NEED FOR SOLOMO
7
5
SOLOMO TRANSFORMATION
8
6
SOLOMO ARCHITECTURE
9
7
SOLOMO PERSPECTIVE
12
8
SOLOMO OPPORTUNITIES
14
9
CONCLUSION
16
10
REFERENCES
17
2
3. Abstract
This whitepaper is intended to give a brief perspective on Social Local
Mobile (SoLoMo) – a marketing strategy. It describes the SoLoMo’s usage for
marketing across the various industries. It provides deep insight on what
SoLoMo is all about and how it is implemented for getting better results than
the traditional marketing strategies.
SoLoMo Emergence
We are in NON-PC era. YES, you read that correctly. The trend suggests
the percentage of people who are using smart phones as compared to who didn’t
personal computers is very high. So we call it as a NON-PC era. We are
surrounded with the magic of technology that give us power to go things in
fraction of seconds, just like a magician. Book a movie ticket, pay internet bills,
know about insurance policy, buying a new gadget these are just achieved on
finger tips. Who we are? Who we know? Where we are? Where we’ve been?
was once difficult to find out but now it’s easy to figure this out. And yes we
human beings are adoptive to change, we make ourselves synchronize with the
change and go hand in hand with change.
“It is not strongest of the species that survive nor the intelligent but the one
most responsive to change” – Charles Darwin
Along the growth of smart phones the social network also evolved
significantly. Facebook, Twitter gave different vision for internet usage. People
over world connected to each other. They are now able to share their views
among each other. Professional networking was also possible.
Another important aspect that evolved is Location Based Services (LBS).
These Services have played a crucial role when they integrated themselves with
the digital There is now a convergence of multiple technologies such as
Internet, Wireless Communication Geographic information system, Location
Technologies , Mobile Devices.
3
4. We often need to know where things are physically located (location
services, wireless location services, mobile location based services) and relating
location to other pertinent information gives meaning and value for e.g. we need
directions from one place to another , we want to interact naturally with I/O
devices available in our environment. This gave rise to the concept of Location
Based Services.
LBSs are information services accessible with mobile device through the
mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the location of the
mobile device.LBS is a two way communication and interaction where user tells
the information he needs, preferences and position and service provider delivers
information tailored to the user needs
4
5. SoLoMo Defined
SoLoMo stands out for Social, Local and Mobile. It is emerging
technique that understands the present and future world scenario. The main
concept behind this technique is “sever the customer as per his likes/dislikes in
his/her own vicinity through use of social networking.”
Social
As study says, the percentage of people switching towards the Social
Networking among the online population has increased considerably.
Collaborations and connectivity’s among various sites (Facebook+ Twitter,
Facebook + foursquare) made connection bonding so strong.
The main advantage of social is that all type of information is readily
available for the companies (e.g. person qualification, interests, trends). With
the help of such type of data marketing strategies could be designed to increase
the customer base. Below figure shows the percentage of PC Screen Time in
India and it is about 25%.
5
6. Local
Since we are in the era of Smartphone along with the magic of LocationBased Engagement technologies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, foursquare
made it possible to use location as weapon for identifying the areas where we
want our market to be expanded or established. The main idea was to establish
the branch office in customer’s locality. This will make customers happier and
they will be stickier. Interesting applications are designed such as foursquare to
map the location of users along with the categorization such as frequent visitor
or a rare visitor. Such applications include the people reviews about places
and restaurants which forms interesting factor for people visiting a new place.
Foursquare App
Mobile
The main idea for mobile is to share information from wherever it is
being requested or to serve the customer 24X7. The percentage of hand held
devices is increased substantially. It provided a mean to reach out to customer
more easily and deliver him the information ASAP.
6
7. Need for SoLoMo
Smartphone adaption has initiated the use of SoLoMo. People find it easy
to get all the information they want into pocket size devices. IOS, Android
markets evolved with applications that made this process smoother.
Figure shows the drastic growth of mobile and tablets in 2013.
Social Networking sites evolved had made a huge impact. This formed
important link for human connections. All emotions/likes/dislikes were shared
on them. This made the companies to easily approach towards the customers
and understands them.
As the technology progressed location sharing came handy. This helped
to track the locations of the customers and target them.
7
8. SoLoMo Transformation
Radios broadcasts were easy source for reaching out to the customers.
However it provide a large scale of audience but it was not feasible to target the
prospect customers at more granular level. Radios broadcasts were replaced by
desktop where the user was able to target more easily and more at granular
level. By desktops the IP addressed were now able to track down to determine
the locality of the prospect customer.
Later emerged the concept of mobiles and tablets which gave a totally
new view customer targeting. Now the prospect customers can be easily tracked
with exact location through GPS coordinated making the brand an easy way to
serve the prospects and increase their business smoothly.
8
9. SoLoMo Architecture
Location Data-as-a-Service (L-DaaS) Platforms
This forms to be as Data Repository. They also include mapping
solutions where analysts can correlate between the upper layers. The mappings
from Google and Bing serve the most basic. Apart from these two we have
Factual. A single location can be referenced in hundreds of databases, many of
which are incomplete or inaccurate. Factual seeks to centralize this point-ofinterest (POI) data into a unified resource that is free for all to access
9
10. Location-Based Engagement Platforms
Through Social network platforms people share interests, activities,
backgrounds, or real-life connections. A social network service consists of a
representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of
additional services.
Online community services are sometimes considered as a social
network service, though in a broader sense, social network service usually
means an individual-centered service whereas online community services are
group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, pictures,
posts, activities, events, and interests with people in their network. E.g.
Facebook, Twitter.
Location-Based Engagement Applications
Marketers have less flexibility in working
with applications, but they are vital to maintaining
a
holistic and comprehensive LBE (Location Based Engagement) strategy. There
are numerous number of applications that are placed upon platforms. These
apps mainly include a check in features that are integrated with Facebook
Twitter. E.g. Yelp, Instagram.
10
11. Distribution and Awareness
It includes both paid and unpaid sources. It’s always geo-targeted and often
includes other targeting criteria. In most cases, the objective is to inspire action
or behavioural change that leads to a brand engagement and redemption at the
point of sale. In other words, the consumer receives a relevant call to action,
which leads to a social engagement and offer redemption
“Offering a free soda with purchase at a restaurant rewards users for checking
in and sharing the brand with friends and encourages them to continue that
behaviour”
POS (Point Of Sale)
This is actually the core of the SoLoMo where the actual brand is sold/
delivered to the customer and forms the source of income for the brand. Here
data is collected and linked with offline sales such as a particular ad for discount
season on Facebook resulting in increase in number of sale for that particular
brand. This is the point where all discounts and offers are redeemed to
customers. The POS data is of prime importance since this includes all type of
customer behaviour data, revenue stats , profit/loss ratio helping brand to
strengthen its relationship with the customers and promote new offering and
stand hard in competition.
11
12. SoLoMo Perspective
When it comes to marketing both the customer and business perspectives
are important. It is important to understand the customer behaviour , trends ,
likes/dislikes and demands and also on the other hand it is important to maintain
the brand value as per the customer need so as to achieve highest level of
customer satisfaction. It provides opportunity to both (customer and brand) to
achieve their goals. SoLoMo has two perspectives customer and business.
Customer perspective
Human beings are meant to be social. They interact with each other share
thoughts , suggestions and idea's. Friends are the most important part of their
lives. They hang out with each other. Same comes with buying any product or
brand. It is natural tendency that one will ask his/her friend before opting to
some new brand which he/she has never tried before. It can be termed into the
category of the mouth publicity. Apart from that people now more believe on
reviews and comments and are intelligent enough to compare the brands and
choose the most feasible one. Be it is cost constraint or quality constraints.
I want to know where my friends are right now. And yes I will get to
know this within fraction of seconds though various location sharing apps and
platforms that provide smooth running for such apps.
And with mobile came the location flexibility. I no longer need a desktop
to book my train ticket. All the things can be done with a single handheld device
and technology has made it so simple to use.
12
13. Business Perspective
From business point of view a brand can promote the message through
social networks since these networks forms a strong link between the customers
and is a cheap way to reaching out to the prospects. Various advertisements
blend the customers to opt one's brand.
Tracking the customer satisfaction is also easily decoded. Various tools
and software’s are available that track down the popularity of the brand among
the people by analyzing comments/reviews. Hence providing a gateway for the
brand to improve on area's which they are not up to the mark and be competitive
with the similar brand available.
With location based facilities the brand can track the customer trends for certain
places and can focus majorly on the target area so as to gain maximum
throughput. Brand can now understand its competitor’s actions in target areas
and work upon strategizing themselves to beat the competitors. With mobile
comes the flexibility to get in touch of the prospect directly. But care should be
taken that customer should not be annoyed.
SoLoMo Opportunities
13
14. a) Local Search Action
- Study says the user conducting the local search have more possibility
to take the action (e.g. visit to a store/ buy a product)
b) Customer Engagement
- We can engage the customers and opt them for buying more of our
products by asking them specific interesting questions , understanding
their behaviour/trends
c) Increased Transparency
- People in these days strongly believe in reviews and product prices
before they switch themselves to new product. It is important to
increase the transparency in our process so that customer will be
happy.
Advantages
a) Distribute Likes
- SoLoMo deals with customer information, an information directed to
the customer by taking into the consideration the likes and dislikes of
customers is a huge advantage.
b) Service at your desk
- All the business that is to be carried out will be in customer’s vicinity
Disadvantages
a) Privacy Concerns
14
15. - Since SoLoMo mainly deals with customer information there is
possibility that this information can be misused which is a threat to the
customer.
b) Habits of individuals
- Since SoLoMo mainly deals with the location information there is
possibility of information getting trapped about : places I visit often ,
place where I’m going into etc.
c) Annoyed Future
-
Since SoLoMo mainly deals with the mobile there is possibility that
the person may get annoyed or irritated if the way of communication
is not directed correctly.
15
16. Conclusion
SoLoMo provides a platform presenting opportunities for organizations
to experiment new technologies and learn what kind of tactics consumers
respond to positively. Engagement of prospects/non customers, taking care of
existing customers and retaining them , providing your customers services that
the never got before , rewarding your customers with different offers.
16