People love their smart phones and mobile devices. Let me rephrase: People are in love with their smart phones and mobile devices. Even in the poorest nations, smart phones and mobile devices proliferate. Everyone from 6 to 86 has at least a cell phone if not a smart phone and/or a tablet. Communicating and accessing the Web on the go isn’t going away.

How Big is Mobile Marketing?

Here are a few facts about the mobile world worth chewing on:

• Advertising via cell phones is estimated to grow from $160 million in 2008 to $ 3.1 billion in 2013.
• Mobile Marketing in the U.S. alone is expected to grow to $2 billion by 2014.
• 75% of marketers are planning to add mobile to their marketing mix according to Forrester Research.
• Smartphone usage will grow by 1/3 to 43% of all mobile users by 2015 according to eMarketer.
• 65-70% of smartphone owner are open to receiving offers on their mobile phones.
• 29% of mobile users are open to scanning a mobile tag to get coupons.
• Growth in mobile barcode scanning increased 1600% in 2010.
• On average, Americans spend 2.7 hours a day socializing on their mobile device.
• A survey of 15,000 mobile users across 14 countries found that 35% prefer shopping via mobile, compared to 15% who preferred shopping via their laptop or PC.
• Over one third of all Facebook users access the site through Facebook mobile.

If That Wasn’t Convincing Enough…

It’s a given; everyone and their mother has a cell phone. In fact, most people are rarely without their phones. Whether it’s in their pockets, purses or on their nightstands. We’re talking about 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact, we feel naked without our cells. What if the car breaks down? What if there’s an emergency? What if I miss a call? Or a text? Or a Tweet? (For those true neophytes, Tweeting is part of Social Media; an integral part of the new marketing mix.

While people these days can’t be without their smart phones and mobile devices it wasn’t always the case. What happened that made these neat little toys of convenience so much more? Messaging. When you can suddenly be part of several “clubs” or “groups” and receive 140 character-long messages (that’s about 2 short sentences) throughout the day that deliver information, offers, invitations, visuals and more right in the palm of your hand, you belong! You’re important. You must be or your phone wouldn’t beep and buzz so often, right?

They Don’t Call Them Smart Phones for Nothing

A Smart Phone (the iPhone was the first) is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a regular cell phone. If 43% of all mobile users will have smart phones by 2015, wouldn’t it be stupid not to take advantage of this terrific new marketing tool?

Author Trish Little is an avid blogger. If you would like to enhance your education portfolio consider a communication degree. Several schools offer this degree such as communicationmgmt.usc.edu and emerson.edu.