Many mobile campaigns are done because marketers know they need to be in the mobile space, and the thought process often ends there, which ends up wasting time, effort and money, according to Russel Stromin, founder of mobile marketing solutions provider Strike Media.

However, to be a worthwhile investment, a strategy must be developed before the mobile marketing is executed, he states.

"One of the most useful things any mobile campaign can deliver is information to drive the next one. This means it needs to gather relevant information. For example, we've seen scores of mobile competitions that ask customers to send product barcodes to enter. This is pointless, for two reasons: first, a barcode is pretty much useless as a proof of purchase. Second, it's a wasted opportunity to ask for much more useful information. A postal code will reveal where customers live; a year of birth gives their age; an ID number gives that and more," Stromin states in his article, posted by Biz-Community Africa. "Armed with this growing profile linked to the customer's cellphone number, it becomes possible to craft a much more rewarding, longer-term dialogue."

Companies that plan the goal of the campaign, and how it can be achieved are more likely to gain insight into their customers, while also being helpful for customers, instead of a nuisance, according to Stromin.