With more people accessing the internet through smartphone and mobile devices than computers, mobile marketing is a great way to reach customers and makes it easy for them to instantly respond. Here are some first steps to mobile marketing:

• Tap into text messages. Mobile text marketing can be an affordable and effective way to attract qualified leads and stay in touch with clients. To get started, work with a mobile marketing provider that offers plans and support services for small businesses. Your provider can give you access to short text codes and keywords. For example, a yard sign could have a call to action to “Text COMFORT to 45880 to save 10 percent on weatherizing your home.” Respondents would receive an automatic reply, including a link to sign up for a special offer on your website. Text messaging also allows you to send special offers and updates to your list of mobile subscribers.
• Build a mobile-friendly website to make sure visitors have a good experience regardless of what device they use. To make your website mobile-friendly, you can create a simplified mobile version of your site or a new responsive website. Responsive websites are designed to automatically adjust for optimal viewing on any device, from phone to desktop computer.
• Get a free Google Places listing. Every business with an address can claim a free Google Places listing. For local searches, Google matches queries by drawing from the profile information you create.