The purpose of this research is to investigate the role and importance of mobile marketing. This will be achieved by theoretically defining mobile marketing; exploring its significance in adopting a multi-channel marketing approach by marketers and business owners; investigating its role in integrating with social media; and proposing a conceptual framework towards its utilization in the wider strategic marketing context. Mobile marketing has emerged as a new addition to the portfolio of marketing communication tools. Every day more businesses are incorporating mobile marketing into their marketing mix in order to communicate effectively with their customers. The main purpose of mobile marketing is to increase the awareness level of the businesses by assisting them in gathering relevant information about the needs and preferences of their target customers in a timely and profitable manner. Entering the mobile channel requires a high-level strategic plan. Mobile strategy is the framework that defines how various mobile tactics such as mobile websites, mobile apps and other mobile marketing communication tools are used to satisfy the customers' needs and achieve the specified marketing goals. Furthermore, a successful mobile strategy depends on a harmonious balance between: (1) the brand, (2) the customers, and (3) the environment. The brand, the customers, and the environment have identical importance in a mobile strategy; however, a successful mobile strategy is one that is uniquely customized to the specific brand and the target customers. From a methodological perspective, the research is based on theory at this stage of development and it is enhanced by secondary data. Theoretical considerations from the literature are further conceptually developed to construct a mobile marketing provisional framework towards empirical validation. Taking the research studies on mobile marketing into careful consideration, it is evident that there is a lack of awareness and knowledge among marketers that plan to adopt and integrate mobile marketing into their direct marketing communications. This is due to the limited number of research studies exclusively dedicated to mobile marketing communications using smartphones and tablet PCs. With the rapid mobile technology developments, marketing through the mobile channel is getting pervasive and not negligible in the upcoming years. Therefore, to entirely adopt mobile as a new element of the marketing mix, marketers are required to evolve along with it. Otherwise, they will gradually lose a large number of customers who are mobile. Consequently, it should be taken into consideration that mobile marketing opens new horizons for businesses and marketing managers which will ultimately result in increasing sales and consumer traffic, driving offline sales up by incorporating location-based search strategies, and building customer loyalty and trust by asking for their permission prior to initiating a marketing dialogue with them. The research outcomes do add to the growing knowledge concerning mobile marketing and set the basis for a more refined understanding through a more comprehensive perspective on the topic.
