Look up! Take a look around you and you’ll see everyone doing it. Americans are nose down in their BlackBerrys, Androids and iPhones texting, checking in on Foursquare or Googling for an answer. You’re probably reading this on your smart phone right now. With the holidays coming and smart phones becoming more accessible, this trend will only grow in 2011. This means it’s time to think about mobile marketing. Here are a few ways mobile marketing can help your business.

Make your website mobile friendly.
If you look at your phone bill, you’ll notice that you’ve probably spent more minutes online or texting than actually on the phone. Smart phones can double as a computer, so it’s important that you think about how you want your customers to interact with you when they’re on the go. Of course you’ll want those potential customers to be able to find you or call you as they navigate your site. If you have an online ordering component for instance, you should consider an application that allows users to work with you online.

Text message your customers when they’re nearby.
Rather than just e-mail marketing, consider text message marketing in your mix. Mobile Marketing Watch claims the reaction rate for text message marketing is 70 percent compared to 30 percent for e-mail marketing. You can send special coupons at the exact times of day that your potential customers would want to hear from you. Of course, like e-mail marketing, make sure your customers have opted-in to receive these messages.

Apply some creativity.
If you have a smart phone you know that there are hundreds of applications that you can download to do just about anything. Think about what your business can offer in the form of a useful application that will get people to install it on their phones. It’s a great way for them to interact with your brand and to increase sales.