Mobile marketing is an emerging force for small business marketers.  However, of the many mobile options, which is the best starting point for small businesses: E-mail based mobile marketing, SMS text messaging, web browsing, or the host of new applications hitting the smart phone market?

Unlike Asia, the U.S. market faces anti-spam and Do Not Call restrictions which limits the freedom and scope of intrusive marketing strategies.  Just like best-practice email marketing, permission-based lists or cell numbers works best.  It shows respect, limits unwanted intrusion, and reduces the flood of daily information we have to filter as consumers.  Those that want to receive your content are naturally your best small business target market.  If you provide substance rather than spam, your message tends to stick and provide value.  The same goes for Mobile Marketing.

So what’s the future of Mobile Marketing in America?  I say start first with a solid e-mail marketing campaign that’s “phone friendly.”  Constant Contact has worked well for my small business marketing consulting company.  Then, consider SMS text messaging for starters.  If you are already using Twitter for your small business, then keeping your message short and simple yet substantive.  Shift from Tweets to texts, or combine both.  How about promotions via SMS text?  Coupon code SMS text?

Perhaps you’re already testing some Mobile Marketing strategies or campaigns.  If so, what are you doing?  What’s working or not working?  What are your best-practices?  Do you focus on platforms, too, such as the iPhone or Blackberry handsets?  The iPhone is stronger in the browsing category, while Blackberry leans stronger with email marketing.  Both, among many other fine phones in the market, include more than enough features to cover the mobile marketing map.

What do you think?