The answer is now. Think about it. There are nearly 200 million subscribers in the U.S., which is about 65% of the population. And thanks to advancements like PDA’s, smart phones, Blackberrys and most recently the iPhone, cellular technology is narrowing the gap between phones and PCs. In fact, with more stringent security for air travelers, many executives have set aside their laptops in favor of their favorite web-enabled hand-held device. 

So how should B2B marketers take advantage of this newest medium? There’s no one perfect answer. The best thing to do is start understanding and implementing the basics. 

Text messaging was one of the first and most elementary forays into mobile marketing. We’ve all seen text messaging promotions using short codes on popular TV shows like "American Idol" or "Deal or No Deal". But few B2B marketers have incorporated this new media into their marketing programs. Instead of just directing ad visitors to go to their website for information, savvy marketers should (also) ask prospects to text them for more information or to get something for free. In fact, text the word “Godfrey” to 23000 for a simple example on how this works. 

As mobile screens get larger and clearer, marketers should see a significant increase in mobile traffic to their sites over the next few years. To take advantage of this new traffic, marketers should seriously consider investing in two things. First is properly optimizing their sites to handle mobile traffic. Between heavy photography, flash programming and poor navigation, most sites are ill equipped to handle mobile visitors. At least for now, mobile-optimized sites need to keep it simple. Even the best mobile-optimized sites like, Google, MapQuest and Yahoo are struggling to keep their download times below 10 seconds.

Second is proper content for mobile audiences. New mediums require new levels of content. A mobile visitor to a site is going there for much different reasons than a PC visitor. They want quick access to information they need on the road, in a plant or at an installation. Mobile visitors aren’t looking for large PDF downloads, they want quick tutorials, access to product specs, knowledge on product availability or even…dare I say a means to purchase a product from their cell phone.

A new generation of media is here. So, will you be at the front of the pack or playing catch up to your competitors?