Mobile High 5

08/21/2026

Be honest. How many retail apps have you downloaded, used once and then forgotten about?

That’s exactly what Adobe found is happening with many retail apps.

Our founder, Barbara Casey, recently shared her thoughts with E-Commerce Times about why. Too many apps are built around what the retailer wants to promote instead of what the customer would actually find useful.

A customer shouldn’t have to remember to open an app to find out whether a reward, reminder or relevant update is waiting. A text puts that information right on the locked screen and can take the customer directly to the website, app or store.

Apps can still be valuable. But first, you have to give people a reason to come back.

Read the article and Barbara’s comments here:

Adobe research finds discounts can drive retail app downloads, but ongoing utility, personalized experiences, and AI-powered features may be key to keeping consumers engaged.

08/07/2026

Think about one local business you would genuinely miss if it disappeared.

Chances are, it’s not because it has the biggest selection or the lowest prices.

It’s because someone there knows your name. Remembers what you like. Asks about your family. Makes you feel like more than another transaction.

That’s an advantage no large marketing budget can easily replicate. And with the right technology, independent businesses can keep those relationships strong and personal, even as they grow.

Which local business would you genuinely miss? Give them a shoutout in the comments.

08/05/2026

When a local business owner remembers your favorite color is blue and that you need a dress for your upcoming vacation, it feels like you've been seen. In today's increasingly anonymous world driven by social media, this is powerful.

That is the advantage independent businesses have. The challenge is making sure those relationships continue even when the owner gets busy.

Because that kind of attention turns a purchase into a relationship. And with the right technology and smart segmentation, an independent business can reach customers based on what they actually care about, making personal attention possible at scale.

07/28/2026

You know that friend who only calls when they need something?

If your business only reaches out to your customers when you have a sale, you are missing a huge relationship building opportunity.

Just like any relationship, if you are in a person's life consistently, you build trust over time and remind that person why they cared about you in the first place.

07/23/2026

Running a small business means wearing a lot of hats.

Some days you're helping customers.

Some days you're hiring, ordering inventory, or putting out fires.

And every once in a while, you're lucky enough to take a vacation.

But your customer relationships don't pause just because life gets busy.

When you have someone paying attention in the background, the engagement continues.

Someone is noticing what's working, making small adjustments, keeping the conversation going so customers don't forget to come back.

Customer retention isn't built through one big campaign. It's built through consistent, thoughtful outreach over time.

That's why small businesses who have someone "watching the ship" see better results over time.

While you're running your business, your marketing should still be working for you.

07/16/2026

Every business has customers who intended to come back. Wonder what happend?

They enjoyed the experience.

They liked your product.

They even told themselves, "I'll definitely be back."

Then life happened.

Kids have soccer.

Work gets hectic.

Vacations, errands, appointments, and a hundred other priorities take over.

Meanwhile, other businesses stay visible, send reminders, and find little ways to stay part of the conversation.

Most customers don't intentionally leave. They simply lose the habit.

The businesses that grow year after year aren't always the ones with the biggest advertising budgets. They're the ones that consistently nurture relationships and stay top of mind.

Because when a customer needs what you offer, the business they remember is usually the business they visit.

07/09/2026

Your next sale probably isn't waiting on Instagram.

It's waiting in your customer database.

Think about it.

Someone has already discovered your business.
They've already made a purchase.
They've already trusted you enough to pull out their wallet.

The opportunity isn't always finding someone new.

It's giving the people who already know you a reason to remember you.

The strongest businesses don't stay top of mind by accident. They stay connected through consistent, meaningful communication that makes customers think, "I should stop in this week."

Because the easiest customer to earn is often the one you've already earned once.

07/02/2026

As we celebrate Independence Day this week, here's a different kind of independence worth thinking about.

Independence from changing algorithms.

Independence from rising ad costs.

Independence from wondering whether your social media post will actually reach the customers who already chose to follow you.

The strongest small businesses build something they own: direct relationships with their customers.

Whether it's a loyalty program, text marketing, or a simple customer database, every connection you own is one less relationship controlled by someone else's platform.

Because repeat customers aren't built by chance. They're built by staying connected. Consistently.

What's one marketing asset your business truly owns?

06/25/2026

Things retailers tell me that sound true.

But usually aren't.

**"We don't discount, so text marketing isn't for us."**

I hear this a lot from specialty retailers.

And I understand why.

Many businesses associate text marketing with flash sales and coupons.

But some of the most successful SMS programs I see have very little to do with discounts.

They use text messaging to:

• Announce new arrivals

• Invite customers to events

• Share back-in-stock alerts

• Celebrate customer milestones

• Promote loyalty rewards

• Offer VIP early access

In other words, they use it to stay connected.

Text marketing isn't just a discount channel.

It's a relationship channel.

The goal isn't to train customers to wait for a sale.

The goal is to remain relevant between visits.

What are some ways your business creates value without relying on discounts?

06/23/2026

Let's settle a business debate.

If you could only choose one, which would it be?

🅰️ 100 New Customers

OR

🅱️ 100 Existing Customers Make One Additional Purchase

There isn't necessarily a wrong answer.

But your choice says a lot about how you think about growth.

I'm curious...

Which are you choosing and why?