By Ryan Golden

These days, friends and family have more options on where to go for the holidays. Ultimately, it is the invitation that sells them.

A personalized note sent out early to each guest, talking up your plans for a festive, traditional holiday meal, touching on who might also be there, or adding the enticement of grandma?s infamous gingerbread cookies, if that is what they like, will all help clinch the deal. You can apply this same logic to your mobile advertising.

Take time and think on how you can dress up your messaging and creative to personally connect with your customers. And do not forget to customize your message based on the customer?s location. This is just as important as what is on the menu and who is coming to dinner. 

For example, if a small tavern near AT&T Park targeted all of San Francisco during the World Series with a message, ?Stop in and check-out our World Series specials,? chances are the majority of those messages would go unread because, obviously, not everyone in San Francisco would be at the game or even near AT&T Park.

But what if that same small tavern targeted only AT&T Park and a few key areas nearby, then catered creative to people only in those exact locations.

Messages such as, ?Hey AT&T Park: Still Thirsty after the 7th? Stop in at The Tavern. We?re just a block away,? would be far more likely to attract customers, since they are already in the area.

?It?s a bit undercooked, my dear ??
Do you cringe, waiting for your mother-in-law?s habitual critique of your holiday meal? Well, if you set and forget your roast in the oven this year that is likely just what you?ll get.

Real chefs and anxious daughters-in-law know that for a succulent meal you have to pay constant attention to it while it is cooking.

Well, the same is true for local mobile advertising campaigns. If you just create a message and leave it to be, it can quickly become boring, or, worse, irrelevant.

For example, say your business is on the same street as a local farmers market on Saturday and you send out a message inviting shoppers to drop-in while they are there, but come Sunday the farmer?s market moves all the way across town, your message and creative from Saturday will no longer make sense.

If you want potential consumers to get excited about your brand, service or store, you have to continuously update your message so that it is relevant to your customers and their location. 

Recipe for success
Unexpected dinner guests and other surprises are always a possibility at any friendly gathering, so it is smart to be prepared and flexible. This is true in mobile advertising, too.

Data is constantly shifting and can provide unexpected surprises as well as welcome opportunities. You must be vigilant and continuously examine your mobile efforts. Be prepared to trim the fat when something is not working and be ready to add some gravy when a new opportunity arises.

Having the ability to monitor and respond to your mobile efforts in real-time is key to accommodating the unexpected and maximizing the ROI from your local mobile budget.

Bottom line, taking time to plan out your invitation, paying attention to details, and being flexible is the recipe for a great holiday dinner and a successful local mobile campaign.

Ryan Golden is CEO of location engine Moasis Global, San Francisco. Reach him at .