By Kevin Thornton

Bluetooth proximity marketing is the gateway to a whole new era of targeting.

It's a door that lets advertisers reach consumers and vice versa. If mobile devices give you always-on access to your target demographic, then Bluetooth advertising is the proverbial match to an ocean of gasoline.

It's about proximity. It's about getting consumers excited about your product right when that excitement can convert to a purchase.

Perfect, eh? Not so fast.

There are a few things that every Bluetooth proximity marketer should know before they go lighting fires.

First, a little scene-setting.

From an advertiser's point of view, there's no question that Bluetooth is one of the best ways to target consumers.

Bluetooth is, by definition, location-based.

You catch potential customers when they are within 100 feet of a target location.

Even better, the delivery mechanism is independent of wireless carriers.

There are no airtime or text charges to divvy and parse, or worse, annoy those very consumers you're trying to influence.

Bluetooth is also a great way to make a first impression on a customer. And it's the importance of making a good first impression that leads us to the three most important things that an advertiser should know to ensure that Bluetooth plays the role of hero, not scourge.

Perhaps the most important aspect of successful Bluetooth proximity marketing is that it has to be opt-in. You can't invade the most personal of human electronic devices. Knock before you enter. Wipe your feet on the mat. And if you really want to work it, come bearing gifts.

The second imperative of successful Bluetooth marketing is call-to-action signage.

For most people, Bluetooth is for headsets. The only time they encounter the word "discoverable" is the first time they connect a Bluetooth device to their mobile phones.

We've got to put "discoverable" in the pop culture lexicon, preferably next to "Fergalicious."

Nobody is going to get your ad unless their phones are open to receive them.

Furthermore, recent data support the idea that awareness is key: Opt-in rates have been shown to increase three to four times with compelling signage.

Third, content must be suitable for mobile. Use as few words as possible -- or a short video or an image -- to make your message easy to understand with as little effort as possible on the part of consumers.

If you focus on the simplicity of the first engagement, there are countless opportunities with the same consumers again and again down the road.

It's in this manner that Bluetooth advertising can function as the ultimate portal, connecting users with a host of other services that they choose in incremental steps along the way.

Let's say you're a movie studio or the neighborhood multiplex. If you allow your patrons to opt into Bluetooth previews on their mobile devices, then they take those advertisements with them when they leave, greatly increasing the likelihood that they will engage with related mobile content, such as WAP sites, ringtones and wallpapers.

When you're ready to deploy a campaign, work closely with your agency and Bluetooth operator to ensure that your campaign will have the maximum impact.

Think in terms of best practices.

Work with partners who know your target audience and can pick locations based on that information. If you're going after 13-18-year-olds, you know you can find them at the shopping mall. If you're trying to reach adult males ages 18-49, then go to bars, gas stations or convenience stores.

In the next few years, proximity marketing will undergo intensive evolution.

Bluetooth may or may not be the preferred delivery mechanism in the future, but for now it's the most robust technology for the purposes it serves.

Most importantly, marketers should focus on making the consumer experience the best it can possibly be. This ensures success for the entire mobile marketing ecosystem.

Organizations such as the Mobile Marketing Association and its Proximity Marketing Committee allow the advertising community to rest assured that the industry is not run by a bunch of mavericks.

Kevin Thornton is CEO of Intera Group Inc., Pleasanton, CA. Reach him at .