With the official holiday season just around the corner, customers know that the best bargains lie in the palm of their hands, thanks to mobile devices and apps.

Photo by Flickr user dave416, licensed under Creative Commons: http://bit.ly/u7lMb9

It is now a mainstream activity to use mobile technology to gather information, compare prices and make buying decisions. This tendency towards “pre-shopping” gives customers a chance to thoroughly research gift ideas long before the holiday decorations hit store shelves.

According to a recent survey conducted by Shopper Sciences, a marketing consultancy unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies’ Mediabrands, 34 percent of consumers started their pre-shopping before October. In addition, 50 percent say they plan to avoid malls and large retailers on Black Friday.

“This is shaping up to be a no holds barred, digitally-empowered shopping season,” according to Shopper Sciences CEO, John Ross. “Retailers will need to harness every media trick possible to connect and convert this new digital-savvy shopper.”

Because the power now lies in the hands of the consumer, retailers must implement a diverse array of tactics to ensure they are successfully engaging their target audience. This includes previewing Black Friday deals in advance, sending personalized text alerts for last minute sales and enticing buyers with additional rewards and free shipping. When timing, targeting and incentivization are done right, mobile marketers can make a significant impact on purchase and consideration during the holidays, according to Dynamic Logic.

For the 2011 holiday season, retailers are pulling out all the stops techology-wise: ads on mobile and web apps, check-in promotions, daily deals, QR codes, and rich media executions within SMS are all in play.

But going beyond the technologies, a strategic approach and coordinated execution are crucial – including real human interaction that backs up the bytes and packets of data. Post-sale engagement matters, too. It can be all too easy for companies to go after new customers with much more gusto than when they try to retain and extend their relationship with existing ones. But we all know that your best marketer is a happy customer. Give your brand the gift of long term business – on mobile and beyond.

*If you’re communicating the way you should be…