Text Messages

Text Message System

Text Message SystemA text message system operated by the telco is the most common text message system that most people are familiar with. For a fixed monthly price you can usually find text message system services that are unlimited. In other words you can send as many text messages every month as you want perfect smoke price.

Increasingly there are Online text message systems that are being offered by online Internet companies. These companies include Skype, WhatsApp and iMessage are three examples. Skype and WhatsApp will operate across any platform. Including android and Apple smart phones. For example iMessage will only operate on Apple system and they are free to all Apple smart phone users. Hence the bottom line is that you must have a smart phone to be able to run these particular applications.

Text Message System – Manage from Your Desktop

Some text message systems can be Managed from your desk top. Skype for example can be used on your desktop as well as your smartphone providing significant flexibility and capability.

Set up tracking and reports if you need to keep track of the messages that are sent by text to your customers acquaintances or friends. There are applications available to run text message campaigns for marketing and sales activities. As well as sending alerts to customers. Also to general populations who carry smart phones and phones that are capable of receiving text messages.

Text Message System – Use Your Smart Phone

Another neat feature about using Apple iPhones and iPads when sending text messages is that if you have an iPhone and iPad linked on the same account. Copies of your text messages will be on both devices.

This is particularly useful if you use a combination of an iPhone while on the road and an iPad in the office or in your hotel room at night. Having the flexibility of these text messages on both systems provide you with a great deal more information and control. The convenience alone is worth having both of these devices. At times you may want to use the larger iPad. When you are at a meeting, going for a coffee, etc, you may want to only carry the iPhone. With either device you will always have the confidence of knowing that you are on top of your text messages at all times.

These apps are being upgraded all of the time. Recently, they have enabled voice recordings, pictures and videos to be attached to these message systems. They are no longer just text messages system, they have evolved into something much more powerful.

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Text Message Campaigns cont’d

Text Message CampaignsOur last post discussed managing expectations, setting goals and objectives when you run a text message campaign. The important thing here is to set expectations and be able to measure them to enable your team to know if they are being successful or not. Most good text messaging companies will ask you to focus on this aspect. If their customers are successful, then they consider their products and services successful as well. In fact before you even call a company to discuss Text Message Campaigns, you may want to discuss with your team the objectives and goals of the campaign so that you can maximize your time and discussion results with the company that you interview to run your text message campaign.

Operators and customers also need to measure results since this is the only way you can really know if your program is successful or not. You may measure sales, queries, responses and overall customer contacts.  Depending on your business, you may measure an entire different set of key results. The most important thing is to figure this out ahead of time. Make sure that the items you want to measure can be measured. Check with the customer to make sure the they are satisfied with these measurements.

Also you will want to know what the value is that will indicate success of the text message campaign. This is critical for both the supplier of Text Message Campaigns as well as the company that you are working for. Both parties need to show success!

Tracking Text Message Campaigns

If it cannot be tracked automatically, then you need to find another method to track results. Senior management ultimately want to know the impact on the bottom line i.e. profit and revenue! If you cannot show how this text message campaign is contributing to the bottom line, then your program is in trouble.

Tracking codes are normally used to track customer queries and response rate. However this is only a small part of the results you are really looking for. If you are getting a large response rate, but not converting to sales, then your in bound team may need to be tweaked to increase conversions. Focus on results and fixing problems as needed. Ensure that the investment you are making in text message campaigns are a success.

Accounting for  Text Message Campaigns

Accounting can prepare reports to demonstrate the success or failure of the plan. Report results and keep management informed regarding progress, especially the impact on the bottom line. If you are the project manager for the Text Message Campaigns, always review these reports daily. Prepare summary reports for senior management to demonstrate the success or in some cases the lack of success for your Text Message Campaigns.

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Text Message Campaigns

Text Message CampaignsOr previous post discussed the basics of text message campaigns. In this post we wanted to dig a little deeper into setting the goals and objectives of these campaigns. We feel that this is the most important part of the job or tasks for a number of reasons. We will discuss some of the reasons why setting goals and objectives can be so important in no particular order. Most people just want to get the program started, but hut this approach can mean that your campaign delivers a poor performance, something you do not want to explain to your boss. Do the job right up front and get better results.

Text Message Campaigns –  Managing Expectations

Managing expectations is one of the objectives of your goals and objectives. Your boss and management team needs to understand what the company is going to get out of this campaign for the money that they are spending. If your objective is 100 units sold and you sell 90, your almost their and might be considered successful, however if your objective is 1000 and you sell 90 units you’re a bum and probably will get fired.

Setting your objectives is critical to managing expectations and your perceived success. It is important for the company from a budgeting perspective to manage the cost of the campaign and the response to the campaign. It is also important to your personal career to set the right expectation so that you are considered successful and not someone who missed their objectives.

Text Message Campaigns – Setting Goals

Setting goals also drives preparation for success. Preparing for success also means that you have sufficient product to ship. You must have staff ready to help meet that need. Your associated budget is critical. If you cannot meet demand, your customers may shrink if you cannot meet their expectations rapidly.

Your suppliers must also be on board to produce and deliver sufficient product to meet your customers needs. Long delays can occur if you get it wrong. As well as if you have too much product to ship and not enough sales.

On the other hand it is a problem if you have a great deal of product available and ready to go with no sales or limited sales. The company has spent too much money and now you are faced with an inventory that will need to be discounted in order to move it.

Think about your goals and objectives carefully. Set them in such a manner that you must stretch to meet them. Also have a reasonable chance of success with your text message campaigns. You also need to be able to measure the results. Assess the results, and improve on your next campaign. Also explain to your boss or your customer how the goals and objectives were met.

For more about text messaging and how to use it, click here.


Text Message Campaign

Text Message CampaignThe basics of setting a text message campaign is really quite simple. The difficult part is capturing all of the data you need to make the campaign successful. Anyone can send a lot of text messages to random numbers. But you should target customers who have expressed some interest in your product or service. Then your text message campaign will be much more successful. It will deliver the results you’re looking for.

The first step is to decide who your target customers actually are. How you will collect their mobile numbers? What products or services they are interested in? Hhow you will track results once you send out your messages to these customers?

Can you confirm someone actually read the message? Can you confirm that they responded to your message and are you able to report on the success of the messaging campaign. These are tough questions to answer, but your management team is going to want to know the answers before they approve future expenditures in this area.

Text Message Campaign – Develop the Message

The second step is to develop the message that will appeal to the most customers while getting the message across to your target audience in a price effective manner. There are numerous companies on the Internet that will provide you with the software capability to send text messages to your customers.

Establishing goals and objectives helps to establish expectations for yourself as well as your management team and is the third step.  They drive budget, they drive staffing and they drive the overall cost of your text messaging campaign. You also compare results against these goals and objectives and explanations regarding any differences in results versus goals and objectives. This is something that your management team will be very interested in reviewing.

Text Message Campaign – Customer List

A customer list that is finalized and developed hopefully from interested customers is probably the best use of your money. This is the fourth and a really critical step in determining your success.

Handling the response is the last step in the process. While this is the kind of problem you want to have, there is no use having a great marketing campaign unless you have the company infrastructure to handle the demand and deal with customers. Keep them happy with a great product and great service and they will keep coming back.

Failing to meet their expectations will drive customers away and give you a black eye with respect to customer service and recurring business. This is the time when your business can become profitable and can drive further campaigns that lead to further success.

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Text Message Advertising Companies

Text Message Advertising CompaniesSign up with text messaging advertising companies to arrange to send text messages to your customers and potential customers. There are many details that can make a huge difference in the success of your campaign. These details can determine the ultimate return on investment that you receive.

Evaluate the details before you sign a contract. For example where are you getting your phone numbers to send text messages too? Is it a list of phone numbers that you purchased, with no relation to your business? Or are the numbers from a list of customers who have provided their phone numbers. Have they given permission for you to send sales up dates to them? Can you advertise items that they might be interested in? Many people are ok with this latter type of text message. Especially if they are interested in the products or services that they offer.

Text Message Advertising Companies – Customer List

Will you reach your customers with your customer list? This is so important if you are going to target customers with your sales information. Also to get a decent return on investment. Avoid just blasting out information to customers. Unless you are attempting to expand your overall traffic. It is a bit of a wild card and success rates may vary a great deal. However your ROI will be lower as should the cost of the program as well which is a negotiating point.

Incent customers to visit you online or to your store by giving them a reason. A coupon for some amount of money, an exclusive discount for them or a special sale just for them may be the ticket you need to get them interested. Make it worth their while to first of all to sign up and receive your text messages and also visit your store or online website.

High Value Customers

Aim for high value customers that have signed up to your list and want this information. If you can filter these customers even further and target the information to women’s clothes for example you will be even more successful. When they sign up try to learn as much information as possible so you can filter and target your messages.

Set objectives and then measure the objectives to assess the success of the program, to make decisions on further targeting and even if the program should continue or not. Often a few tweaks can make a huge difference in your campaign. By setting objectives you must also figure out how you will obtain the information to measure the results which can be built into your campaign.

Further by setting objectives or goals and measuring the results, companies will have valuable information to justify the program, to support future programs and to tweak the added programs that are being planned. The same approach can be applied to email campaigns in addition to text messaging campaigns.

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Text Message Marketing

Text Message MarketingText message marketing can be an effective marketing technique aimed at online and mobile users with regular cell phones as well as smart phones. More and more people are now using smart phones. Which also allows them to use online technologies for texting. They are free as an online app between people who have the same app. Skype, Whatsapp, iMessage and many more applications are providing this service free of charge. The end user will also see displays of advertising to that same customer. Gone is the day when you used the telephone systems text message system for marketing.

Get your customers to sign up by providing them with an incentive. They may be interested in your products. They may also want to receive sales information or information about new products. You can give them a choice between receiving an email or a simple text message. This is to update them on sales that you may be offering or discounts on services. This is a great way to alert them that products they are interested in are on sale and available at stores they frequent.

Text Message Marketing – Incentives

In-cent your customers to sign up. Offer a discount of some kind on their first purchase over a specified amount. This works well to encourage sales as well as to encourage people to sign up to your distribution list.

This is a value able list of clients since they signed voluntarily and they also are looking for information from your company to gain more information about sales and new products. Your chances of making a sale is far greater with this list than any other list that you might purchase. Lists that are purchased are not qualified in any way and represent a random list of emails and phone numbers that have been gathered. Your return rate for a list that is not pre-qualified will be very low.

Do not waste money on blasting text messages to paid lists. The odds are much lower that any of these people will be interested in any of your services or products. These lists have usually just been collected from other lists and may not even be valid email id’s.

Use text messaging advertising to alert customers to sales and special offers aimed at clients who have expressed a previous interest in your services and products. This is probably the most important list of customers that you will have. Also when you do complete a sale, if you do not already have their email or cell phone number this is the time to ask for it.

In addition ask for a report on the success rate of your text message marketing plans to confirm results and fine tune the program so that your success can be repeated and improved on in the future.

For more information concerning text messaging, click here.


Text Messaging Marketing Software

Text Messaging Marketing SoftwareOne of the biggest obstacles for small businesses such as restaurants, clothing stores and small retail shops to using text messaging as a marketing tool is how to manage the thousands of phone numbers that they might want to advertise to. Let’s assume you have 5000 customers, with 1000 of them interested in a special dish that you are planning to run a special on.

You know this because they have signed up to your news letter. They also indicated their preferences in terms of meals that they have enjoyed at your restaurant. You may even have their contact information such as mobile phone number and email. You also requested their approval when they gave the information to you. They want you to send notifications to them advertising specials that you run from time to time.

Save Time

You wish you had some sort of text messaging marketing software that would allow you to sort the phone numbers based on your own personal criteria and then blast a text message out to your customers advising them of your special dish. You have already conveyed your message by email newsletter, but experience has shown you that not everyone reads their emails, a large number end up in the junk file and not everyone wants these emails.

Text message marketing programs will accomplish this and more for restaurants and retails stores and many others. You just need the list, with mobile phone numbers and a list of preferences as expressed by the customer which you can sort and your ready to go.

Sort Phone Numbers

With the proper text messaging marketing software, you could sort the phone numbers you have, and send targeted messages out to these customers. With a text message to a clientele who are expecting a text message from time to time, there is a far greater chance of them reading the message than there would be from a simple blast to a list of mobile phones to customers who have no idea of why you are sending them a message.

By using software of this type to send text messages, you can save yourself time and also have a far better take up rate than with other sources of marketing to mobile phones. Text messaging marketing software can be an excellent effective tool that can make a huge difference in your bottom line when used properly. If you have not started collecting names, phone numbers and preferences, it is time you started.

This database of information will be a key marketing tool for you to reach all of your customers and let them know that there are sales taking place at your retail store or have special meals at your restaurant. Data is the next big thing for all business owners and it is important to learn how to manage and use the data.

For more information concerning text messaging, click here.

 


Mobile Text Messaging Marketing

Mobile Text Messaging MarketingText messages are one of the most effective ways for companies to market to people. They are one of the first things looked at by anyone carrying a cell phone. Smart phones are even more effective since the screen is larger and more information can be displayed.

Email campaigns are not nearly as effective since they usually get filtered out by the email spam filters. Many people never see them let alone read them. If they are not in the spam filter, you must have a highly effective message. You have to get someone’s attention to actually open the email on their screen and read it. The first sentence must be enough to catch their attention. It should make them want to read the rest of the message or they will just delete the message.

Spam filter engines can be very effective at filtering out emails and if the receiving individual does not like your email he or she can update the spam filter engine to always filter out your messages so that they do not need to ever look at them.

Mobile Text Messaging Marketing – Text Message Campaigns

The same guidelines apply to text messaging campaigns. Effective titles, effective messages that target something the reader is interested in. If the message is not effective or not of immediate interest the message will be immediately discarded. however there are no spam filters that we know of that are available to auto sort messages, so the client at least must open the message to decide if they want to read it or to discard it.

Some companies such as Izod for example have highly effective text messaging marketing campaigns. The first step is to find interested customers. They do this by advertising in their stores. They were offering $5 discount on purchases when customers signup to receive text marketing messages.

Now they have interested customers who will read messages sent by their marketing people. They will just not auto erase these messages. These potential customers are in effect willing recipients. They have to provide a $5 discount to a customer. However they know that they have an actual customer when someone signs up via text message.

Avoid Abusing the Privilege

It is also important not to abuse the privilege of sending messages to willing customers. If you abuse it and send too many messages there is a good chance that those customers will either sign out of the service or they will begin ignoring the text messages. Both are equally bad for text messaging advertising and marketing campaigns. Too many messages just irritate the customer and drive him or her away from the message itself and perhaps your business.

At all times marketing managers must deliver something the customer is interested in. At the same time not make it so common that they begin ignoring the messages. Keep your text messaging marketing campaigns highly effective. Offer value to the customer, something that they can use. Or can save money. Something that rewards them for the effort it takes to read the message as short as it is.

For more information on text messaging today, click here.


Mass Text Messaging Software

Mass Text Messaging SoftwareSending a message by text messaging is very efficient and costs the least of most types of communication when you consider that pretty much everyone cannot stand not looking at the message they have just received. Sending mass text messaging is even more efficient for companies to their customers. They have a dedicated audience who has signed up to receive these messages. The reason is usually because they are expecting a deal of some sort. It might be a discount on items purchased. It may be a sale on a particular product. Or it may be a one time sale store and company wide. Whatever the reason this is an excellent way to send this information to your customers and clients or even your friends or relatives.

It is much easier to use than email messaging. Since it gets in the hands of your customers immediately whether they are carrying a smart phone or just a regular cell phone. They can view the message and take action on it immediately. The cost to send the message can be very inexpensive as well and as low as three cents a message in some cases. Most companies that offer mass text messaging using software have some really great packages. They can be it very easy to get started sending messages to your customers.

Mass Text Messaging Software – A couple of things to be aware of.

Most software companies should offer this service with the guarantee that they will not resell your list of numbers. This is information you went to great trouble to collect. As well you may even have promised your customers that their phone numbers would not be passed along to other companies.

They do not want to receive nagging messages from companies they have never heard of. At the same time you as the customer of mass text messaging software do not want to be bothered by offers of free phone numbers either. These are just active phone numbers and not qualified customers that would be interested in your products.

Start up fees should also be zero or at least kept to a minimum. In addition it should also not require a contract either. Why sign a contract for something that you are testing and really do not know the market success that you will receive?

An Example of Mass Text Messaging marketing

Izod clothing store advertises that they will provide a $5 discount to customers who sign up for their text messaging sales alerts. Customers get $5 off their in store purchase on the spot when they sign up in the store. All they have to do is send a text message to an IZOD number. They receive a text message back in return with an authorization code.

From that point forward Izod sends monthly messages to the customer advising them of sales etc. These are taking place in their store that the customer may be interested in. In addition they usually offer a further discount to the customer. For example to entice them to go to the store on specific days.

This is a pretty good example of mass text messaging software being used to collect qualified customers. In addition to send messages to those qualified customers on a regular basis with valuable information for the customer.

For more information on text messaging today, click here.


Bulk Text Messaging Software

Bulk Text Messaging SoftwareThere are various forms of bulk text messaging software available on the internet and in the general market place. This kind of software allows you to send out a text message to many devices at the same time. Bulk text messaging software can be very useful to many customers. Especially if they need to get an emergency message out to many people quickly. Or it can be for a company to pass along some great deals in their stores.

Once you have a list of phone numbers to utilize, this software can be used to send messages to all of these people. Potential customers of this functionality should be aware that some companies will reuse your phone numbers for other purposes. They may even sell your list to someone else.

They you are not looking at valid phone numbers as a valuable resource. Working telephone numbers that are capable of receiving a text message are worth a lot to many companies. If you are planning on using this type of software, ask if you can buy phone numbers. If you can, you can be pretty sure that yours will be sold at some point in time.

Text Messaging Software – Retail

Retail customers often ask their customers if it is ok to send text messages with sales information. Or to notify them of potential sales that are coming up. Assume that these customers gave you their number in the first place only for you to send them information from time to time. Their phone numbers should not be passed along without their permission. One company we know who has collected our cell phone number sends a text message once or twice a month advertising of sales.

Any more than that would be bothersome. If their sales are that often, then you really should just visit the store every week to find out what sale is going on. Anyway the use bulk messaging software to record the phone numbers and to send messages to their customers with upcoming sales.

Customers should also consider free incoming text messaging as part of the service. Since many customers might respond by text messaging. You may also sign up for a monthly plan, while others may not need you to sign up for any plan at all. You may have a one time need to send text messages, or this may be a routine text message every week or only for emergencies. Either way always ensure that your ROI is sufficient to justify the expense.

Other Packages

Other packages allow you to manage everything including responses from your computer. This makes it much easier to administer your plans and your messages to your client base. While some people will also want to be able to manage their text messages from their smart phones. Both can be accomplished, however we urge everyone to check the details before signing up.

When a text message is sent via bulk text messaging software, it can go to thousands of people at the same time. When you push send it is gone, whether it is correct or not. There is no recovery available at all. Many customers will go through an elaborate approval process to ensure that every message that is sent meets the accuracy and quality standards that every one needs in text messaging that is being sent to your customers.

For more information on text messaging today, click here.


Real Estate Text Message Marketing

Business Text MessagingWe were wondering how real estate agents would use real estate text message marketing in their business endeavors, so we did a little research and came across one application of this service that is marketed by a company in the business. Most real estate agents will use text messaging with their technical savvy clients. They use it to communicate with them, even negotiate prices for homes. This application brings another marketing tool for the agent and another means of gaining clients.

Basically the way that they have implemented real estate text message marketing is they provide a text ID to the agent. Which he includes on all of his advertising including for sale signs that go on the property. All handouts that might be provided as well to their customers. If potential clients send a text message to this ID they can then be sent information via SMS to their phones. They can also receive web site information about homes they may be interested in on their smart phones. They will receive basic property information that may be of interest to them.

Real estate agents can also set up text message blasts as part of their real estate text message marketing plans. The are advising clients of new listings and of sales that have taken place. It is an easy way to keep all of your clients up to date and help them remember you.

Real Estate Text Message Marketing or Snail Mail

One agent we know sends out a letter every month with a short blurb about what is going on in the market. Which costs her a stamp and letters every time. She could really benefit by sending this same information by emails. Also by SMS using real estate text message marketing techniques. If some clients still want to receive the snail mail approach she can keep those clients satisfied using that medium. But also satisfy her regular clients with smart phones and computers by sending out messages using electronic media.

If you are not catering to customers with mobile phones and increasingly smart phones, then your real estate text message marketing program is missing a great opportunity. Perhaps a lot of business opportunities. We have found that the younger generation are technically savvy with their phones. They prefer the impersonal means of communication since it is much more efficient.

They do not have to have a voice conversation. Which is going to take a minimum of several minutes not including voice mails etc that are left with the client and take up air time. Text messaging has become a far more efficient method of communication with clients.

Real estate agents have even advised clients that their offer has been accepted or that they need to start thinking about countering an offer by text messaging.  We have seen people receive a text message advising them that they just had their home sold by text message. This is by far the best approach. You can always receive the details by email later on and if you must have a conversation, that too can be arranged at a later date or time.

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Text Message Blast

Text Message BlastMore and more companies are using the feature called Text Message Blast to get information out to their customers and employees quickly and efficiently. Universities are using this feature to get message to their students and faculty quickly. They can update them on events at the university or the college.

If there is some kind of emergency they can warn students and faculty. Perhaps to get inside or stay away from a specific area until the situation is brought under control. They can use the same messaging capability to tell everyone that they can stand down once the emergency has been cleared. A tool such as text message blast can literally save lives. Find out more about this application.

Text Message Blast

Companies can use text message blast in the same manner for emergencies on their premises in offices and in factories. They can issue emails for detail messages. But not everyone has access to email instantly in the way that text messages are. Text messages are sent directly to a person’s mobile phone. Which everyone pretty much carries. They will be alerted to the message by a ring tone or alert on their phones. Later emails can be sent to provide them with more detail if needed.

Text message blasts to customers who have expressed an interest in receiving these messages can be a great way of advertising as well. Advising of sales at stores that are coming up is a great way to let your customers know that a sale is going on. Another use is to let them know that a new product or a new line of products has been added which they may be interest in. Customers can decide for themselves if they want to take the time to go online or visit the store to take advantage of these product offers.

Use With Care

But companies have to be careful and use this feature carefully. Too many messages and it starts to irritate the customer. Then they stop looking at the text message, preferring to just ignore it. Messages that are not clear are also not useful to a customer or an employee for that matter.

In addition text messages should only be sent via a text message blast format to people who have agreed to the service and have signed up for it. There is no better way to irritate a customer than to send unasked for messages advertising your product to them.  These people may not be your target market anyway. If you send them messages, they are just deleting them without reading them.

Give some thought to how you use this powerful tool before you press the send key! Once it the messages are sent there is no taking them back even if there is a spelling error or the message is not clear. Proofread it several times before you send it.

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Text Marketing

Teenagers and Smart PhonesHave you noticed recently that many people of all ages are constantly on their phones, reading email, browsing Facebook or responding to text messages and possibly one of a hundred other things that they are doing on their smart phones! We are so engrossed in what is going on in our phones. People are actually talking less to each other face to face. You may agree or disagree with this fact. Also whether it is a good thing or not the reality for many businesses is that they need to find a way to penetrate a person’s short attention span.

Text Marketing

Text messaging seems to be the one communications medium that is still getting through to people. Phones buzz, ring or vibrate every time a text message arrives. Users cannot help but respond. This is what text marketing has known for a while. Many companies are trying to take advantage  as they try to reach the consumer and gain their attention.

Judicious use of text messages as a text marketing tool can really make a difference. Especially if you are trying to alert customers of sales activity, make them aware that their order has just shipped etc. Sending too many text messages and consumers will just become irritated with them. They will ignore the text message which makes your advertising next to useless. They may may even trigger exactly the wrong response.

Don’t Alienate the Customer

The last thing you want to is make your customer mad at you for sending too many text messages. Text marketing can be used to communicate with many people on a push basis to advertise. Also to communicate sales events. Or to communicate with a select group who have given you their cell phone number because they want to hear from you.

Text marketing is a unique method of communications that still has punch. It is able to get through to customers to grab their attention for several seconds. That is all that is needed to alert a customer to something that may interest them. If they are not interested, you have only taken a second or two of their time. For most people there is no harm done. When there are deals to be had, text marketing is a powerful way to get the message out to your customers.

We also talk about text messaging systems that send out weather alerts as well to consumers living in a specific area. Another use is to send text messages to all of your students on campus or all of your employees in a building for example about a warning, an evacuation drill and other items that you want all of your students and employees to know about. this use of text messaging can be an effective emergency notification system as well as a marketing tool for the university or company.

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Text Messaging Companies

Text Message CampaignText messaging companies are offering more and more services these days that are aimed at loyalty programs with consumers. We have seen companies such as Izod advertise in their stores for customers to become a text messaging loyalty member. All you have to do is send a text message to their sign up number.

In return they are offering a $5 text message credit back. Subsequently consumers can use this credit in the store towards any purchase they are making that day. Once you sign up, apparently you will receive text messages once and awhile. They will advertise some special that they feel you may be interested in. You can send a message to stop these future text messages at any time. Wait a reasonable amount of time and you can then rejoin and receive another $5 credit for another purchase. What a great deal!

Text Message Alerts

We have seen a number of companies offer variations of the same thing. As well as alerts that can be sent as text messages to your cell phone. Hence these alerts can be for stocks that you are following to let you know that your favorite stock has reached a price point that you are watching for. As a result you can make a decision to sell or purchase. Others may include  weather alerts or emergency alerts advising that a tornado is approaching. There are a variety of situations that text messaging is uniquely designed to provide the best solution.

Text messaging companies are prepared to work with potential customers to design a competitive offering or service that makes sense for the user as well as the customer. Start with an idea and utilize their experience to see what solution they may come up with. Which will meet your basic requirement and provide an economic solution as well. There are many ideas out there just waiting for someone to put them together into a service oriented solution.

Text Message Platforms and Software

Text messaging companies today can provide the platform and the software to get you going in hours with a basic package. Services can be aimed at mobile users in various segments and test runs can be made as well to fine tune the service package to ensure that you are reaching your target market. Hence give text messaging a try today and add it to your overall marketing strategy.

University campuses have embraced text messaging as a means of alerting students to announcements and emergency broadcasts that they need their students and staff to be aware of. This is a very efficient method to get a message in the hands of everyone that owns a mobile phone. Not everyone is checking their email all of the time, where as a text message is usually looked at immediately.

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Text Messaging Systems

text messaging systemsText messaging systems are provided by the telephone companies, mobile phone companies and of course companies that exist to provide these services over the internet. The traditional text messaging system is provided by mobile carriers. It allows one customer to send a text message to any other device capable of receiving and displaying a text message. Usually a cellular phone or a smart phone that has mobile phone capability.

Text Messaging Systems

SMS Apps on Smart Phones

If you have access to the internet either through your carrier or through WiFi there is another solution. Many smart phones can support apps that will send and receive SMS messages to other people with the same app on their phones. As well as to phones with regular SMS text messaging capability.

There may be a charge for this service when you send a text message to someone outside the system. Many of the apps are free to download. Or if you upgrade to the full featured app, there may be a small charge. Usually the charges for apps for text messaging over the internet are much lower than those of standard text messaging systems offered by the telecom companies.

Skype messaging

For example Skype allows SMS messages to be sent free and as long as you are sending messages to another Skype user, there is no charge. Once you begin sending messages to other phones that are not registered as Skype users, there is a nominal charge for each message. The same applies when you make a phone call to a non Skype user or phone. This is how they make their money when they are offering free services like this.

Text message systems are great for the average consumer who knows a little bit about how to use computers and smart phones. For anyone with no or little knowledge it can be expensive. If you are reading this article and are not aware of these app’s, get someone to show you how they work so that you can start reducing your phone bill like everyone else.

Text messaging for Emergencies

Many organizations have started to use text messaging as a means of mass alerting their employees or students in the case of universities of something that they should be aware of. This is an excellent way to send information to everyone warning them of  an emergency.

In the past a siren would be heard, but all you knew was that there was some kind of emergency, but you had no idea of where the problem was or even what kind of problem. Now you can send the alert and provide some information along with it.

Companies and educational institutions can provide  weather alerts, fire alerts or some other kind of emergency warning and also advise employees and students to remain away from specific areas.

This is an excellent solution to day since almost all if not all students carry cell phones as their primary means of communication these days. Most are carrying some kind of smart phone and even the older style of mobile phones receive text messages very well.

For more information about text messaging, click here.


Cheap Text Messages

Text Message Marketing ResellerIf you are looking for cheap text messages capability, why would you ever use SMS messaging from the telephone company unless you have a fixed cost plan with unlimited incoming and outgoing messaging capability.  Most phone companies offer this kind of service. Customers can pay a fixed rate and are allowed a maximum number of outgoing messages and unlimited incoming messages. Once you exceed this maximum number, each additional text message will be charged. This charge will be added to your overall bill.

Consumers can also use their smart phones to send and receive SMS text messages using free apps. They are available from iTunes as well as from Android stores depending on the type of phone you have. Unfortunately many of these apps require that the people you are sending the message to must have the same app on their phone to be free. Otherwise you will be paying for each SMS message that is sent.

Cheap Text Messages

Cheap text messages are readily available as long as you are careful and manage your communications cost. Even if you are paying for a text message, it is still cheaper than a phone call. Especially if you have to pay for your calling on a per minute basis. Unless you are trying to have a text message conversation involving tens or hundreds of messages.

Before you sign up for a plan with  your mobile carrier, take some time to evaluate just how many text messages you will be sending and receiving. Decide which cheap text message package you should sign up for.

Consumers can also control their costs by using the free applications that are available for most smart phones. They can send free SMS or text messages to their friends and colleagues for free. As long as you are connected to the internet via WiFi you can send these messages at no additional cost to you.

Manage your Data

Be careful about using your data plan to send text messages. Each time you send a message and are connected to your cell phone providers data network you will be using part of your monthly allotment of data. Text messages by themselves are not expensive since they are small and do not take a lot of data.

On the other hand, if you attach pictures to your text messages, this can use up your data quickly. Always connect to a free WiFi site whenever you can to avoid using your data plan. This approach will ensure that you stay within your data plan allotment and not use your text message plan as well.

There is a lot to be aware of when you are using a smart phone and managing your costs. Make sure you understand your plan from the phone company and then configure your smart phone accordingly to take advantage of your plan and the free resources that are available.

For more information about text messaging, click here.


Business Text Messaging

Business Text MessagingRecently we have seen business text messaging advertising in stores and even in emails that come across our desktop. These messages often advertise some product or service With the click of a button you could find yourself subscribed to a service that you may not want to have. They are supposed to tell you up front that you are subscribing to some service. However in many cases it is buried at the bottom of the message in the fine print.

Business Text messaging Example

For example, a business text messaging service is used by the clothing store called Izod. They advertise in the store that cell phone and smart phone users can get an additional $5 off their purchase. All they have to do is send a text message to a particular number with a specific phrase. This only works if you are in the store and if you are already making a purchase. You can save $5 immediately.

They send a return message which you show to the clerk when you check out. Pretty simple really but now they have your cell phone number. They will send you text messaging advertising from time to time. I tried this and found that I receive a message from them about once a month, which is not too bad. Alternately you can unsubscribe from their service. Then the next time you are in the store, send another text message and get another $5 off the next purchase you make that day at Izod.

The Bay, another clothing store has recently started the same thing; however they will give you a $10 discount on anything you buy over $100. An incentive to purchase more, but then you do save $10 on your total purchase. We are not sure, but we believe this is a onetime thing. In other words you cannot send these text messages multiple times for multiple purchases. Izod only allows the one time savings while you are signed up for alerts.

Text messaging Advertising

Why do they do this you ask? They want to encourage you to purchase more. They want to learn some information about you and they now have your cell number. Which is a working number which they can use to send further advertising to you via text messaging.

They can also learn a great deal about their customers by doing a reverse look up on the telephone number. We are not sure that they actually do collect this information, but they certainly could and many companies are actively doing this sort of thing to improve sales.

There are ways to use this information and also prevent these businesses from sending more text messages to you as well as prevent them from learning more about their customer. Send the initial text message to sign up, collect your discount and then send a stop text message to the same number to prevent more from being sent to you.

In fact most will advise you regarding how to go about stopping a message once you have received whatever benefits you wanted.

For more text messaging ideas and discussion, click here.


Text Message Marketing Reseller

Text Message Marketing ResellerA text message marketing reseller creates an application that packages services such as text messaging with user interface features that make it simple for the customer to create text messaging campaigns and advertising programs for their products and services. In addition to the application they also provide the connectivity to the internet. Also the telecom networks for carriage and distribution of their messages to their customer’s cell phones literally around the world.

A text messaging reseller really makes it easy for the client to focus on their core business. They use the network provided to enhance their business through advertising on the text messaging network. They provide a connection to cell phones, smart phones, email and corporate applications to get your message out to the end customer.

Text Message Marketing Reseller

Clients who are trying to build a subscription based service that delivers alerts of various kinds will use this type of service. Whether it is sports alerts, weather alerts or stock market trades. An application developed and provided by a text message reseller will provide excellent service to most clients that are attempting to use text messaging as a service and revenue generating opportunity.

The opportunities are immense with millions of text messages sent every day.  Whether you use the traditional text message service from the telephone companies . Or use a reseller there are opportunities for clients to make money through this secondary service.

An example of text messaging services may help to illustrate how this marketing service can work for both customers and companies trying to increase sales. One company we know sells sports clothing and has sales on their clothing from time to time. Some are clearance sales.

In the store they advertise that customers who send a text message to a specific number will receive $5.00 off on any purchases they make that day. When the text message is sent, the customer receives an immediate message back giving them the discount. Now that customers number is added to a database and they will receive future text messages alerting them to sales of clothing etc via text message.

Discontinue the Service at Any Time

The customer can discontinue the service any time if they no longer want the service. This is a useful way for both customers as well as companies to make use of text messaging marketing. The reseller can set up this service for the company and even manage it for them if they wish.

All the company needs to do is compose the exact message they wish to send their clients. The message will be sent out to all clients who have signed up for the service. We think that this is an excellent text messaging marketing solution for many companies. Especially those who are trying to retain customer loyalty and also reward their customers with great sales.

For more text messaging ideas and discussion, click here.


Text Messaging for Business

Text Messaging for BusinessText messaging for business has really taken off in the last few years as more and more people have cell phones and smart phones. It is not uncommon to see people texting at all kinds of hours and places. This is one of the reasons that companies offer text messaging service and also use text messaging to enhance the services they offer to their customers. Consumers are texting while they walk along the street and unfortunately in their cars as well. We do not support texting and driving or even looking at your phone while driving. This activity just causes to many accidents when you become distracted and are not watching where you are going with your car.

Text Messaging for Business – Alerts

Text messaging can be used to send alerts to both employees as well as clients.  A text message can alert you that you have a voice mail waiting. They can include weather alerts or sales of stocks, or let people know about confirmation that someone has agreed to your meeting invitation. There are so many text messaging for business applications available that it would be difficult to even begin to list them all.

Traditional text messaging for business has competition. With the introduction of the smart phone and text messaging applications on these smart phones, consumers and business people now have alternative applications that they can use to send sms messages to other smart phones with the same app installed in their phones.

Text Messaging for Business – Competition

These same apps can usually send text messaging messages to cell phones as well. There are literally hundreds of apps that are available or being developed to meet this need for both advertising as well as sending content. Some apps are totally free because they use the internet to send and receive the text messages. These apps have advertising on the app that users see which helps to pay for the development and operational expenses.

We were recently in an Izod store looking at some of the many shirts and pants that they have on sale at ridiculously low prices. I am a member of their IZOD loyalty group. We went to the store on that particular day to take advantage of an additional 30% savings coupon that they had sent to me in the mail.

This is a huge savings and we really purchased more than we might have had we not had this coupon which is their objective right. Well we notice a sign in the store that basically said they would give us an additional $5 off our purchase if we sent a text message to their text message service. We did and we immediately received a text message with an additional $5 in savings on our purchases that day!

We now will receive additional alerts by text from time to time. This is a great example of how text messaging can increase customer loyalty.

For more about text messaging, click here.


Text Messaging Business

Text Messaging AdvertisingThere are literally thousands of text messaging business opportunities available and many companies have got on the bandwagon. Services such as sending weather alerts, flight status updates, sports scores or even stock alerts have all been offered by many third party companies. We are using the term third party here to differentiate between the carrier who carries the message and the company who originates the message. These companies are all struggling to compete with free sms or text messaging over the internet. everything seems to be free online, however at some point these services must generate a positive cash flow business model and this is what the old style text messaging companies still have.

Text Messaging Business – Subscription

When a consumer subscribes to a text messaging business advertisement, they often do not realize the cost of these subscriptions. In some cases the cost of the subscriptions can be as high as $40 a month. The carrier will receive upwards of 60% of the fee and the business originating the message will receive the remainder.

Text messaging for businesses is a very lucrative opportunity, however we fear that the real money is going to the phone company and that the company using text messaging to get to their customers is not gaining that much.

The carrier delivers the message and does all of the billing and collection for the service. After taking their share they transfer the remainder to the 3rd party company. Many consumers are appalled at the cost of this level of premium text messaging and question their bills at the end of each month.

Long Term Business Strategy

This is really not a good long term business strategy for small business to send premium messages in this manner. Customers simply have too many other free alternatives. If you are not paying attention to your bills and reviewing them in detail, you may end up with a high bill each month, much higher than you need to be paying.

Who is to blame for these high costs? The carrier is certainly getting the lion’s share of the revenue. They also do the lion’s share of the work to deliver the message and to collect the revenue. Does this make them any more responsible or not.

The competition bureau certainly thinks so has taken several of the carriers to court over the issue. Most people who experience this problem can get their money back if the follow through with their carrier and complain. Also ask for a stop order to be placed so that you do not receive any more of these messages.

You can control these messages and your costs as well simply by blocking these text messages. Call your carrier and get these messages stopped today if you do not want them. You can control your costs and do not need to put up with this type of spam.

For more about text messaging, click here.


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