SMS Marketing Articles - Best Text Marketing

4, 5, & 6 Digit Phone Numbers Explained

Most people who use text messaging as a regular method of communication, probably don’t think too much about the history and science behind sending a text or an SMS (short message service) message.
6 billion text messages sent each day, Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) stats show. We’ve come a long way from the average 0.4 messages sent each month by mobile customers back in the 90s.

History of the Short Code:

Short codes were originally created as one of the first high-level languages for a computer in 1949 – first known as “brief code,” according to a book called the “History of Programming Languages” by Richard L. Wexelblat. Short codes evolved over the decades for mobile communication use. The first SMS message was sent December 1992. In the early 2000s, short codes became a way for companies to communicate with customers via SMS. The idea provided a five or six digit number that was hopefully easy to remember. Wireless carriers in the United States offered premium SMS charged directly on your wireless bill to send and receive messages. In 10-15 years, short code use boomed. Businesses and organizations send text messages to customers daily.

Difference between a Short Code vs. Long Code:

Short codes range in size from four to nine digits, with the most commonly used being 4, 5 and 6 digits.

Most people are familiar with long codes. 10-digit numbers used to send and receive SMS messages, and phone calls. While long codes can be used, short codes are much more effective for bulk texting. Long codes take longer to send and cannot send to as many recipients as short codes. Short code texting, the only carrier approved method for sending bulk text messages. However, a big difference between long code and short code is that a message coming from a long code might seem more personal because it looks like it is coming from a regular telephone number.

The biggest, and most obvious difference between a short code vs. long code is the number of digits. A short code is shorter and easier to remember. For marketing, short codes are best for getting your customers to opt-in to receive text messages for promotions, deals, information, events and more.

Sometimes a long code can be effective for:

Communicating one-on-one with customers
Providing customer service
An Internet texting network with staff

Short Codes Uses:

For example, a furniture business might have a sale for Labor Day – one of the biggest furniture sale days of the year. To reach customers, a business might place an ad in the local paper and have commercials on TV and the radio. But in a world where the large portion of the population is looking at a phone screen far more than their TV or listening to the radio, it only makes sense to use marketing where customers will see it. That is where the short code comes into play – with text message marketing.

Keep in mind, to send text messages to customers, the business must have a list of customer cell phone numbers who have opted-in (consented) to receive text messages. Usually, a business will advertise a call-to-action to invite new/existing customers to send a text to opt-in.

To explain, an online social media or other business ad might say, “For an extra 5 percent off on our 20 percent off Labor Day Sale, text the word COUCH to 21000”. Send the text, get an extra 5% off.

In the above exampled, the short code is 21000. From this code, the business can then communicate with its customers. Many text marketing companies offer two-way communication services in addition to bulk text messaging services.

Ultimately, the text needs determine if a short code, long code or both is used to send business texts.

Mobile Coupons for SMS Marketing

Using mobile coupons for SMS marketing is a great way to get the word out about your business, organization or even to let possible customers know about promotions, discounts and more. Your customers will enjoy using mobile coupons for SMS marketing to get the best deals with your business.

As just about everyone has a cell phone and uses text messaging to communicate, it just makes sense for businesses to begin using that method of communication to reach out to customers and potential customers as a way to notify them about upcoming sales events, discounts and other promotions using mobile coupons for SMS marketing. Taking this idea of marketing and promotion a bit further, businesses now have access to SMS technology through text marketing providers that can allow them to send these mobile coupons as well as Instant Win Campaigns through an SMS platform.

How Mobile Coupons for SMS Marketing Works:

Businesses can use bulk text messaging through a text marketing service to send out mobile coupons, promotion/event information, etc. out to a list of however many opted-in recipients they want as a way of marketing new products. sales and coupons. As it stands, billions of dollars are estimated in sales as a result of the mobile marketing and mobile coupon initiative. As that number continues to grow, it simply seems like an obvious choice for any new or existing business to decide to add a mobile marketing service to do mobile coupons using SMS technology as a way to attract more customers to any online or storefront business. The SMS platforms works to provide marketing companies and businesses with the technology to provide customers with mobile coupons that they can present at any business to receive a discount. They might even receive a mobile coupon code that they can enter in on a website to get discounts with any online business. There are a couple different ways these mobile coupons can be used.

First, because bulk SMS is so cheap, the low monthly fee that businesses pay to a text marketing provider is immediately worth the cost of a small purchase made by the person receiving the mobile coupon. The idea of traditional coupons brings the SMS platform users with a chance to immediately attract new customers and business using specials and discount pricing to a large consumer base. Those who use SMS platforms to market new promotions and discounts can also use the idea of a call-to-action among mobile marketing. They can invite their existing customers or website visitors or even those who pass by their store window to text in a keyword (relating to their business or store) to a short code (short phone number) to receive a discount on products and or services. The consumers that text in to receive this discount will get a message back that will grant them that unique coupon code that offers a discount or rebate that they can redeem in person as well as online.

Instant win SMS campaigns are another effective mobile application and mobile marketing solution that businesses can use to attract the business of consumers. Using text message marketing is a great way to personalize these contests, messages and coupons to fit the needs of your customers so they will be more likely to come back for repeat business. The Instant Win campaigns are just another way your SMS coupons can work to distribute winnings and prizes to your audience so they will be more likely to remember your business and spread the word about your enterprise.

Using mobile coupons for SMS marketing and instant win campaigns are just a couple of the ways businesses can build and grow their business by attracting new customers with an innovative method of marketing through SMS technology.

Text to Win Campaigns

Text to win campaigns for SMS marketing is a great way to get new subscribers to opt-in to your text marketing campaigns as well as to bring attention to new promotions you have going on for your business using the advantages of easy text marketing solutions.

There are tons of advantages to using SMS marketing techniques like Text to Win Campaigns that are a good way to bring in more business and add more incentives for consumers to opt-in to the text messaging service to receive more information about discounts, promotions, sales, specials and more. Text to Win Campaigns are available through a variety of text marketing providers available online. When you are shopping around for the best text marketing deals online, be sure you find a text marketing platform that works to provide extras like the Text to Win campaign technology. Keep reading to learn more about Text to Win Campaigns and how you can use them, along with other text marketing features, to effectively market your business through SMS marketing technology.

Text To Win Campaigns:

There are a couple of different ways you can set up your Text to Win campaign. You can either set it up so your winners can be selected via manual selection, or you can make it so the selection process is automated. It ultimately depends on how the system is set up by your text marketing provider to determine how the winner is selected from all of the entrants. There are a couple of different ways you can go about selecting the winner of your giveaway: individual or multiple winners, Nth winner, Every Nth winner, first # messages or by random selection.

Using a Text to Win campaign is a great way to bring on more business by doing a giveaway. If you are looking to bring in more business, host a giveaway via text to win, as a way to bring attention to your business and your products or services. This will encourage consumers to take a look at your business and consider your products and services for purchase, even if they don’t win the prize. SMS marketing is quickly becoming one of the most popular and effective ways to market to new customers. As just about every teen and adult has a cell phone and uses text messaging as a way to communicate with others, businesses can use the text messaging medium to reach out to their faithful customers and new customers as a way to let them know about on-goings at the store, discounts, upcoming promotions and more.

The Text to Win campaigns are another helpful way to alert those customers to what your business has to offer in terms of products and services following the concept that you have to spend money to make money. Giveaway some of your best products and services as a way to entice new customers to checking out what your business has to offer and continue bringing in more and more business.

Text To Win Rules and Regulations:

When you are preparing to set up your Text to Win Campaign, keep in mind that there are state-by-state regulations in place regarding sweepstakes contests like Text to Win campaigns. It is important to know what these state-mandated rules are for your Text to Win campaign to make sure you are doing so according to the correct rules and procedures. For example, many states make it so there cannot be purchases required to be made on part of the consumer (purchase not necessary to win, etc.)

Your text message marketing provider will be more knowledgeable about the sweepstakes rules in your state, but be sure to find out what rules you will need to follow before you create your own Text to Win campaign. If you don’t follow the rules in your area, but proceed anyway with the Text to Win Campaign, you will face certain consequences implemented by the state. Be sure and do your research when deciding on your text message service provider before you begin your mobile marketing campaign.

Long Code vs. Short Code

There are many pros and cons to using long codes vs. short codes when it comes to text communication and text message marketing. Deciding which to use can be confusing if you don’t know or understand the difference. Taking a look at long code vs. short code numbers in terms of how they can be used for text message marketing, is a helpful way to determine which option would be best for those considering looking into the business of text message marketing.

First, let’s go over what exactly text marketing is and how this advertising and marketing industry relies on long codes and short codes instead of a traditional phone number. Text message marketing is a great way for businesses and organizations to send out messages to multiple or many recipients to notify them of an upcoming promotion, sale, event and other information about the business. Text message marketing capitalizes on the increasingly popular form of communication in text messaging. By using this way to communicate with customers and other potential clients, businesses can attract more business and increase overall sales.

To use text marketing, you need to have at least a long code or a short code consisting of a number similar to a traditional phone number. You will get these numbers from the SMS provider along with a keyword that accurately describes your business or campaign. The recipients will text the keyword in to that short code or long code number in place of a regular phone number. This will opt the recipient into the text marketing campaign so they can continue to receive messages, promotions, discounts and more in the future. Some text marketing companies will allow users to choose from long codes and short codes depending on the types of text marketing the user plans to use. Now let’s take a look at the difference as well as the pros and cons of long code vs. short code.

Long Codes

Pros:

Among the pros to using long codes for text message marketing include that the long code numbers can be assigned exclusively for long term.
In addition, it only takes the long numbers a few days to get set up by the text marketing company. This means you can be using your text marketing campaign in no time after sign up!
In comparison to the short codes, long number codes can have access internationally. On the flip side, short codes must be provisioned for each individual country the messages are to be sent to. For example. a U.S. short code can only be sent to recipients in the U.S.
Long codes can also be used for voice, email, and fax applications as well as SMS messaging for text marketing efforts.
Keywords from the text marketing company can be taken quickly on a shared short code, whereas dedicated long codes are easier to procure and allow for all the keywords you could want, so you don’t have to worry about another text marketer taking your keyword.
Long codes also have the ability to reach all carriers. However, not all carriers support short codes.

Cons:

Unfortunately there are a few downsides to using long codes in reference to text message marketing. For example, long codes can be very restrictive throughout including very slow speeds and far less reliable than short code transmissions.
Long codes are also not subject to carrier regulations, which can mean SPAM for your recipients.
A long code also means a longer number to remember, which can be a negative for those who cannot remember the number to text in to receive your messages. If they don’t remember, it is likely they will not sign up at all.
It is also extremely important to note that long codes are designed for peer-to-peer or low volume applications, NOT text blasts. If you plan on sending your text marketing messages to dozens or hundreds of recipients, long codes are not the best option.

Short Codes

Pros:

Just like with long codes, there are some great aspects to using a short code for your text marketing purposes instead of a long code. For example, premium messaging services like downloading ringtones, requesting donations, music and more are only available on a short code.
Like the name implies, short codes are obviously shorter and easier for customers and potential customers to remember, so they are more likely to opt into the messaging service.
Conveniently, short codes are also much faster when it comes to delivery and far more reliable. If you are going to be paying for a service, then why spend money risking that your messages will get lost in translation.
Short codes are optimal for mobile marketing campaigns that work to send hundreds or more messages to tons of people instead of just a select, small group.

Cons:

However, there are also a few negatives to using short codes including the fact that short codes can be rented only on a short-term basis, which means for every new campaign new numbers have to be setup and paid for in order to use.
Another negative, short codes take anywhere from two to three months to provision for usage.
Cost wise, short codes are also more expensive such as $500 to $1000 per month depending on the type of short code, plus payments to an aggregator for connectivity. However, this is not necessarily a cost that a text message marketer would have to pay for simply because the text message marketing company would be responsible for this overhead cost.

Reference:
mobilemarketingwatch.com
frontlinesms.ning.com/forum/topics/short-code-vs-long-code?xg_source=activity
blog.tsgglobal.com
longcode.com
communications-mobile-cell-phone-sms.chailit.com

Permission Marketing With SMS Messages

Permission marketing with SMS messages is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways for businesses, restaurants, bars, clubs and so many more are using their advertising dollars to get the word out about upcoming promotions, discounts, events and more to promote their business.

Permission marketing with SMS messages occurs when businesses use a text marketing platform to send out mass text messages about upcoming discounts, promotions and more to their faithful and interested customers or potential customers. The key to using text message marketing correctly and effectively is to make sure you are getting permission first from your respondents before you proceed to send them messages. The reason SMS messaging technology must be used on a permission-based marketing system is to adhere to the guidelines and laws set forth by the federal government and the Mobile Marketing Association. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in legal consequences for the violator as well as any text marketing company that allows its marketing customers to practice illegal text marketing techniques. In an effort to avoid consumers having to deal with unsolicited telemarketing campaigns – and now text marketing campaigns- that can be considered spam, the SMS marketing community must use the permission-based marketing to get permission from their text message respondents.

Permission Marketing with SMS Messages:

There are a few different ways text marketers can get permission to send out their mobile advertisements via text message. It is important for those interested in text marketing to note that they cannot simply purchase lists of names and phone numbers online or off Ebay and expect it to work. Unfortunately since those names and numbers were not acquired legally, they cannot be used for text marketing purposes without violating the laws and regulations surrounding text marketing.

To get started with permission-based marketing, establish a few ways you are going to acquire your names and phone numbers to begin your text marketing campaign. Fortunately there are several ways you can do this with permission and still develop a strong following to your mobile marketing campaign.

First, try using a promotion or discount to get followers to sign up. You can post signs and flyers in and around your establishment that contain your text message campaign keyword and short code. Tell customers that they can text in that keyword to the short code in order to receive a text message back that will grant them a discount on their purchase. You can also try having your employees do this during checkout. You might have them text in to receive the text marketing campaign messages and have them receive the discount on the spot. Oral consent can be permissible as a way to get permission from your text message marketing campaign followers. In addition, customers can also listen to radio ads as well as TV commercials where they can hear the short code and keyword so the customer can get access to discounts, upcoming sales, promotions and other information about your business.

You might want to include this same information in web ads and on your business website. This is a great way to bring in online followers. Many text message marketing companies give their marketer customers an opt-in widget that they can use on their website so their own patrons can sign up for the text message campaign directly on the website. Be sure you try out all these options when you first develop your text marketing campaign. Find which sign up method or methods works best for you and your business. Depending on the type of your business and your clientele, certain sign up initiatives might work better than others. Just work with each of these methods to find the idea that works best for you and your company to take advantage of permission marketing with SMS messages.

QR Codes and Mobile Marketing

QR codes and mobile marketing are quickly becoming two of the most popular ways that companies are using mobile technology to build their business through advertising. QR codes and mobile marketing can be an effective way for businesses to increase their sales through creative promotional techniques.

QR codes and mobile marketing are becoming more popular than ever among many businesses, restaurants, department stores, electronic stores, etc. as a way to notify their customers about upcoming sales, events, promotions and more. While text message marketing has been around now for a few years and continues to be an effective way to bring in new and more business, QR codes are just now starting to take off in popularity among bigger businesses with the development of smart phone technology that works by scanning these QR codes. Keep reading to learn more about QR codes and mobile marketing techniques that could help increase your business and profits.

QR Codes:

A Quick Response codes works as a two-dimensional matrix barcode. This QR code stores data like contact information , calendar events, URLs, emails, phone numbers and pretty much any text that is up to 7,089 characters. Now that mobile devices of the smart phone variety are coming with built-in barcode readers, more individuals are having access to using these QR codes that are being used for promotional campaigns. For example, a store might have a QR code that individuals can scan with their smart phone, which immediately enters them into a contest or gives them access to a promotion code that can be used for a discount off their purchase when checking out. There are dozens of ways QR codes cash in on the mobile marketing model to bring in new business using innovative mobile technology. QR codes also act as an actual physical hyperlink that can link both offline and online to print to mobile. Many businesses have benefited from placing these QR codes on other marketing materials like posters, business cards, catalogs, product labels or even direct mail cards and coupons.

Some QR codes might give the user more information about the product or service that they are scanning so they can determine if it is a worthy purchase for them. In addition, QR codes can be both generic and personalized with URLs depending on how you plan to use them for your business. If you put a QR code on the product label or brochure, this can be a good way to encourage your customers or potential customers to check out more information about the product or service by visiting the link online. There are so many ways to incorporate QR codes in with your current marketing. Many text marketing companies are beginning to offer QR codes and tools to get started with an extra way to begin marketing to your customers.

Mobile Marketing

Much like QR codes, mobile marketing with the usage of text message or SMS marketing can be a great way to reach out on an individual basis with marketing information for your regular customers or even those you hope become recurring customers. Fortunately many text marketing companies offer this service for a low monthly fee and provide tons of tools that can be used to build a quality text marketing campaign. These tools might include easy web access so you can quickly and easily manage your contacts, their phone numbers, accounts and other information on a single website. In addition, text marketing tools can be used to manage, create and even send your text messages to your contacts.

To find the best text marketing company for you, be sure you do your research. There are tons of the best text message marketing companies available online that offer affordable and easy-to-use text marketing campaigns for your advertising needs. Be sure you find one that offers QR codes if you are so inclined to begin using that method of marketing as well. Keep in mind with QR codes that not everyone has a smart phone mobile device or a QR code scanner of some kind. There is still more of a return on a text message marketing campaign, but QR codes are quickly gaining ground.

SMS Short Code Auditing

SMS short code auditing involves regulation from the CTIA – The Wireless Association. When it comes to SMS marketing and text marketing campaigns, SMS short code auditing requires those text marketing providers to adhere to the regulations set forth by the CTIA.

SMS short code auditing entails regulation from the CTIA as text marketers and the text marketing service providers must adhere to a group of guidelines in order to stay compliant with rules from the Mobile Marketing Association and other legal mandates from the federal government. The CTIA is an industry trade group that works to represent the interests of the wireless telecommunications industry. This association advocates in the interest of all of the governmental levels.

SMS Short Code Auditing:

One of the responsibilities from the CTIA is to ensure the text marketing providers as well as their customers using the text marketing service are adhering to the federal and CTIA guidelines. There are certain violations that some text marketing companies have made and are now facing legal consequences for their actions. For example, text marketing users that fail to mention: “Msg&Data Rates May Apply” in its marketing materials may be in violation of the CTIA rules. Other violations that many text marketing companies and text marketing users make include not displaying prominent links to privacy policies, not displaying the opt-out instructions so message recipients have the chance to opt out of the text marketing campaign and not displaying message frequency information (how often you will receive messages).

There are many of these guidelines that text marketers must use in order to stay compliant. Failure to follow these legal rulings might result in fines needing to be paid, legal consequences and even your business getting shut down depending on the level of violation that is made. In order to fall into the good graces of the SMS short code auditing procedures, it is important to always follow the rules and guidelines set forth by the CTIA as well as the MMA. If you ever have any questions about these rules, it is important to talk to your text marketing provider to ensure they are following all of the rules as well. The text marketing providers that offer quality service and follow the laws and rules from the CTIA will include this information in their Terms and Conditions Policy that every new customer must read and agree to before they sign up for the text marketing service. If you are unsure if your text marketing company is following these rules, check out the Terms and Conditions to find out. If they are not following the CTIA rules, which are meant to protect both the text marketing provider, the marketer themselves as well as the message recipients, you should consider switching your SMS marketing provider immediately so you don’t risk getting caught up in illegal practices or violations.

The best text marketing providers will adhere to these SMS short code auditing rules and will ensure their customers follow the rules as well or risk having their own text marketing campaign suspended. Spam techniques and failure to follow the CTIA rules will result in the text marketer getting shut down because good text marketing companies will monitor their customer’s text marketing practices. In order to avoid failure during SMS short code auditing practices, simply follow the rules. While some of the rules and laws regarding text marketing and even phone sales might seem restricting, they are required to be followed as per the CTIA regulations.

If you have any questions regarding these rules, be sure and speak with your text marketing provider to determine if you are following all of the rules correctly. Be sure and find a text marketing provider that is also open and honest about the fair MMA guidelines. Refer to your terms and conditions policy that you agreed to as soon as you signed up with the service initially. This will be a helpful tool to ensure you are following all of the SMS short code auditing procedures and rules.

Reverse 911 Text Message Programs

Reverse 911 Text Message programs are a helpful tool that can be used to help notify community members, students and others about emergency situations like car accidents, fires, lock downs, and other emergency situations. The reverse 911 text message programs are designed to provide alerts about emergencies as soon as possible.

Many schools, neighborhoods, cities, counties, states, and other organizations are using reverse 911 text message programs to help alert individuals and families about current emergency situations via text message. Since so many households are turning to mobile communication only using cell phones to communicate to their friends, family and for work use, communities, schools and other organizations that are investing in reverse 911 phone calling systems or mobile SMS reverse 911 text message programs are finding that appealing to the mobile phone carrier can get the information spread much faster since so many people use their mobile phones and text messaging to communicate.

Reverse 911 Text Message Programs:

These reverse 911 text message programs use a similar platform offered by text message marketing companies. When you think of a mobile marketing campaign, you typically think of a way to market business products, event, discounts and promotions to customers. However, this text message technology can be used in a variety of ways including a reverse 911 system. While many major cell phone carriers do offer unlimited text messaging plans, it would still be too much work to create individual groups to send out emergency alerts via text message. Not only would the process be slow and would be difficult to do, you would still be limited in the number of contacts you could have in your cell phone to send the message to those recipients. Text marketing platforms have online systems that are designed for the user to take advantage of online, use quickly and easily to manage contacts, phone numbers, create messages and send messages. Using a text message platform allows the user to hop online to the text platform website, log in and begin managing contacts, groups, messages, phone numbers, etc.

That way if you only need to alert half of a city or half of a neighborhood to a potential problem or emergency, you have the groups already created. In an emergency situation, it is important to get messages like those out as soon as possible. Taking fifteen or 20 minutes to get the message out to a certain number of contacts is too much time in the face of a life or death emergency that might require evacuation or other safety precautions.

Fortunately the reverse 911 text message programs can be set up quickly and easily. Some schools, organizations, neighborhoods and communities have been known to send the information out about the text message alert system to parents, families and individuals via newsletter or flyer. This newsletter, flyer or even email will be send out to those recipients with the chance to opt in to receive the emergency notifications via text message. If the individual decides he or she would like to receive the reverse 911 messages if an emergency occurs, they can text in to the short code – shortened phone number used for mobile text message – to receive future messages though the process of opting in. Once that individual has opted in to the service, they will receive messages in case of an emergency situation via the reverse 911 text message programs.

Schools can also send out similar information to the students’ parents so those parents have the opportunity to receive a message if there is an emergency situation at the school like a security concern, lock down, violent storm, fire, natural disaster or a wide variety of emergency situations. If you are interested in learning more about using a reverse 911 text message program, be sure to look into what the best text marketing providers have to offer online to sign up for a similar service and create a great way for your community to have up-to-date and life-saving information on emergency situations.

mCommerce and Mobile Payments

mCommerce and mobile payments can make the difference between a business being able to take a variety of payments and only being able to take cash. For traveling businesses, it is so helpful to include mCommerce and mobile payments in with your business to expand your money-earning potential.

Using mCommerce, businesses can appeal to an entirely new network of customers that wish to use credit or debit cards to make their purchases. For those businesses that travel to sell products at fairs, art shows, door-to-door sales and other means of mobile commerce, it is a good idea to consider how you plan to take payments. Limiting your payment acceptance to only cash and possibly check will limit the number of people willing to shop and spend their money with your business. Taking checks from unknown individuals can also be risky. That is why it is a good idea to consider looking into mCommerce. Now with the use of smart phones and other smart mobile devices, it is easy to accept mobile payments using credit and debit cards. There are a couple different ways you can use mCommerce and mobile payments. One of these ways is to accept payments in person using an attachment device including dashtop mobile using it with an electronic device. Other ways to accept mobile payments is through SMS text messaging. You can have your customers use their phones to text in their purchase and have that payment made directly to your account via text message. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of mCommerce and mobile payments using mobile devices or SMS marketing and text messaging technology.

mCommerce and Mobile Payments:

There are a couple different ways you can use mCommerce. Many businesses that travel to sell products will take advantage of adding mobile tools that they can plug in to their smart phone and literally use to swipe debit and credit cards for transaction. This is a super helpful way to be able to expand your business to the many customers that no longer use or carry cash. Because of the popularity of using debit cards instead of cash, many shoppers don’t even carry much cash if at all when they are shopping. Being able to accommodate these types of card shoppers is a great way to make more money because you are not limiting your business to just those individuals that want to purchase your products or services using cash.

Typically you can use the mobile attachment on your smart phone and download the accompanying application or software to your phone to begin accepting payments right away! Many mobile devices are becoming even more accommodating when it comes to mCommerce. That is why many online shoppers will use their smart phones to actually make purchases online. Some online stores will have technology available for text purchasing. This means, the user can log in to their payment gateway like PayPal and use their phone and SMS technology to purchase a product or service. There are many online companies that allow consumers to buy their favorite products and services via text message. In many cases, you don’t even have to visit the website or go to the store to make the purchase. An example of how these mobile payments take place include a woman seeing a dress she really wants to buy in a magazine. She can simple use SMS marketing technology to send the text code that is in the ad beside the dress via text message on her cell phone. By setting up these advertisements and accounts, users can purchase products anytime they see a product or service they wish to purchase.

This type of commerce takes on a whole new level of purchasing in addition to what is offered by mCommerce. In fact, using mobile payments via text message, the user doesn’t even have to be connected to the Internet to make the purchase. This means making purchases that much easier for the consumer as well as for the merchant. This is a huge new step in terms of shopping and enterprise. Many new businesses should consider adding in these new types of mCommerce and mobile payments in with their existing merchant services structure to begin appealing to more shoppers and to make more profits with higher sales overall.

Mobile Text Surveys

SMS marketing tools can be used in a variety of ways including with mobile text surveys. As mobile text communication becomes increasingly popular, it is a good tool to use for marketing purposes using SMS technology. Mobile text surveys are a fun way for companies to get important feedback on their business.

To learn more about mobile text surveys and how to use them with your business or organization, let’s first take a closer look at how bulk SMS marketing works and how business owners or marketing professionals can get started with this handy advertising tool. Text message marketing is becoming an increasingly popular way for companies, organizations, churches, schools and other groups to send out massive amounts of text messages at a single time. Text marketing providers use online systems to allow for easy contact and phone number management. These text marketing systems online help the marketer keep all of their contacts and phone numbers in a single system. The messages can also be created and sent from this location as well. It is a helpful and easy way to get started sending out massive text messages to hundreds, if not thousands of contacts.

How SMS Messaging Works:

SMS messaging works on an opt-in basis, which means your customers or group members must give consent to receive the messages. They can do this buy signing up on a list with their name and/or phone number, or you can give them the option to text in to your text marketing campaign themselves. They can text in the keyword associated with your text marketing campaign using a short code (shortened phone number) to begin receiving messages. These messages can entail whatever information or advertisement information you want them to include for the benefit of your customers or potential customers. For example, you can send out information about upcoming events/meetings, promotions, discounts, sales and more. You can send your customers mobile coupons and information about how they can get deals on your products and services via text message. There are tons of ways you can use an SMS marketing campaign to advertise your business or organization including using mobile text surveys.

Mobile Text Surveys

Mobile text surveys work by helping the business or organization get feedback from their customers or group members. The mobile text surveys allow customers to respond to surveys by responding via text message. The business or organization can put out a list of questions with keywords and the customer can respond to the answers via text message using the mobile text surveys. These might also work by the responder just replying to questions asked by the company or organization within the text message. There are many ways that a marketer can set up mobile text surveys to get responses about important products, services, the best sellers, most desired, favorite foods, etc. There are so many uses a business can get out of mobile text surveys. They will only require a few moments of the customers’ time, which will make it an easy and fast way to get important feedback on how the business is running, products and services.

Finding the Best Text Marketing Provider:

If you are interested in finding a mobile marketing company that offers SMS marketing technology as well as tools like mobile text surveys that can greatly benefit your business, be sure to do some shopping around online. As SMS marketing gets more and more popular, there are more SMS marketing companies to choose from that offer the service for low, affordable monthly prices. It is a good idea to look into what companies offer the tools like mobile text surveys, so you can enhance your business through customer feedback. Be sure to talk to a customer service representative from the text marketing company to find out how they offer mobile text surveys to find out if it would be an option for your business.