SMS Text Messaging… Can U Afford 2 B Left Behind!

SMS, short for Short Messaging Service, is a text message service that enables short messages of generally no more than 160 characters in length, to be sent to, and transmitted from a mobile phone.Mobile phones and the use of SMS, are having an un-deniable impact on our daily lives and the methods we use to conduct business. The fact that SMS also provides an enormous opportunity for companies to interact with their customers, is not really well known.

Some numbers…

Consider these figures. The ‘Mobile Data Association’ reported that in the UK alone, in a three year period from 2003, over 75 billion SMS messages were transmitted.In the US, according to the ‘Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association’, the number of SMS messages has grown from 930 million per month in 2002, to 1.2 billion per month in 2003.Recently, in the Philippines, SMS Messaging played a major role in bringing down an unpopular political regime. Now that’s a lot Token batch sender of SMS messages.The ‘Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association’, reported that during 2005, Australians sent more than 5 billion text messages. Considering, Australia’s population is only around 20 million, this is extraordinary.Popular reality TV shows like Australian Idol, Big Brother, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, and others, use SMS technology to generate millions of dollars of revenue directly from the SMS votes that will be used to determine the winners.

more numbers…

A study of various SMS campaigns revealed the following outstanding results: 61% response, 27% reply to a message, 19% visit a web site, 15% visit a store. 2. 94% of messages are read, which explains the high levels of response and brand impact.During the last few years, SMS Messaging has developed into the most used service in the mobile data area. Also, when response rates, interactivity and cost to implement, are considered, SMS marketing is without doubt the most popular marketing method.SMS is a high-response-rate method of communication, which can help to acquire and retain consumers, sell and promote products, drive loyalty, and reinforce branding efforts. Based on current growth figures, SMS Messaging will become an ever increasingly important component in future marketing communications.

Here are 6 reasons why:

SMS messages nearly always reach the recipient

Since there is a charge for sending SMS messages, they nearly always reach the intended recipient. SMS messages are forwarded to SMS Gateways, where they are stored until sent. This means, even if the recipient is not immediately available to receive them, or if the phone is powered off or out of range, messages are able to be delivered at the next opportunity. This high rate of deliverability makes SMS Messaging the most effective method of communication available.

SMS messages nearly always get read by the recipient

There’s nothing more irresistible, than the tone of an in-coming SMS message to the user anticipating, perhaps, a personal message from a friend. This reason alone nearly always guarantees that the SMS message that you send, will be read.

 SMS messages nearly always get read within seconds of being received

Mobile phones are carried by their users wherever they go, even in the restroom. Thus when they receive a SMS message promoting a marketing offer from your business, they can’t resist checking it out and they will usually do this, within seconds of receiving your message.

SMS messages will usually get you an immediate response

Mobile users are usually addicted to their phones, whether they would like to admit it or not. A well crafted marketing offer, with an incentive to respond quickly via return SMS, will usually result in a response more quickly than via an e-mail or other type of marketing offer.

SMS messages are extremely cost effective

Compared to other methods, and considering it’s high deliverability, there is no contest. SMS Messaging is the most cost effective method of communicating and promoting of products and services currently available.Using SMS Messaging to communicate or promote products offers a level of interactivity hard to replicate using other methods.