Reasons why more Event Organizers should choose text messaging during event or conferences

#1- Text messaging allows for more widespread and easy participation.

#2 - Engage attendees in real-time.

#3 - Significant savings over mobile apps or audience response systems.

#4 - Text messaging allows seamless communication between attendees and organizers.

What Event Organizers or Conferences can use?

#1 - Text Voting (SMS Polling) for real-time participation and feedback

#2 - Text to Quiz (Trivia), have some fun at conference and engage audience

#3 - Text to win, let participants take away something

#4 - Text to Survey, get real-time feedback or capture participants contact information or a request to setup meeting

For more information visit: TXTImpact SMS Marketing

We have recently added option to receive Replies directly to your text message broadcast using Group Texting or Broadcast text message feature.

How it work?

• Reply option applies to Text message broadcast and Group Texting features only
• Should you have Reply options configured and enabled, all replies from recipients to any text message sent from Broadcast or Group Texting tools, will be forwarded to configured email and mobile phone.
• Text message credits will be deducted for all messages forwarded to your mobile
• All replies will be available online in Received Messages regardless of forwarding option

How to enable Reply Forwarding to Mobile and/or Email?

• Logon to management console using your credentials
• Click on Reply Settings menu.
• Enter mobile number and/or email where you like to receive replies.
• Press "Save"
• Should you like to receive replies to email or mobile only, then enter only email or mobile number.

How to disable Reply Forwarding to Mobile and/or Email?

• Logon to management console using your credentials
• Click on Reply Settings menu.
• Enter mobile number and/or email where you like to receive replies.
• Press "Disable"; Disable option only available if you had configured the forwarding options.

 Smartphones, and what I call my “dumb” phone, are an underused method for communicating with customers. Text messaging is like soccer: bigger everywhere in the world, but the USA. That is changing however, and because of that, mobile marketing is entering a new phase of acceptance and adoption.

No doubt you’ve heard that 2012 will be the year mobile takes off. Umm, it was also the year of mobile in 2009, 2010, 2011… Never mind all the prognostication. Just make sure that you open this door if your customer wants to keep up with you via mobile. The following 11 text messaging solutions may help you earn a new sale or keep an existing customer happy.

1. GroupMe. GroupMe is a completely free mobile app. If you have a small set of people you want to send a group text message to, this may be the ideal tool. You don’t even need a smartphone or mobile phone of your own to make this work.

2. Signal. Signal is a significant player in the mobile marketing space because that’s not all they offer. Their platform allows you to manage all your customer communications in one dashboard. E-mail, Facebook, interactive promotions (think surveys, geo-location stuff) are all in one place. Plans start at $30/mo.

3. Fanminder. I’ve mentioned these guys a few times. They combine the power of Facebook with Mobile. You can send social and mobile messages to your fans. The 0-100 Fan package is completely free.

4. TellMyCell. TellMyCell lets you upload existing contacts/customers via .CSV (spreadsheet) file and then create groups. You can schedule messages to go at specific times. It offers pay-as-you-go pricing, then bulk plans start at $29/mo.

5. TxtImpact. I like the simple way TxtImpact has designed their site. When you click on Text Message Marketing, you get a simple chart that shows the different ways small business owners can use it: Text-2-Join (build your list), SMS voting/polling (ask your customers for their opinions), and so forth. Free trial, then plans start at $25/mo.  

6. Trumpia. Trumpia makes it clear what you get in each plan. I like that they have a way to tie a QR code (that bar-code like technology that is growing in popularity) to your mobile marketing. Their appointment reminder option looks like a great one for many small businesses. Basic plans as low as $15/mo with annual prepayment.

7. EZ Texting. EZ Texting doesn't charge for incoming messages, so if your customer responds, you’re not paying for that additional message—many plans offer this, too, by the way. You can send a message from your phone or from the Web app. I like that you can send a voicemail broadcast, too. Starter plans begin at $29/mo.

8. Mobivity. Mobivity looks to be more of a full service shop with a team to help you develop a custom app and mobile marketing process at your company. Their basic plan starts at $79/mo and offers a limited free trial.

9. Clickatell. Clickatell offers a robust and detailed mobile marketing solution. You can get a dedicated two-way number that allows you to engage with your mobile customer. They have a clear message pricing calculator if you want to add specific options. Plans start at $9.95/mo.

General note: Some mobile marketing services offer you only a shortcode, which is not two-way—meaning you can’t start a conversation with your mobile customer—but often you don’t need that if you’re sending a coupon or one-way offers. 

10. Txt180. Txt180 has a simple, yet elegant service. It is flexible to the point that they even have an alternate opt-in message you can send to your customer. All mobile services, like many e-mail services, are required to send a message allowing the customer to opt-in or out (permission-based). Txt180 makes this easy and seamless. Plans start at $9.95/mo.

11. CallFire. CallFire is more than just text messaging. They are a full-service VOIP (voice over internet protocol) provider and have interactive voice responders, voice broadcasting and a cloud call center in addition to SMS marketing services. Pricing starts at $.03 (meaning 3 cents) per message, pay-as-you-go. I like that they break down their offering by industry, too, so you can see how others like you are using it.

To close, mobile marketing via text message (SMS) is not about spamming your customer base. It is only going to work on a permission based philosophy. You don’t need to listen to the hype around mobile marketing being the next big thing; that doesn’t really matter. The question is only can you share something via text message that serves your customers. If the answer is yes, then jump on the mobile marketing train.

Source: OpenForum

Why start with Text Messaging?

Here are three good reasons:

1. Cost-effectiveness

It’s not news that in many marketing departments these days money isn’t always easy to come by. Coming up with the budget for a mobile app, on one platform let alone two, is not always easy.

Creating a mobile website, depending on size, scope, and content management system, is not cheap either. Text messaging marketing can be extremely budget friendly, especially if you’re already printing signs for something or running traditional media.  Just revise the creative to add a “text-in for this or that” call-to-action and you’ve just started a mobile marketing campaign.

Best of all, almost all SMS marketing providers charge based on the number of messages or subscribers in your database. The cost starts small and when it increases that means your campaign is working!

2. Biggest Audience

When marketing dollars are tight everyone likes to see “good numbers” at the end of the campaign. Because text messaging is available on essentially every phone and used by just about everybody (over 70% of adults), you’ll have the best opportunity to reach the most people and build the largest opt-in database.

Every other mobile marketing technology has an inherit “audience-limiter”. Mobile websites; must have an HTML-capable phone.  Apps; must have a smartphone. QR codes; must have a smartphone and a QR reader installed. The more things your audience needs to participate, the smaller the numbers get. Start with the biggest audience and then target the more technology capable groups later.

3. It will “launch” the other ones

At the end of any text message marketing campaign there will be a database of mobile phone numbers (the people who texted-in). Launching a mobile app or website? Send out a text and tell them.

They’ve already had one mobile interaction with you so there’s a good chance they would be open to another. Instead of counting on the app store or mobile searches to drive traffic you can generate that initial burst of activity on your own. Think about it, it’s a lot easier to drive traffic to a new website when you already have a big email list of people who would be interested.

Ok, so you agree text messaging might be a good place to start mobile marketing.

But where do you start with text messaging? 

1. Traditional media

As mentioned above, this is an easy one. Instead of telling your audience to “call now” or “visit our website”, have them send a text message. Maybe they’re entering to win something or getting an instant “show this message on your phone for something” coupon.

2. Events

Are you still using clipboards and sign up sheets to gather data at your events? Still putting out that plastic fish bowl for business cards? Try having your event attendees get out their phone and text to vote, answer a question, put a message up on a screen, sign a petition, win something, or get a discount. It’ll be more fun for you and your audience, and in the end you’ll get a valid mobile number instead of an email address you can’t read anyway.

3. In-store

Many businesses have more people passing through their doors everyday than visits to their website. Those people also have phones in their pockets and purses. Print out a sign and create a mobile loyalty club by having visitors text-in for a discount on their next visit. They’re in your location so you know they have an interest in your business. Give them an easy way to offer up their valuable mobile phone number so you can bring them back later.

Reduce no-shows and wait times with automated text messages to patients & practitioners

Being effective, easy and economical -it is also incredibly simple to setup and start sending Text Message appoitment reminders (SMS) with our easy to use web interface.

Integrate the capability into existing appointment scheduling system using our SMS Text Messaging Developer APIs

Some of the use of Text messaging for Appointment reminder Applications

Record Black Friday sales have given retailers hope that business will pick up a bit this holiday season. For many people, that news conjures images of crowded mall parking lots and busy big-box retailers.

But the news also offers opportunities for small businesses like those that line Hopkins’ Mainstreet.

Hopkins Patch spoke with Doug Denny—a local marketing consultant and copywriter—about how local businesses can make the most of the season. His company, DeJa Local Marketing, has done work for businesses ranging from Hopkins Auto Body to Chili’s.

Here’s what he had to say.

1) Connect your business to local holiday events.

Hopkins has plenty of seasonal festivals that local businesses can often tap into better than big-box retailers. Small-businesses owners should tie their sales into these events in order to emphasize how local they are, Denny said. For example, stores open during Hopkins’ Old Fashioned Christmas celebration could offer an “Old Fashioned Deal.”

2) Tie in to local successes.

Hopkins’ sense of community is one of its greatest strengths. While the standardization of big-box stores can make it hard for them to capitalize on that sentiment, local businesses don’t have that problem. Their owners often live in the city and have a pulse on local happenings.

Find out what’s successful in the schools, in churches and elsewhere in the community, Denny suggested. Then connect promotions to those local highlights. When the boys basketball team won its third championship in a row, for example, stores could have offered three deals for the three-peat.

“Think local,” Denny said. “Don’t just think about your customers. Think about your customers’ lives.”

3) Connect with customers on the go.

That means going mobile.Use text message alerts, smart phone apps, mobile websites and other options to reach potential customers as they go about their day.

The good news is that these products are no longer the domain of big corporations. Small businesses can hire someone to put together a functional app for less than $2,000—with financing plans available to spread the cost out, Denny said. Mobile websites are even cheaper, as low as $750 for an easily navigable site tailored to smart phones.

When you have the mobile pieces in place, promote them heavily at point of sale locations and other traditional ways in order to let customers know the options are out there. Offer mobile-only deals with coupon codes.

Local stores may offer products and bargains as good as those in a crowded holiday mall. But that doesn’t help if customers aren’t reminded about what’s available.

“Reach them where they are, so we can shop Mainstreet,” Denny said.

4) Avoid “interruptive marketing” whenever possible.

These are messages that force potential customers to stop whatever they’re doing to pay attention to the ad—whether that’s a commercial breaking into a TV show or a newspaper ad interrupting an article.  Customers, especially the younger generation, have become adept at tuning out this type of marketing.

But what about the text message alerts and other messaging that Denny recommends? Those aren’t interruptive because customers opted to receive them, he said, noting that about 95 percent of text messages are opened.

5) Build in a time element.

All that mobile marketing means businesses are no longer communicating with people comfortably ensconced on the couch. Those messages are coming in while people are in meetings, transporting their children or otherwise going about their day. 

Including a not-too-distant deadline—“Come in during the next four hours for a special price.”—encourages customers to stop by on their way home and choose your store for the spontaneous decisions they make while out and about, Denny said.

6) Don’t sweat it if customers share the coupon codes with friends who don’t subscribe to your mobile products.

The whole goal is to increase the number of customers. As long as you’ve included some profit margin, your store will be better off for the extra people stopping by.

7) Make visiting your store enjoyable—especially throughout the holiday season.

“During the holidays, people are attracted to bright lights and fun,” Denny said.

Source: hopkins.patch.com

 Read more about SMS Marketing and Text Messaging services 

The SMS Marketing text messaging service for advertisers provides marketers with a fantastic way to keep in close contact with their customers via print ads, TV, radio, and more. It’s tough to make it in business no matter what type of business you’re operating. The statistics are rather frightening. Over 85% of all businesses fail. And this isn’t because people set out to sell bad products that nobody wants. It’s more to do with the fact that there is so much competition. Only the best known, heavily advertised companies are capable of building a brand, and only a successful brand reaches long-term, sustained success. For anyone needing to advertise their business, TXTImpact has released their SMS Marketing text messaging service for advertisers out there. Whether your company is big or small, local or global, this sms marketing approach is a surefire winner when used correctly.

Say that you print weekly ads in a popular newspaper. You cannot achieve very much with the space allotted. You’re usually only putting forth a catchy tag line and some details to entice people, and then you attach your business’s number and/or location. That’s the traditional advertisement. With a text messaging service, though, you can list your text number with an ad that says something to the extent of “Find out today’s biggest deals.” And when someone texts you, you can respond with the in-depth information needed to lure customers to your business.

Having a text messaging service like this is just easier and more convenient for everyone involved. Customers don’t have to visit your location or wait to speak to a person on the phone. As soon as they text your number, they will receive all the information they need. And what’s better – now they’re part of your network and will receive every ad you decide to send.

It doesn’t only work for print ads, either. You can do the same on local TV by airing your number across the screen, or for a local radio spot. Any way you decide to go here, people deciding to opt-in to your text network allows them to receive ads from you at any place and at any time.

You can send people a wide assortment of custom-tailored information, including but not limited to:

·         Offer discounts

·         Prize entries and drawings

·         Customer support

·         One-on-one conversations and feedback

·         Affiliate systems

·         And so much more

Having a service like TXTImpact’s text messaging network allows you to advertise in ways you never thought possible, and on a budget that’s absolutely unbeatable.

 Businesses need efficient communication in order to provide good customer service and to increase sales. While phone calls, mails, and emailing have been utilized by many businesses today for communication to its customers. Today, we'll talk about a new communication channel “text messaging” a.ka. "SMS".

We have seen tremendous growth in Text messaging among age group of 13-18 years and has typically been utilized peer to peer, however now businesses are starting to adopt it as a way to communicate time sensitive and relevant information to the customers, employees, and/or field sales.

Text messages reach people wherever they are, at any time of day or night. Due to its very nature, text messaging is viewed with a sense of urgency to which email can’t compare. People carry Mobile phones almost 24 hours a day and thus the ability to deliver the message directly to the receiver is done with great confidence that the message will be received instantaneously.

Consider these statistics:

• 18-29 year old consumers use text messaging more often than voice to communicate.
• On average 94% of text messages are read.
• 80% of consumers keep their mobile with them all day.
• When given a choice 39% of US consumers — 76 million people — prefer text messages to radio or TV advertising.

Consumers are numb to the huge amount of advertising that is presented in front of them each day.  So much advertising has conditioned consumers to ignore almost every advertisement.  The organizations that suffer the most is the small, and medium size because they do not have millions of dollars to spend on marketing like the large corporate sector.  Until now this has been an almost impossible challenge to overcome.

Here are some examples of how different kinds of businesses use texting strategically:

Advertising. Advertising agencies, businesses, and marketers use Texting to build opt-in databases to send promotions and announcements to subscriber’s cell phones.

Education. Schools use Texting to send alerts to parents about important reminders, truancy, or emergencies. Communicate with your entire student body in a matter of minutes.  Or do surveys in the classroom to make it more interactive.

Real Estate. Texting gives house hunters instant access to property listings, and easily communicates with them to setup an appointment or request more information.  Related, you can send text messages to tenants the 1st of every month to remind them of rent being due.

Retail. Online retailers and mail order houses use Texting to notify customers about their order status and when their merchandise is shipped.

Services. Doctors, dentists, salons, and other service companies use Texting to send appointment reminders and confirmations.

DEERFIELD, Ill., October 06, 2011 - Text messaging has become the most popular form of communication for mobile users in the U.S., and now Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG) is helping its pharmacy patients remember and order prescription refills through its newest mobile feature, Refill Reminder Text Alerts. The new service delivers a text message notifying patients when an existing prescription is due for refill, orders can then be completed with a simple “refill” reply.

The service is free to mobile and smartphone users, standard data and messaging rates apply through wireless carriers.

“We’ve driven strong adoption and customer engagement through our mobile applications, and these mobile pharmacy features are also great tools for helping people manage their health,” said Sona Chawla, Walgreens president of e-commerce. “This is another way we’re extending the access to Walgreens pharmacy to patients on the go and helping them stay well.”

Pharmacy patients can sign up for refill reminder text alerts at any Walgreens pharmacy and also online at www.walgreens.com/textalerts.

Walgreens currently has more than 2 million subscribers for its Prescription Ready Text Alerts, which notify customers when a prescription order is ready for pickup.

Mobile Health Care Applications Drive Online Refills, May Help Improve Adherence Rates

The overall cost of poor medication adherence is approximately $290 billion per year to the U.S. health care system.¹ In addition, studies show that for every 100 new prescriptions, only 15-20 percent are refilled as prescribed.²

“Medication non-adherence is one of the biggest hurdles in treating illness today, responsible for more than $100 billion each year in avoidable hospitalizations³,” said Cheryl Pegus, Walgreens chief medical officer. “Tools and personalized services that can help patients remain compliant with their prescription regimens can be effective in lowering health care costs and improving patient care.”

Walgreens mobile applications, which recently received Webby Awards in the people’s voice categories of Best Integrated Mobile Experience and Best Shopping from a Mobile Device, now account for more than 25 percent of the company’s online prescription refills.

These applications feature Refill by Scan, which enables mobile users to order refills simply by scanning the barcode on a prescription bottle. They also have a prescription refills tab, where refills can be ordered by entering a prescription number, with in-store pickup available at any Walgreens store.

Source Walgreen