Happy Birthday, SMS! 12/03/2011 12:54 PM
When Neil Papworth used a computer keyboard to type the message “Merry Christmas” and then sent it from a computer to his boss’s Orbitel 901 handset, texting as we know it was born.
That was 19 years ago.
Since then, texting has grown in leaps and bounds: 1.56 trillion texts were sent in the United States alone in 2010. More than 52,000 texts are sent every second. What started out as plain, text-only messages has evolved into a way to quickly and easily share information, pictures, and more.
Now, while people still use the service to send holiday well wishes, they also use it for so much more.
Individuals use texting to buy goods, earn discounts, and cast votes. They can get alerted when their bank funds are running low, enter to win a Sweepstakes, or donate money after a natural disaster – all from their mobile phone.
2WayTxt lets businesses tap into this powerful communication tool, and gives them a way to reach out to their customers in a medium they know and love.
Contact us today, and start texting tomorrow!
Make Any Day Black Friday with an SMS Sale 11/25/2011 01:00 PM
It’s a big day for retailers and shoppers alike: Black Friday. Retailers make big plans to offer deep discounts, and each year they open their doors a little bit earlier to the crowds of consumers eager to get a deal and save a buck.
For one day a year, retailers are able to capture shopper loyalty (and dollars!) with these significant sales – but who says it only has to happen once a year?
With mobile marketing on the rise, and the market saturation of cell phone ownership, retailers can make it Black Friday any day by offering an enticing discount to the VIPs on their opt-in list.
Here are 3 easy steps for using SMS-based marketing campaigns to have people waiting in line any day of the year.
Build Your List
Use a traditionally busy day – or week – to offer a special prize or discount to consumers for signing up to receive text messages from your store. This could be a Sweepstakes with several high-ticket items, or it could be a generic coupon that recipients are able to forward to friends and family. Either way, make sure the deal is sweet so that you capture as many subscriptions as possible.
Keep Them Engaged
Building shopper loyalty isn’t just about sales and coupons. Consumers like to be treated well, whether they’re making a purchase or not. Remembering their preferences goes a long way in their likeliness to return to your location versus a competitor. SMS-based marketing campaigns are a great way to move specific inventory, like closeout merchandise, sale items, and end of season products.
Launch a Deal
Now that you’ve got a base of loyal, happy shoppers, you can use SMS messages to build buzz about an upcoming sale or event. Offer a minimal discount for anyone who walks through your doors on the sale date, and be sure to text your VIP subscribers that they get an extra discount for their loyalty.
Explore the mobile marketing possibilities: www.2waytxt.com
As Wireless Market Matures, Marketing Opportunities Abound 10/28/2011 12:40 PM
“Can you name 3 people that don’t own a cell phone?”
Ten years ago, this was my favorite question. I found that after a few seconds, nearly everyone I asked in 2001 could think of several friends and family members that hadn’t entered the world of wireless.
When I ask people that same question now, they struggle to think of anyone that can’t make a call on the go — even their grandparents are cell phone owners!
Recently released statistics from CTIA, The Wireless Association, validate this sentiment: the US now has more wireless connections (327.6 million) than it does people (315.5 million). That’s a saturation rate of 103.9% – and a show of the wireless industry’s explosive growth throughout the past 10 years.
When I first entered the wireless business, the market was mainly focused on post-paid contracts, where consumers with good credit were able to purchase a wireless device and pay a monthly fee for service.
The non credit worthy consumers that wanted to go wireless then had to pay big deposits to do so. This excluded many potential customers based on their credit rating, but it proved a secure route for providers to continue growing their base without fear of non-payment.
As confidence grew, and consumer wireless saturation reached 75% in 2006, the pre-paid sector skyrocketed. Now, even people with poor credit could have a cell phone. Pre-paid agreements had several perks that drew in new customers: there was no early termination fee, it was easy to switch carriers, and minors (those under 18) were allowed to take out their own plan for the first time.
At this point in wireless history, the market reached fair value, and consumers could finally pay a fair price. The need to “sell” wireless to the masses diminished — people were already hooked.
It wasn’t until 2010 that the wireless market had fully matured. When the Universal Service Fund began offering Lifeline Assistance for wireless, it was the first time individuals with no credit could regularly use a cell phone — and for free!
With almost no remaining barriers to entry, a dwindling landline market, and an influx of new technology, the wireless industry officially entered its prime.
Now that everyone I know — and probably everyone you know, too — has a cell phone, I’m committed to harnessing the power of this network to quickly and effectively communicate marketing messages.
I also have a new favorite question: “Can you name 3 people that don’t use texting?”
2WAYTXT IS THE OFFICIAL TXT MSGING PARTNER OF RESPONSE EXPO 2011 05/03/2011 01:29 PM
ARK IDEAS PARTNERS WITH 2WAYTXT TO PROMOTE MARKING SERVICES THROUGH SMS @ CES & CTIA 05/03/2011 01:29 PM
Ark Ideas partnered with 2WAYTXT to promote both their marketing services and SMS by offering FREE shuttle service around town and to the convention locations during the 2011 CTIA in Orlando and the 2011 CES in Las Vegas.
Attendees had to simply txt a unique keyword to our short code 30 minutes before they needed to be picked up, and we sent one of our Escalades to pick them up!
2WAYTXT APPROVED BY CRICKET! 05/03/2011 01:27 PM
2WAYTXT is now certified to run txting campaigns through the major wireless carrier, Cricket. Approval was granted February 2011. 2WAYTXT is now available on almost every major carrier!
2WAYTXT to be showcased at Mobile Monday Demo Night! 01/25/2010 01:39 PM
Come learn more about and vote for 2WAYTXT tonight from 5:30-8:30pm at Mobile Monday’s Demo Night event. For more details: http://2txt.it/000022
Mobile Making a Difference 01/21/2010 09:15 AM
The catastrophic earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 has left many in need, and the global response has yielded immediate financial support that is unprecedented, made possible by mobile technology and texting campaigns.
Within hours of the news first breaking, the Red Cross launched a text messaging campaign to raise funds. Those wishing to lend a hand could simply text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross Relief Fund. Soon to follow, Yele Haiti, a grassroots movement founded by Wyclef Jean in support of growth in Haiti, launched their own mobile effort, asking supporters to text YELE to 501501.
The immediacy of SMS enables people to donate effortlessly and in masses, without the complications of setting up a network or infrastructure. The Red Cross reported 500,000 donations of $10 each within the first three days of the campaign. That’s $5 million, raised in three days!
Using mobile as a tool to illicit an immediate response makes it perfectly suited to causes such as disaster relief. Anybody with a cell phone can make donations anywhere and anytime, bringing individual efforts together for a united cause. People from across the United States were able contribute to a global effort.
Now that mobile is a tool to address world issues, never before have you truly had so much power in the palm of your hand.
Lance Armstrong and Livestrong Chalkbot Spread Words of Inspiration 08/04/2009 08:49 AM
Lance Amstrong’s fight against cancer has been motivation for many but his comeback to cycling is one of the greatest comebacks of all time. As Armstrong prepares to start the 2009 Tour De France, this time he is not only racing for himself/team, but for the 27.5 million who died from cancer during his absence from pro-cycling. Livestrong continues to be on the forefront of social media and social change and is utilizing the technology of SMS to spread the word, literally.
Race enthusiasts and Livestrong supporters can text an inspirational message for racers, and the Nike Chalkbot will scrawl selected messages on the bike path before raceday, not only inspiring those racing but forever memoralizing these messages as they are broadcasted throughout the world to a massive global audience.
The Nike Livestrong campaign has been known for its innovative marketing, from introducing wristbands to meaningful content on Twitter, but the Chalkbot is one of the greatest examples of SMS innovation that will result in quite possibly the biggest text-to-screen campaign ever run.
SMS in this utility is logistically perfect, limiting the length of each entry to 160 characters by necessity, allowing more people to participate overall. And as the Tour de France is filmed, thousands of messages will be memorialized on film, which, with Armstrong racing, will likely be watched over and over again.
Just as the messages will be captured on film, SMS is a great way to memorialize a message in general, even without the benefit of having the greatest cyclist of all time and major television network coverage. SMS can be stored on the web, creating a website that users can text into and forever have access to, memorializing messages for any number of causes. The tie-in of SMS to television and a creative web integration can create a lasting message — something that any advertiser can put to good use.
This campaign is a prime example of the right way to engage users in a meaningful way via SMS, consistent to the marketing message of telling your story, while empowering users by literally spreading their words of wisdom in yellow chalk for spectators to take in. Not only will those who already feel connected to the campaign, but they will also be more likely to tune in to broadcasts. To bolster this, Livestrong is taking advantage of SMS to alerts users when to tune in to see their message in chalk. They have created a dialogue in a meaningful way that does not feel contrived to the marketing message, but empowering in a way that a non-profit organization with a cause this big should feel.
Racers will follow the yellow-chalk road to victory, a road of inspiring words, causes and hopes for a cause bigger than the race itself. And that SMS has played a role in that makes it clear that 160 characters are worth thousands of memorialized words.
And the Winner is… 02/25/2009 12:02 PM
The second most watched television event of the season aired on Sunday night and among the biggest snubs at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony was mobile among the national commercials.
Similar to the Superbowl, the Academy Awards marked another example of missed opportunities for advertisers to interact with viewers during live television. Movie trailers and broadcast tune-in commercials could have ended with a text-in for a reminder before the movie and show premieres, travel commercials could have included text-in for discounts or prizes and the restaurant advertisements could have easily included a text-in for specials and locations. With the money spent for advertisements during this massive reach event it is difficult to imagine the advertiser is satisfied with only speaking to an audience and not allowing for response. If the relationship begins with the initial contact, it needs to continue with a venue for dialogue.
Mobile was present, however, as ABC offered mobile alerts to provide behind the scenes information. The next big event is the finale of American Idol in May, and you can bet that text messaging will have a much bigger part to play.