mainarticles   mainarticles
mainarticles
mainarticles   mainarticles
mainarticles
mainarticles

Home | Communications | Mobile Phones


The Virtues of SMS or Text Messaging

By: Timothy S. Hillebrand, Ph
 

SMS (short message service) or text messaging has become well-entrenched in Europe and Asia. It has been slow to take off in the United States because of our competing telcos with differing technologies. Teens and the younger generation have been quick to adapt texting as their preferred mode of communication in the U.S. With more and more TV shows using SMS for voting (American Idol and Donald Trump), polling, and for joining fan clubs, its use is becoming more widespread. However, few people use SMS to the fullest advantage. You can use SMS to get instant information, send money, make money, and to save money. It is actually the most powerful marketing tool ever conceived.

SMS or texting involves sending a short text message limited to 160 characters to a cell phone number, email address, or short code. A short code is a five or six digit number used for commercial convenience so that you don't have to remember or to key in a whole long phone number.

Personal SMS

Texting is the communication method of choice among teens in the U.S., and it has many advantages. It is fast and efficient. Unfortunately, SMS has been used for cheating on tests, and for that reason some schools tend to frown on cell phones in class.

To text someone, go to the messaging area of your phone's functions and select SMS or Text Message. Enter the recipient's phone number in the To: field and then type your message in the message field. Select Send, and off it goes.

Text messages are limited to 160 characters maximum. Some phones display character counts. If you go over 160 characters, some phone will split the messages and automatically create sequential messages. Some phones have canned text with phrases you can select such as "email me," "wanna do lunch," "on phone." You can edit the list to create your own phrases. Some phones have a table of emoticons or smiley faces you can select.

The 160 character limitation and the laborious task of entering text using a phone keypad have combined to produce an evolving character-efficient text talk with new words and abbreviations. For example, 2GTBT=too good to be true; 143=I love you; 404=I don't know. For a comprehensive list, go to www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp. Check out the emoticon chart too.

Texting has many advantages over email and phone calls. Brief text messages can be assimilated quickly by the human mind compared to processing phone conversations with all the extras and social amenities. Text messages can be archived and automatically linked for easy review on more sophisticated phones. Text messages are never dropped or cut off because of bad reception. Messages are transmitted instantly and can be used in situations where talking on the phone would be awkward, such as in meetings or in public places. You can send links or URLs to Web enabled phones. Texting if fun for casual flirting and for building good karma with thoughtful messages and reminders. Busy people can become even more effective using SMS.

Commercial SMS

We are only beginning to see the emergence of SMS marketing in the United States. For instance, TV shows such as American Idol have used it successfully for voting. The millions and millions of responders are evidence of its popularity and acceptance. Unfortunately, voting was only open to AT&T customers. The problem is that all the different carriers in the United States have competing and differing technology. Fortunately, there are companies like Synergetics (www.synergetics.org/sms) that make it possible to bridge the gap across platforms.

SMS marketing is the most powerful form of marketing ever conceived because virtually everyone has a cell phone these days, and no one leaves home without one. This makes it possible to reach a customer anytime anywhere. No other media can do that.

It is important, however, that unlike email there is no SPAM involved. The customer must initiate and invite the contact and can opt out at any time.

I will discuss the applications of commercial SMS more fully in a future article.

Observations

With text messaging, you can quickly send/receive information, make reservations, make contributions, send money, receive money, make money, and save money. I will be discussing all of these aspects in future articles. SMS is a powerful way to target consumers on the move because it goes where the customers are. Most consumers find the novelty of SMS fun and engaging. Email has become snail mail compared to the efficiency of SMS. Texting will soon become the preferred marketing method of large and small businesses because the future is in mobile technology. As Bill Gates has predicted, mobile phones are the future, not laptops, and not Pocket PCs. Mobile marketing will expand accordingly.

Article Source: Main Articles

About the author: Timothy S. Hillebrand, Ph.D. is a retired archaeologist who has a newfound passion for mobile technology and has published hundreds of articles on the subject. His most recent passion is SMS. To find out more about text messaging for fun and profit, visit his SMS Blog.
Don't reprint this article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.

Internet search engines and directory listings are imperative to your sites existence and success. Submit Your Website to the Searchen Networks directory and search engine to achieve authoritive inbound links.

Please Rate this Article

 

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Mobile Phones Articles Via RSS!
Additional Articles From - Home | Communications | Mobile Phones
mainarticles
mainarticles Submit Articles
mainarticles Member Login
mainarticles Top Authors
mainarticles Most Popular Articles
mainarticles Submission Guidelines
mainarticles Ezine Notifications
mainarticles Article RSS Feeds
mainarticles New Stuff
mainarticles About Us
mainarticles Link to Us
mainarticles Contact Us
mainarticles Privacy Policy
mainarticles Terms of Service
  :: Top Author Businesses:
Try your luck, Play BlackJack
 
  :: Our Supporters:
 
 
 
 
mainarticles
mainarticles
Main Articles. All Rights Reserved. © 2005, 2006
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
mainarticles
 

Powered by Article Dashboard