| The business of mobile marketing is to move mobile | | | | space of 160 characters or less. What's required is |
| users to do something - move them to a location, | | | | copyrighting specifically relevant to the mobile |
| move them to click through on an offer embedded in | | | | medium - elements of grabbing interest, explanation, |
| a received message, move them to do an action | | | | moving to action and effecting a result, all in a |
| that's immediate and responsive. This is the key | | | | sentence or two. |
| benefit of the mobile device - communications | | | | Text messaging campaigns seek to initiate, reinforce |
| transmitted are received almost immediately and | | | | and mine the relationship with the mobile user. This |
| viewed almost that quickly. Given such immediacy, of | | | | means that in the terms of use related to the |
| the device, of message consumption, you can and | | | | campaign is usually a provision by which the user |
| should use text messaging as a business engagement | | | | permits the marketer to have ongoing contact with |
| tool. | | | | them by sending text messages in the future. The |
| Steps to initiate a text messaging campaign are | | | | originating message from the user to the shortcode |
| essentially as follows: | | | | is therefore commonly referred to as an "opt-in" |
| 1) Obtain a shortcode, shared or dedicated, or a long | | | | message. The list of telephone numbers to which the |
| code from and to which text messages will be sent. | | | | marketer can then send their messages to is then |
| A shortcode is a 4, 5 or 6 digit number; 4 digit | | | | referred to as the "opted-in list". These mobile users |
| numbers are usually reserved for use only by mobile | | | | can, however, opt-out of the opted-in list at any |
| carriers. A shared shortcode is one that is used for a | | | | time by simply sending a STOP request to the |
| number of texting campaigns that may be going on | | | | shortcode, which is a reason why communications |
| at the same time. In contrast a dedicated shortcode | | | | coming from a mobile marketer should be relevant |
| is one that is used simply for a specific campaign or | | | | and not overdone else they run the risk of being |
| brand, but to which an unlimited number of keywords | | | | regarded as spam with a resulting op-out request. |
| can be attached. A long code is basically a ten digit | | | | The aspect of Opted-In List Building is most |
| telephone number. | | | | important and usually occurs throughout a text |
| 2) Decide on the Keyword or Keywords you want to | | | | messaging marketing campaign. Once opted-in the |
| use with your shortcode. A Keyword is a single word | | | | mobile user obtains the benefit of being part of the |
| that is transmitted to the shortcode in the body of | | | | "special" community and accordingly welcomes the |
| the text message. For instance, a call to action on an | | | | marketers communications and calls to action for |
| advertisement may say "Text BUDDY to 56789 for | | | | involvement. |
| information on Golden Retrievers" - the word BUDDY | | | | Text Messaging Campaigns should therefore be |
| is the keyword and 56789 is the shortcode. | | | | designed to reinforce the aspects of community, |
| Keywords should be kept short and easy to spell in | | | | whereby ongoing conversations, whether one way or |
| order to minimize losses due to transposition and | | | | "smart conversations" that utilize stored procedures |
| interpretation errors. | | | | activated by parsing of freeform messages from |
| 3) Determine the call to action - this is the reason | | | | users according to an algorithm that searches for and |
| that a person is motivated to text the Keyword to | | | | prioritizes responses based on keyword content, |
| the Shortcode, and is usually associated with some | | | | should continue to involve the user in the community |
| benefit or incentive. As an example a call to action | | | | on a regular basis. Again, too often involvement will |
| for an automobile dealership could be "the first 100 | | | | be regarded as "spam" with opt-out results. Then |
| people to text AUTO to 00000 will receive a | | | | when a call to action is placed to do a certain action, |
| message on how they can save a thousand dollars | | | | the mobile user will be accepting and responsive. |
| on their next car". Calls to action are usually | | | | Finally, all campaigns should bear witness to the |
| integrated with print, radio or television media, and | | | | potential exponential effects of leveraging |
| should contain reference to terms of use related to | | | | integrations with social communities - that the growth |
| the campaign, as well as whether the person texting | | | | of Facebook's mobile application has outpaced the |
| will incur any charges in sending the message. | | | | traditional pc experience is testimony to the power |
| Notably, one of the biggest frustrations in using text | | | | of mobile users' involvement in social networks. Any |
| messaging for marketing is that many mobile | | | | mobile program should therefore seek to integrate |
| marketers do not understand the necessity to grab a | | | | and take advantage of access to and the character |
| prospect's attention and convey their message in the | | | | of complimentary social networks. |