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The Virtues of SMS or Text Messaging

By: Steven Briggs


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There is probably no mobile phone produced today that is not capable of SMS or text messaging (same thing). Yet few people are taking full advantage of its power. You can use your mobile phone for sending text messages to get instant information, send money, make money, and to save money. SMS has become the rage among American teens as the preferred method of communication. But, it has matured into the most powerful marketing tool ever conceived in Europe and Asia. The full range of SMS applications is only beginning to emerge in the U.S.

Sending a text message is a quick and simple procedure. You can send a message to a mobile phone number, an email address, or a short code. Short codes are usually five or six digit numbers used for mobile marketing convenience so that you don't have to enter a long phone number.

Personal SMS

No wonder teens have eagerly accepted texting as their preferred mode of communication. It is easy to do and fast-much more efficient than email. One negative aspect of SMS is that it can be used for cheating on tests and some schools frown upon it for good reason.

To text someone, just input the recipient's cell phone number in the To: box, key in a short message (no more than 160 characters), and push send. Alternatively, you can send a text message from a phone to an email address.

More sophisticated phones worth their salt will offer a countdown log in the corner of the input screen indicating how many characters you've typed and how many remain. Some more sophisticated phones offer canned messages that you can tap on and edit to save inputting time and effort. Examples of canned messages are "in a meeting, on a call, running late, where are you? Can you talk now, call me, email me, wanna do lunch?" Some devices such as my Treo 750 also offer a popup grid full of emoticons.

The 160 character message limit has inspired users to enlist abbreviations and even new shortcut words that are becoming widely accepted, which is another example of the evolution of language. For example, 2GTBT=too good to be true; 143=I love you; 404=I don't know. Go to www.webopedia,com/quick_ref/textmesssageabbreviartions.asp for a comprehensive list and a chart of emoticons.

There are many advantages to texting over email and phone calls. The human mind can assimilate the information from text messages much faster than listening to speech and all the social amenities involved. You can archive text messages and search them for relevant information. An SMS message is never cut off by bad reception nor misunderstood because of line noise. Texting reaches recipients instantly, even if when they cannot talk on the phone or get to a computer to do email. You can send links on Web enabled phones with maps. Texting is terrific for noisy environments and for people finding one another in crowded places. Texting is great for casual flirting and for building good karma with thoughtful messages and reminders. Busy people can become more efficient through 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.

Think of the power of SMS with respect to marketing. There has never before been such a powerful means of marketing. Almost everyone carries a mobile phone these days. People don't leave home without them, and they are your constant companion. Accordingly, a marketer has the opportunity to reach customers at anytime any place.

Unlike email in which must despised SPAM has become widespread, SMS is not subject to SPAM. That is because the receiver must request the information and can instantly opt out by simply texting back the word STOP.

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

Conclusions

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.

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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.
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