Prodo - Total Marketing Solutions

By the way for those that don’t know it stands for Short Messaging Service, or texting (txting) as we know it.

The UK is one of the most advanced countries in the world when it comes to the use of the mobile phone for message sending. And txting is growing at a phenomenal rate for business use. It is no longer the premise of teenagers with very large (and fast) thumbs – it is a practical, cheap and effective method to get directly to a defined customer base.

So why’s it so good? Well it’s very personal which makes it incredibly powerful and unlike emails, people don’t tend to filter their txt messages, meaning a high read rate, in addition people keep their mobiles on them wherever they go, making it a perfect medium for time-sensitive messages.

Is it right for everyone? Yes, but it has to be used sensitively and needs to be considered for all elements of business, many organisations blanch at the thought of using txt messaging to contact customers. We often get the response ‘oh no our customers wouldn’t like it if we txted them’.

For example, a 200 year old handmade heritage furniture manufacturer who sells via a catalogue on the basis of their old-fashioned and environmentally friendly approach didn’t see how it could help them.

They initially thought it would be invasive to their customers but we suggested that it could be used ‘sensitively’ to enhance their brand personality

For every new piece of furniture sold they plant a new tree as part of their environmental policy, so as a thank you when every order is finished they now send an image of the sapling being held by the carpenter who made their new chair along with a personal thank you. Non-invasive and reinforcing the core business brand values.

Like any new channel you need to be aware of its potential and use it wisely to further increase customers perceptions of your business and ultimately to either gain new business or streamline existing business processes.

Written by Neil Hancock [Internet Marketing Consultant] Prodo Ltd