A Simple Guide to Text Messages

If you are not familiar with text messaging, you may think of it as an annoyance. Kids and young adults sit at home or in public places and type away on their cell phones - what can they all be saying that's so important?

The fact is that text messaging has rapidly gained widespread acceptance all around the world as a quick and inexpensive way to communicate. According to CTIA, an international wireless communications organization, Americans alone are sending 600 billion text messages annually as of mid-2008.

• "Texting" provides a quick and simple way to connect with another person who has a cell phone. Most young people almost always have their cell phones with them.
• Texting is more mobile and more immediate than email.
• Text messaging is less intrusive than a phone call. Phone calls interrupt activities, and you can't take a phone call in many situations. A text message is something you can read unobtrusively and respond to now, or later.
• Text messaging is short by design and by nature. Texting doesn't take up a lot of time. Phone calls are long and can demand your complete attention.

Young people increasingly prefer text messages to phone calls because they do not demand an immediate response, they do not require a lot of time and effort, and they do not call for one's complete attention.

What is a text message? By the commonest definition, text messaging is the delivery of short, readable messages between cell phones. It is called "text" messaging because the entire message is made up of text - no photos, sounds, or other things typically embedded in email, for example.

The rules of text messaging allow for only 160 individual characters - letters, numbers, punctuation, or symbols like "&" common to keyboards. Spaces count too.

The previous paragraph consists of exactly 160 characters.

So, you can see why text messages are filled with shortened spellings of words, little smiley face things made out of characters, and acronyms like "ttyl" for "talk to you later."

Text messages are short and deliver a simple message. We all like that.

Some technical information. Without going into much detail, text messages as you know them are sent through your cell phone - obviously - and are distributed by your cell phone provider to the SMS, or Short Message Service. That's why you will sometimes see text messaging referred to as SMS text.

You may also see the acronym MMS, which is the Multimedia Messaging Service. This system delivers multimedia messages, and is only available on the latest 3G or Third Generation networks, and does not have the simplicity and the power of immediacy that SMS texting provides.

While most of the texting that we see on a daily basis is of the my-phone-to-your-phone type, it is also possible to send the same text message to many phones from one origination point.

This is the service that Opt It provides.

When you use the Opt It Mobile service, you access the service through what is called a web interface, or a web-based platform. This means that you go to a secure page or internet address on the Opt It site that belongs to you alone. You reach the page by signing in from the Opt It home page with your unique user name and password. You can do this from anywhere that you have an internet connection - your place of business, your home, your iPhone or Blackberry, or from Mexico.

Once you reach your page, the process is simple.

You decide to which of your customers this message will be delivered. This may be all of them, or just some of them, depending upon how you learn to segment your database over time. (One simple way would be by gender.) Then, you compose a message of 160 characters or fewer. You won't have to count. We tell you when you are out of space.

Once you have the message and a list of recipient cell numbers, you decide to send the message now, or at some later time that you specify. Opt It takes over at that moment, and either sends the message immediately, or sends it at the precise minute you determined.

You can schedule multiple messages at one time to be delivered at various times in the future. This process gives you flexibility and complete control.

We hope it goes without saying that if you send out a message offering half price drinks, you need to let the bartender know too.

How do you collect the cell phone numbers? Your organization will do that in the traditional ways that you have collected street and email addresses. You may think that customers will be reluctant to give up their cell phone numbers, but people are increasingly willing to do so. This is what is called an "opt in." They choose to belong to your text message program with the understanding that you will only send them useful messages, and with the further understanding that they can easily "opt out" at any time.

Who uses text messaging? It's true that text messaging is used primarily by young people. Cell phone users under the age of thirty - also called Millenials or Generation Y - live in an always-on, always-connected world. It's a world they've always known.

While this constant bombardment with information may appear overwhelming and even wrong to older generations, it seems normal to them. They are much more willing to "opt in" to receive text messages from commercial parties than earlier generations are. They particularly are eager to receive messages from commercial parties if those parties provide value.

Value may consist of a number of things.

• Information itself may be valuable - a particular artist is appearing at a club this evening. "I'm glad I know this."
• Dollar discounts may provide value - this weekend a particular item is 2 for 1 at a clothing store. "You showed me the money!"
• Exclusivity is an upscale value - today only individuals on our text list receive 25% off. "I'm special."
• Social benefits like belonging or close association are highly valued - our rooftop deck is reserved this evening only for you and your friends who receive this message. "I belong here."
• The benefit of NOW, or immediacy, is valuable - this thing is taking place now, and only you know about it. "Let's go, it's happening!"

Marketers who create value in this way will find receptive audiences for their messages, and will potentially tap into the entire personal network of each recipient. "Viral" messages are called that because they spread rapidly through people who are connected to one another.

If marketers provide value to one customer, that customer is likely to spread the word, and they have the tools to do so. Text messaging is a highly viral medium.