News
Archive for January, 2009
Txtlocal Launch ChamberText
Txtlocal have launched a partnership with The Chamber of Commerce Hereford & Worcester to launch ChamberText, a new SMS text service that enables Chamber members to communicate with their customers and staff by text message. This Chamber is the first to launch a ChamberText service and if it proves successful it will be introduced by other Chambers.
With over 70 million mobile phones in the UK and over 1.5 billion text messages sent every week, mobile communication has become a necessity to most people. For this reason more and more businesses are implementing text into their marketing strategy as a more immediate and direct route to their customers and staff.
ChamberText is also likely to be useful to SME’s looking to cut marketing costs during the economic downturn, as it is viewed as a cheaper alternative to more traditional mediums such as advertising, direct mail and tele-marketing.
Nicky Griffiths Head of Commercial Operations at The Chamber said “For most sectors there is the opportunity to make cost savings by implementing a text service as part of its marketing or customer service strategy, businesses including estate agents, hospitals, retailers and schools are already benefiting” .
It is FREE for any Chamber member to open a ChamberText account, which includes 10 Free credits. There is no set up fee, training or installation required and introductory packages can be purchased in the form of Bronze, Silver and Gold, rom £49.99.
Retail Giant H&M run Mobile Marketing Campaign
Swedish clothing company H&M launched a mobile marketing campaign on its home turf to promote its latest fashion collection. The campaign includes text to win competitions, sms coupons and mobile banner advertising. The primary target group for H&M’s latest mobile campaign is women aged 20 to 40, which fits with the retailer’s general demographic.
Swedish firm H&M is known for its “fast fashion” clothes and targets the 20 to 40 age group. H&M has more than 1,600 stores in 34 different countries, including the U.S.
H&M launched its first mobile banner campaign in 2006, becoming one of the first major brands to do serious mobile marketing. The retailer has continued to use the mobile channel ever since.
The goals of H&M’s mobile campaigns are to illustrate and promote its latest seasons collection and to drive membership in the H&M Loyalty Rewards Club.
Consumers can sign up by entering their mobile number on the site to get SMS alerts and mobile coupons with special offers driving them into physical retail locations. For example, a text message might read “Show this coupon in store to get 20 percent off your purchase.” These offers are available only for a limited time, usually for 3 or 4 hours after the consumer receives the message.
Text competitions also feature highly in H&M’s mobile strategy, with one such competition offering entrants the chance to choose their favourite H&M outfit. Entrants have to say why they want to win an outfit, giving the competition an interactive and viral marketing component.
Txtlocal offer mobile marketing solutions for a number of retail outlets including Booker and Blacks Leisure Group.
Text Reminders to Cut Missed Appointments
The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, are piloting a text message “reminder” service to help reduce the number of missed appointments by outpatients.
The Hospital send text messages to all outpatients prior to their appointment reminding them of the time and location of their appointment, as well as a number to call if there is a problem.
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust says thousands of pounds are wasted every year on missed clinics. In 2008 a total of 37,289 outpatient appointments were missed at the hospital without prior notice – the equivalent of just under nine per cent of all appointments scheduled.
The month-long pilot, which has been running for two weeks, is already being hailed a success. Karen Murray, project lead, said: “Even if we just prevent 20 missed appointments we have had a success and it will pay for the setting up of the service. We view this as a long term exercise – it could be used for other things such as letting people know that their results are available.”
Txtlocal work with a number of public and private sector organisations, delivering reliable and low cost text message solutions. The Txtlocal service can be managed in-house and no training or installation is required. There is no set up fee or contract terms.
Gaza Petition Delivers 100,000 Text Responses to Downing Street
Save the Children has run an SMS text appeal campaign, aimed at putting pressure on Downing Street to do everything in their power to end the violence in Gaza. The campaign was featured in all the major press publications including The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and The Daily Mail.
The campaign carried the following call to action: “Text CEASEFIRE to 81819 to register your support for an end to the violence in Gaza.” There were 115,000 responses to the campaign over a three day period. All respondents were later sent a text with further information on the initiative and a request for the text to be forwarded on to friends “Save the Children is taking 115k CEASEFIRE requests 2 Downing St @ 3pm today. We need more. Pls ask your friends to Txt CEASEFIRE to 81819”.
Adrian Lovett of Save the Children’s Director of Campaigns said: “This is an unprecedented response and the message from our text campaign is loud and clear – the British public care about what is happening in Gaza and want an end to the bombing.”
The strength of mobile lies in the fact that it’s a highly viral and interactive communication tool, capable of engaging people 24/7, no matter where they are located.
Mobile communication is growing in popularity with charities and public sector organisations looking to engage the public. Recently text messaging was used in the US Presidential election which swept Barack Obama to power, with many people donating funds to his campaign via mobile texting.
Subway Trial SMS Text Service
Subway the UK’s largest quick food chain have chosen Txtlocal to pilot a mobile marketing initiative, designed to target existing customers with lunch time Sub promotions.
The new marketing idea is being pioneered by a Subway outlet in Caste Vale, Kidderminster who have set about building an opt-in database of customer mobile numbers by solely using a Keyword and Short Code number. Posters have been publicized throughout the store to encourage customers to subscribe to the free text club “Text SUBWAY to 60777 for news of lunchtime offers & promotions”. So far the text code has proven popular with over 500 customers opting in to receive the promotional text messages.
As a whole Subway currently operate over 1350 stores throughout the UK, with this figure set to grow leading up to 2010. If the trial continues to go well the Kidderminster store will integrate SMS text into their marketing strategy to complement existing advertising commitments.
As a viral marketing initiative the store also recognise that the power of text reaches far beyond just those customers who have signed up for the service, with a high number of people forwarding on texts promotions to family and friends. This has helped generate a greater footfall through the door than predicted.
Txtlocal provide mobile marketing solutions for a number of fast food outlets including Pizza Hut & Dominos as well as a range of take-away outlets & restaurants.