Gateway SMS: Your Gateway to Profits by SMS Texting
By Lee Simonson
Gateway SMS texting is quickly transforming communications, particularly with businesses intent on improving profits by incorporating text messaging within their marketing strategies and tactics. Other organizations, such as universities, athletics, sports and entertainment venues are using SMS to enhance interaction with patrons and fans.
The word "gateway" simple refers to the way text messages are sent. More often than not, the gateway is actually the Internet itself, which offers a channel for text messages to be sent online to individual cell phones. That is in contrast to text messages that are sent from cell phone to cell phone. The Internet gateway will, in effect, treat a text message like an email, and can automatically assign a domain name to a cell phone number.
Here is an example. Say, for instance, you wanted to send a text message to someone who had the cell phone number 123-456-7890. In order to send a text message to that number from your online email, you would have to know what cell phone company provided service to that number. Let's assume you know that number is part of the Sprint network. So, you would address your email as: 1234567890@@messaging.sprintpcs.com. You would then type your text message in the body of the email and send it off to that person. The message is received as a text on their cell phone. That is how you can use the Internet as a "gateway."
However, from a business and organizational viewpoint, it would be extremely difficult to manage hundreds, if not thousands, of cell phone numbers, along with determining the service provider for each number. The database would be a nightmare to maintain.
The solution: Gateway SMS text service bureaus which can automatically and instantly look up the provider for each cell phone number in your database. Because the process of obtaining a gateway is so expensive and time consuming, 99% of the businesses and organizations that are using this technology are purchasing the gateway service from established companies that have already signed agreements with the aggregators and cell phone providers. That's why gateway SMS texting service bureaus have played a leading role in advancing the text technology and deliverability.
Customers of the gateway service bureaus can simply log-on to their secured gateway website, add or subtract numbers from their lists and then send text messages at anytime. There are very strict requirements in adding cell phone numbers to lists, and any number on a list must accompany proof that the person has opted-in to have their number included. One way to compile cell phone numbers is to have customers or patrons opt-in by texting a "keyword" to a "short code." For example, by sending the word HOTDOG to 12345 (just a made up example.) Another way is to provide sign up forms on webpages. And even another way, would be to have people sign a hard copy form that gives you express permission to use their cell phone number.
The service bureaus offer a variety of plans and all levels of pricing, from small mom-and-pop stores that are using texting to send out coupons, to television networks who use the service to enable audiences to vote for their favorite singer or dancers. There are thousands of different applications, and probably thousands more that have yet to be invented. But if there is a reason to reach people, or have people reach you, texting will in all likelihood be at the forefront of future discussions.
Industry insiders call it "mobile marketing" and it is not only becoming an accepted method of promoting products and services, but it may, within the next 3 years, eclipse many other traditional marketing methods, such as email. Businesses are discovering that texting is extremely effective because it is sent and received quickly, and more importantly, read almost instantaneously. Other non-business organizations are finding out that texting is becoming an indispensable element in their marketing and communication programs.
You can get more valuable information about gateway SMS texting services here: http://www.orangepoint.net/text_blast_sms_messaging_voting.html.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Simonson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Gateway-SMS:-Your-Gateway-to-Profits-by-SMS-Texting&id=5137555
