Text Blast Service Includes SMS Voting
By Lee Simonson

Text blasting, including voting with SMS, is blazing a new frontier and opening up new opportunities for businesses, non-profits, colleges, sports organizations and entertainment venues to create new interactive channels.

The applications are limitless and new ideas on how to use this amazing technology are popping up every day. With the phenomenal rise of texting as the preferred method of messaging among mobile phone users, text blasters and text pollers are just now "mobilizing" their strategies to take advantage of this surge in popularity.

The beauty of using text blasting (also known as mass SMS messaging or text broadcasting) is that it works for both 1-way and 2-way messaging, making it a perfect platform for sending notice and alerts, while at the same time receiving inquiries or polling data.

Better yet, services are now available that can enable any organization to send and receive texts online with a private and secured website. Just load your mobile phone numbers and type in your message and click send. In an instant, hundreds, even thousands of text can be delivered with special announcements, notices, emergencies, coupons, weather alerts -- you name it.

However, text blasters have to remain careful in several ways, not the least of which is how they gather opt-in mobile numbers. It is against the law to broadcast text messages without receiving permission from those you are sending you message to.

There are three ways to capture mobile phone numbers for your text blast program. First, you can use a "short code" to have members, prospects, students or fans text you a message. (for example, "Text FOOD to 896754). From there, your contacts will be asked to confirm they want to opt-in to your list. Second, your contacts can sign up on a webpage. And third, they can fill out hard copy forms that give you express permission to text them. For example, having students at a college putting their cell phone numbers on an application form along with a box that they can check that gives you permission to contact them.)

Another aspect of texting that is taking off is SMS voting and polling. Everyone has seen the network television reality shows that ask audiences to participate by voting by text for their favorite performers. The same thing is being easily done for large crowds at stadiums or concerts, where people are voting for their favorite players or songs. Results are instant and can be posted in realtime on scoreboards.

With everyone texting these days, and with texting as the preferred method for people to receive communications, you'll be seeing more and more text interaction with businesses and institutions. The technology may be a little complicated, but text service bureaus have made it all easy. So if you want to send a text message to hundreds or thousands of people, or want to find out what everyone is thinking about by polling them, then getting a reliable text blast/SMS voting service is what you are looking for.

For more valuable information about text blasting and SMS voting, click here: http://www.orangepoint.net/text_blast_sms_messaging_voting.html

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