How to use Short Codes for business

Short code mobile phone numbers are now widely used by major brands, TV and radio stations, community organizations, retail stores, and advertising, marketing and PR agencies for an ever growing range of purposes, such as:

• sales lead generation tools, eg. SMS message alerts sent to customers before sales events
• boosting rapid fund-raising and non-profit donations, eg Hurricane Katrina
• content distribution
• increasing audience participation and brand reach, eg. television voting using text messages
• facilitating member and employee communication, eg. event alerts

Sales Lead Generation

CSCs can be used to let customers know when sales are occurring, new products have arrived or to make any other announcements relevant to customers. Existing or potential customers can simply text a word to Short Code to start receiving regular updates direct to their mobile phone.

Fundraising and Charity Donation

Along with the increased commercial uptake and use of CSCs, non-profit organizations are also making use of the advantages of mass SMS messaging services.

CSCs have been used to get donations quickly and easily to non-profit and charitable organizations during crises such as Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti.

Content Distribution

CSCs can be used to distribute content to cell phone users regardless of the mobile phone carrier they subscribe to.

Before CSCs, content distribution on cell phone networks was limited to placement on 'carrier decks' (screens of content that subscribers normally see on their cell phones). Carrier-deck content is controlled by the individual subscribers carrier. While it's possible to have content placed on the carrier-deck, it can be expensive and requires implementation on a carrier by carrier basis.

By contrast, CSCs allow brands to distribute content to all cell phone users, regardless of carrier.

Audience Participation and Brand Reach

CSCs can be used to:

• establish interactive relationships between audiences and media outlets, as well as brands and consumers
• facilitate improved dialogue through television voting, audience polls, prize draws and consumer feedback, SMS messaging
• gather valuable information about audiences and further refine and target future marketing activity.

Employee and Member Communication

CSCs can be used to deliver text messages with important announcements, alerts and event information to employees, school students, church or community groups, or in any situation where messages need to be disseminated instantly to a large group of people.