Can USSD Push messages still be personal?

by | Jun 9, 2014 |

There is no doubt that USSD Push messages can drive sales, but too many companies make the mistake of composing cold, impersonal content. How can you be different? Start by welcoming subscribers to your mobile marketing and thank them for opting in. They are doing you a favour – not the other way around. Don’t constantly blast your customers with generic messages. It looks spammy and will cause the receiver to shut down immediately. Use consumers’ first name to address them in your messages as well so they don’t feel like it is an “attack of the automation robots” on their privacy. Keep the look and feel of your USSD Push messages consistent. It helps to create brand awareness. The second a user receives your notification, they should be able to recognize your company immediately. You can even combine your Push messages with other channels (SMS, email) to lend an air of authenticity to the first mentioned. If you sell a variety of products, make sure the product you are offering to your customer, is relevant to him or her. The same goes for rewards. Nothing is more disappointing than receiving a voucher for a product that you can’t use. Research your target market thoroughly and you will be able to keep your opt-outs to a minimum. Keep an eye on the reaction of your customers. If you see that you receive no engagement on your USSD Push messages, find out why. Don’t ignore signs that your campaign isn’t working. Make sure you send it at an optimal time of day and that your content is appealing. If you...

Where do SMS Service Providers fit in?

by | Jun 6, 2014 |

SMS Service Providers are companies that offer SMS services (sometimes products as well). They usually act as a middle man between a mobile network operator and mobile users. These companies are also referred to a SMS Gateway providers or SMS resellers. Some people think that SMS Service Providers are their own little island and not dependant on other companies, but this is not the case. They usually have an arrangement with mobile networks (e.g. Vodacom, MTN, Cell C) to use their message centres in order to provide a service to consumers. In other words, they aren’t mobile networks themselves. In some cases, it might be more expensive for consumers to deal directly with mobile operators when it comes to buying things like bulk SMS. That is where SMS Service Providers come in. They will negotiate better rates and deals for certain services so they can offer cheaper options to their clients. But, as with all things that seem too good to be true, consumers should always be wary when service providers offer them extremely low rates. In such cases the quality of the service might not be up to par and the consumer will subsequently “pay the price”. What does it mean when a website or SMS Service provider offers free SMS? The sender of a text message is usually the one who carriers the cost of the message – not the receiver. Thus, even though a site offers messages free of charge to users, someone still has to pay for it. Usually, the owner of the site carries the cost – that is why consumers are offered a...

How to introduce your customers to SMS Marketing

by | Jun 4, 2014 |

When starting your SMS Marketing attempts for the first time, it is a good idea to gradually introduce your customers to your mobile communication. If you push too hard or market too aggressively, you will scare customers and end up with loads of opt-outs. The first step is to obtain your customers’ phone numbers – legally! They have to opt in to receive your text messages willingly and you also have to assure them that they can opt out any time they want. You can do this using various methods – the easiest of which is to reward them in exchange for their details with prizes, vouchers etc. Remember that you have to make it worth their while – you are invading their private space after all. Your customers will want to know what is in it for them. Ease your customers gently into the process by combining your SMS marketing with email. Send them an electronic mail containing the following valuable info. How to opt in to receive text messages. For example: text 1234 to a certain number Give them choices. Some customers only want to hear about your specials, while others might be interested in your newsletters as well. Thus, they can text 1235 to receive promotional material or 1236 to receive something else. Explain how the process will work. E.g. how many texts will they receive per week? On which days and during what times will they get it? What will the message contain? What do they need to do if they no longer wish to receive your mobile communication? Now, also drive your SMS Marketing...

Mobile Aggregators, the time is now

by | Jun 2, 2014 |

Mobile marketing is no longer a form of marketing that is unheard of. This is good news for Mobile Aggregators who want to make a name for themselves in the industry. The thought that mobile phones didn’t even exist a few decades ago, is almost incomprehensible. Our lives are so intertwined with this technology that we simply can’t live without it anymore. Add the fact to it that people are creating more additional uses for it (other than making and receiving calls) and it is no surprise that the world has gone mobile crazy. Mobile Aggregators has the change to swoop in on the best, most innovative, mobile functions. Users are always scrambling for something new and fresh – thus, it could only be to your advantage to offer these products and services to your customers. If you need any more convincing, have a look at these stats from sendmode.co.za. The research was done on consumers in the UK, but it is should still be relevant to South Africans as well. The average consumer sends around 50 text messages a week. Depending on a few factors (the service provider, network etc.) the average delivery time for a text is under seven seconds. 57% of consumers were interested in signing up for brand’s SMS loyalty program and 90% of mobile users who participated in an SMS loyalty program felt they had gained value from it. This just shows how popular mobile messages are: 98% of text messages are read, compared to 22% of emails, 29% of tweets and 12% of Facebook posts. People are also more likely to click on...

How USSD Aggregators can help stop ATM fraud

by | May 30, 2014 |

Banks are always looking for ways to add security to their clients’ transactions. But did you know that USSD Aggregators can assist with this? People often fall victim to card scams and cloning at ATMs. Every time financial institutions find a solution for one problem, scam artists simply discover another loophole or way to commit fraud. Banks spend a lot of money to fight these problems, but it isn’t always enough. But one company called Watago, a child company of Eyeline Communications, found a way to use Unstructured Supplementary Service Data against fraudsters. Their system enables clients to be in complete control of their ATM activities via their mobile phone. The USSD Aggregator allows the user to receive a notification on their phone whenever their bank card is used. The user then accepts or declines the transaction by replying with a corresponding number on the message. Thus, the transaction can’t take place if the client doesn’t authorise it. It is also, according to an article on globalussd.com, impossible to use a duplicate a locked or “empty” card – you need to know the password and the time interval when the funds are available. Not only the client, but also the bank is warned by the system when there are repeated unsuccessful attempts to use a client’s bank card. The main reason that such a venture could be successful, is because of the availability of the technology. USSD, like SMS, works on all mobile devices, and doesn’t require a particular operating system. It will give a bank client peace of mind that he/ she has an extra layer of security...