The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

Mobile Messaging 201:

How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

Contents

Why Use SMS? Market Opportunity Benefits of Mobile Messaging User Texting Behavior Messaging Facts Mobile Originated (MO) Messages Mobile Terminated (MT) Messages Messaging Programs SMS Applications What is an SMS Application? How to Build a Compelling SMS Application Know Your Customer Sign Up Users Effectively Interactive SMS What is a Good Mobile Terminated Message How to Design Your Mobile Originated Message Maximize Your 160 Characters Monetizing Your SMS Application Advertising How To Charge for Your Application Customer Service in SMS SMS Examples Finance Health Care Games Entertainment and Hospitality Social Networking

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Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

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Contents continued...

Setting Up Services How to Select a Short Code Long Code or Virtual Mobile Number Operator Guidelines around Mobile Content Campaign Management Tools Get Started Today! About OpenMarket Useful Contacts and Resources

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Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

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Why Use SMS?

With nearly five billion mobile subscribers in the world today, mobile is here to stay. And consumers are demanding a more personal, richer mobile experience now more than ever. As text messaging has become the most popular, fastest way to reach people, the potential of mobile is clear. Now is the time to tap into the mobile market and unleash new revenue opportunities for your business.

By using the mobile channel as part of your product and marketing initiatives, you can:
Engage more consumers effectively with your products Increase brand awareness by directly connecting with consumers Improve customer loyalty and retention Boost revenue streams via high campaign response rates Tap into a growing global messaging market

OpenMarkets objective is to provide the most reliable mobile payments, delivery and messaging services for companies that want to use mobile as a marketing and communications channel. With our Mobile Messaging 101 guide, we described how a company can get started with mobile messaging. Mobile Messaging 201 expands that guide for companies that wish to create compelling messaging applications using SMS.

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

According to research published by Ovum:

Globally, mobile subscribers send and receive more text messages in a month than they make phone calls More than 370 million people around the world regularly use text messaging to communicate In 2010, mobile subscribers are expected to generate 144 billion text messages 2009 global mobile messaging revenues were more than $7 billion with nearly 10 percent growth projected by 2013 to over $11 billion

Market Opportunity Text messaging has gone mainstream. SMS gives you a distinct opportunity to reach consumers in real time with your brand or product. News, alerts, coupons, breaking deals or promotions, advertising, and access to social networks are just a few of the ways you can keep connected to your customers using text messaging. Text messaging can be used as an entire product or application in itself, such as creating an SMS multi-player game. Text messaging can also be incorporated as a mobile component into nearly every product, including websites, fleet tracking systems, online games, health and bank information updates, and more. An experienced mobile business partner can help you integrate text messaging into your current marketing efforts. Benefits of Mobile Messaging The mobile messaging channel gives you nearly instant access to your target audience. Within seconds, users can interact with your offer and purchase or use your services. You can incorporate mobile messaging as part of your product or simply use it for marketing purposes. By using mobile messaging as part of your product, you can:
Increase product usage in mobile use cases, thus increasing loyalty Add features that make your product competitive and compelling Up-sell mobile features and increase revenues from product sales.

As part of your marketing efforts, mobile messaging can benefit you by:
Providing a higher response rate as compared to traditional marketing channels Increasing brand awareness Providing a higher ROI while reducing marketing costs.

More users look at their text messages than their email or other forms of communications. The response rate with text messaging is more than 10 percentfar exceeding that of any other medium like Web or TV.

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

User Texting Behavior The way in which people communicate via their mobile phones is changing dramatically. Texting is not just for teens anymore. A growing number of sophisticated users are relying on text messaging and demanding a more personal experience in the process.
Mobile Drivers According to Gartner the top ten drivers for mobile usage between now and 2012 are expected to be: 1. Money transfers 2. Location-based services 3. Mobile search 4. Mobile browsing 5. Mobile health monitoring 6. Mobile payments 7. Near-field communications services 8. Mobile advertising 9. Mobile instant messaging 10. Mobile music

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

Messaging Facts

Mobile Originated (MO) Messages A Mobile Originated Message (MO) is a text message sent by the user. MO SMS enables businesses to effectively interact with consumers and staff by receiving SMS messages from subscribers directly into their application. MO SMS enables a range of applications, such as TV voting, chat services, product promotions and more. The popularity of MO SMS continues to drive consumer loyalty and generate additional revenue channels for businesses. Mobile Terminated (MT) Messages A Mobile Terminated (MT) message is the delivery of messages from an application to a subscribers handset. MT messages can be bulk SMS, standard rate or premium SMS. Examples include stock alerts, sports scores, weather reports and restaurant menus; more interactive examples include transactions, reservations and lookups. Message delivery across various operator networks and handsets is paramount to ensuring the broadest reach of applications to consumers. Messaging Programs There are three main classes of messaging programsbulk, standard rate and premium. Each service allows you to send and receive SMS messages to subscribers, but they each handle billing services to subscribers differently. Bulk SMS is a type of standard rate program that enables companies to send or receive a large volume of SMS messages to and from consumers typically at low costs. For example, companies can use bulk SMS campaigns to advertise their services to a large audience. Consumers are not charged by the content provider for messages received. The sender usually pays operators that support this type of SMS message campaign. Other than the United States, bulk SMS is the most common form of MT in most countries.

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

In standard rate programs, consumers are not charged by the content provider for the text message received. Instead they are charged by the operator per their texting plan for receiving and sending SMS messages. Examples of standard rate programs are:
Alerts - news, weather, traffic, travel, entertainment and sports Content - internal content, supply chain and customer relationship management Coupons - instant coupons from a favorite store Customer response-type messages, such as surveys and sweepstakes

Premium programs are generally used by content providers to charge users for the services they provide. In premium programs, there is a specific charge to end us ers associated with receiving the text message, and generally a charge for receiving mobile content. When a content provider wants to charge a price for the application or service they provide to the user, they can use a premium SMS to bill the user. Premium simply means there is a fee associated with the application. Content providers must connect to a payment processor like OpenMarket to benefit from this service. Examples of premium rate programs are:
Buying content for your phone such as games, ringtones or images Premium information alerts like fantasy football information

A premium SMS message has special information encoded in the message. When successfully processed by the operators billing system, a charge will be placed on the end users phone bill for the amount specified by your company. You will receive your payment from the payment processor less any operator fees. The availability of premium messaging has led to the creation of entire companies that thrive on premium content offers billed through SMS.

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

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SMS Applications

Transit Reply with # 1. To find nearby stops 2. To find bus schedule 3. To find subway schedule 4. To find bus fare info 5. To find subway fare info H for Help

What Is an SMS Application? An SMS application is simply a program or campaign where mobile subscribers interact directly with your company or product using text messaging. Just like a user might interact with an application on a smartphone or a desktop, the interaction between a user and an SMS application is entirely using SMS. The user provides input to the application using SMS (analogous to a click or a search term on a smartphone application) and receives output using SMS (analogous to the feedback received inside a smartphone application). Examples of SMS applications include playing games, updating Facebook pages, receiving tweets, finding the nearest retail store, looking up directions, receiving e-commerce and credit card transaction alerts, flight time updates, celebrity and entertainment news flashes, weather and sports alerts. Weve shown an example of an SMS application for public transit. Most of the actions that a consumer might want to do on a Web or smartphone application can also be done using an SMS application, with the added benefit that SMS reaches more users than any other medium. SMS messages can also carry binary data or objects such as ringtones, wallpapers or pictures, which means that SMS can be used as the transport medium for wireless downloads. A few examples are movie trailers, news bites and any other audio or video that can be distributed as small clips. SMS programs are sometimes combined with Multimedia Message Service (MMS) in an application to enhance the user experience.

An example of an SMS application for public transit

Mobile Messaging 201: How to Create Compelling SMS Applications

The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

How To Build a Compelling SMS Application There are several things to consider when creating an application for your business. First, figure out who your customers are and consider their needs. Next, figure out what your business is trying to achieve, such as what you want to sell or offer via a messaging application. It is also useful to understand what your competitors are doing and who your partners (if any) are in your application. Once you determine the content of your application, you should decide how you will price and distribute the application. You can use the following points to build and optimize your application.
Know Your Customers As with any product or marketing campaign, your company first needs to figure out your target audience. Get to know your customer demographics. Make sure your mobile messages are relevant and useful to your audience, or add features to and complement your product. Learn what your customers need and adjust your message to match. For example, if you are texting a recipe containing ingredients your company sells, you will need to know if you are building a mobile messaging campaign for chefs or everyday cooks. Likewise, if you are building a game, your mobile component should match a serious or casual gamer. When you launch a mobile program, think about how customers will sign up, or opt in, for the content you want to provide. Common sense design principles apply. You will want to keep the sign-up process simple and short. Ask for only basic contact information via mobile message; you can always follow up later for more details. For website sign ups, include a keyword in the initial SMS message for people to use on a companion Web site to opt in to your program. Pricing information should be prominently displayed on the site. Terms and conditions should be easily accessible. Also, be sure to follow the published best practices for the sign up process. For example, both the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and most U.S. mobile operators require that the first time consumers try a specific service on a specific short code, they need to be given double opt in procedures. In a double opt in, consumers receive an SMS confirmation message indicating the terms of the purchase. Then consumers are asked to positively reply to that confirmation messageeither from their handset or via the Webthat they accept the premium charges associated with the service.

Sign Up Users Effectively

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Welcome to Mavs Mobile 1. Tickets 2. Merchandise 3. Schedule / Tune in 4. Stats 5. Standings 6. Alerts

Amy texts 1

Ticket as low as $2! Buy now! Go to www.mavs.com or www.ticketmaster.com 1. For ticket outlets 2. For special promos 3. Stop

Amy texts 1

Amy texts 2

Amy texts 3

Mavs Schedule 1. PHI @ DAL 11/30 @ 7:30 pm 2. DAL @ NJN 12/2 @ 6:30 pm 3. DAL @ MEM 12/4 @ 7:00 pm S Share with a friend

Amy texts 2

Tune into Mavericks @ Nets on 12/2 @ 6:30 pm on these stations TV: FSSW-DAL Radio: KESN 103.3FM KFLC 1270AM (Spanish) 1. Stop 2. Home

An example of a text based website with interaction

Interactive SMS Done well, SMS enables you to offer customers compelling content and effective calls to action through your MT messages. You can use SMS messages to engage in a dialogue with your customers just like you might in a smartphone application or on a mobile website. A user can respond to questions from your application or request information from your company. Put another way, interactive SMS can give your company a permanent presence, similar to a website, through a text application using menu-driven content. Examples of interactive SMS span a variety of uses, including:
TransactionsBuy music, purchase tickets ReservationsGet a table at a restaurant LookupsCheck wine ratings, sports standings SocializeInteract with social networking sites SchedulesManage calendars and to-do lists Finances Manage your stock portfolio LocateFind homes, apartments, businesses Gather feedbackSurveys, contests

Through these innovative types of campaigns, interactive SMS can create even more opportunities for you to connect with your customers, increase brand loyalty and drive new revenue streams.
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Radio Station 105.9 To purchase reply w # 1) Buddy Guy Done Got Old 2) Robert Cray Shiver 3) Bryan Lee Lowdown and Dirty 4) More H For Help I for Info

What Is a Good Mobile Terminated Message? A basic Mobile Terminated (MT) message disseminates information, such as a news update or consumer tip. Companies use MT messages as an extension of their desktop, server and mobile products, or to build brand awareness about a product or service, offer coupons using keyword codes, or provide information. Since the size of an SMS message depends on the device and type of service, an SMS should be limited to 160 characters. A lot of information can be disseminated across this space. There are also some mobile operator guidelines you need to follow for administrative messages such as requesting opt-in messages from users and purchase confirmations. For the SMS messages that carry your content, you have complete control over these messages and should strive to make them effective. Here are some points to consider:
Subject: A short line describing the content can set the context easily. For sending bulk SMS outside the U.S., you can use the From field to say who you are or communicate a short subject.

A radio station example of a good MT message

Body: When you design the copy of your message, use crisp and clear language right away. Create white space in the message by using bulleted lists. (Please reference the example inside the phone.) Value to user: Make sure you provide value with each message. The user should want to receive the message and find it useful. Call to action: Clearly state what you would like the user to do. Remove prior text message content in exchanges if it is not core to your application: Replies by handsets often include the prior message text, building up a larger text message that could exceed 160 characters and cause concatenation or complicate your application as it tries to find keywords in the text.

There is also a growing trend toward interactive SMS. These MT messages engage the subscriber by offering them a menu-based response system to complete an action. For example, a radio station could send a daily text message to opted-in subscribers. The message would note the top three most requested songs of the day with an offer to purchase one or more of the songs or ringtones by responding to the text (see example). Similarly, the same type of interactive SMS message could work in a game where a user can feed his pet a different type of food. This type of MT message can drive more immediate responses to your SMS messaging campaign offers.

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The Most Reliable Mobile Transaction Hub

Welcome to Retailer X Mobile Reply with # to 1. Join the community 2. Deals in your area 3. Find a store 4. Order a product 5. Apply for Retailer Credit Card 6. Your Wish List! 7. Invite Friends to go shopping

How To Design Your Mobile Originated Message Since an MO is a message that a user sends to your application, it is important to make it as simple as possible for the user to interact with your application. As mentioned above, interactive SMS uses a menu-based response system to engage customers and provide more opportunities to monetize your content. Depending on your objective, users respond to your MT by pressing a number or letter and sending a Mobile Originated (MO) message back to your company. This could be as quick and easy as pressing 1, 2 or another number on your phone (see example). Keywords are another good way to encourage users to take action if your technical platform can also process various words. If so, select a memorable keyword that matches your program and is easy to type into multiple devices. For example, if you are marketing a mobile game about race car driving, you could include the keyword STAT to check on the winning times of top drivers or TIX to buy tickets to an upcoming racing event.

An example of an SMS application for a retailer

Similarly, you can build a search interface using an MO message. For example, if you are a retailer and would like a user to search for products in your stores, you can have the user text any name to your application such as Diapers or Jackets. Your application can search by keyword and reply back with the list of stores where the product is available in your area. Note that you can have the user get the same information by selecting a menu-based list of categories and products. Maximize Your 160 Characters Mobile messages must be concise to fit on a device screen. The maximum is 160 characters, which includes letters and spaces. To help you keep the message brief, get right to the point of your text. Use commonly known text abbreviationsor shortcut languagesuch as RU for are you, EZ for easy and the number 4 for for. A helpful tool might be a shorthand guide available at http://www.netlingo.com. You can also use a URL shortening scheme such as www.bit.ly to minimize the length of a website address included in the message. Using a link is similar to using a menu-based system for information retrieval.

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Monetizing Your SMS Application

If monetizing via the mobile channel is part of the mobile strategy for your company, then you need to figure out a way to bill users for the services you provide. The typical ways of billing on the Internet include advertising and credit cards. Other options are debit cards, gift cards and purchasing service credits. Monthly billing or subscriptions are other options to consider. Mobile is similar to online billing with a couple of nuances of its own. If users are signing up for your service using the Internet, then your company can use the online ways of billing. (e.g. you can have them pay via credit card). For users who do not have credit cards, you can use operator billing. Both of these options are covered below. You can also use mobile advertising to monetize your content.
Advertising Advertising is an exciting new marketing channel in mobile messaging. Advertising in SMS simply means an advertiser wants to send a marketing message to their target audience. If you are an advertiser, you can use the entire body of the SMS message to send your marketing message. Please reference OpenMarkets Mobile Messaging 101 guide for information on how to get started with SMS. If you deliver some other form of mobile content and would like to monetize the content with advertising, you can do so by going to advertisers or advertising networks and getting text advertisements to insert at the end of your content. People can respond to the SMS advertisement by replying to the message if appropriate, clicking on a Web URL (click to web) or by clicking a phone number to call (click to call). For instance, if you owned a rock climbing gym, you could develop a mobile program that sent strength-building exercises for subscribers to perform when not at the gym. At the bottom of each message, you could insert 20 60 character advertisements that might be related to the content, such as an advertisement for your customers to purchase climbing gear from a store in the area, or an advertisement related to a company that organizes rock climbing trips. As a content publisher, your company can generate revenue from SMS advertising by charging the participating companies placing the advertisements based on different pricing models. You can also use

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ad networks for sourcing the ads. An ad network matches advertisers with content publishers. Ad networks typically keep a share of the revenue from the advertisements they source. Another option is to use an advertising platform like OpenMarket that aggregates several ad networks. Ad platforms give you the choice of picking a network or picking advertisements from several different networks. They can sometimes help you find the best price for your content. Ad platforms also provide you with ad targeting information and help with reporting. How To Charge for Your Application Another option of monetizing your SMS application is to charge the user for your content. There are two main ways in which you can charge a consumer. One way is to use premium SMS by placing the cost of the application on the users mobile phone bill. Another way is to use a credit card. There are advantages and disadvantages to each billing method. Pros and cons of operator billing: Has widest reach since anyone with a mobile phone can be charged (in theory) PSMS interface is fairly straightforward when understood. An experience where a user can purchase an item with a single click can be enabled on a WAP site. Prepaid users sometimes have insufficient funds, which can lead to failed purchase transactions Operators typically keep anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of revenue Maximum amount spent by user using this method is limited by most operators to under $50.00 Pros and cons of credit card billing: Credit card companies keep only 2 to 6 percent of revenue Not all users have credit cards Credit card numbers need to be entered manually for each transaction (Studies have shown that successful transactions are inversely proportional to the number of entries by the user on a mobile device.) Once the credit card number has been entered, future transactions can be completed with very few clicks If possible, your company should consider implementing both of these payment methods.

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Customer Service in SMS

For any type of SMS program you offer, consider the best way to provide service to your customer. Map out the types of problems customers may encounter (i.e., not receiving requested content, receiving the wrong content, questions about their bill) and think about what kind of service options will be most convenient. Examples include texting in customer service-related keywords, initiating a text chat session with the customer, viewing FAQs in SMS or on an affiliated website, or providing a toll-free number to call. At a minimum, your SMS applications should support a universal HELP command, which gives consumers easy access to support services and control over their participation in your mobile programs, and STOP command to give subscribers control over when to opt out from receiving messages from your campaign. Neither of these keywords should result in a premium charge to the subscribers account. Working with an experienced mobile business partner can help you determine the best HELP and STOP commands for your SMS campaign. Where possible, design self-service options into your SMS application to respond to issues and reduce your operational costs.

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SMS Examples

The following are some examples of companies in various market segments effectively using SMS to have a richer, more personal dialogue with customers: Finance Stock alerts are a very common use of SMS. They are typically triggered by a value provided by a user on a desktop or mobile application due to some event in the stock market or the users portfolio. As you can see from the example above, you can make the alert more useful and allow the user to request more information or take another action based on the information in the alert. This engages the user more deeply with your service, thereby increasing loyalty and revenue for your application.

Daily Portfolio Update 7/19: CGX +0.97 LLV -1.23 VVT -0.46 Dow +123.90 NSDQ +89.45

7/19 Portfolio: 1. CGX +0.97 2. LLV -1.23 3. VVT -0.46 4. Dow +123.90 5. NSDQ +89.45 Reply with number to get trending, history, and news for any symbol

Traditional Text App: Basic, simple, low value.

Text Applications: Interactive Content

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Health Care There are various uses of SMS in healthcare, including reminders as shown below. The options on the right show an example where you can provide other relevant information. For your own application, think about the users overall experience, not just the content you are trying to provide. You can generate more value for your user in your application by considering the bigger picture.

Hospital X: Reminder that you have an appointment with Dr. Lincoln tomorrow at 1:45pm at Hospital X. Call 800555-1212

Hospital X: You have an appt. with Dr. Lincoln at 1:45pm 1. Directions 2. Reschedule 3. Appt Info 4. Copay Info Reply with # for more info H for Help

Traditional Text App: Basic, simple, low value.

Text Applications: Compelling, Interactive Content

Games When developers think of games, they traditionally imagine stand-alone games in SMS or writing smartphone applications. You can increase playing time and interest in your game by combining SMS with desktop and other mobile games. For example, you can make moves in board games, strategize with teammates in multi-player games, set up leagues, send top scores to others and engage players in a variety of ways. Combining MMS with SMS campaigns can also provide a more interactive experience for games.

GangBattles Game JoeKryp has just challenged you to a fight. Reply ? or reference options on FriendBook for all response options.

GangBattles Game JoeKryp has just challenged you to a fight. 1. Do a job 2. Fight Him 3. Get your stats 4. Check your $ balance H for Help

Traditional Text App: Basic, simple, low value.

Text Applications: Compelling Content

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Entertainment and Hospitality If you are a business in the entertainment or hospitality industries, you already know how important your customer is to you. One critical aspect of the customer is that they are also on the move, whether it is visiting a theatre, a restaurant or a museum. SMS and MMS are great ways of engaging your mobile customers. You should build your mobile strategy into your overall marketing efforts rather than keeping it a separate piece.

Topeka Entertainment for 6/17 Cant Take it With You @ the Playhouse, 8pm White Snake Concert @ the Pavilion, 8:30 Local Band Showcase @ BarX, 10-2am Call 800-555-1212 for Tix

Topeka Entertainment Guide 1. Events near by 2. Movies 3. Concerts 4. Plays 5. Bar Specials Reply with number for more info and to purchase tickets.

Traditional Text App: Basic, simple, low value.

Text Applications: Interactive Content

Social Networking Social media is all the rage. And just because a user does not have a smartphone does not mean he cannot update a favorite social networking site or receive updates from family and friends. SMS is an effective and simple way of enabling these actions on consumer or corporate social networking sites.

FriendBook: Dianna Garrett has requested you join her network. Tom Cummings updated his status. Log on to FriendBook to take action. Reply H for Help

FriendBook (Reply with #) Dianna Garrett requested you join her network 1) Confirm, 2) Deny Tom Cummings updated his status. 3) View Esty Rodriguez commented on your status 4) View H for Help

Traditional Text App: Basic, simple, low value.

Text Applications: Interactive Content

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Setting Up Services

As a mobile marketer or content provider, you must comply with a standard set of rules and policies to market and sell mobile content and services directly to consumers. To that end, several industry organizations, as well as mobile operators, have created various acceptable-use policies with best practices for interacting with consumers. With so many policies and rules to navigate, you need an experienced mobile business partner who can guide you through the process. Short codes are an important part of any mobile campaign in the United States, making it easy for your customers to interact with you. In the rest of the world, you can launch an MT or bulk messaging program without a short or long code. In order to receive an MO, you always need a short or long code. A long code is also called a virtual mobile number (VMN) in some countries. How To Select a Short Code A short code is a number to which a user can send a text message and receive information or content in return. Short codes are typically five to six digits (i.e., 12345). They can be a random number assigned to you or you can select a vanity code. For instance, if your company sells painting supplies, you could choose a specific vanity number that corresponds to your business, like 72467 for PAINT. If you decide to select a vanity code, make sure it is easy to type into various mobile devices. It is also simpler for consumers to remember sequential numbers, such as 121212. In the U.S., it is more expensive to use a vanity code.

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A short code may be specific to one mobile operator, or may be common and supported by all major operators. Short code services need to be approved by each participating operator network. In the U.S., you can visit the Common Short Code Administration (CSCA) website to learn more about U.S. short codes and to check the availability of a vanity short code at http://www.usshortcodes.com. Short codes in other regions are governed by individual country policies and operator networks. Check with your mobile business partner for more information on country-specific guidelines.
Long Code or Virtual Mobile Number A long code or virtual mobile number (VMN) is an 11-digit mobile number that enables your SMS application to receive inbound SMS text messages from almost any mobile user on any mobile network worldwide, as long as the user is able to send a text message to an international number. Check with your mobile business partner about program provisioning on these operator networks.

Operator Guidelines around Mobile Content Understanding the mobile channel can be a complicated endeavor as there are many industry rules and operator guidelines to follow. Mobile operators want to protect their subscribers from spam and unwanted activity. For the latest cross-operator standards and guidelines on what types of innovative SMS campaigns you can run in the U.S., please reference the Mobile Marketing Associations Consumer Best Practices Guidelines (http://www.mmaglobal.com/ bestpractices.pdf). U.S. operators typically have the most stringent program rules; however, there are standard guidelines such as always having a users permission to send them SMS messages that should be followed as a matter of good business practices.

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Campaign Management Tools

Managing a mobile program is like juggling. There are many things to manage at one time. At the campaign level, you have to develop the marketing strategy, craft a concept, source content and create the individual offer for each text message you send. You will also need to manage your applications subscribers and keep track of their permissions. You will need to use a combination of advanced technologies to deliver your SMS messages across a complex mobile ecosystem in which dozens of mobile operators guidelines exist. Campaign management tools allow you to create applications easily and send content to users who have signed up for your services. Campaign management tools typically include the following functionality:
Create and save content for individual SMS messages your company sends Provide templates of standard types of programs, such as sweepstakes, alerts, auctions, and premium purchasing campaigns Manage content transcoding if your company does video other multimedia content Create lists of users Manage opt ins and user permissions; request permission if needed Manage users contact information Manage subscriber preferences for various content your company supports Keep track of and manage mobile operator rules

Working with an experienced mobile business partner like OpenMarket and using a reliable messaging platform with high-volume transaction capabilities will further streamline and simplify the process. This leaves your company free to dream up additional ways to reach your customers and generate revenues.

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Get Started Today!

About OpenMarket
OpenMarket is a leading global mobile transaction hub. OpenMarket provides a comprehensive set of payment, messaging and emerging services to meet mobile business needs. From the largest consumer brands to the smallest new digital content ventures, OpenMarket empowers businesses to expand their marketing initiatives and strengthen customer relationships by leveraging the mobile channel. OpenMarket provides the most direct mobile operator connections in the U.S. market today with rapid global expansion plans. OpenMarket is a business of Amdocs. For more information, please visit www.openmarket.com.

If you are looking to create compelling SMS applications to engage your customers, build loyalty and increase revenue, we invite you to let OpenMarket help you get started today. As a trusted mobile business partner, we help keep you connected to those who mean the most to your business through our reliable mobile transaction hub and industry-leading mobile operator connections. Please visit www.openmarket.com or contact us at [email protected] for more information.
OpenMarket U.S.: +1.877.277.2801 OpenMarket UK: +44 20 8987 8855 OpenMarket Australia: +61 2 9332 2141

Useful Contacts and Resources Consumers are the sole creators of demand for mobile content and services. Therefore, to help the mobile market achieve its full potential, every player in the marketplace needs to focus on the consumers experience. The organizations listed below provide valuable resources for launching compliant and successful SMS applications.
Mobile Marketing Association www.mmaglobal.com Best Practices for Mobile Marketing www.mmaglobal.com/ bestpractices.pdf Mobile Data Association www.themda.org GSMA www.gsmworld.com Cellular Telephone Industry Association www.ctia.org Common Short Code Administration www.usshortcodes.com

Copyright 2010 OpenMarket Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, electronically stored, or translated into any language, in any form by any means, without the prior written permission of OpenMarket. OpenMarket and the OpenMarket logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of OpenMarket in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks and brand names used herein are the property of their respective owners.

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