Ever seen an advertising promotion going a little something like this: ‘SMS the word MOBILE to 35050 and stand the chance to win a mobile phone’.

Premium Rate numbers, which are also known as shortcodes are 5 digit numbers that are most commonly used for competitions and promotions. Another purpose in which shortcodes are commonly used is the sale of mobile content or subscription services. Shortcodes enable your customers to be billed by the network operator in exchange for ringtones, wallpapers, videos and mp3′s. Shortcodes are also commonly used as a means of donating money to charitable organizations. With SMS being the channel of choice for millions of consumers, it is no wonder that companies are opting for shortcodes as their preferred marketing strategy of choice.

Let’s have a look at some of the other benefits which come about as a result of using premium rate messaging:

1. With so many companies competing with one another to get ahead,  it has resulted in huge volumes of advertising slogans and advertisements being directed and pushed on to the consumers at hand. This is making it very difficult to ensure your brand is heard and remembered. However with premium rate messaging, it is very effective as it is more memorable than long phone numbers and website names. The idea of Shortcodes is to attract an interested client, and then the client has the power to interact immediately making shortcodes an effective and immediate call to action; your prospect can respond before the moment has passed. SMS provides an instant response round the clock.

2. Premium rate messaging provides the customer with a great brand experience. It will ensure the customer always associates a unique and active experience with the brand. Shortcodes are also effective in raising and maintaining brand awareness, as there is active participation in the marketing experience. Premium rate messaging enables the company to engage with prospects at the point of display, allowing the company to establish a relationship with their potential customer ahead of the other market-related competition.

3. Shortcodes are convenient, cost effective and easy to use. Shortcodes will enable your business to partake in big campaigns while still sticking to a budget and being able to rest easy with the knowledge that the campaign will be effective as the process is really easy to employ.

4. Shortcodes are really effective at managing to generate hot sale leads really quickly. The enquiries that will come through will come from interested customers. By receiving messages from the interested customers, it makes it possible to capture the mobile phone number of the individuals being targeted, and this is great for the company. Either the number will be used for a data list or the responder can use the number to follow up with the potential client. Not only will shortcodes attract interested customers as well as acquire the information of these potential clients, but the other great thing about shortcodes is that the responses that will come through almost immediately. This will allow the company to engage directly with the consumer and it will also allow the company to instantly measure the success of dual marketing activities making real-time reporting possible.

5. Premium rate messaging is often used for promotions, competitions and donations as it has the power to be viral and is thereby very effective for these types of campaigns. It has been found that shortcodes manage to create a lot of hype amongst the consumers being targeted, the consumers usually forward the SMS’s on to their friends who they feel may be interested. This is really great as it means the consumers are indirectly marketing the brand by spreading the word.

Panacea Mobile offers the Premium Rate Messaging service in South Africa and would be glad to assist you if you have any queries or if you would like to move forward with starting your very own shortcode campaign.