November, 2008 | Connective Mobile

November 20, 2008

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Connective API

By Adam | Featured, Indianapolis, Mobile Marketing Blog, Real Estate, SMS, Text Messaging | No Comments

We have been getting more and more requests for our API (Application Programming Interface) function so we thought we’d highlight what we offer-a REST based API that provides a wide range of functions that enable our customers to integrate Mobile Marketing (SMS/Text Messaging) into their own products.

Our API provides clients with the ability to:

Deliver messages to one Cell Phone
Deliver messages to an entire Text Club.
Schedule Messages for delivery at a later date.
Initiate a Text Club Opt-in Process.
Unsubscribe (Opt-out) a subscriber.
Check the status of delivered messages.
Retrieve the number of subscribers for a particular Text Club.
Retrieve the Mobile Subscribers’ numbers for a particular Text Club.
Set up an Initial Message to be delivered to a new subscriber.

Each time an action is submitted the API returns a status, error code and ticketid. The error code and status can be looked up in the API documentation. The ticketid is used to check the status of that transaction. You can tell if a message has been delivered, is waiting in queue, or was undeliverable.

We are very pleased to have our API publicly available and are constantly working to enhance it and add new functionality. In the near future we expect to add the following features:

Add new Keywords to an Account.
Manage Real Estate Accounts.
Deactivate Keywords on an Account.
Change account information (Billing address, logo, etc…)
Expanded Reporting via API.

If you have questions or want more information please feel free to contact us:

info @ connectivemobile.com

We will keep you up to date as we make enhancements and modifications to our API.

November 17, 2008

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Texting Tips for Realtors

By Adam | Featured, Indianapolis, Real Estate, SMS, Text Messaging, Voice Messaging | One Comment

This week we thought it would be a good idea to post some tips for our realtors that we think might help them maximize the mobile tools at their disposal.

Is it really just as easy as placing a sign in the yard? The answer to that is yes and no. Placing a sign in the yard will develop leads and those leads will turn into customers, but in order to get the most out of your mobile marketing tools you should first exercise the full options of your mobile tools and then integrate the mobile tools into your overall marketing strategy.

DOCTRAIN East Conference Text Messaging

By Adam | Conferences, Events, Featured, Mobile Marketing Blog, SMS, Text Messaging | No Comments

Ever been to a conference and found yourself constantly checking the agenda or finding out a little late that a change had been made?

Between October 29 – November 1, 2008 we helped the DOCTRAIN East Conference with their mobile communications. We were part of the event’s daily communication strategy as well as providing a method for the conference to communicate last minute updates and changes to attendees.

Attendees received approximately 5 text messages a day reminding them of sessions, lunches and special events. At the end of the conference 7 subscribers were randomly chosen via our system to receive door prizes from conference sponsors.

When attendees were asked about the text message program comments ranged from, “really smart and useful” to “way cool” and “another reason I look forward to attending DocTrain events, you guys always are up-to-date with the latest technologies.”

We look forward to continuing our relationship with DOCTRAIN and providing them the same high level of service for each of their events.

DOCTRAIN East is an annual Conference and the theme this year was Producing Quality Content. There were 275 attendees and presentations were given by many leaders in the Content Generation, and Document Management/Preparation software Industries. For more information on Content Management visit thecontentwrangler.com.

November 10, 2008

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Why Double opt-in?

By Adam | Featured, Indianapolis, Mobile Marketing Blog, SMS, Text Messaging | No Comments

To answer why we need a Double opt-in we should first understand what a Double opt-in is. The Mobile Marketing Association defines Double opt-in as “The process of confirming a mobile subscribers wish to participate in a mobile program by requesting the subscriber to opt-in twice, prior to engaging the subscriber. A requirement for premium and many other types of mobile services.” What this essentially means is that in order for a subscriber to participate in a mobile marketing or premium sms program they must not only send in an initial message indicating interest but they must also respond with an affirmative to a second message. A sample of the process is below.

Step 1
A subscriber responds to a call to action and texts in a keyword to 71813. In this case the keyword is
BEAN.

Step 2
The subscriber gets a response back prompting him or her to confirm the subscription.

Reply Y+Zip(Y12345) to join The Bean Cup Text Club
Get 1 msg/wk
Std Msg Rates Apply
To Opt-out reply STOP BEAN
T&Cs @ connectivemobile.com

In this case we also ask for the zip code because we provide this demographic information to our customer and enable them to send messages by zip code if they desire.

Step 3
The subscriber replies with “Y46237” providing the affirmative required for double opt-in and giving us their zip code so that if a future message is specific to a certain area not near them, they won’t receive a text.

Step 4
The subscriber receives a response message indicating the process is complete.

Welcome to The Bean Cup TEXT CLUB
To opt-out text STOP BEAN to 71813
Standard messaging rates apply
Text help for more info

At this point the Double opt-in process is complete and the subscriber will now receive messages. Why is the Double opt-in process necessary? It seems like it might actually deter people from subscribing. It seems cumbersome. In truth it can be, but there is one compelling reason that overcomes all objections and that is preventing SPAM. SPAM has become a parasite sucking the productivity and usefulness out of email and specifically email marketing. The Double opt-in process was implemented to help prevent SPAM on the cell phone. Imagine the constant stream of garbage you could receive if there weren’t safeguards in place to prevent SPAM on the cell phone. We are glad to see measures and methods being put in place to prevent what has happened to email from happening to SMS (text messaging)

As for the the downsides, here at Connective Mobile over 95% of the subscribers that initiate the process complete it. That means that you have a text club that is 100% interested in seeing your message. This is why mobile marketing has a much greater rate of return than many traditional advertising methods.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or thoughts you have on the Double opt-in process
info at connectivemobile.com

November 9, 2008

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Common Mobile Marketing Terms – Part 2

By Adam | Featured, Indianapolis, Mobile Marketing Blog, SMS, Text Messaging, Voice Messaging | No Comments

Welcome to Part 2 of our series of Common Mobile Marketing Terms. We are providing definitions of terms that are commonly used in Mobile Marketing. We hope that you find these posts useful.

IVR- Instant Voice Response– A computerized system that allows a person, typically a telephone caller, to select options from a voice menu and otherwise interact with the computer phone system from their mobile device.

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

By kim | Events, Featured, Indianapolis, Mobile Marketing Blog, SMS, Text Messaging | No Comments