2010 Soccer World Cup offers SMS opportunities to SA entrepreneurs
The 2010 Soccer World Cup has been touted as a golden opportunity for South African businesses to make an economic killing. Maybe, maybe not – it will depend a lot on the prior marketing of these businesses and their ability to adapt to the particular opportunities on offer around this event.
What is for certain is that South Africans can expect approximately 500 000 people to arrive in the country before and during this event. All of these people need somewhere to stay, somewhere to eat and something to do when they are not watching the games. As many visitors will have pre-booked accommodation, this leaves a gap for operators who can offer competitive services through clever and innovative marketing techniques. Bulk SMS marketing is one of these techniques.
There are many ways to harness the immediacy and effectiveness of bulk SMS to generate income during the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The added bonus is that many of the bulk SMS business ideas listed below could be sustainable long after the influx of visitors has left the country.
Using premium-rated SMS numbers, business owners and entrepreneurs can offer subscriber services to both visitors and local South Africans. Potential SMS subscriber services include information services such as ‘goal notification alerts’ through bulk SMS sending, daily exchange rate information, ‘news from back home’ SMS services, translation services and the list goes on… Direct mobile sales can be generated through premium-rated SMS, such as downloads of country flags and memorable game moments to mobile phones downloads of soccer song or national anthem ringtones.
Businesses can increase their sales at real time stores through bulk SMS services such as coupons and discount SMS tickets for restaurant meals, retail shop SMS vouchers and entertainment options. Adding a mobile component to ordering systems such as takeaway food outlets makes the process simple for visitors and two-way SMS would allow the food outlet to reply confirming the order, the time it needs to be picked up and the physical location of the branch. Another SMS information service that could be helpful would be identifying restaurants that serve kosher, halaal, vegetarian or region specific foods.
There is a gap for bulk SMS services in catering to the deaf and hearing impaired market, either with text information or allowing them to summon an ambulance or other medical help by text messaging. Bulk SMS messages offering travel health information in particular regions would be a popular choice for visitors to Africa, particularly if they are planning to visit malaria areas. Linking this service to a business location SMS option would allow visitors to access doctors, hospitals and dentists in case of medical emergency.
For those airlines and accommodation outlets that are not already alerting their customers to flight delays or booking confirmations, a bulk SMS service can link several hotels or guesthouses onto a SMS travel and tourism service.
2009 could finally be the year that South Africans are able to competitively enter the mobile business world. The completion of the new optical fibre submarine communications cable (SEACOM) will provide South Africans with significantly improved bandwidth and increased competition between network operators could also mean that South Africans are able to access fast, affordable broadband Internet access and cheaper mobile costs.
With more South Africans owning mobile phones than PC’s (99% to 24%), businesses that are able to innovatively access this market that spans rural and urban areas will be rewarded with low cost infrastructural businesses. The 2010 Soccer World Cup might be the spur needed to initiate many bulk SMS business applications but they have a sustainable future in South Africa.
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Tags: 2 way SMS, bulk SMS, Clickatell South Africa, generate income, Global SMS, mobile business, mobile marketing, premium-rated SMS, SMS, SMS alerts, SMS marketing, SMS Provider, SMS services, SMS South Africa, SMS subscriber services, SMS vouchers
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5 Comments On This Post
Hi, thank you for a very informative article on how to use Bulk SMS for 2010 to generate income.
How much does this opportuity cost
How soon can a I join
Hi Lemogang, All our products have a free setup cost. Once you have signed up you will only need to purchase sms credits which are used to send your sms messages. These you can purchase on a pay as you go basis, so no contract or monthly minimum purchase. You can find out more about our products at the following link, http://www.clickatell.com/products.php
You can join anytime of the day and registration only takes a few min.
Otherwise, please feel free to contact me.
Gareth
Hi, Once i have bought bulk sms where does one get the data base from to market to fans for 201- soccer world cup
Hi Tamar,
thanks for the comment. Getting contacts to market to during the 2010 Soccer World Cup requires some strategy. First and foremost you'll have to read up on the regulations regarding unsolicited SMS for the country you want to market to. In other words, if you want to market to individuals who live in South Africa, then you'll have to read up on the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act of 2002. That being said, here are a couple of ways to get contacts to opt-in on your bulk SMS campaigns:
1. Use existing media to advertise your SMS service. This can range from online ads, radio and TV ads, in-store displays, notice boards, etc.
2. Offer an incentive – everyone loves getting something for free, a discount or something very useful. Put yourself in your target audience's shoes and ask "What's in it for me?" – that's what people will be asking themselves when deciding to join your SMS service or not, so make it worth their while.
If you want more information on the legalities and how to get opt-ins, read this post:
http://www.clickatell.co.za/blog/2009/11/managing...
Take Care
Leo