Connectivity Via Keypad
Text Messaging Continues Bringing More Profit Opportunities for Bars

It will only come as news to those over 30 years of age that text messaging has become a dominant means of communication. People still talk on the telephone, and longer, detail oriented communiqués require emails. But what about the many daily occasions when you want to quickly give or receive a message and yet don’t have the time or inclination to get tangled up in an actual conversation? Consider: You can gather and give information quickly, yet forgo niceties without being perceived as rude. Texting is about exchanging information unobtrusively and saving time. It’s about getting a message down to its bare essentials.
Marketing mavens have harnessed the power of texting, and they’ve realized that texting and nightclubs and bars are a match made in heaven, over a cocktail. For one thing, the demographics are a perfect fi t. Increasingly, people who frequent nightclubs and bars are already avid texters. For another, nightclubs and bars are where business and pleasure meet and greet, and texting is itself a blend of business and pleasure. Texters enjoy texting, and they rely on texting to get the job done. It’s serious and fun. We talked to some key players when it comes to using texting, guys who are overseeing what they think of as a revolution in marketing for bars and nightclubs. Here’s the skinny.

Joe Mitchell, TextMyCity
“Everybody’s got a cell phone and they have it with them at all times,” says Joe Mitchell, vice president of sales and marketing for TextMyCity. “We’re just on the verge of what will become as ubiquitous for bars and nightclubs as having a Web site or a telephone number. Text messaging is hands down the communication method of choice for the younger generation — the same people who are spending their disposable income on entertainment and social networking. And the major brands that spend millions on advertising know this. “Text messaging is preferred by customers,” Mitchell says. “Also, the information is never outdated. Customers don’t need to hang on to coupons for a discount, they don’t need to remember details from a print advertisement. “From the experimental phase that we’re leaving behind, we expect standardization to occur very soon,” says Mitchell. “Rather than operating independently, nightclubs and bars will join a network like TextMyCity, where they will benefit not only from using our text message service individually, but they will also benefit from the entire network’s goodwill and their general promotions.”

Raoul Bhatt, FireText
“We’ve seen so many changes this past year with the release of new technologies,” Raoul Bhatt, lead developer at FireText, says. “There are more powerful and fashionable phones, and there are more and more people using them.”These days, they are using them in ways previously unimagined by most, such as in on-site contests or to receive drink specials or fl irt with each other on big screens in the club. “Customers love it,” Bhatt says. “They get hooked. Let’s say you’re sitting in a bar and see a cute girl. You’re too shy to approach, but you begin to make a connection with Firetext’s system by sending a message to her on the big screen. If things work out, you can identify yourself. Meanwhile, you’re also getting drink special updates as texts. Owners say, ‘If it keeps people entertained while they’re in my venue, if it gets them to buy one more drink, the system has paid for itself.’ Clients see a phenomenal increase in customer loyalty.”

Robert Ling, promptxt
Text has become a heat-seeking missile, finding its targets without much collateral damage. “Texts can be personalized with names and sent at specified times for just in time marketing and maximum impact,” says Robert Ling, CEO of promptxt. “People easily opt in to lists using a keyword and to opt out they just text ‘stop,’” he explains. “This means that the list(s) are very accurate and are updated by user themselves. “It is simple and immediate and texting is the preferred communication method for under-30s. Texts can be forwarded to friends easily and can be referred back to. It’s easy to show a text message to receive offers. The possiblities for text marketing? “It’s only just begun!” Ling says. “So there is a long way to go with application use as is. It will develop with promo videos, bar codes that can be scanned for offers, promo wallpaper and tones.”

Chris Watland,Interactive Mediums
As other telecommunications companies are learning, Apple’s I-phone is not a toy; it’s the future. With better interfaces and displays, texting is only going to become more pervasive. But exactly how can a bar or nightclub use texting to increase their business? “What we do is make it possible for bars and nightclubs to use text messaging for basic subscription list campaigns. This method of marketing is a quick way to send out targeted, real-time promotional messages,” says Chris Watland, co-founder of Interactive Mediums. “What makes text message marketing so great is that the response rates are higher than traditional advertising mediums. And you can reach your customers anytime, anywhere.” Of course, there’s nothing like a bargain, and text messages speak to this basic human desire in a new way. “People like getting deals, plain and simple,” Watland says. “When done properly, text message promotions provide the quickest and most efficient way to reward customers.” And remember, the deals are being offered in a manner that is very different from a print or television advertisement. Texting keeps things personal.

Michael Lamb, Opt It
“Texting is becoming more exclusive and personalized,” explains Michael Lamb, co-founder of Opt It. “Owners can now segment groups of users and send VIP promotions to only their most valued customers. Owners can log onto www.optit.com, create a message, and within minutes their customers who have asked to receive such messages have their own offer or promotion.” Imagine John Q. wants to go to happy hour. He’s in a rush. He’d appreciate a succinct text message telling him that he can get 2-For-1 drinks at a certain bar. John Q. wouldn’t want the bar owner calling him up. But he can glance down and read a text and get the desired information. He also forgot to read the newspaper with the 2-for-1 ad, by the way. What a break to get the text from the bar. He in turn texts Susie Q. to meet. But make sure these are the people you’re texting the ones who want to receive it. “Permission-based text messaging is critical to a successful campaign,” Lamb says. “Our job is to make sure owners and promoters are building their database in correctly.”