Sending text messages has become an increasingly common activity on cell phones, and the simplicity of this application has allowed it to gain a large amount of traction among younger audiences.
Instead of passing notes between classes, all students have to do is take out their phone and press send. This habit continues for about 86 percent of the day, according to a study from the University of Nebraska.
Once these students attend college, they are more likely to bring their phones, tablets and laptops to class with them. Sometimes these tools are used to help them take notes, other times, they are using these "devices for recreational purposes during class time," a CBS article says. Businesses that are looking to expand their market can benefit from the use an SMS service that notifies consumers on upcoming promotions and special offers.
How can companies use a text messaging service to grab the attention of this age group? Some organizations have experienced success by offering a free small gift for signing up for the SMS service, from there it becomes a subconscious pattern.
Each time that phone buzzes or rings for a text, the user is likely to glance at their phone within three minutes of hearing the notification. If they don't open it then, students are likely to open it to check the time—79 percent of participants reported doing this at least once during class time.
Despite the fact that some teachers have a no electronics policy during their class periods, that does not entirely shy them away from using these devices either. In fact, some teachers have begun utilizing this popular form of communication to their benefit, as Professor Kay Swartzwelder's of Marshall University did.
"Each student learns differently and the techniques used in the past won't be effective forever — we have to change how we are teaching our students in order to reach them," Swartzwelder told the Herald-Dispatch.
Instead of asking students to voluntarily answer a question, text messaging can be used to poll the class on these questions. This way, she is able to see who hasn't participated and who does not understand the subject matter. By allowing the use of cell phones in class, students are likely to have more time to check other text messages.
"Informally, the students have stated they seem to feel the interaction [of texting] and immediate feedback does make them think more and several distant-site students have thanked me for using this approach because they can now participate in classroom activities," Swartzwelder explained.
There is value in reaching out to college students, as well as other populations, because they too have the need to purchase goods and services. Although these age groups may check their messages at different hours, the opportunities are still there. Swift SMS Gateway can help businesses build a SMS marketing campaign that best suits their targeted audience.
