Today's readily available mobile phone technology gives more advertising opportunities to restaurant owners. With more than 530% growth of cell phone users in the United States in the last 10 years, having one is no longer a luxury. Everyone from children to the elderly are carrying a cell phone wherever they go. As of December 2006, more than 18.5 billion text messages are sent every month - and that number has grown by 250% each year for the last two years. Every cell phone is equipped with this cheap and easy to use technology.
Until now, the most popular way to attract customers was publishing a coupon in a direct mailer or newspaper, and hoping that of the thousands that potentially see it, some will actually use it. With the help of text messaging, restaurants can send sudden and unexpected deals to shoppers who have specified that they are in the area right now and are ready to spend. In order to receive these deals, shoppers only need to provide basic anonymous demographic information to create a free account. Once an account is created, shoppers can log in anytime to begin receiving deals from restaurants in a particular geographic location throughout the day.
Once a match is made in the system, the information gets sent to shoppers' cell phones as text messages and are received in less then a minute. The best feature about this new service is that shoppers are in control of how many deals they receive and the company guarantees not to sell or spam shoppers' cell phones numbers.
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Unlike paper coupons, these messages are guaranteed to be read by a shopper that is ready to dine right now," says Julian Reytel, founder of Sudden Deals, one such text messaging company. Having chosen the best deal, the shopper visits the restaurant and shows their phone screen to the server to receive the discount.
In the days of environmental awareness, eliminating paper coupons and direct mailings is a great way to help save trees and lower pollution. Also, unlike the traditional coupons or event listings printed on paper, the merchants can create deals that are valid for only an hour to really rally-up the shoppers.
Unlike any other means of advertising, the cell phone advertising is a new, more intimate way to communicate with customers, and if used appropriately, will benefit both shoppers and merchants.
Until now, the most popular way to attract customers was publishing a coupon in a direct mailer or newspaper, and hoping that of the thousands that potentially see it, some will actually use it. With the help of text messaging, restaurants can send sudden and unexpected deals to shoppers who have specified that they are in the area right now and are ready to spend. In order to receive these deals, shoppers only need to provide basic anonymous demographic information to create a free account. Once an account is created, shoppers can log in anytime to begin receiving deals from restaurants in a particular geographic location throughout the day.
Once a match is made in the system, the information gets sent to shoppers' cell phones as text messages and are received in less then a minute. The best feature about this new service is that shoppers are in control of how many deals they receive and the company guarantees not to sell or spam shoppers' cell phones numbers.
"
Unlike paper coupons, these messages are guaranteed to be read by a shopper that is ready to dine right now," says Julian Reytel, founder of Sudden Deals, one such text messaging company. Having chosen the best deal, the shopper visits the restaurant and shows their phone screen to the server to receive the discount.In the days of environmental awareness, eliminating paper coupons and direct mailings is a great way to help save trees and lower pollution. Also, unlike the traditional coupons or event listings printed on paper, the merchants can create deals that are valid for only an hour to really rally-up the shoppers.
Unlike any other means of advertising, the cell phone advertising is a new, more intimate way to communicate with customers, and if used appropriately, will benefit both shoppers and merchants.
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