Technology on Demand

Having worked in the cellular phone industry for many years, I saw a lot of the newest technology the industry had to offer. Just a few short years ago, the solution to instant contact was the pager. Today, everybody from executives to high school athletes utilize text message scheduling. Businesses everywhere have begun using text messaging to remind associates of meetings, to remind patrons of dinner reservations, to remind members of a team what time practice is, and to remind kids what time their curfew is. There is a huge market in scheduling text messages which is proven to save not only time but considerable amount of money.

When I began working in the cellular phone business it was a very young industry. Twenty years later, business is booming and technology continues to meet the demands of a fast-paced world. The office is no longer a cubicle; the office is anywhere a person needs to be. Associates can meet with twice as many clients as new appointments are sent directly through text message scheduling. Everything from doctors appointments to dinner reservations are being sent through the air straight to your phone; instant communication.

Restaurants are sending reminders to their patrons to help cut down on no-shows. The restaurant sends out the reminder to the patron and if the patron is unable to keep the reservation they simply call the call back number to cancel. This allows the restaurant to book somebody else into that slot, earning them money they might have lost had the patron not received the reminder by text message scheduling.

This method of instant notification is quickly becoming one of the basic small business tools used around the world. Thousands of people are receiving scheduled text messages every minute of the day making business and life more efficient and less stressful. Doctors' offices are adding this method of appointment scheduling to their businesses as well. When a patient schedules their next appointment, the receptionist offers the patient the option of text message scheduling. On the day of or before the appointment the preprogrammed appointment is sent to the patient’s phone reminding them of the appointment. This type of technology has saved millions of dollars in lost time that can now be filled with a patient that can make the appointment.

Technology is ever-changing and innovated new ideas are flooding the market to help lessen the time crunch and to help people live a more stress free life. Scheduled text messages are just the tip of the iceberg in this ever changing industry of small business tools.

9 Cool Demographically Targeted Promotion Ideas for the Beauty Industry

If you've read our post about making sure that your text message scheduling is demographically targeted, then your brain is probably ticking away, wondering how you can apply it to your own business! Today we are starting a series of posts looking at promotional ideas that you can send out via scheduling SMS messages, and target to different groups relatively easily. This post is specifically about the beauty industry, where much demographic data can be easily assumed. Give that ticking brain a rest, and read on!

For hairdressers

1. Free touchup with a haircut: This one can be targeted towards any customers that have come to have touchups previously. Beware of assuming that people will need gray touchups based on an assessment of their age, though. Yes, it is a fairly easy thing to guess -- but at worst you may offend a customer away from your salon completely!
2. Three free foils with a whole-head color: Target this to any customers that have had their entire head colored before. You can also target this to female customers in the younger age brackets.
3. 10 minute head massage with cut and treatment purchased: Male customers tend to be most comfortable with females doing this sort of task -- if you have a mostly female staff, do some scheduling SMS messages with this promo to male customers.

For estheticians

4. Free bikini wax with full leg wax: This one is obviously for the ladies! You could further demographically target your text message scheduling to women that have already had bikini waxes with you.
5. Half price back waxes this month: This one would be a male-oriented promotion. It is safest to target to men that have had a back wax with you before, but there is relatively low risk of offense even with males who haven't.
6. Take home free fruit peel with any laser wrinkle reduction treatment: Target this to customers in the older age brackets. Just don’t go too low -- when you’re dealing with the females who are getting to this stage of life, you could cause offense by suggesting they need it.

For nail technicians

7. Free decals with any pedicure/manicure combo this month: Younger customers are more likely to be into decals, but you could target this to all females and broaden your rang considerably.
8. 60% off manicures for men this month: At least one of the demographics you'll use for scheduling SMS messages about this promotion is obvious! Think a bit further though, and you can safely narrow your audience even more. Men in the trades, who work with their hands, are unlikely to want manicures -- they'll be wrecked in no time.

For make-up artists

9. Get your wedding makeup done, have a bridesmaid's basic package done for free: Wedding makeup is often a big procedure planned well in advance. If you have a large enough customer base you could target this to anyone who has rung for information or called in for prices. Alternatively, target it to all women in the 20-50 age ranges.

Ten Businesses That Can Profit from Text Message Scheduling

Text message scheduling is one of the newest and most powerful marketing tools. People are moving away from landline usage (especially with capped mobile phone plans that are cheaper than traditional line rental). In some cases, people are reluctant to provide landline phone numbers to businesses to reduce the number of telemarketing and research calls they get, so provide mobile numbers instead. The fact is that they are an untapped resource for many businesses -- we look at ten businesses that can use text message scheduling and bulk messages to communicate with their customers for increased profit.

• Dentists: Dentist appointments are often booked weeks in advance, and you probably find a high no-show rate, simply due to forgetfulness! Text message scheduling can help reduce the number of no-shows in your dentistry practice.
• Mechanics: Car services and inspections are two regular activities that all cars need. You can send out six-monthly reminders for your customers that their service is due, or let them know when they are required to have the car checked out.
• Tattooists: Another business where appointments are often booked quite a while in advance, tattooists can help decrease the number of no-shows with text message reminders.
• Insurance companies: Your customers' policies will expire at regular intervals throughout the year. While most companies send a paper bill for renewal, why not combine that renewal date with a special offer to increase your business? Offer a package deal on home-contents and car insurance, or a discount for people insuring a bike at the same time they renew their car insurance.
• Hairdressers: The shorter delay between making an appointment and fulfilling it for hairdressers means that no-shows aren't as frequent. However, you typically know how much of your week is taken up on a Monday. If it is looking a little quiet, send out a special promotion to your regulars, offering free foils with a cut, or product discounts. You can also use text message scheduling to remind people to get a trim or have their roots done.
• Pizza shops: You will probably have a rich and full database of mobile phone numbers, with the new standard practice of taking a phone number for an order. Why not use these to tell people about a daily discount or special offer?
• Veterinarians: Immunization scheduling offers a great reason to get in touch with your customers and remind them when treatments are due.
• Cinemas: Online bookings have become more and more common, as people prefer not to stand in line at cinemas. Use text message scheduling to confirm bookings -- provide your customers with a confirmation number in the email.
• Restaurants: You can use text message scheduling to tell people who have made a booking what to expect at your restaurant. You may want to let them know to take a seat and they'll be with you, or come to the counter and order, as well as for any special offers you have going.
• Doctors: Just as with veterinarians, there are a wealth of medical procedures that need to be made at regular intervals. Child immunizations, pap smears and mammograms are good examples of opportunities for text message scheduling.