Shared Short Code
 

Before you read please note that I’m completely new to SMS marketing.

In doing my research of SMS marketing, I’ve ran into the whole shared vs dedicated short code thing. I completely understand the cost and time involved in both but I just have some questions that I might be making a bigger deal than necessary. I’m the kind of person who likes to be prepared and especially when trying to get someone to handover their hard earn money for my services.

Has anyone encountered a customer who didn’t want to use a share short code? For example the business next door or many businesses are using the same number and they don’t want to be associated with them. Are people using more than one white label to provide different short code numbers?

If a white label has many people using its platform are keywords hard to come by? Do customers have to make keywords like the digits on a license plate trying to get letters and numbers to sound like a word when pronounced?

Do white labels such as Lime Cellular let you provide mobile website code or CSV files to a customer if they decide to go with someone else? I used Lime just because I know they provided do it yourself mobile site builder. Should I just build my own mobile sites separate and host them with someone else?

Any insight would be of great. Thanks and have a great day.

Re: Shared Short Code
 

Shared shortcodes should not be that big of a deal unless you are looking at serious volume.

Fact of the matter is your clients will never know what a shared short code is.

In regards to the site builder look around as there are plenty of good options available for a solid Mobile CMS system

Re: Shared Short Code
 

The only time you will need a dedicated short code is when the client requires keywords that are not available on a shared short code or if your volumes cover the increased cost. We have NEVER had a customer decline do to shared short codes. If you get a client that large, it would not be a big deal to get them to cover the cost of the dedicated short code for their account.

Keywords may be unavailable on a shared short code but usually, you can get creative and find one that will work OR you can call your provider and ask if the keyword it IN USE or just PARKED. If it is just parked by another reseller, we will ALWAYS release it to the customer that needs it for a real campaign.

Not sure about Lime but Anchor Mobile does allow resellers and clients to export the source code of the HTML5 Mobile Sites for self hosting with a nominal fee.

FYI, we have 2x dedicated short codes LIVE for immediate adoption (one has aggregation paid through June 2013!) We also offer a 20% shared short code where you pay a bit more but get to share the code with only 4 other resellers thus increasing keyword availability dramatically and decreasing the chance a client will find another reseller using the same code.

TJ

Re: Shared Short Code
 

Shared short codes should be sufficient for most users, but don't be hesitant if someone wants their own short code. Just take the time to explain the costs and length of time it will take to provision, if they still want it, why not just sell them a dedicated short code then?