It seems that very often, bulk SMS or online text messaging services, if you prefer, are being associated negatively with businesses as a tool for marketing campaigns and as a way of sending information on products to people who may not always want to receive them. Well I am writing this blog to tell you that this needn't always be the case. There are other alternative uses for bulk SMS that exist outside the business environment and are relevant to us all. One of these uses that I am intent on exploring, is the possibility of using bulk SMS to arrange social events and activities involving large groups of people.

As a socially active university student, I try to spend as much of my spare time as possible partying and having a laugh with my friends because it's simple really - what could be better than having a good time with the people that mean the most to you? If used properly, I think that bulk SMS has the ability to become a huge blessing for anyone. Whether you want to distribute information to other members of a club or society at a university or college or to contact a large guest list with information about a special occasion or large get together. It could even benefit those who just want to be kept in the know about upcoming events in their area.

When trying to arrange any event, you need to have a reliable way of distributing important information regarding the venue, date, dress code, time, etc that can be read and responded to quickly by your guests. There are a variety of methods you could use, and each of them carries a whole variety of drawbacks. For instance, you could send your guests a leaflet or flyer through the post, as handouts in lectures, or delivered to their door. However, it is very easy for this little piece of paper to get lost in the colossal space that is the postal system, or for the recipient to absent-mindedly toss the paper in a pile of other similar papers on the kitchen table with an "I'll have a look at that later", only for it to end up being thrown away and lost forever.

Other methods of communication can just as easily be dismissed as being too easy to forget about (a phone call or face-to-face conversation), or too likely that people will not even see your message at all (Facebook and email addresses are just as problematic due to the chance that your guests may not check their emails or social-networking sites regularly, or even use them at all).

So this leaves one viable option for broadcasting your event: the text message. The average SMS costs about 10p to send depending on your service provider. Imagine how costly this could become once you have sent the same text message to all your guests. Not to mention how time-consuming this activity will be, as you are likely to have lost signal a number of times, and most handsets only allow you to text a limited number of people at any one time.

Exhausting?

Well this is where bulk SMS comes in. Using the internet, bulk SMS allows you to cheaply purchase a bundle of text messages. You are then able to send your message online, quickly and efficiently to as many people as you like, who will receive your message within seconds. These packages also allow you to receive a reply, allowing quick confirmations and any questions to be answered swiftly.

So there you have it, the perfect solution for creating a successful event.

The only drawback? A very busy social life!

View all Ruth Adams's articles

---

About the Author:
Capture your memories with stylish photo Christmas Greetings that you can customize online and send to friends and family.

More Email Marketing articles