New technology addicts around the world are waiting with baited breath for the 2012 Mobile World Congress, centred around the theme of “Redefining Mobile”. The action will take place at Fira Montjuïc, in Barcelona, between 27th February and 1st March.  Major global players of the mobile market will be unveiling their latest innovations. As many as 1400 exhibitors will be showcasing their products to the visitors, and there is much speculation about which ones will cause the latest buzz.

The prospect of thinner, shinier, faster smartphones has been the subject of many rumours. Quad Core processors, 12 MP cameras, 3D capability and retina resolution are listed amongst the most desirable features, but the manufacturers are keeping their cards close to their chests and surprises are bound to occur. The Samsung Galaxy S3, the Blackberry London, the new Galaxy Nexus and the Motorola Droid are all expected to be released at the congress and will all be competing for attention.

A program of talks and conferences will take place over the course four days, with speakers such as Franco Bernabè, CEO of Telecom Italia, and Anne Bouverot, Director General of GSMA. Conference goers will be able to hear presentations on topics as varied as mobile operator strategies, mobiles and health, and mobile business transformation.

One of the highlights of the event will undoubtedly be the Global Mobile Award ceremony, where the most groundbreaking, successful and useful mobile players receive recognition from their peers. 2011 winners include, for instance, Google, for the Google Maps application, and Dr. Wang Jianzhou, Chairman of China Mobile, for outstanding achievements. The evening will be hosted by the British comedian and musician Tim Minchin.

Finally, discussion forums will provide the opportunity to network with industry players and get fresh inspiration for new mobile marketing strategies.

The UK has become a nation of smartphone users, with as many as one in three British adults now using one. That was the finding of an Ofcom report published last year, which found that a third of the UK’s adult population had switched to the latest in mobile technology.

When it comes to smartphone use, Britain leads the way in Europe with more than 17 million monthly active users (Flurry Analytics, May 2011). With constant developments in internet usage, SMS technology and email integration within smartphones, this is hardly a surprise. But this boom in smartphone popularity masks the fact that there are many people in the UK who are still content with their regular mobile phone.

Whilst the increased use of smartphones is good news for the manufacturers, other companies and developers linked to smartphones have struggled to capitalise on their popularity. Research from analyst firm Screen Digest has found that the app market is a difficult one to monetise, with the majority of paid-for apps unpopular with users.

This creates a real dilemma for developers who are trying to profit from the popularity of new technology. Even the most simple of app takes time, dedication and money to bring to the market. But no matter how much effort has gone into it, if the app isn’t free then many smartphone users will simply not download it.

The research estimated that of all the apps downloaded worldwide in 2011, an incredible 96% of them were downloaded for free. So many developers are turning to in-app purchases as a way of generating revenue. By offering the apps for free, developers are trying to get users ‘hooked’ on the app and then tempt them to buy additional features.

Apps are currently only supported on the latest mobile phones and are not always on every operating system. So if your looking to communicate with large audiences, SMS messaging is the only guaranteed way for those times when every message matters.

Last week our CTO, Adam bird, presented at the Creative Class of 2011 event. The event was held at the Nottingham Contemporary, to celebrate Nottingham’s entreprenerial talent. In his presentation, Adam talked about successes to date and international plans for the future.

Other presentations from the Creative Class 2011 were: Skeleton Productions, a new video production company; specialist in lightweight fibre reinforced thermoplastics Medibord; website performance monitoring firm Aware Monitoring; software development house The Plumtree Group; traditional corsetry and handmade lingerie company Eternal Spirits; wireless fetal heart monitor company Monica Healthcare; computer games software company Lockwood Publishing and Sygnature Chemical Services.

Adam comments about the event;

“It’s great that an event like this is being held, but this isn’t about making me feel good. It’s about showing people what’s possible,” he said. ”We can all be examples to the wider field of business that Nottingham can be a great place to run and develop business and that more people should come and do the same.

“The challenges with this kind of thing is always whether you can get years two and three. I’m confident that there will be a next generation of the Creative Class.”

Would you like to apply to be in the Creative Class of 2012? Visit  Invest in Nottingham for an application form.

In total, 38% of consumers named SMS promotions as preferable to mobile web marketing which was lagging behind with a figure of less than half of this (just 15%).

The research demonstrated how when it comes to redeeming vouchers and receiving promotions, consumers are more than happy to be contacted via SMS.

In total, 40% of UK respondents said they were interested in being contacted by advertisers in this manner, giving them easy access to discounts, offers and news of products.

Of course, advertisers have to be careful about how they approach mobile users in order to achieve a successful marketing campaign.

Commenting on this, the Chair of the DMA Marketing Council, Mark Brill, explained that “the key to acceptable mobile marketing is to understand the target audience’s preferences to ensure they engage with consumers in the way they want to be contacted.”

With SMS proving a popular favourite amongst Brits (just under half of those asked revealed that they would like to be contacted in this way) it is likely that mobile marketing will continue to develop.

In total, 75% of Brits are happy to be contacted about promotions and offers via their mobile – a figure which is much higher than that experienced in other developed nations.

According to the DMA’s data, Americans were the closest to Brits in terms of mobile marketing support with 72% of them feeling the same as our 75%. This figure fell drastically for nations such as France and Germany, however, who experienced results of just 50% and 46% respectively.

The report also revealed that one of the main reasons why some are hesitant to use mobile offers is because they wrongly believe they are charged for their service. This was said to affect one in four Americans and one in seven Brits.

With this in mind it’s important that advertisers help consumers understand that SMS campaigns, vouchers and promotions are not sent at a cost to the end user.

If you’re thinking about setting up an SMS campaign and would like some tips, you might be interested in reading: 10 fantastic mobile campaign ideas for marketers!

Their latest product provides users of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 to send SMS messages directly from within CRM. The SMS messages are stored as activities and are viewable from a contact’s (or anyother entity with an activity relationship) Closed Activities view once sent.

xRM Consultancy have chosen Esendex as their SMS partner for this new product and are the newest member of our Partner Program.  Bruce Buxton, xRM Consultancy’s MD said

“We needed an SMS provider that understood the importance of our messaging requirements.  Esendex’s focus on quality of service sets them apart as the clear leader in the field”.

To trial this new product for free simply email sales@xrmconsultancy.com with your CRM Unique Organisation Name (this can be found in Settings -> Customizations -> Developer Resources) for a free license.  You’ll also need to register for a free Esendex trial account .

We are launching a New Year health check for firms to make sure that they are making the most of business texting services. SMS offers companies new ways of marketing to their customers and cutting operational costs.

Chief Commercial Officer Geoff Love said; “In the current economic climate, where budgets are being cut and companies are being asked to do more and more with less and less, smart companies are switching to SMS.

“Text messages are cheaper and quicker than phone calls or letters to customers and staff and are more widely read than emails. Whether it’s sending balance reminders, delivery notifications, appointment reminders, satisfaction surveys or system alerts – SMS ensures that messages get there fast.”

Our SMS Business Audit offers a review from one of our SMS experts who will carry out a free one hour consultation, during which our SMS expert will gain a fuller understanding of how their business communicates. Following the review, we will provide recommendations suggesting ways in which SMS could be deployed to improve business communications.

Geoff Love, said; “Just about any business can benefit from using SMS more effectively, whether you are looking for new ways of reaching your customers or making sure you get vital messages through to staff.

“We are hoping that by offering this service we can help businesses in the East Midlands to keep up with the latest developments in this field and to make the region’s economy more competitive.”

Businesses who wish to take advantage of the Business SMS Audit service should contact Hannah Giles on 0115 989 5125 or email hannah.giles@esendex.com.

The message, sent  in an office in Newbury signalled the beginning of a new era for communication.

Of course, Neil Papworth was not aware of its significance at the time, with text messaging not really becoming common until the following decade.

Papworth commented that he would “never have predicted that text messaging would spread into the consumer world” and explained that the system of using SMS messages was thought to be “a clever way for a company’s staff to send simple messages to one another.”

Nowadays, it seems hard to image life without SMS services and messages, with an estimated 8 trillion messages being sent this year – a figure which equates to around 15 million every minute.

This is a far different story from what was experienced earlier in the lifespan of SMS messages. In 1995, three years after the first message was sent, mobile users sent an average of just 0.4 SMS messages each month.

The turn of the millennium, however, saw text messaging become a more natural and popular form of communication for people of all ages.

The dominance of text messaging is also something which is prevalent in both the consumer and corporate world and continues to reign despite other developments in technology.

According to Portio research, the global messaging market is expected to be worth more than $300 billion (approximately £191.9 billion) by 2014 after being valued at $179.2 billion (approximately £114.6 billion) last year.

As SMS celebrates its 19th birthday this Christmas, mobile users can wish this innovative form of communication “many happy returns” for many more years to come.

There are numerous ways to end an SMS message or email, but sometimes the tone can get lost in translation.

According to research by T-Mobile, the leading mobile network operator, nearly a quarter of men regularly include a kiss at the end of a text message to their male peers. Dubbed as ‘metrosexuals’, these men have become openly affectionate with each other when using SMS messaging.

‘Metrotextuality’ is most commonly seen in those aged 18-24, with 75% of men that age sealing a text with a kiss. But it’s not just young men who have apparently joined the ‘metrosexual’ clan. One in 10 males over the age of 55 also adopt the kiss style sign off, according to the research.

What does it really mean though? According to clinical psychologist Ron Bracey, SMS messaging allows men to “easily share their feelings with others, especially their male friends.”

Further research from Sheffield Hallam University found that men tend to write short sarcastic texts. In contrast, female text messages are more likely to show “support and affection”.

According to etiquette experts, ending a message with ’Thanks’ is a safe and polite way of ending a conversation.  Cherie Kerr, author of The Bliss or “Diss” Connection? Email Etiquette For The Business Professional, claims that saying thanks is one of the safest and most courteous of the salutations. It keeps it pleasant, but professional.”

Saying ‘Ciao’ on the other hand is not ideal for signing off a formal conversation, either via email or SMS.

Suzanne Bates, president and CEO of Bates Communications Inc, said; “This isn’t for business, except for fashion, art or real Italians.”

Whatever your sign off or text tone of voice, SMS messaging is a great way of communicating with professional and personal individuals.  Through business SMS messaging you can reach thousands of customers, just be sure to sign off in the right way!

•Just 33% expect that last minute orders will arrive on time.
•40% don’t trust the retailer to deliver on time, but are willing to give it a go.
•27% expect last minute orders to be late.

Sometimes delivery times are out of retailers hands, especially when reliance is put on the Royal Mail – heavy snow around this time of year also contributing to many of the delays.

So apart from choosing a reliable courier, how can retailers use SMS services to avoid customers being disappointed this year?

“Order in time for Christmas” notification - You probably already have a database of your customers mobile numbers, send them an SMS message to let them know when last orders are being taken for Christmas.

Order despatch confirmation – Let your customer know when their item is on its way.

Journey updates – Send your customer status updates of where their item is – especially if you know it’s going to be late.

Specify delivery times – If you’re able to inform your customer of the time frame when their item is likely to arrive, there is a much greater chance that they’ll be in – no need to redeliver.

If a delivery is late, be reactive – Send your customer an text message apologising, you could also send them a discount code for their next order.

The key to avoiding customer disappointment is to provide clear and concise information to your customers, without promising what you can’t deliver.  Sending text messages is a cheap and effective way to make the whole process run more smoothly.

As budgets are being slashed, more and more smart businesses are using SMS.  Find out how businesses like Ocado, Virgin Media and Kiddicare.com have used SMS to help their businesses become more effective.

When: Friday 2nd of December
Where: Esendex, 20 Wollaton Street, Nottingham, NG1 5FW
Start: Arrive for 8:30am and enjoy coffee, croissants and bacon rolls
Finish: 10am

If you’re looking to reduce costs, increase sales or to make your workforce more productive, can you afford not to attend?

To confirm your place please email hannah.giles@esendex.com.