Last Thursday evening I was at the monthly Social Media Club meeting for Phoenix. These meetings discuss various topics related to social networking and social media including: how we use social networking; what’s new; what’s coming soon; etc. I’ve attended these meetings poorly in the past, however they are always on my radar screen, and when I can’t attend, I know I’m missing something I’ll regret later. That said, if you are in the Phoenix area on the second Thursday of the month, I highly recommend you attend. Jobing.com sponsors the meetings in a relaxed atmosphere, and best of all, there’s no cost to attend.
This month, we learned about a relatively new service from TextID.com. The service enables anyone to lease a keyword from the text message number 555-411. When someone sends your keyword to 555-411 they will receive a text message response with whatever message has been configured.
Here’s how it works. First, you choose a keyword that you want to lease. I chose the obvious: “Steve”. Next, you lease the keyword. Plans start at $5/month, and go on up to $30/month for an unlimited number of text message responses. If you are curious, you can sign up for free, see if you like it, and then pick a plan to continue the service, when your free trial runs out.
Then, the only thing you need to do is configure the response to the keyword that you want TextID to send back.
An obvious application of the service is to lease a keyword related to your name or business and then as a response to that keyword, respond with business card like information. For example, I signed up for the keyword Steve. In response, people receive the following message (if you don’t believe me, try it!):
Steve Belt
Realty Executives
steve@teambelt.com
www.realphoenixliving.com
www.teambelt.com
(480)215-9490
Now why and when would someone text my name? For me, it would be the almost 50% of the time I don’t seem to have a business card handy. I can’t count the number of days I run out of cards (I try to start the day with 5 or 6) during the course of the day, but it’s more times than I care to remember. Or, it’s just inconvenient to run out to the stash that’s in my car.
Moreover, as I think about the superior nature of this type of business card, I can imagine using this service as my defacto business card whenever possible. When someone asks for a card, I’ll direct them to text my name, if possible. They will get back all of the information that’s on my card (aside from my office address), after which they have everything about me, right there in their phone, where they won’t be able to lose it, wash it in their pockets, or throw it away at the next trash can they see.
I’m pretty excited about using this new way of getting inside the phone’s of my clients and friends. Am I in your phone?
{ 12 comments }
yes, you are already in my phone. But, I’m still gona give it a try.
@Nick, doubley cool.
Hey Steve, thanks for the shout out for TextID. I was at the Social Media Club meeting with Mike Halvorson. I just wanted to give another heads up about how realtors might use TextID: You can get a TextID name for each property for sale and rental signs, maybe the street name. Then, you put that name on the sign and brochure for people who are out driving and looking at properties. What better way to tell a potential buyer the most important information, i.e., listing price, square footage, bedroom and amenities BEFORE they ever need to speak to you on the phone? It saves you both time. The message can also direct them to a URL with additional photos.
@Alicia, it was good meeting you too. I keep waffling internally about the benefit of a single property website URL rider, versus a TextID rider that directs someone to the single property website URL. In either case, I get statistics about the number of “hits”, but in the case of the URL, the prospect not only gets the basic size/bedrooms/price info, but they immediately get pictures, maps, school info, etc. If that prospect has a web enabled phone, they can access the website in front of the house immediately. If they don’t, then they have to write down the URL and do it when they get home…that’s the downside to the URL.
The TextID space constraint of ~140 characters, coupled with fair housing/real estate advertising laws, would require I need to have my name, brokerage, and cell phone number as part of that text message. After the website URL, I’m starting to run out of characters I can use to describe the home. Still, the benefits of the URL and my info being in that prospect’s phone are significant, and may score points in ways I can’t imagine.
So, I think that idea has merit…and significant merit. The cost needs to be considered, though, as $30/month/listing, when the average listing takes 6 months to sell, can’t be ignored. In comparison, my single property websites (which I will still need to do) cost me $10/year (a GoDaddy registration fee for the domain), for an unlimited number of hits.
Hmmm, interesting point. Let me think on that one and see what I can come up with.
Ok, here’s my brainstorm:
What if there were a “realtor” package that gave you guys the option of signing up for the $30 unlimited and gave you a bundle of 5-10 ID’s (not sure what the average number of properties you represent at any given time) that last until the listing closes? Would that make it more attractive/useful?
@Alicia- Wow. I think you are on to something. Very cool.
Fantastic. I spoke with TextID about this and they said that it is definitely something that they would be willing to do. So, you or any other realtor interested in that type of package is free to email Mike at mikeh@textid.com and he’ll set it up.
Cheers!!!!
@Alicia, You and Mike are awesome…I’m going to “repost” this on AZREBN. If you aren’t familiar with AZREBN, I’m sure the link will alert you.
Thanks Steve. Glad we could help. It’s a good way to spread the service and help you guys out–especially in a challenging market. I appreciate the re-post love!
I really love this idea! It is so innovative.
Hey Jeff. Great! Email Mike to get a package, or go to the website http://www.textid.com and sign up for the free trial to see how it works for you. Any feedback you have is very welcome!
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