Assuming that consumers are willing to opt-in to receive texts from businesses, what are some other likely strategies for SMS marketing and engagement? A look at four industries shows plenty of potential room for options.RetailingRetailers already know there is no better way to announce a product sale or make promotional offers than via SMS marketing. In-store specials, especially impromptu “on the spot” sales lasting just a few hours or a limited number of days, can be made via SMS. Digital coupons can be delivered instantly; just flash the phone to redeem. Letting a customer know their favorite item on back-order is now in stock or that their special order has arrived is a natural fit for SMS.Retailers can also steal the playbook from Walgreens and other pharmacies that have been at the SMS forefront. Pickup and refill reminders, seasonal wellness offers like flu shots are common text applications. Retailers that stage special events like fund raisers or storewide clearance sales can use text to get the word out. Hospitality The hospitality industry has a limited number of rooms at any one time. This makes SMS marketing and outreach particularly affordable for them. Because hotels generally have their guests’ mobile numbers, they have the opportunity to easily be in contact and can for example send a text message to all guests in advance of their arrival, with a reminder of check in time, and for an added bonus, a link to book a dinner table. Savvy establishments can include links to review sites like TripAdvisor or Yelp, or can include a mobile coupon offer for their next stay. RestaurantsRather than passing out a buzzer nobody really likes to carry and limit mobility, restaurants in malls can let their waitlisted customers keep shopping until their table is ready by using SMS. Restaurants can also build text marketing lists to announce new menu items or daily specials, stoking interest in the brand and driving traffic.Broadband InternetIn industries with a high volume of complaints like cable services, a single customer service representative can use SMS to send out alerts for a host of services. For example, the cable provider could text the serviceman’s arrival time, notifications of service outages could be texted before the avalanche of angry phone calls arrive. Status updates and instructions to “reboot the modem by switching it off” could avoid a lot of irritated customers and unnecessary phone calls. Whatever the industry, the number of mobile marketing strategies and text message engagement activities are limitless. Like the current crop of political candidates running for office, businesses too should make it easier (and more obvious) for customers to opt-in by simply posting the short code and calls to action wherever they do business.[author] About the Author: Dan Slavin is CEO and co-founder of CodeBroker, a leading provider of mobile marketing solutions that help retailers convert shoppers into buyers. He was CEO of Framework Technologies, VP of Open Market, and CEO of International Testing Services. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Yale and an MBA from Harvard. His articles have appeared in Chain Store Age, Retail Customer Experience, Retailing Today, and Street Fight. You can reach him at dan.slavin@codebroker.com. [/author]