If you're older than 30, you may not rely on wireless telecommunications messaging, especially for business, but the future will likely see mobile instant messaging and mobile text messaging evolve into accepted standards in business communication.

If you haven't given wireless messaging a try, you should probably think about it. If you have kids, start with them because they can probably teach you everything you need to know. If you don't have kids, find someone younger than 30, and they may be able to teach you, too. The capability for wireless instant messaging and wireless text messaging exists on many cell phones or PDAs you can buy today. Wireless telecommunications messaging can help your business in several ways:

1. Mobile text messaging and mobile instant messaging can save your company money by freeing up valuable voice minutes, depending on the structure of your service plan.

2. Text messaging has the benefit of having news, weather and stock alerts sent to your phone via text messages.

3. The application of presence in wireless instant messaging allows associates and employees to know when you're online and available for real-time communication (and vice versa).

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make mobile text messaging a productivity tool for your company

If you're ever on the road and need to reach someone in a conference, but don't want to disrupt the meeting, mobile messaging can solve your dilemma since the person you're calling can view an important message and respond without ever having to get up and leave the room. The same applies for an employee who needs to reach you but doesn't want to make you walk out of a meeting to take the call.

I recommend: Visit Verizon Wireless to set up a bundled communications plan for your small business that includes unlimited text messaging. You can also view the text messaging plans available at Alltel.

Incorporate mobile instant messaging into your business protocol for increased efficiency

A great way to improve efficiency is to increase the speed of communications while not losing any comprehension. With instant messaging, you know right away whether the person you need to talk with is available and you communicate in real time. You'll no longer have to leave a voice mail and wonder if your intended party ever got it. Both instant messaging and mobile text messaging make it more difficult to ramble -- the typing and quick turnaround between communicators provides incentive to hit the main points and omit the fluff and irrelevant minutia.

I recommend: Check out the instant messaging plans for business at Sprint Nextel. Call a business representative at T-Mobile to ask about their pricing for instant messaging.

Use SMS (Short Message Service) to market your business

If you own a small business and want to provide incentives to customers, alert them to specials or sales and are looking for a cost-effective marketing tool, consider SMS (text messages up to 150-160 characters) as a viable solution. Using SMS, you can broadcast text messages to your best clients and customers using your cell phone. Send them a $5 coupon or tell them you'll stay open later to better accommodate their needs. You don't need to spend so much money on radio, television or print advertising when you can reach your customers with minimal effort and time on your part.

I recommend: Visit the GoMoText website to learn about their mobile marketing solutions. Also, check out Concierge at GoLiveMobile to learn more about their marketing management software.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some businesses express a concern about managing and securing mobile instant messaging by their employees. Search around on the Internet for companies that will take on these tasks for you.
• •  If you choose to use SMS for marketing, make sure you get your customer's permission and let them know why you might use their phone number. Unsolicited text messages may cost you customers if you're not careful.