Pub customers could soon be discovering the joys of text thanks to a wave of companies offering marketing solutions based around mobile phones.
Companies Textwall+ and Clubtech are among the latest targeting products that allow pub customers to send messages or responses to polls to appear on the outlet's TV screens. The licensee can generate their own content, advertise promotions or run quizzes on screen, and can gather the phone numbers of customers who text in to create a marketing database.
Textwall+ and Clubtech say that the product is able to play a part in a variety of occasions, from speed-dating nights to DJ requests.
Paul Singh, technical director of Textwall+, which launched at Publican Live in April, says: "We are finding that the main attraction to licensees lies in promoting their own products - whether it's advertising an upcoming sporting event or a new deal at the bar. It's also giving them more uses for plasma screens that may lie redundant much of the time.
"But I believe, as they start looking into it, they will start using it for other functions, especially asa customer database."
Textwall+ comes with computer software designed for sending out texts en masse and the system requires a PC to run the software somewhere behind the scenes. Licensees can type in messages and they will appear on screen instantly. So, for example, if there is a controversial incident during a live football match, you can drive customer interaction by putting up a poll and inviting them to text in opinions on it.
Paul's technology has been used in Sirocco in London's West End. The bar's owner, Soho Clubs and Bars, is looking to roll it out to other venues.
Clubtech, meanwhile, is being used in the Yates estate. The company offers screen templates designed for individual bars, and a system of split screens so that live sport, or any other programme, can run alongside text messages sent in by customers or promotions run by the licensee.
Textvertising is another company that believes pubs can capitalise on the popularity of text messaging. It offers software to enable licensees
to text marketing messages based on a database of numbers the pubs gather themselves.
Its managing director, Steven Bibby, points to marketing by text as a more cost-effective way of spreading the word about events and offers than conventional mail-outs. He says: "All you have to do is put a little flyer on your bar saying 'Want five per cent off drinks? Give us your mobile phone number and join our loyalty scheme.'
"If you take the time to build that database, it's something that can form the basis of very cost- effective marketing."