Do You Ever Unplug From Your Mobile?
It’s somewhere around 2 am when you’re suddenly awoken by something. It takes a few seconds for you to realise what it is: your mobile is buzzing, singing, beeping – whatever your notification sound is at the moment. Do you roll back over and go to sleep, or sit right up to see what the message is?
On those nights I forget to put my mobile in silent mode, I just roll over and keep sleeping. That is, unless a member of my family is out and may be contacting me in an emergency. But the fact is my mobile is right there, plugged into my nightstand (yes, I bought a nightstand that included built in plugs for my devices). It sits there in the top drawer while my iPad sits on top of my nightstand, conveniently running the Nightstand app. So even while I’m sleeping, my mobile technology is just a few inches away.
While it’s undeniable technology is a growing part of our everyday lives, it may be surprising how few of us ever turn it off. Or leave it behind. A 2014 study of Americans revealed that 43% never unplug from technology (mobiles, tablets, TVs, laptops, etc.). Another 17% only unplug a few times a year. Twenty percent say they unplug daily, but that large a percentage makes me wonder if they misunderstood the question. Perhaps they took it literally and said yes they unplug their devices everyday – like when you unplug your mobile to take it with you. We’ll never know I suppose.
This latest survey matches up well with previous studies in the UK that revealed many felt giving up technology was as hard as giving up cigarettes or caffeine. If you do a Google search for “unplug” you’re likely to find a slew of websites and social media movements aimed at getting people to turn off their technology, at least for a little while. I love the concept, but in practice it’s a very hard thing to do.
But there’s a good side to always being “plugged in” too. At least when it comes to mobiles. Never before could we be so in touch, so up-to-date, and informed. From our perspective, always having your mobile so close by makes it the perfect means to send timely or critical information via SMS messaging. For example, school closures, account balance information, reservation confirmations, delivery notifications, and emergency alerts of all kinds.
What do you think? Do you find a balance between “always on” and “unplugging”? Or are you as addicted to your mobile as I am? Is any thought you should unplug mobile devices going to fall on deaf ears?
Related Articles
Do People Send Christmas Wishes via SMS?
It’s the time of year when we wish friends and family Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. But how will you send your greetings? Should you be traditional and send a card, or follow the new trend using SMS messaging? This blog can help you decide.
7 Statistics That Show Why You Should be Using SMS Marketing Right Now
You might have heard about SMS marketing and thought it wasn't for you. Maybe you're unconvinced by this method of reaching customers and are just not sure it could help your business thrive. But any business, big or small, can benefit from an online SMS service and the facts are plain to see.
Why People and Companies Prefer SMS Messaging for Customer Support
People like SMS messaging. They really do. In a variety of surveys and studies, consumers continue to say they like it when companies use SMS to communicate with them. Let's look at some of the data that proves it to be true, and also how to make sure your company is using it correctly for customer support communications.
SMS Messaging is Much Better Than Shouting!
Just in the last 60-70 years, communications have gone from requiring a person to route the calls to not needing anyone other than the two people at either end. It all got me wondering about the history of communications and how much different it is from even just a 100 years ago, or a thousand. The result of my wondering is this infographic that covers most of recorded history (at some level of detail anyway).
What Your Customers Want From SMS Marketing
Mobile marketing offers an unprecedented access to your customers virtually any time, anywhere. This is particularly true for SMS marketing because it is “always on”. Customers don’t have to be surfing the web, or using an app to receive messages. Instead, they see the marketing messages right alongside ones from their friends and family.
Do Your Customers Want Emoji in their SMS Messages?
Emoji are showing up everywhere. Should you be using these cute, fun, and illustrative icons in your SMS marketing? Your customers probably want you to. Around 72% of people have positive feelings about brands who use emoji. But before you get started, you’ll want to find out the details in this blog.
5 SMS Myths You Shouldn’t Believe
SMS messaging is a popular topic. The growth of mobile has everyone jumping on board the SMS waggon and they all have something to say. I've compiled a list of five topics that I've seen written about that just aren't true, or at the very least are potentially misleading enough to be called myths. I'm going to try and offer some insight into why these myths exist and what the truth is, as I see it anyway!
Salesforce Finds SMS Messaging a Growing Part of Mobile Marketing Strategy
What do 5,000 marketers from ten different countries say about SMS? It’s great, and we’re going to do more of it. Well, that’s the gist of the results in the Salesforce 2015 State of Marketing Report. Mobile marketing has taken a central place in most company’s strategies, and SMS is a growing part of it. Here are some key statistics from the report.
SMS vs. Instant Message App Marketing
It seems there's a new messaging app popping up every month. It's hard to keep track of them all, but it's also hard to ignore them if you're looking to use mobile marketing. When you've got limited marketing resources, should you spend them advertising on the latest IM app, or go with SMS marketing?