The next time someone wants to donate blood and needs to find a nearby American Red Cross blood drive, the answer may be as close as their mobile phone.

The Red Cross Blood Services, South Central Division, has implemented a mobile media program letting people sign up for text-message alerts on blood inventory levels, receive educational information about donating blood, make their next donation appointment or locate the nearest blood drive. Donors can subscribe to the Red Cross SMS club by texting the keyword REDCROSS to the short code 42227 or by registering at http://www.bloodisneeded.org. 

?Every two seconds someone in our country needs blood,? said David Spear, executive vice president of sales and marketing at LSN Mobile, Atlanta. ?With the American Red Cross providing nearly one-half of the nation?s blood supply, the South Central Division Red Cross Regions are constantly looking for ways to better inform and educate both donors and non-donors of the ongoing need for blood.

?With the enormous growth of the mobile industry as a whole, the Red Cross is very excited to be adding mobile media to its marketing strategy,? he said. "In fact, the Red Cross views this as an important avenue for connecting to those who opt-in.?

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters. It supplies nearly half of the nation's blood, teaches lifesaving skills, provides international humanitarian aid, and supports military members and their families.

The Red Cross is a charitable organization?not a government agency?and depends on volunteers and donors to perform its mission.

Mobile technology is playing a powerful role in enhancing public health, according to CTIA-The Wireless Association, a trade group representing the U.S. wireless industry.

With more than 160 million Americans sending text messages every day, the Red Cross believes texting will become an important tool for communicating with blood donors.

The South Central Division covers parts of eight states across the Midwest, including Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Kansas.

As more and more Americans turn to their mobile phones for work and play, the Red Cross sees this as an opportunity to connect to two key targeted population groups?young people and young adults.

?Recent mobile research indicates that mobile marketing is a preferred method of communication for many in these population groups,? Mr. Spear said. ?But, the Red Cross also understands that even seniors are texting.

?Using text messages to communicate with and educate blood donors of all ages is a natural fit,? he said.

This program will use mobile communications to provide donors with information wherever they are. LSN will power the mobile initiatives.

The Red Cross hopes that the SMS alerts will increase people?s awareness and commitment to helping others through blood donations.

The organization will offer real-time alerts to critical blood inventories, tips for successful blood donations and early notification of new promotions.

Once someone opts-in for this program, they will be able to make appointments via a click-to-call feature or locate a blood drive by entering a ZIP code.

To start, there will be no mobile display advertising on the LSN Mobile network or any other mobile sites.

The Red Cross will launch with text only, and then, when appropriate, leverage mobile display on the LSN Mobile network in the South Central Region. 

Immediately, the Red Cross will incorporate the SMS call-to-action on all print collaterals and on the Web site at http://www.bloodisneeded.org.

?The Red Cross truly believes that the sky?s the limit in terms of mobile marketing?s uses in communicating the very real need for life-saving blood to people throughout the Red Cross South Central Division,? Mr. Spear said.

Targeting, speed and flexibility are some of the challenges that LSN Mobile helps the Red Cross address.

More than 88 percent of the U.S. population owns a mobile phone and 94 percent of text messages are read. Teens and young adults text more than they call. More than 20 percent of homes in the U.S. have a mobile phone as their primary line.

?Given these data, it?s smart to be able to target blood donors via a mobile marketing program, especially when the Red Cross is challenged with communicating to a younger demographic,? Mr. Spear said. ?Texting is also one of the most universal means of communication. 

?The speed in which the Red Cross can now reach out to its opt-in user base arms the organization with a game-changing strategy,? he said. ?They will have the ability to push text alerts to audiences about blood drives and other Red Cross-related information whenever they want and as often as they desire.

?And knowing that users on the receiving end of these text messages see utility and value in the content reinforces the decision to embrace mobile and integrate it strategically into the marketing mix.?