Cape Town, 28 May 2007
Growerz.com, a Dutch service provider in the self-help industry, has partnered with Clickatell, the world's premier mobile messaging provider, to create an interactive, mobile-powered self development programme that can give you a nudge via e-mail and SMS when your willpower wanes.
Even better, the messaging technology keeps members in touch with each other to stay motivated, making Growerz a pioneer in this new world of tech-enhanced self-development and motivation.
Growerz.com's Web-based service offers users customised programmes, consisting of an interactive online course and additional self-help reference material, to effect changes in their lives.
Using SMS and e-mail messages, users (called 'Growerz') are prompted to focus on goals and assignments for personal growth, and make the necessary lifestyle changes. User input through scheduled e-mail and SMS messages sent via Clickatell's rock solid messaging infrastructure drives the programme's effectiveness.
"Mobile messaging technology can reach across borders, across time-zones, and connect people wherever they are. You can use feature-rich multimedia messages, or something as simple as a text message. For Growerz, SMS is ideal as it gives their users a little encouragement when they are out and about and need it most.
"Mobile messaging is the future of online communities, where you can choose where and when you want to interact with your social networks," says Tad Bogdan, EVP sales and business development at Clickatell.
Martine Tylee, chief executive of Growerz, explains that many people cannot afford a personal coach, but find that self-help books do not work either because they are too easily cast aside. "To make real and lasting changes, you need someone to reach out to you, to intrude into your life, to remind you of the changes you should be making. Growerz achieves that with e-mails and SMS messages, which are scheduled to the customer's time-zone," he says.
"Our beta-testers' response has been overwhelmingly positive. We're definitely on to something here; there is nothing out there at the moment offering what Growerz does," Tylee adds.
Programmes are developed in conjunction with experts in the subject areas, in addition to a professional curriculum development team. The two existing programmes are: "Quit smoking", a guide to flicking the habit for good; and "Depression", a guide to recovery for the depressed, with "Relief from stress" and "Time management" to be released in the coming months. Programmes are offered online, as a series of PDF documents or as audio files.
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