Your sms marketing campaign is already going to be one of your most successful to date. That’s because text message marketing has huge advantages over other channels. The open rate for sms messages (short message service) is around 97%! Yes, that’s right 97% of your sms marketing messages will be opened and read within minutes. This method is 4 times more successful than email marketing and even more likely to score engagement than any other traditional marketing methods.
Times are changing and so are your engagers. The marketing methods that once did the trick are now lost in a fog of new technology and consumers are driving businesses toward more cutting-edge techniques that fit with their lifestyles. If they can’t access it in the palm of their hands, does it even exist? Sms marketing messages are a direct hit to your target audience.
For some businesses, the concept of sms marketing is fairly new and you may be wondering whether you will be able to get it right, first time. Well, actually when you choose the right provider, it’s pretty easy to get started. Here’s what we think you need to know:
Engaging content
An effective sms marketing campaign kicks off with great content. You only have 160 characters to play with, so you need to make them count. To give you an idea, here is our best advice for getting it right, first time.
- Get straight to the point – keep your copy clear and concise. You need to get your message across in the first 3 to 4 lines but it’s the headline that will really grab the attention.
- Go for bitesize – rather than hitting your audience with large chunks of text to their mobile devices that they can’t be bothered to read, separate the main points you want them to focus on with spaces to make them easier to read on the go.
- Make a statement – Choose your first words carefully to make an impact. If you are promoting a flash sale, the first thing the recipient should read is “Flash Sale” or “One Day Only!” If you require urgent donations for a charitable cause perhaps start with “Want to do your bit?” Tell your audience what they need to do.
- The why, when, and how – make sure that your copy gets straight to the point with time-critical words to push people to act. Include words that give a sense of urgency such as; “ACT NOW’ or, “ENDING TOMORROW”.
- Show the love – let your engagers know that they are the first to hear about the things that interest them. Use phrases such as; “EXCLUSIVE subscriber discount”, “SPECIAL DEAL just for your birthday Adam”, or “Holly, you’re invited to our VIP SALE”.
- Avoid being passive –Speak in the first person to nurture a better relationship with your engagers. Speak to them like people rather than prospects. When we text others from our phones, messages are usually personal and friendly. When alerts and promotions match the tone of personal texts, it will increase the chance of the recipient engaging or responding.
- Encourage two-way conversation – Let your recipients know that they can contact you right back. Automated sms, allows you to send standard replies. Two-way sms is a great way to nurture leads.
Personalise, personalise, personalise!
The need for personalisation will continue to grow in marketing, make your brand personable and your customers will prefer you for it!
Being able to include the recipient’s name, dates and other specific information has a big impact on driving sales. Having this close personal relationship will enable brands to share more information and nurture customer loyalty.
With sms marketing messages, you can personalise your data fields to target a specific audience. Using the information you hold on your database you can send out specific messages to specific customers such as; birthdays, anniversaries, special months and general messages and exclusive deals that you know will trigger customers to act.
An enticing call-to-action
For every sms marketing message you send out, there should be a clear call to action. Without this, your recipients are left floundering. They will need to understand the point of your text quickly so they don’t dismiss it. Also, the main benefit of sms marketing messages is convenience and easy reach. If your recipients need to spend time looking for the information to follow up on your promotion, your text defeats the object. Make sure there is a button, a link, or clear instruction.
Add an idiot-proof call-to-action such as; “Reply YES for further info” or add a link to take them straight to the right page of your website.
Timing is everything
There are good and bad times to send out sms marketing messages. With the luxury of using automated SMS and bulk SMS, you can schedule your sms campaign to send texts at convenient times to suit your audience. It works well when separating recipients into demographic groups for scheduling too. For example, if you are a toy retailer planning to send out a bulk SMS to your target market – parents, it would be best to avoid school run times when parents are at their busiest. The optimum time to send out sms marketing texts is from 10 am to 3 pm, but evenings might work better for those who are working long hours. In-store flash sales might work best on a Friday night or a Saturday morning to catch the weekend shoppers.
Successful sms campaigns do not overload audiences with marketing texts. Whilst they do want to hear from you and benefit from your deals and alerts, there is a fine balance. To get the most out of your sms marketing strategy, send out your strongest content first, and make your recipients glad to hear from you so that they will stick around for more. Don’t over-schedule your messages, read your audience and try to gauge how often they would like to hear from you. At TextAnywhere you will be able to set triggers to avoid spamming and ensure you are hitting all the right notes with your scheduling.
Building an audience
Building a customer database from your target audience couldn’t be easier. When you employ a reputable sms messaging company you can begin to work on your marketing list. Your list can be built by using all of your other marketing channels. Alternatively, you can create a marketing strategy specifically to gather subscribers. The great thing about your subscribers is that they have to opt in to receive text messages and can opt out if they no longer wish to hear from you. This means that although you will be able to reach a huge number of people, you will only be targeting those who want to hear from you. The subscribers are happy because your messages are never intrusive if they know they can walk away at any time.