Today, 4 out of 5 adults, young adults, or youngsters, would be found burying their head in their smartphones. Well, this ratio is not at all startling, owing to the fact that 64% of American adults own a smartphone today, with all kinds of high end applications available. And text messaging being the most basic and most used application.
Almost 91% of young adults have their phones within an arm’s reach every hour, every second. Consumers now have become much more mobile than they were merely five years back.
So with this staggering high rate of mobile (read Smartphone!) users, don’t you think you are too close to an effective and creative way of marketing? We have tested all kinds of marketing efforts, traditional marketing, direct mail marketing, email marketing, marketing automation. But what about Text Message Marketing or SMS Marketing? Did we think about this genre of marketing a little too seriously? Well, by reading the number of mobile users, it is indeed wise to take resort to Text Message Marketing, something which they can behold at every hour, every second.
It’s been predicted that by the end of 2017, more than 4.77 billion people will own a smartphone, well that’s almost 2/3 of the world’s population. So if you are still ignoring the power of mobile, then you holding yourself and your business back, a long way back!
What Is Text Message Marketing?
The core of Text Message Marketing in sharing coupons, promo codes, and exclusive offer advertisements via text messages. All these are done for one purpose. Marketing a business and promoting it amongst prospects.
It is highly astonishing that emails have an open rate of only 22%, whereas text messages stand with 97% open rates. Approximately 90% of all text message are read within 3 minutes, whereas people take time to open emails, less read them thoroughly. This is the sole reason why big mainstream brands like eBay, Hard Rock Cafe, Dunkin’ Donuts, Coca Cola, Uber, Emirates, and so on, have adopted doing marketing via text messages. They share about their new offers, promo codes, special discounts, flight status, availabilities, everything to their target audience through text messages.
No doubt, WhatsApp, SnapChat, Viber, Line, WeChat, Kakaotalk, and viz; have come to the scene and apparently posed a threat to text messaging. But texting was, is, and will always be popular. Many millennials prefer to communicate mainly through text messages, and some communicate only through text messages.
The Benefits
Text message marketing is a simple, but effective way of engaging your target audience in a conversation and create an engagement about your business. It lets them enjoy a more personal and rewarding experience. Because chances are there, that a special discount offer sent via email might be overlooked. But the same offer sent through text messages are actually viewed and availed. Trust me, happened several times with me! 🙂
And today, with the right software and tool, automation is in at our fingertips. You don’t need to invest much time and effort, just schedule the messages with the software and you are done.
Text Message Marketing Ideas
Ideas are many, but you need to use your discretion which way would go with your nature of business. Few of these ideas are –
- Send discount coupons
- Share daily or weekly offers
- Give promo codes
- Create limited-time sales for text message customers
- Promote events
- Conduct polls
- Share early bird offer
- Seek feedback
- Share new announcements
Some of the Best Practices for SMS Marketing in 2017
Provide Real Value
Value stands above everything in a text message marketing campaign. Because here, you are reaching out to your target audience on a very personal level. Make your texts worthwhile of it. Don’t make your customers regret they received the message from your company. Don’t give them that information that they can easily check on your website or your social media handles. Reserve your most lucrative offers to share through text messages.
If you plan to take up SMSs as your marketing vehicle, then first and foremost you have to make an effort of understanding your customers and what they expect from you and your texts.
Give Lucrative offers
Entice your customers with SMS-only offers. Incentives like these would make them feel valuable, and they are truly a part of something exclusive. Since SMS marketing is a permission-based affair, and the user has to opt-in, that’s the reason why you must give them such exclusive offers, which they can’t refuse.
Create a Sense of Urgency
Creating a sense of urgency in your SMS texts to subscribers so you can yield better results or gain information as quickly as possible. For example, a simple expiration date encourages your subscribers to respond or act faster.
At the end of your message, just put an expiration date, “The offers ends on April 20th. Hurry!”. And see how this small notice of urgency plays in the minds of your audience, and they act faster. Creating a sense of urgency through your texts is crucial. Because you are not only the one sending them texts. There are other companies in the queue. So if you cannot create a sense of urgency, your messages will be rendered to just another bunch of texts, unseen and uncared.
Use a Numeric Vanity Short Code
An easy to remember short numeric code is what you should pick. Such as 121, 2222, or 12121, etc., numbers that people can easily recall and take action. And these short numeric vanity figures assure those opting-in that your SMS campaign is authentic and committed.
Personalized Texts
Since SMS is much more personal than an email or direct mail, personalizing your texts to subscribers will get their attention. Customers respond better to material addressed directly to them so insert their name whenever you can. Target them further with more relevant texts based on their preferences.
As I already mentioned, SMSs are on a more personal level than emails, so your tone must always be informal; if possible put the name of the customer, the message is aimed at. This will give them a good feeling. 🙂
Don’t just send Marketing messages
Don’t fill your text messages with marketing pitches and sales oriented contents only. On occasions like Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and other such big days, send them short, sweet and simple wishes. This small effort will get you close to your customers.
If you have their date of births with you, make a point to wish them on their birthdays. You can even create customized offers for a particular customer only for his/birthday, which he/she can avail on that day. The Return on Relationship rate will be higher and higher with these small but heartfelt efforts of yours.
Use with Caution
Because of their simpleness and agility, text message marketing can easily go over-the-top. Once you do this, you both up everything. When customers feel bombard with promotional messages, it is very likely for them to opt-out. Thus you lose a great chance of long term and potential customers. If you misuse the privilege of having a customer’s personal contact number, you will surely find yourself on the receiving end.
According to Digital Marketing Magazine, 83% of adults prefer not more than two marketing text messages each month, and only 2% want to receive five or more.
So handle with care and caution. If you really want to make it big, be careful of the number of messages you send them each month, and also ensure each of the messages provide some kind of value to your target audience.
Conclusion
It was predicted back in 2016, that ad spends on mobile will reach up to $100 billion. And it did. So now when you know the best practices and the favorable rates of SMS messages, 2017 is the year for you to start integrating SMS marketing into your marketing campaigns!
Remember Text message marketing is a very powerful tool that you can use to grow customer interaction and sales.
Conquer Mobile Marketing… Like a BOSS!
If you think we have missed any other point, please let us know that in the comments section below. And if any help needed for any marketing solution, please feel free to get in touch with us.
