Category: Text (SMS) Marketing

Categories
Text (SMS) Marketing

What is SMS Marketing?

what is sms marketing

What is SMS marketing? Well, it’s a touchy subject. It’s the message marketing channel that gets a 98% open rate. But it’s a tight rope to walk.

Before you get excited and launch a text marketing campaign, you must learn the do’s and don’ts of this effective yet somewhat perilous marketing channel.

What is SMS Marketing?

Mobile phone technology has come a long way. Today the iPhone has a built-in camera that rivals top of the line camera quality. But still, the most used feature on smartphones is texting.

It’s no surprise that marketers are now cracking into your mobile inbox with marketing messages. SMS marketing is a quicker and easier way to send marketing messages straight to a user’s mobile phone.

Be warned: people are very wary of brands using their personal space as a marketing opportunity. Just look at the raging success of the do not call register in Australia which has over 11 million subscribers.

So, how can you leverage SMS marketing for your business without accidentally damaging your brand?

Make Your Offers Shine!

People are much more likely to feel aggravated when they receive SMS marketing messages, so make it worth it for them. Your SMS offers should make your email offers pail into insignificance with value.

Make it Short and Sharp With a CTA

It’s good practice to keep your marketing txt’s no longer than 160 characters, so get straight to the point. The contents of your text shouldn’t include any information apart from your (stunning) offer and CTA.

Timing = Make or Break 

Imagine how you would feel if the mechanic that serviced your car a fortnight ago started sending you marketing texts at 3 am? No matter how good the offer is, the experience is going to be overwhelmingly negative.

Think about your target persona and what time of day they will be most responsive to marketing texts. Consider time zones as well if you happen to have customers abroad.

Don’t Text Too Often

Another thing that will put a damper on your marketing messages is if they come too frequently. Remember, this is your customer’s personal mobile phone and they don’t want to be bombarded with advertisements. 

While research shows an overwhelming unsubscribe rate being linked to overly frequent texts, finding the sweet spot for your business depends on your industry. It’s safest to start with a few messages a month and experiment cautiously with increases or decreases to your text frequency.

Write Effective Texts

It’s tempting to take advantage of as much text slang as possible to make the most of your characters, but keep this to a minimum. Not everybody understands what ROLF, LMK, and YOLO mean. Too much abbreviation can make you look unprofessional.

Also, remember to make it clear who you are in your text, like “hey, *insert store name* is having a 50% off clearance sale”. Nobody likes getting a text when they have no idea who it’s from.

Looking for Help With Your Marketing?

Did you ask “what is SMS marketing?” to discover that it’s a little more involved than you thought? Now that you know how to leverage this marketing channel in a positive way you can add it to your marketing mix.

If you’d like support with your marketing efforts, schedule a call with our team today and make your digital marketing easy.

Categories
Text (SMS) Marketing

Sending Mixed Messages: The 5 Worst Text Marketing Mistakes You Might Be Making

In 2017, 37 million people opted into receiving SMS messages from brands, with that number estimated to grow to 49 million in 2020. With the rise of text message marketing, it’s important that as a company you utilize this channel to the best of your abilities.

Text Message Marketing Mistakes

Below we’ll go over five of the worst text message marketing mistakes you could make and how best to avoid them.

Spell, Grammar, Punctuation Check

It’s such a simple and often overlooked task. You’d be surprised at the number of companies that forget to double or triple check the spelling and grammar of their text messages in their text message marketing campaigns. 

If you get it wrong, it can erode a consumer’s trust in a brand and deem them unprofessional. Do your company a favor and make sure that the messages you send them are properly formatted with correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar (unless you’re purposefully using “txt speak”).

Too Many Texts

This can be another off-putting mistake. Texting too much can be extremely overwhelming. Some people like to keep all of their notifications on their phone clear, and if you keep blowing up their phone they’re more likely to unsubscribe.

It’s important to set expectations from the get-go and let them know how often on average you’ll be getting in touch with them. Providing a phone number is one of the most intimate things someone can provide, and texting too much can put your company in the deleted messages column in a hurry.

Generic Content/No Personalization

If you are just sending generic messages to everyone on your SMS list you’re missing out on a big opportunity. Specificity is key when sending out messages. It’s important to have their first name in the message and your own brand name. Another idea would be to include any local events, seasonal or national holidays.

Try to give off the impression that you picked out a deal specifically catered to that customer. If you can collect data in the beginning about what they purchased, and text them an accompanying coupon for a service related to what they purchased, that’s even more powerful.

This customization can all be done at scale with the countless number of SMS marketing software available to you.

No Call To Action

There needs to be a reason you’re texting them, otherwise, there’s no point in sending the message in the first place. The key, as with the points above, is specificity. You want to tell them in the message what exactly it is you want them to do, and to make it as easy as possible for them to do it. 

That might mean making a custom link(which can double as a link tracker) and getting them straight to the coupon that they can screenshot. If you can remove any extra steps to get your desired action, the more effective it will be. 

Poor Timing

Similar to email, timing is everything. While it’s common practice for text messages to be sent between 8 and 12 pm or 5 and 9 pm for campaigns, this all depends on who you’re looking to target.

For example, a lot of people wake up around 5-6am to go to the gym. If your product or service is geared towards maybe supplements, massage therapy, or something similar, it might make sense to get them right as they start or end their workout. If your target audience is gym-goers, you might want to look at the habits that they have.

Text Message Marketing Can Be Powerful When Done Right

Hopefully, we’ve helped clear up some of the worst text message marketing mistakes. If you’re looking for more marketing tips, check out our marketing blog here.

Categories
Marketing Strategy Text (SMS) Marketing

Text Message Marketing for Small Business: 5 Key Strategies to Try Out

In the digital age, it’s nearly impossible to find someone without a phone. In fact, 95% of Americans own a cellphone.

That said, have you ever thought about texting customers?

The latest marketing involves communicating with customers—both potential and existing—through SMS messages. Since inboxes are often flooded with ignored newsletters, a person’s message inbox is more personal. A text message is instant, whereas emails are received and then often forgotten about.

Ready to utilize text message marketing for small business? Take a look at the strategies you need to know about below!

1. Allow Customers to Opt-in

Blatantly texting customers without their permission is a major no-no. That’s the quickest way to lose business as it seems like an invasion of privacy.

So customer don’t think you’re trying to scam them, allow them to opt-in to your text messages. This can be done in one or two ways.

First, text an opt-in with a keyword. It’ll say something like, “Text AWESOME to 12345 to receive our latest discount.”

Or, you can have an opt-in box located on your website. It’s similar to a newsletter sign-up where they submit their information at their own discretion.

2. Be Brief

No one wants to read a text message that’s the length of a novella. Keep messages brief, concise, and engaging.

Customers will be more likely to interact back when messages are well thought-out. This will also reduce the risk of opt-outs.

3. Respond Back

If you notice customers are texting back, it’s best to respond back. Leaving them hanging will only frustrate them to the point of no return.

While you can’t respond to everyone, that’s when you want to use an auto-responder. This type of software allows you to reply back using personalized messages. Customers will be able to get their questions answered or keep the conversation going this way.

4. Mention Offers First

To grab the attention of customers, list your offer first. Nothing makes someone open a text message faster than seeing how they’ll save money.

In fact, response to SMS marketing is 7.5 times higher than email. That means your chances of them making a purchase is also increased.

5. Create Urgency

To ramp up sales, you’ll want to create urgency with your messaging. Using different phrases will motivate customers to buy more or buy quickly.

Some phrases you can utilize to create urgency:

  • Today only
  • For a limit time
  • One-time only
  • While supplies last
  • Offer ends today

When they see messages like this, they can’t help but click. 

Wrapping Up on Text Message Marketing for Small Business

If you really want to be at the forefront of your customers’ busy lives, text message marketing for small business is the way to go. It’s better than sending an email to a crowded inbox and you’ll be able to increase conversions easier.

Need help when it comes to marketing? Check out all the services we offer!

Categories
Marketing Strategy Text (SMS) Marketing

Top 5 Text Marketing Tips

Reaching the right audience can be difficult. Without realizing it, it’s quite possible to pour thousands of dollars into a marketing campaign that, frankly, may not deliver results.

But businesses would do well to stop waiting for their audiences to come to them.

What’s the solution? SMS marketing.

An estimated 95% of all Americans own a cell phone, meaning it’s easier than ever to reach customers wherever they are.

Here are five tips to make your SMS marketing campaign a smashing success.

1. Always Get Permission

This is by far the most important tip on this list, as it can land you in the most trouble.

Customers must always opt-in to a company’s marketing. Otherwise, the business in question is guilty of what the FCC refers to as an “unsolicited advertisement,” and can face major financial and legal hurdles.

Play it safe — always get consumers’ permission before enrolling them in a text marketing campaign. Customers value transparency. Make sure to use the words “opt-in” in the messaging and be as clear as possible about what they’re signing up for.

2. Personalize Each Text

People love individualized messages. In fact, 80% of consumers said that they’re more willing to buy from a brand who offers them a personalized, custom experience.

Something as simple as using the customer’s name in the introduction of the text can go a long way. It builds a customer-managed relationship (CMR) and is a wonderful means of generating leads.

And for those feeling nervous: No, it isn’t necessarily to go in and individually address each message. There are tons of great SMS marketing services that will do that for you.

3. Schedule Messages Appropriately

Imagine receiving a text message at 3 AM. Many would hear the ring or buzz of their phone and wake up thinking it’s an emergency.

Now imagine how frustrated they’d feel when they see it’s an advertisement. Not the smartest move.

When a business sends a text can be every bit as important as what they text.

Be thoughtful about scheduling text messages. Aim to utilize SMS marketing during the business day and early evening only.

4. Avoid Spamming Customers

Finding the right balance in an SMS marketing campaign can be a challenge. In fact, it’s a similar challenge to those faced in social media and email campaigns.

Too few messages and the customer is likely to forget about the business. Too many messages and they’ll become frustrated and are likelier to opt out of the campaign.

When it comes down to it, less is often more. One or two messages per week are more than sufficient.

5. Only Text When There’s Good Reason

Last but not least, only text a customer when they stand to benefit from something. Otherwise, the customer will see no value in participating in the campaign and may be likelier to leave altogether.

When you do text, make sure it’s in the consumer’s best interest. Here are a few ways to add value:

  • Update a customer on their order
  • Inform them about upcoming special events
  • Give them a discount code
  • Send them a reminder about a payment or appointment

Above all else, SMS marketing should benefit both the business and the consumer. Make sure your customers are getting value out of their texts.

SMS Marketing Is The Future

As society continues to rely more and more on mobile devices, the power of SMS marketing will only increase. The sooner business harness this awesome power, the sooner they’ll benefit.

Are you interested in boosting your brand? To learn more about market coaching, SMS marketing, and more get in touch and let’s talk.