SMS Marketing
One of the common marketing strategies companies use in the digital age is SMS Marketing. SMS or Short Message Service can be used to send messages to mobile phone users. This is a quick and easy way to message people. Mobile phones have today become common and sending an SMS is the easiest way to communicate with someone. SMS can be used for marketing too. Companies can use SMS as a medium to contact customers. They can send messages about product information, offers and discounts, and other such information relevant for customers.
SMS can thus be used by a company to market its brand and its products. They can reach out to customers instantly by sending a short message. SMS marketing ensures that you can reach anyone since most people have access to a mobile phone. It is estimated that most people check their mobile phones at least 50 times a day. In the US, every day there are six million SMS sent. This shows the popularity of the medium.
Doing SMS marketing the right way
SMS marketing needs to be done in the right way for it to make an impact. Else, the message would probably be just ignored. Here are five examples of how you can use text messaging services effectively to make an impact on customers:
1) Timing is the key
SMS marketing would be effective when done at the right time. Sent at the wrong time, it can be a waste of resources. For example, when a big football match is just over, a restaurant can take advantage of this by sending a promotional message, which can be something like this:
Celebrate your favorite team <
This message capitalizes on the win of a team. Fans of the team would be receptive to the message and being in a happy mood may be willing to go and out and avail of the offer.
2) Use a Call to action
Any SMS sent for a promotional purpose must have a call to action. The most important part of a marketing campaign is a call to action, where you spur the customer on to act. You need to create a situation, where the customer is compelled to act on your message and contact you. This message is an example of how a call to action can be used:
Big sale on electronics goods at ABC Plaza. Mega sale with huge discounts. Get a new mobile phone at 50% off. The sale closes on Thursday. Drop-in now!
As you can see in the above message, the fact that the sale closes on Thursday is call to action to make the customer visit your shop immediately.
3) Engage with customers
SMS is not just one-way traffic. You can use it effectively to engage with the customers. You can make use of an Autoresponder to reply to customers. When you send an SMS, customers may respond to it. Make sure you reply back. For example, your message may have a line that says SMS ‘WIN’ to 1423 to get a surprise gift.
The moment the customer responds to this, you need to engage with the customer. Using SMS autoresponders can help you send messages automatically.
4) Measure its effectiveness
Running a campaign costs money. You need to track its effectiveness. For example, you can use Google’s URL Builder tool to send a short link of your website to the customer. You can measure how many customers visited your website after seeing your SMS. This is great feedback for your marketing.
5) Ensure it is done legally
SMS marketing can be irritating to some customers. Make sure you follow all legal requirements. Allow customers an option to unsubscribe. You can include text like SMS STOP to 1234 to stop receiving messages. This ensures you are running your campaign legally and ethically.
The Text Message Services offered by a provider like TXTImpact would be highly useful in planning and executing a successful SMS marketing campaign. The solution provides for quick and easy messaging and has multiple features to track its effectiveness.
