An SMB or a small business operates on many constraints. They may have a great product but are usually short of funds. They cannot spend money on marketing in the same way as big companies do. For them, SMS marketing is a powerful tool that is very beneficial. They can use SMS marketing to reach out to their customers, engage with them, and promote their brand and products. This will be valuable for them to help their business to grow. A small business that wants to improve its revenue can use SMS marketing. It is the most cost-effective tool that can provide the best results.
Why use SMS Marketing?
For a small business, SMS marketing is a boon. It is not expensive to implement. The company can subscribe to a service that comes with texting software. This will allow them to send messages easily. It is also less expensive compared to other marketing options. Some of the reasons to use SMS marketing include:
- Customers are more likely to read SMS than other forms of communication like emails.
- Telephonic calls are considered intrusive. An email can be blocked by spam filters. SMS reaches instantly and has a high likelihood of being read.
- Busy people can keep working while using SMS. It doesn’t disturb their work and they can read messages and reply while they are at work. This is why more than 86% of customers said that they prefer receiving promotional messages from marketers.
This is why if you have a small business, you can start using SMS marketing to get better results.
How an SMB can use SMS for marketing?
Your SMB can start using SMS for marketing very easily. This is how it can be done.
1) You can build your brand awareness
Creating awareness of a new brand is an expensive and time-consuming process. It can be made easier through SMS marketing. If you have a database of new leads or prospective leads, you can send a text blast to all of them. You can introduce your business in a short sentence and thus create brand awareness. You can even give an introductory offer to make them buy your product.
2) You can engage with customers
Engaging with customers is the secret to success for any business. A small business has to put in more effort and SMS marketing can help in this. You can keep sending regular messages about your brand, offerings, and other such information. You can also interact with customers by inviting them to reply to your messages. You can even run contests to increase engagement. The more you engage with customers, the greater is the likelihood that they will buy your products. Messages can be automated. They can be sent as per a schedule. This will allow messages to be sent without anyone having to do it manually.
3) You can run promotional campaigns
A small business needs to come out with promotional campaigns to boost sales. Offers, discounts, voucher codes, free samples, buy one get one, and other such promotions can attract customers making them buy your product. You can send an SMS with details of the promotions. You can give a link to your website and invite them to shop online. You can also ask them to visit your store and show the SMS to avail of the offer. These promotional campaigns can bring in more customers to your offline or online store.
4) You can personalize your message
People think SMS marketing is only about mass texting. A mass text message looks clearly like it has been sent to everyone. Many customers may not appreciate such a mass text message. To solve this problem, you can personalize your message. You can include the customer’s name, city, area, or any other details. This makes the customer feel that the message is specifically sent to them. This can enhance the impact of the message.
5) You can run your business through SMS
Whatever is your business, you can run it through SMS. If you have products to sell, you can send a link to your website where they can shop online. You can use the link to keep track of conversions. If you are a service provider, you can allow your customers to book your service online. Appointments or service calls can be booked through SMS. You can make use of a keyword like BOOK, which your customers can use to book an appointment. Updates on orders, billing, delivery of products, service dates, etc. can be sent through SMS.
All the tips explained above can help you use SMS marketing effectively for your SMB. You can start today with SMS marketing. All you need to have is a database of customers and texting software. You can get started today and look forward to boosting your business.
