Using SMS Marketing Quickly & Practically
There are a number of ways in which SMS messages can be sent. It may be used by retailers to promote sales and events, remind shoppers of abandoned carts, or build brand loyalty. Businesses use it, on the other hand, to keep up with leads, develop lead-generation practices, and schedule meetings.
Almost every industry can benefit from SMS, from appointment reminders to answering customer questions to informing customers that the item they want is in stock. While some companies send SMS bulk messages to large lists, others send messages to audiences as small as one. You can make big announcements or gently move a lead down the funnel using it
Why send SMS?
SMS is being used by businesses for a variety of reasons, including the following:
- 90 percent of SMS messages are read within three minutes
- Text messaging is ubiquitous, and nearly every phone has it
- SMS is more popular than email
- Since SMS allows marketers to create and send highly targeted lists
- Automated SMS campaigns can be created
- To enable two-way conversations between brands and consumers
How to Get Started with SMS
A successful SMS campaign starts with your distribution list. SMS requires your recipients to opt in, so it’s a permission-based medium. Incentivize people with gift cards, add mobile numbers to your online forms, have contests where consumers text a short code to your number, or ask for mobile numbers during events. As soon as you have the list, upload the consumer information into your CRM program or other customer management software so you can track your engagements and optimize your messaging.
Set Up Autoresponders
When building your list, send automated messages to recipients to confirm their subscription. Delivering value to your recipients is usually an important part of this process. This can be in the form of a special offer or coupon code, or an insider white paper that isn’t available to the general public. Your autoresponder should tell your subscribers how often you plan on texting them, and it should provide opt-out instructions so that they know they can leave whenever they want.
SMS Campaign Creation
Your campaign can now begin once your list has been created. The messages you send should provide subscribers with something of value. Messages that provide nothing to consumers will drive them to opt out, while messages that offer something to consumers will build their loyalty to your brand.
Although you will want to do some A/B testing to get your messaging right, there are some guidelines to follow when designing messages.
- Start with your offer – You have 160 characters to convey your message. Your audience is busy and distracted by other apps and notifications on their phone, so start with something compelling.
- Be direct about your call to action – Don’t be scared to state what you are looking for. Your recipient will learn how to take advantage of the offer you’ve presented.
- Give your subscribers a sense of urgency – Tell them that this offer has an expiration date, and that they need to act as soon as possible to take advantage.
Note one important point. Make sure that your call-to-action (CTA) involves clicking on a link or viewing content that is mobile friendly.
How to Measure Success?
SMS is highly trackable, just like other digital marketing channels. You should be able to observe:
- Rate of delivery
- Open rate
- Click through rate
- Conversion rate
- Opt-out rate
Your future campaigns should be guided by this information, helping you to optimize your messages to improve results.
Get in touch with Team OBM to learn how we can help you create value and drive more business through text messaging!