Almost every marketing campaign has goals and KPIs; SMS marketing is no different. However, these goals should be tied to your overarching business strategy.
Remember to give your subscribers full disclosure of what kind of SMS messages they can expect from you. Also, be mindful of your sending frequency; too much can turn your subscribers off.
Identify Your Target Audience
What is SMS marketing? Short message service (SMS) marketing is a form of marketing that businesses use to send customer promotions via text messages.SMS marketing is a great way to drive customer engagement. It is fast, affordable, and lets you engage with your audience on their phone. SMS also allows you to do 2-way communications with your customers and is a great way to create personalized conversations.
One to three messages a week is perfect for keeping your audience engaged without being spammy. Ensure you provide value to your audience with each message and that the content is relevant to their experience with your brand.
Remember to only send promotional marketing messages to people with explicit permission. You can use loyalty programs to track permission status and to help ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines. You should also monitor and analyze metrics like ROI, subscriber growth, list attrition, and more to optimize your program.
Segment Your Audience
A key objective of SMS marketing is consistently engaging subscribers with relevant and personalized content. One way to achieve this is by segmenting your audience based on demographics such as age, gender, and location. For example, a clothing company can send opt-in text messages to customers about summer clothing, while those in the North may receive information about winter gear.
Another great way to personalize SMS messaging is by adding a call to action (CTA). A CTA acts like a friendly prompt in your conversation with a friend, asking them to do something such as shop, click, or RSVP. Just remember to keep your CTA short, as SMS characters are limited. It will ensure your messages are shorter and inexpensive to send.
Add a Call to Action
Adding SMS marketing to your campaign can boost your business and increase customer engagement. Consumers appreciate the personalization of this form of marketing and enjoy having direct access to brands for support, behind-the-scenes peeks, or ordering status updates.
At the very least, your brand should have a phone number for texting and a way for contacts to opt-in to your communications. Ideally, use your existing business phone number and not a separate short code for SMS marketing; it’s more trustworthy.
Promote opt-ins wherever you market, and always include a clear explanation of what type of messaging subscribers can expect from your business. Setting expectations upfront is essential so your audience is satisfied when they receive your messages.
Include Visuals
In addition to a call-to-action, include visuals in your SMS marketing messages. Studies have shown that people process visuals 60,000 times faster than text. Plus, emojis can be an effective way to capture attention and convey your message.
For example, you can ask customers to review your service or staff via text rather than phone. It is a convenient and less disruptive option for busy people.
SMS marketing is an excellent tool for building customer trust and boosting sales. But it’s essential to use this strategy wisely. Over-using the channel can make your brand seem intrusive and push away your audience. To avoid this, always get the customer’s permission and follow best practices. Email automation software can help you do this and more.
Include a Location
SMS marketing is a powerful tool for small businesses. High open rates help you reach your target audience and boost sales.
To get started, you’ll need to collect a list of people who have opted in to receive SMS messages from your brand. You can do this by using an online form that asks for a phone number and location or verbally when a customer is checking out in your store or on the phone with a support representative.
You can also use a texting keyword on your website and social media accounts to encourage customers to opt in to receive your texts.
