Digital marketing revolutionized the way we do business, but the majority of it was limited to the desktop model. We designed websites, built campaign strategies and crafted content with the idea someone would be taking it all in on a computer screen. But the mobile wave has revamped the way we use the internet, and social marketing has had to expand its horizons to now include one of the most frequently used but overlooked elements of our phones—text messages.
How Does SMS Marketing Work?
SMS marketing is similar to email marketing; you craft specific messages that are delivered to an audience who has signed up to receive them. With email inboxes now overflowing with spam, endless promotions and newsletters, marketers are turning to the smartphones.
Over 6 billion texts are sent every day in the United States alone; text messaging used to be an intimate exchange between friends and family, but now, businesses are able to improve their relationships with customers and reach their marketing goals by reaching out through a natural, conversational platform consumers trust. Getting started with SMS marketing might feel strange, but it’s a lot easier than you think! Here are five tips to follow when devising your new strategy.
Use CRM Software to Manage Your Messaging
If you aren’t using Customer Relationship Management software already, you need to start ASAP. This is like the command center for any brand’s marketing; a CRM allows you to keep track of customer profiles, track their engagement and offer valuable feedback on individual campaigns to help you figure out what people like and dislike about your marketing.
Integrating SMS marketing into your CRM will allow you to keep a history of messages sent, provide a detailed report on how many recipients engaged with a particular message and offer other data that helps you target the right audience every time.
Don’t Send Messages for the Sake of It
Spam texts, filler content and any message that doesn’t offer value are a waste of time. No one wants to be prompted to visit a site if there isn’t anything new for them to see. Ask yourself and team members what types of marketing texts you’d want to receive, then build your SMS content strategy around your answers.
Consider Timing
Timing is everything, especially when it comes to text messaging. Experiment with different days of the week, times of day and limited offers that encourage consumers to act quickly. It never hurts to send out a survey and see what times and days people prefer to receive texts.
Find a Good Carrier
SMS marketing requires fast, efficient delivery. Even a small mistake can throw an entire campaign off course, especially if your goals were dependent on engagement brought in by a particular series of promotional messages.
Finding a good business SMS service provider is the first step toward success.
Cross-Promote
Use the audience you already have to build a better SMS subscriber base. Make a big deal out of the launch of your SMS marketing and offer newsletter subscribers or followers on social media special perks or discounts if they join within the first few days.
Every element of a brand’s marketing strategy should seamlessly work together; they’re all moving pieces of one machine. Multiple promotional strategies can help unite your audience by giving them options to choose their favorite means of communication to engage with you.