4 Strategies That Lead to Success in SMS Marketing

Think about how important the role of your cell phone is in your day-to-day life. Do you ever leave home without it? Do you turn to your phone as often as (if not more than) your computer when you need to find information? If you’re like most Americans, your cell phone plays a huge part in how you consume information throughout the day. I know I never leave home without it, because how would I get somewhere without my Google Maps?

More and more people are now using their cell phones to assist in making purchases and researching future purchases as well. Most retail stores, from clothing to sporting equipment to grocery stores and more, have apps you can access from your phone to save money and find coupons and promotional information. There are also a variety of apps, such as RetailMeNot, that you can download to find coupons for the stores closest to you (it uses your location to suggest stores and sales, and sends you push notifications about important promo info for the places you frequent the most). Businesses are also getting more into SMS marketing in order to build up a client base and share important product information.

So what exactly is SMS marketing, and why should you consider adding it to your business plan? Read below to find out.

How SMS Marketing Works

SMS marketing (short messaging service marketing) is a sales technique that uses text messaging to send promotional messages. These promotional messages may include things such as coupons and specials, product updates and information, announcements for an event, etc. Customers have the choice of whether or not to sign up for SMS marketing; if they choose to opt in, they usually have to text a code to a specific phone number, and then their phone number is stored for future use in whatever marketing software the business has chosen to purchase. If they ever want to opt-out, the message will almost always say “Text NO to opt-out of these messages,” or something to that effect.

Why SMS Marketing and Advertising Works

SMS marketing works for a variety of reasons:

1. It builds up a large database of loyal customers. You can then target this group for specific advertising pitches by sending them promotional info or letting them know of sales in advance.
2. People prefer these types of ads. In 2016 it is the preferred message of communication for many Americans, and 73% of adults who own cell phones send and receive text messages, according to a study by Pew Research Center. Forbes also published a study that said 60% of consumers prefer SMS marketing to email marketing and push-notification services.
3. SMS marketing is a very cost-effective form of advertisement because it costs very little to send the messages. You typically pay according to your provider and cell phone plan, which for many includes unlimited texting.
4. SMS is one of the biggest channels for mobile ads. According to Convince and Convert, although only 65% of Americans own smart phones, 100% of cellphones are SMS enabled, making it one of the biggest channels for mobile advertising.

Strategies for SMS Marketing Success

1. Don’t abuse the privilege.

Consumers have to opt in to receive SMS marketing, and they also have the choice to opt-out if they’re not happy. Keep in mind you’re probably not the only business that is sending them text messages, so you have to tread lightly. In addition to promo messages, people receive texts alerting them to flight information, bank information, social media updates, and more, so if you’re clogging up their feed by sending too many unnecessary promos, your advertisements are probably going to be the first ones to go.

2. Do the research to find a good software program.

Because SMS marketing is so popular, there are hundreds of vendors to choose from when you’re trying to figure out which software program will best support your business. So do your due diligence to find out which one will actually work best with your goals, and don’t just choose the first program that looks good. When you’re searching, think about things like: cost, reviews and referrals, ease of use, and compatibility with your CRM, and analytic potential.

Also keep in mind that in order to figure out if your SMS marketing is working, you need to be able to analyze conversions. If your software program doesn’t have this capability, you could be throwing money down the drain. As long as you investigate all these aspects, you’re bound to make a good choice that will result in success for your business. A few great options include SlickText, sumotext, and eztexting.

3. Be transparent about your intentions.

People don’t want to give up their privacy for just anybody, so make sure your goals are clear. Tell customers what they should expect once they sign up. Give them the option to customize the types and frequency of messages they receive, ie: sales updates once a month, promo information weekly, etc. Accommodate different phone types such as the iPhone and Android, as well as those who may not have a smart phone (yes, there are still people out there who don’t have a smart phone—refer back to the 65% statistic above).

4. Consider message content, timing, and frequency.

Never forget that people are going to be receiving your messages on their phones, and most likely are going to be responding to them also using a mobile device. Make promotions clear, easy to understand, and easy to obtain. If you send them a link to open, make sure it opens to a site that is compatible with a mobile device (ex: uncluttered, easy to navigate, etc.). Also remember to always include a clear call to action (CTA) because, as with most marketing initiatives, this is how you’re going to track how successful your marketing plan is.

Thinking in terms of timing and frequency, Convince and Convert also reports that over 90% of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes. That means you shouldn’t be sending text messages today about an event that’s happening next week. By the time it happens, your customers will have forgotten all about it. Always consider the immediacy of these messages when you are constructing your message content and thinking about when to send it.

When SMS Marketing Won’t Work

1. If you rely solely on SMS marketing.

This is a good way to tank your advertising efforts. Always remember SMS marketing is opt in, so you need to pursue other channels as well. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Use SMS marketing along with social media marketing and email marketing, not in place of it.

2. If you don’t have enough time to devote to creating a successful plan.

If you’ve tried SMS marketing and it hasn’t worked for your business, chances are you didn’t have enough free time to devote to developing and maintaining a successful marketing campaign. SMS marketing isn’t something you can set up once and forget about—you need to constantly be thinking about the types of messages you’re sending out, when you’re sending them out, as well as analyzing the results. This is why this type of marketing is sometimes hard for small businesses to handle; they just don’t have the time and the manpower necessary to make sure it’s successful. Consider this before you spend a lot of time and effort in this realm.

3. If you’re not personalizing your text messages.

People don’t want to receive the exact same promo in their email, on your business’s Facebook page, as well as in text form on their mobile device. If they can get the same offer on the first 2 channels, what’s the incentive to give up their privacy by providing their phone number to subscribe to SMS marketing? You need to make sure the messages you send out via text are unique and valuable to your consumers.

4. If you’re spamming your customers.

I know I touched on this above, but I can’t emphasize it enough; if you send out frequent, irrelevant messages your consumers are going to opt out of SMS as quickly as they opted in. Nobody wants a bunch of spam text messages crowding their messages folder. Think about your goals ahead of time and make a plan for how frequently you want to send out messages in order to meet those goals. Chances are, you won’t feel the need to send a text every day if you have a long-term plan in mind. This is something you have complete control over, and your audience will thank you for it with their loyalty.

The Takeaway

SMS marketing campaigns can be hard to get right, but if you put the time and effort necessary into developing them, chances are they’ll pay off for your business in the end. Consider the strategies mentioned above and you should be off to a good start. Take your time planning your strategy and make sure you have the man power to follow this campaign the same way you track your email marketing campaigns, social campaigns, etc.

Has SMS marketing worked for you in the past? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

About The Author

Jason Hawkins / http://www.themiamiseocompany.com

Jason Hawkins is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Miami SEO Company. He has over ten years of experience in search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization and lead generation. His core responsibilities include identifying ways to increase value of services rendered, training staff on advanced SEO topics, and A/B testing internal processes to consistently improve client return on investment.