Why You Need to Jump on the SMS Marketing Band Wagon

The methods of marketing have changed dramatically over the years, from black and white advertisements in newspapers to 3D electronic billboards. The power of marketing cannot be underestimated and for any business looking to stay on trend and ahead of its competitors, utilising the best marketing techniques available is crucial to success. So, what’s the hype around text messaging marketing? By using this new marketing strategy you’ll open up more opportunities to converse and transact with your customers. Gone are the days when people were willing to wait on the phone to talk to a sales rep – texting is the most current way of communication so drive more conversations, and improve your response times, by using the methods of communication that your customers prefer.

A Booming Business Opportunity

The statistics regarding messaging and mobile use are simply staggering, and they prove just what a viable option text messaging marketing is. The average American checks their phone a whopping 96 times a day – that works out about once every two minutes! Users send on average around 13 text messages every day, four times the daily amount emails that are sent. The numbers don’t just reflect a nationwide influx, as globally 5 billion people have a cell phone of some sort, 2.29 billion of which can be reached by SMS/cellular messages alone. Interestingly, text campaigns designed to attract millennial customers have the potential to bring an 11 per cent to 30 per cent increase in engagement for the corresponding business. The benefits of SMS as a form of communication really speak for themselves: users don’t have to download an app, they will receive a direct notification when they receive a message and an overwhelming 9 out of 10 consumers prefer to communicate with a business via text messages.

The Secret Weapon in Your Marketing Arsenal

As the statistics show, SMS marketing can be the secret weapon that you need to gain a competitive edge in a perilous business landscape. Let’s delve into how you can do just that!

1. Make it personal. Make your marketing stand out from the crowd by personalising your approach. Have a definite brand tone and personality in mind so that your audience can easily identify you and relate to you. Make the messages friendly, meaningful relevant. If you have any qualifying information about your sales leads, include it. If you have any links or deals that would be perfect for your audience, use them. You’re much more likely to get a positive response and even an action from your customers if you do

2. Don’t lose the hot leads. While it’s great if you can send out a meaningful message to your entire customer database, it’s even better if you can target hot leads, the ones that are more likely to make a sale. Follow up on these leads quickly before they’re snatched up by a competitor – a quick and friendly text message is an efficient way to do just that. The whole idea behind messaging is that it’s instant so don’t take too long to respond.

3. Show off your promotions and time-limited offers. Add a sense of urgency to your messages by including information about a time-limited offer. Nobody wants to feel the dreaded FOMO! Make the customer feel valued and special by featuring promotions and coupons that are great for you. Use public holidays and events to your advantage and appeal to the personal needs of your audience.

4. Get as much information as you can. You need to know your audience if you’re going to use SMS marketing successfully. Feedback is your best friend and use it to get information about your customers, such as their email, age, gender, or location. You will then have the data you need to personalise, tweak and tailor your marketing to suit your customers. You will be able to understand your audience better and appeal to them by using their name in your message. Of course, there is a balance to be had in gaining personal information – don’t ask too much or too often or potential customers will begin to feel suspicious and uncomfortable. It’s best to get a little information gradually to slowly build up the picture you have of your audience.

5. Use positive feedback as online reviews. Businesses today ride on the interaction of their consumer online therefore feedback is absolutely crucial as part of your company’s reputation. Positive reviews will make you stand out and you can use text messages to get these good reviews. You can simply send out a message asking your customers for a review – if you don’t ask you don’t get it!

6. Improve your payments. You can send messages to customers asking for their payment and even include a direct link for them to pay their bills online. If they don’t do it on time, you can go on to text a reminder. This will speed up your payment processes dramatically, relieving the stress on your payroll department considerably! Additionally, you can connect the business number you use for texting to your payment processor. By doing so you can get paid securely, swiftly, and completely over text.

The Future of SMS Marketing

SMS marketing isn’t just a hot new trend or passing phase – it’s a valuable tool that’s here to stay. Experts predict that by the year 2023, approximately 3.5 trillion SMS messages will be sent out to business companies, an increase of 1 trillion texts in 2019. With the right strategy, SMS marketing can be a powerful weapon to assist your sales team. Keep up to date with your customers by contacting them the way they are most comfortable. Take a relaxed, friendly method by sending a quick SMS, approaching people in the way they prefer to be contacted, and you’re much more likely to get a positive response. Be personal without being invasive, be understanding without sounding too intense, and us the tools available to make this weapon work for you.