Is SMS (Short Message Service)/Text messaging part of your marketing strategy? If not, you may want to consider that 90% of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes of being received and responded to within 20 minutes! This means SMS can be a powerful and effective way to reach consumers.
The Why – If you typically roll old school, here are some reasons why you should switch it up;
• There are twice as many active SMS users in the world than active users of email
• Response rates via SMS are 8 times that of email
• Texting is more popular than voice calling, especially among youths aged 16 to 24
• Lightning fast delivery of your message
The What – Deliver a variety of messages such as;
• Time sensitive offers, updates, and alerts
• Coupons correlated to your current campaign
• Promote a sale
• Announce new products
• Collect customer feedback
• Send updates and notifications
• Appointment reminders
The How – Do it right by;
• Getting permission. This can come any number of ways; signing up, responding, requesting alerts, etc.
• Create an Opt In campaign and then make sure the information is valuable; i.e. Exclusive Offers
• Personalize the content
• Address each recipient by name, send offers/information based on location, mention recent activity with your company, a cart abandonment reminder, and shipping updates
• Remember, this is not an email. Keep it short and sweet.
The beauty of texting is the quick and easy opportunities it offers. If you are targeting a younger demographic, texting slang may be acceptable and may even make you more relevant. But, if that seems too unprofessional, just be sure you don’t make your message too wordy or the recipient may decide it was TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read). LOL
The Do Not’s – How not to be that guy;
• Don’t send too many texts
• Don’t forget to provide an escape route by including instructions for opting out
• Don’t be all talk and no action. Create a call to action by providing a Survey for a chance to win, Reply today for 20% off your purchase, or invite them to the website with the link included
• Consider timing and time zones
• Identity yourself by stating who is on the other end of the message
• Don’t be too salesy. Conversational is the best tone.
Text messaging can be a powerful tool for your business by allowing you to get important messages straight into the hands (or hand held device as the case may be) of your customers. We would love to give you the information you need to get texting. Contact us today. We love getting texts!
To Text or Not to Text? Why is that a Question?
About the Author
Darci Bullard
Content Creator and wannabe Novelist, Darci Bullard spends her days immersed in the fascinating world of data. She is endlessly curious about human behavior. Therefore, after receiving a BA in Psychology from Michigan State University, she chose to enter the world of data. She loves the opportunity data provides, to discover what drives people to make the choices they do. Dissecting, discussing and writing, about data, (and its creepiness) makes for a great day at the office. Connecting the dots with her tongue in cheek style, Darci strives to make data approachable and maybe even a little fun. She has been writing for Digital Segment for over 5 years.
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