SMS marketing is a type of marketing that communicates with your customers via text messages. It primarily distributes promotional content through permission-based texts. This is accomplished through the use of a web-based programme that allows you to send mass text messages to your customers in order to engage them.
The goal of SMS marketing is to create a list of subscribers from which you can draw to increase customer loyalty. This means that by opting into your SMS marketing campaign, they are giving you permission to send them messages about your company. Customer loyalty is earned when your customers interact with your company via SMS and accept the offers you send them.
SMS marketing is a powerful tool because nearly everyone has access to a mobile phone, and people almost always read the messages they receive shortly after they receive them. This means you’ll be able to tap into a market that will almost always be open to what you have to offer. This is in contrast to phone calls, emails, and leaflets, which are easily ignored and forgotten.
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How SMS Marketing Works
Any SMS marketing campaign has has two basic components: the keyword and the shortcode. You’ve most likely seen it before! Here’s a simple example:
Have a wonderful weekend! Check out our weekend specials by texting “SATURDAY” to 101010!
The keyword is “Saturday,” and the shortcode is “101010.” Customers enter the keyword in the message body and the shortcode in the recipient box. The keyword denotes what your customers are signing up for. This allows you to entice your customers to participate in your campaign.
After your client opt into your campaign, you’ll be able to send them text messages about special discounts or deals you’re offering at your store, which should bring them in! This results in increased sales, which is always a good thing.
How Much SMS Marketing Costs
Expect to pay between $5 and $25 per keyword used. Text messages will cost you between $0.01 and $0.05 per message. For a monthly fee, most SMS marketing companies offer packages that include a fixed number of text messages you can send (2,000 and up) as well as a handful of keywords (2-10)
While the final cost will vary depending on the company you choose, there will be two fees to consider: the fee for sending the text message and the fee for renting keywords. Typically, you’ll pay a monthly fee that includes a certain number of keywords and the number of text messages you can send.
Best Ways To Use SMS Marketing
There are no hard and fast rules about who should and should not use SMS marketing; there are only situations and marketing goals that are best suited for this approach. Now that you understand how SMS marketing works, here are some things you can do with it:
Send Coupons
Send clients special offers. Non-subscribers are prevented from taking advantage of your offer by using unique coupon codes.
Keep in Touch
Send reminders and notifications to clients who require or appreciate schedule, appointment, or other confirmations. It’s a great way to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and it also demonstrates that you’re on top of your customer service.
Create Drip Campaigns
Send automated messages based on the length of time customers have been subscribed. In the case of coupons, for example, you could send a 5% off coupon immediately after signing up, a 10% off coupon after 3 weeks, and a 20% off coupon after 2 months. This is activated automatically when a customer signs up, so you don’t have to keep sending individual messages.
Poll Your Customers
Allow customers to vote by texting various keywords. Most services enable you to run polls that collect responses over time and graph them from your online dashboard.
Hold a Sweepstakes Contest
Allow customers to enter a sweepstakes by texting a specific keyword. You can view the list of phone numbers on the dashboard and select one at random.
Send Photos & Videos
Marketing via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a relatively new development in which you can send photos and videos to customers. This is especially useful if you want to send a customer a flyer or a restaurant menu.
Do Location-Based Marketing
Send different messages to clients based on where they are. Geofencing is a more advanced method that tracks clients’ locations and sends texts when they are close to your shop. Geofencing is, unfortunately, very expensive. Each “ping” to track your customers’ locations costs more than the cost of sending a text message, so geofencing is not yet practical for common use.
Benefits of SMS Marketing
Texting has by far the highest rate of engagement of any marketing medium. Whereas emails may go unread, phone calls may go unanswered, and leaflets may be discarded without a second glance, text messages are almost always read, and read quickly. According to Forbes, “95 out of 100 of your customers who have opted into your text messaging programme OPEN and READ your mobile messages within 3 minutes,” according to James Citron, CEO of text messaging service Mogreet.
However, the key phrase here is “opted in.” Sending unsolicited text messages is not ethical (or legal) in text message marketing. Customers who have subscribed to your messaging list are the only ones who can text you. Fortunately, the majority of text marketing services allow customers to opt in and out directly from their mobile phone.
Bottom Line: SMS Marketing
SMS marketing takes advantage of today’s advances in technology to get your message to your customers. This is done in a convenient and simple manner. While it is not free, it is a worthwhile investment that, when used properly, can be a great tool for driving sales and earning you more money.
