SMS Marketing 101
Everything you need to know about SMS marketing and how to use it to your advantage.
Do you know that 6.57 billion people worldwide have a smartphone? And that number is expected to surpass 7.6 billion users by 2027. Here’s another amazing number…23 billion, as in how many text messages are sent every day. With so many people on their phones, SMS (or text) marketing is an effective way to reach your target audience. In fact, SMS has a 98% open rate – 4X more than traditional email.
Let’s tap into it.
What is SMS Marketing?
SMS marketing is a form of direct marketing where businesses send information to customers via text messaging. Businesses use SMS marketing to share promotions, offers, personalized discounts, news, and order delivery updates. SMS allows companies to share product and brand information while building good customer relationships at the same time.
Why Do Brands Use SMS Marketing?
SMS is a great way to capture attention when and where you want it. This strategy helps marketers reach their target audience with timely and relevant information. Brands mainly utilize SMS marketing to increase brand awareness, boost engagement, and generate sales. We have a few other reasons why brands incorporate SMS into their marketing strategy…
Cost-effectiveness
First off, SMS is very affordable. For small businesses, it’s a cost-effective strategy that helps accomplish marketing and budget objectives. Compared to other forms of advertising, SMS is one of the cheapest marketing tactics that boosts Return on Investment (ROI). Though prices do vary, many platforms allow businesses to send messages for just pennies on the dollar. While bulk packages allow marketers to send hundreds or thousands of messages each month at a fairly low flat rate. Any way you slice it…SMS truly provides more bang for your buck.
Quick Delivery
Because SMS messages are fairly short, consumers are far more likely to read them. SMS messages are normally about one or two sentences long, normally with CTA and link to a website. Also, text messages are read at the consumer’s convenience, so they aren’t as intrusive as web pop-ups or telephone calls.
Higher engagement
If you’re like most people, you probably read a text message quickly after one is sent to your phone. In fact, 90% of text messages are read within three minutes, according to TechJury. Today, people get bombarded (and annoyed) with spam and unwanted emails. Customers on a SMS contact list are active participants who are more than willing to read your text messages. SMS marketing isn’t quite as broad as other types of advertising, but your message is delivered directly to engaged consumers.
Increases revenue
SMS marketing helps brands increase revenue by driving traffic to their retail stores or website. With a strong call to action, SMS messaging can encourage customers to take advantage of sales offers and discounts.
Last year, eCommerce stores lost $18 billion in sales revenue because of cart abandonment. You could also use SMS to remind customers about items they’ve left in their digital shopping cart.
SMS Marketing Strategy
To maximize business results, companies should plan to incorporate SMS marketing into their business strategy. Here are five tips to get the most out of your SMS marketing plan:
Promote and make opt-in easy
SMS marketing relies on consumers to opt in, meaning your target audience must first sign up to receive messages about deals and promotions. Make sure that the opt-in process is as simple and streamlined as possible. Also, give your customers a chance to opt-in on all your platforms…social media, website, point-of-sale, and of course SMS.
Identify your brand early
Once you have your customer’s phone number, be sure to introduce your brand. The last thing you want is a customer deleting your text before they even read it. Include your brand name at the beginning of the message to let customers know who you are right away.
Use concise messaging
Keep it simple! Good news – you only have 160 characters to get your message across. According to Forbes, sending one text focusing on one theme will help grab your customer’s attention. Use simple language with succinct sentences and proper punctuation. Also, link to your website to offer additional information and drive conversions.
Always include a CTA
A call-to-action gives your customer all the power! CTAs increase engagement and bring customers one step closer with your products, services, and brand. “Buy now”, “click here”, and “text to win” are all examples of strong calls-to-action.
Know when to send
Immediacy is key! Do your key research and use findings to know the best time to reach out to your target market. You can use past interactions with your texts to help guide your sending strategy. One more thing…try to avoid sending your message too early or too late in the day. Hours between 8am and 9pm are appropriate.
SMS marketing is an efficient, value-driven approach that lets you send brand messages directly to your customer’s smartphone. On average, Americans spend 3.5 hours on their phone every day…checking it approximately 344 times in that time. So, marketers pretty much know where customers are…they’re on their phone.
Get Started With SMS Marketing
Interested in growing your business with SMS marketing? We can help. Cuker provides strategic SMS that drives ROI, boosts engagement, and increases sales. It’s simple…effective remarketing with SMS will turn your customers into customers for life. Sounds good, right? Let's talk!
