Jay LeonardMost companies will reply in the affirmative if asked whether they employ common marketing practices like SEO, social media, PPC and offline methods. However, for some reason and despite living in an increasingly mobile oriented world, most businesses have yet to embrace mobile marketing. This is especially true of SMS, even though 100% of cellphone owners have access to text messaging.
SMS Marketing is Not a New Trend
SMS marketing came into prominence in 2009, so it’s not like text advertising is anything new that requires businesses to learn something absolutely alien to them. It’s also worth noting that consumers have to voluntarily opt in to receive your messages, so it’s less likely that your text will be perceived as spam. In fact, 95% of mobile users open and read received messages within three minutes of the mail being sent.
The Perks of SMS Marketing
Most businesses never realize the potential of SMS marketing because they never bother to implement it into their campaign or gave it an honest try. The benefits of text messaging can be profound if applied in a strategic manner, some of which benefits include the following:
- Direct engagement – The typical email inbox is only checked about once or twice a day, with most mails discarded because they’re perceived as spam. An SMS inbox, by contrast, is checked multiple times throughout the day, and new messages are usually read within minutes.
- It’s quick – Typical text messages are no more than 160 characters long; this means messages are often only two sentences at the most. This brevity is a good thing because it enables businesses to get their message across in a direct manner. Plus, it saves consumers the time of having to skim through lengthy paragraphs and wordy content.
- It’s affordable – Sending a text message is typically cheaper than displaying a full ad in front of a consumer. Most platforms allow users to send a message for pennies on the dollar. Some even come with bulk package deals where you can send hundreds of texts each month for a flat rate.
- It’s interactive – Not every text has to be a straightforward message. You can make your campaign more interactive in ways that invite customer engagement. Your message can be in the form of a survey, questionnaire, or poll. This enables your consumer to become an active participant and also provides valuable data to help you determine exactly what it is your consumers want out of your business.
- It’s friendly toward the environment – More businesses these days are adopting eco-friendly practices. This may include physical changes to their facility, such as switching to LED lights, installing solar panels, or investing in hybrid company vehicles. When it comes to marketing, SMS leaves behind no carbon footprint; the difference is especially significant if you are making the shift from more traditional methods like printed flyers.
- Texting reminders – If your business is hosting an event or holds regular in-person appointments with clients, then texting is a great way to send a reminder. This will help minimize no-shows, boost attendance, and fill empty slots.
SMS is Trackable
Regardless of the marketing method, it is always valuable to have some kind of metric tool. With an SMS tracking service, you have a clear report in front of you that outlines all the information you need at your fingertips. This includes a full analysis of each text message sent, such as the percentage of the mail that was read, the average time it took for the mail to be opened, and the number of times any embedded links were been clicked.
Mobilizing Your Marketing Is a No-Brainer
When it comes to marketing, you definitely want to jump on the bandwagon of whatever is trending and working well at the moment. In a day and age where roughly 90% of the population owns a cellphone, it is almost unfathomable that more businesses aren’t incorporating SMS into their promotion. Whatever the reason, a businesses’ full earning potential cannot come to fruition unless the most lucrative marketing approaches are explored and exhausted.
SMS, while not exactly a new concept, is still a formidable way of getting your consumers engaged. If you still haven’t explored SMS marketing, then there’s a huge revenue source that you are not tapping into.
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Jay Leonard.
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Great article Ashley!
With a professional sms gateway (ex.: Ozeki NG) you can track every analysis for yourself. Not to mention you can send a greeting card via sms to all of your competitor :)
What is your opinion about the potencial of the website integrated sms? (send sms to visitors about sales…etc)
The statistic you included blew me away — 95% of people will not only open but read the message sent to them within three minutes of receiving it. With a rate like that, SMS marketing is definitely worth a shot.