Why your business, big or small, should be using bulk SMS

Why bulk SMS marketing?

Of all the promotional options available to businesses these days, few have as much impact as SMS. And consumers actually want to receive messages from businesses and communicate with them in this way. Bulk SMS is one of the most effective methods of reaching your customers. One of the best parts of using this form of communication? You’re also completely guaranteed your customers open your message and they will open it immediately.

Related: Why Clickatell Platform and SMS make all the difference to your business

Research has found that seven in 10 people feel that bulk SMS marketing is a good method for organizations to use to claim a piece of their attention. Another study found that text messages are opened 98% of the time while emails only had an open rate of 22%. These incredible stats show that sending messages to your customers isn’t just one of the new marketing trends doing the rounds.

SMS is a marketing tool every type and size business should be using. Marketers need to be where their consumers are. And nowadays, they're mobile always so it makes sense to connect with them there. Here are some tips for businesses.

With bulk SMS, timing is crucial

Imagine driving home and wondering what you’ll be having for dinner. Pull into your driveway and what’s waiting for you? An SMS from your favorite pizza joint, offering a 20% discount. Who wouldn’t be tempted to make use of that offer? In the same way, if you usually go for regular haircuts every six weeks, a gentle reminder SMS at week five might do wonders to ensure you book that next appointment.

Keep your message short, simple, and meaningful

No one likes to read massive swathes of text on their phones. Keep your bulk SMS messages short and to the point. When you announce a sale, for instance, specify that all goods are going to be soldered at 50% off. With an SMS you’re limited to just 160 characters, so be sure to make every one of them counts.

Tell your customers what to do

There’s not much worse than receiving an SMS that doesn’t tell you what to do. Finish your message with a call-to-action and your website address or phone number. It’s important that your customers know how to react to your message.

Use short codes on all your marketing material

It doesn’t really matter how amazing your SMSes are. What matters is the size of your list of people you’re able to message. It’s for this reason that you should add your short code to all promotional material like emails, flyers, and posters. Investing in a short code is essential in growing your SMS marketing list and building a group of loyal buyers for your business.

Take advantage of exclusivity

Customers love to feel like they’re part of a tribe, a group with common interests. Make sure to tell them that your special offer is only available to those who are receiving the SMS. This feeling will ensure they’ll sign-up to your newsletters, visit your store, pay attention to your messages and, importantly, make use of your products or services.

If you've been convinced that it's not just a marketing trend or buzzword and you’re interested in using bulk SMS marketing in your business, sign up for a free Clickatell Platform account today. The platform is fully scalable, reliable, and will enable you to connect with your audience wherever they may be. You'll also get unlimited free text messages in our sandbox environment and setting up your first SMS API integration will only take a few minutes.