It’s time you started using an SMS campaign in your marketing strategy

SMS campaigns for marketing

You likely send SMS messages to friends and family, but have you thought about messaging your clients? Growing a business in today’s technologically focused world can be difficult. You need to cater to consumers who expect fast-paced, speedy delivery of products and communication. This means that your marketing strategy needs to meet the brief, and what better way to do so than using an SMS campaign?

Almost seven billion people around the world own a mobile phone that can receive SMS messages. There really is no better time to implement an SMS campaign to help grow your business and reach your customers.

How an SMS campaign can help

An SMS campaign as part of a business’s marketing strategy can be a powerful tool. You can use it to create personalized messages for loyal customers or let people know about upcoming promotions in your store or new services you might be offering.

Use it to get leads

In the past year, almost seventy percent of online traffic was from mobile devices. This number is expected to grow again in the upcoming months, which makes mobile one of the largest markets out there for businesses to try and penetrate.

People are on their phones daily, searching online for new stores and reviews of businesses, which means that an SMS will be opened almost the instant that a consumer receives it. You can include a link to a website page or a promotional offer in the SMS for people to click on, which will bring more traffic and more leads to your site. You’ll also build your client list, which is a great step towards building your business.

Verification codes for purchases

With the rising rate of credit card fraud that is happening with online purchases, customers are more cautious about sharing their data. A smart solution for any business wanting to grow customer loyalty is to send out verification codes via an SMS campaign.

This will also allow you to store numbers for later promotional campaigns, once your customers have given you permission to use this information. Using verification codes shows your customers that you take their data security seriously, encouraging them to return for your products and services.

Text engagement methods to build your brand

Using a marketing tool such as an automated SMS campaign will provide you with unique ways to reach your customers, boost sales, and build a stronger customer base. This will also help to build your brand and your brand’s reputation in your industry.

An example of this is creating a customer rewards program, such as sending a promotional offer to loyal clients with a ten percent discount on their next purchase or doing customer surveys to find out their opinions about your products and services. This will cement your brand in their minds as offering good customer service and taking their needs into account.

Why you should use SMS

An SMS campaign can provide a plethora of benefits to a business that is looking for an effective way to grow their brand and customer base. It ties into the modern need for efficient and speedy service from retailers and companies. Below are just some of the reasons why you should use it.

• It’s cost-effective: A marketing strategy can often involve expensive tactics, but an SMS campaign is affordable and efficient. You can send out a personalized message to a huge group of people without breaking the bank, and you’ll see almost-immediate results from your SMS campaign.

• It has a high ROI: Whether you think in rupees or dollars, one SMS will only cost you a few cents to send out but will result in a high uptake, especially when combined with incentives such as an exclusive offer or discount. An SMS marketing strategy gives you more bang for your buck, so to speak.

• It’s attention-grabbing: With an SMS campaign, you’re not competing with a flooded email inbox or other online messages, and neither are you waiting for a customer to walk past your store, hoping they’ll notice you. An SMS is usually opened within seconds of it being received, and it grabs the attention of whoever is looking at it.

How to use it

So, now you know all about SMS campaigns and you want to put these into place in your business. It can be tricky if you’ve never used this platform before, but we’ve got some handy advice on how to use SMS marketing in your business.

• Consent is key: Before you even draft your message to send out to your customers, you need to get consent for them, otherwise, you will be in breach of data protection laws and will incur heavy fines. You also run the risk of annoying your customers and losing out on those who are genuinely interested in your product.

• Frequency matters: We get it, you want your customers to know about every promotion whenever you have one. But it’s important to know that sending too many messages can be just as detrimental as only sending one. The best practice is to send two to four texts per month. Any more and customers will become annoyed.

• Consider working hours: There’s nothing worse for a customer than receiving an SMS late at night or too early in the morning. The chances are that this will not even be opened, so remember to always send SMS campaign messages during working hours. Sending out a message midmorning on the weekend is also a great way to reach customers when they are in the mood to shop and get out and about, ready to buy your products. Of course, you’ll also need to consider customers in different time zones.

Never look back after SMS marketing

If you want to grow your business, a marketing strategy involving an SMS campaign is certainly the way to go. You can use SMS to get leads by incorporating a website link to a promotional page, and you can build brand loyalty and trust by sending out verification codes when customers make a purchase. It is a cost-effective, attention-grabbing way to boost your business. So, if you are interested in improving your marketing strategy, read our article on why bulk SMS is so important for businesses wanting to become successful.