Short message service (SMS) text messaging is a popular form of communication, and businesses can use SMS text messaging in their marketing strategy. Though businesses are just beginning to discover how they can market themselves with SMS text messaging, there are a few suggestions that can help businesses create a successful text messaging marketing strategy.
How to Market with SMS Text Messaging
SMS text message marketing involves cultivating a strong customer base through the use of short (160 word maximum) messages sent to potential customers’ cell phones or mobile devices. This marketing strategy allows businesses to use SMS text messaging to keep their business fresh in the customers’ minds and even allows businesses to receive input from customers. Businesses need to learn how to market with SMS text messaging effectively, however, to avoid wasting their resources and turning off potential customers.
As with any marketing strategy, one of the goals of bulk text message marketing with SMS text messages is to get your message to the right potential customers, your target market or those who are most likely to buy your products or services and encourage friends and family members to do the same. Who this group is depends on the type of business, and is usually determined by doing some market research as well as by past experience. Once a business has determined whom they are trying to reach with SMS text message marketing, they are better able to decide how to encourage those customers to sign up for their SMS text messages and how to use those messages to build relationships with their customers.
Text messages can be a vital component of Web 2.0 marketing, which is based on the idea that customers using technology don’t just want to passively receive information, they want to interact and help shape information. There are several ways that businesses can use text message marketing to understand their target market better, increase awareness of their products or services, and create a more loyal, involved customer base:
- Have a web site where customers can sign up for text messages about information that is interesting to them. For instance, a clothing store could offer alerts for new products in several categories, such as shoes, coats, dresses, and accessories. Customers’ levels of interest in these categories could be gauged by the number of people who sign up for the text alerts in each category.
- Offer coupons for various items if customers text a certain word to the business’s number. A restaurant could have three different coupon codes for appetizers, drinks, and desserts, and based on customer response could determine which category customers are more interested in.
- Send retail SMS text alerts to customers who recently bought a product asking them to go to a website to rate their transaction or their product. Coupons or contests can be a good motivator to get customers to respond.
- Create online polls and text message customers with invitations to participate. Customers could be given the chance to vote on subjects like which new dish a restaurant should introduce, which colors customers would most like to use in redecorating their homes, or even which local charity a business should make a donation to. This lets businesses know what their customers are thinking and builds a relationship between the business and its customers.
- Create a text message VIP group or club that interested customers can sign up for and then send this group text messages about special sales and events. For instance, a business can text customers a code word that they can use to get an extra 10% off at a sale. This can serve as a reminder to customers about sales events as well as extra motivation to go and shop.
- Keep customers informed about your business’s latest news. Customers who have opted-in to receive notices can get text messages about news ranging from a caterer winning a state-wide recognition award to a band’s last-minute change of venue. Short, relevant news items can keep a business name fresh in customers’ minds and help the business stand out from their competitors. Though text messages must be kept short, they can also refer customers to a business website for more details on news events, new inventory available, blog entries, and other information customers might find useful.
The best SMS text message marketing strategy will vary by business and, of course, marketing strategies must be updated from time to time and require ongoing creativity, especially to meet the rapid changes that occur in technology. Also, businesses need to include tracking in their SMS text message marketing strategy to see which approaches bring the greatest increase in customer responses and sales. This information will help businesses adapt and find out what works best for them.
There are a few elements of SMS text message marketing that businesses should avoid:
- Do not gather customers’ mobile phone numbers without their knowledge or permission, and do not send text messages to customers who have not chosen to opt-in to receive them. Messages sent this way are considered spam and will drive customers away.
- Do not flood customers with text messages. Sending too many text messages, or messages that are not relevant or interesting to the customer, will usually cause them to ignore the messages or opt-out of receiving them. Only send messages when there is something interesting to say or a new deal to offer.
- Do not use texting language or grammar, especially if the target market is over 25. Instead, make messages clear and use traditional spelling and grammar in messages.
By keeping these strategies in mind, businesses can use SMS text messaging to market their business and build a better relationship with their customers.