From Novice to Expert: Setting up Your SMS for Business
Text messaging marketing, also known as SMS (Short Message Service), enables companies to communicate news, updates, and promotional messages to consumers and clients directly who have requested to receive them. Real-time updates, a track record of boosting sales, and quick communication with customers are all made possible by this economical direct marketing strategy. For businesses, SMS is still permissible as long as they get subscribers' permission and abide by rules established by the FCC, FTC, and laws like the TCPA and CAN-SPAM Act.
Building a list of subscribers, obtaining an SMS platform or service, developing meaningful campaigns, determining the optimal send times, and automating campaigns are all necessary for businesses to successfully use SMS marketing. A good SMS marketing platform should have text-to-join capabilities, dedicated phone numbers, automation, easy-to-use message editors, support for mobile keywords and personalization, compliance and consent management, and robust reporting.
Comprehending Text Marketing
Customers who supply their mobile numbers and expressly consent to receive text messages from a business are the ones who engage in consent-based marketing through SMS marketing. Then, companies can send out informational, promotional, or call-to-action SMS messages, but the messages cannot be answered directly by the recipients. However, businesses can provide customers with a URL to click on to obtain more information.
The use of SMS marketing has several advantages.
- Increased rates of interaction and openness since messages are typically read as soon as they are received
- A low-cost method of engaging and involving customers
- Permits the use of email marketing and social media in conjunction with a multi-channel strategy.
The following are some of the best practices for successful SMS marketing campaigns:
- Crafting succinct, unambiguous calls to action
- dividing up the subscriber list and applying customization
- maximizing the messages' timing and frequency
- Providing valuable content to retain subscribers
- Crafting clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA) messages
- Leveraging automated messages
Using SMS marketing, businesses can quickly and affordably engage with customers via text messaging—their preferred form of communication. With a 98% read rate, 95% of messages read within the first few minutes, and 75% of customers being okay with receiving SMS messages from brands, SMS marketing presents a powerful opportunity for businesses to engage their audience
Gathering Phone Numbers
Establishing a strong subscriber base is essential to an SMS marketing campaign's success. Although email addresses are frequently gathered, businesses ought to give equal weight to obtaining mobile phone numbers. This enables them to communicate with clients via the incredibly successful SMS channel, which has outstanding engagement and open rates.
The following are some methods to expand your list of SMS subscribers:
- Opt-In Forms: Allow people to provide their mobile numbers and consent to receive SMS updates by including an opt-in checkbox or field on your website, e-commerce checkout process, and other customer touchpoints.
- Text-to-Join Campaigns: Promote a dedicated keyword or short code that customers can text to opt-in to your SMS list. Advertise this option through various channels, such as social media, in-store signage, and email campaigns.
- Incentives and Promotions: Offer exclusive discounts, early access to sales, or other incentives to encourage customers to share their mobile numbers and join your SMS list.
- In-Store and Event Signups: At physical locations or events, have staff or kiosks dedicated to collecting mobile numbers and opt-in consent from interested customers.
- Existing Customer Data: If you already have a customer database, you can reach out to existing customers and request their permission to add their mobile numbers to your SMS list. Communicate the benefits and value they'll receive from joining.
Regardless of the approach taken, it is imperative to have subscribers express consent and to give them a simple way to unsubscribe from receiving SMS messages. To foster trust and guarantee adherence to pertinent regulations, it is imperative to uphold transparency and show consideration for customer preferences.
Crafting Effective SMS Campaigns
To craft effective SMS campaigns, businesses should focus on several key elements:
Message Content and Structure
- Keep messages concise, aiming for 75-5 characters or - lines for optimal readability.
- Treat the first few words like a subject line to capture attention.
- Use line breaks to improve readability and incorporate visuals like images, GIFs, or videos to engage subscribers.
- Limit each SMS to a single promotion, product, or call-to-action for clarity.
- Express gratitude, speak in the first person, and use timely, emotional language to create a sense of urgency.
- Promote multiple items in one message to provide options, but ensure a clear focus.
- Include a sale, discount, or other incentive to offer value.
- Personalize messages by using the recipient's name and segmenting customers for tailored content
Call-to-Action (CTA)
- Incorporate a clear CTA that encourages the recipient to take a specific action.
- Focus on highlighting the benefits of your offer or promotion rather than just listing features.
- Use power words like "discount," "enjoy," and "limited-time" to strengthen your copy
Timing and Frequency
- Send messages at optimal times when recipients are most likely to be engaged and responsive
- Time campaigns to align with the customer journey and leverage your business cycle
- Respect subscriber preferences by avoiding excessive frequency and providing value in every message
Testing and Optimization
- Test messages before sending to check for errors.
- A/B tests your copy and monitors key metrics to continuously improve.
- Combine SMS with other channels, like email marketing, for an omnichannel approach.
By following these best practices, businesses can create SMS campaigns that are engaging, valuable, and tailored to their target audience, ultimately driving better results and fostering stronger customer relationships.
Tracking Campaign Performance
Tracking key performance metrics is crucial for measuring the success of SMS marketing campaigns and making data-driven optimizations. The primary metrics to monitor include:
- Delivery Rate: The percentage of messages successfully delivered versus those blocked or failed.
- Open Rate: The percentage of delivered messages that recipients open.
- Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage of subscribers who opt out of receiving SMS messages over time.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of message recipients who click on included links.
- Conversion Rate: The percentage of recipients who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, after receiving an SMS campaign.
- List Growth Rate: The rate at which new subscribers join the SMS list over time.
- Return on Investment (ROI): The profit or revenue generated by SMS campaigns compared to the associated costs.
领英推荐
To effectively track these metrics, businesses can leverage tools like:
Tool Description
Emotive Platform : Offers comprehensive SMS analytics to monitor key metrics and optimize campaigns.
Monster Insights : A Google Analytics plugin for WordPress that helps track SMS performance by creating custom URLs with UTM parameters. Integrates with Pretty Links for short, shareable links and advanced tracking features.
Monitoring these metrics enables businesses to:
- Refine strategies using data-backed insights.
- Optimize campaigns in real-time based on performance.
- Leverage personalization techniques to improve engagement.
- Identify optimal sending times for maximum impact.
- Avoid costly mistakes by monitoring bounce and undelivered rates.
To benchmark success, businesses should chart past campaign metrics, determine averages, identify outliers and patterns, and set baseline goals for continuous improvement.
Integrating SMS into Automation
Integrating SMS marketing with automation tools enables businesses to streamline and personalize their campaigns, saving time and resources while enhancing customer engagement. SMS marketing automation leverages specialized tools to automate manual tasks, efficiently grow audiences through segmentation, generate leads faster with triggered messages, and nurture leads successfully through automated follow-ups.
Key benefits of SMS marketing automation include:
- Time and Cost Savings: Automating tasks like list management, message scheduling, and follow-ups reduces the need for extensive manpower, saving time and money.
- Personalization and Customer Experience: Automated personalization and targeted messaging based on customer behavior and preferences enhance the overall customer experience.
- Lead Generation and Nurturing: Triggered messages and automated follow-ups help generate leads faster and nurture them effectively through the sales funnel.
- Improved Retention and Re-engagement: Automated re-engagement campaigns and personalized messaging improve customer retention rates.
- Omnichannel Marketing: SMS automation enables consistent customer experiences across multiple channels, supporting an effective omnichannel marketing strategy.
- Data-Driven Insights: Real-time data and analytics from SMS automation tools provide valuable insights for informed decision-making.
- High Open and Response Rates: SMS automation achieves impressive open rates (up to 98%) and response rates (up to 5%), outperforming other channels.
When selecting an SMS marketing automation tool, businesses should look for features like an easy-to-use interface, advanced automation capabilities, efficient segmentation, conversational messaging options, integration with other tools, scalability, MMS capabilities, compliance with regulations, drip campaign functionality, robust analytics, and professional customer support.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SMS marketing presents a powerful opportunity for businesses to engage their audience effectively. By building a robust subscriber list, crafting compelling campaigns, tracking performance metrics, and leveraging automation tools, companies can unlock the full potential of this high-impact channel. Delivering timely, personalized messages directly to customers' mobile devices offers a unique advantage in today's fast-paced and highly connected world.
However, success in SMS marketing hinges on adhering to best practices, respecting customer preferences, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. By prioritizing valuable content, clear calls to action, and strategic timing, businesses can foster strong customer relationships and drive tangible results. An effective SMS marketing strategy is an invaluable asset in any modern marketing toolkit, enabling businesses to stay connected, engage their audience, and achieve their marketing goals.
FAQs
How can I establish an SMS service for my business?
To initiate an SMS service for your company, you need to collect your customers' phone numbers or have access to a relevant database to contact your target audience. It's crucial to obtain GDPR-compliant permissions to send SMS messages to your customers.
What are the steps to configure automated SMS for my business?
To set up automated text messages for your business, follow these five simple steps:
- Register with an automated text message service.
- Upload your list of contacts who have opted in.
- Expand your text marketing list using keywords and sign-up forms.
- Craft your automated text message.
- Plan and dispatch your automated text messages.
What is the process for developing an SMS marketing strategy?
Creating a successful SMS marketing strategy involves several key steps:
- Set clear goals and objectives.
- Gain a deep understanding of your target audience.
- Compile a high-quality list of subscribers.
- Segment your subscriber list for targeted communication.
- Develop engaging and impactful content.
- Determine the optimal timing for sending messages.
- Continuously test and refine your strategy.
- Always ensure you have consent from your subscribers.
What is the appropriate way to send a business text message to someone for the first time?
When sending an inaugural business text message, adhere to these six tips:
- Introduce yourself and your business.
- Confirm and document the recipient's opt-in consent, if not already done.
- Clarify the purpose of texting and how customers can benefit from it.
- Avoid unnecessary mentions of third-party services like Textline.
- Encourage a response to engage the recipient.
- Suggest that the customer save your number for future communication.