SMS Marketing 101: Everything You Need to Know

Sending promotional or educational text messages to clients' mobile phones is known as SMS marketing, often called text message marketing. Because it may help raise brand recognition, create leads, and boost sales, SMS marketing has grown in popularity among companies of all sizes and sectors.

Everything you need to know about SMS marketing, including its advantages, best practices, and how to get started, will be covered in this article.

Benefits of SMS Marketing

High Open Rates

The exceptionally high open rates of SMS marketing are one of its main benefits. Text messages are virtually always viewed by the receiver, unlike emails, which can quickly be lost in a packed inbox or flagged as spam. 98% of all text messages are opened, and 90% are read within three minutes, according to research by MobileSquared. SMS marketing may be a very efficient approach to reach your target demographic with your message.

Instant Communication

Instantaneous connection with your clients is another advantage of SMS marketing. Because text messages are nearly rapidly delivered and received, you can swiftly get crucial messages, deals, or promotions in front of your audience. Given that you can send a message and nearly instantly observe results, this may be very helpful for time-sensitive offerings like flash sales or limited-time discounts.

Cost-Effective

SMS marketing is less costly than other types of advertising, and text messaging is far less expensive than running a radio or TV commercial, creating leaflets, or using direct mail. 

Because of this, SMS marketing is a fantastic choice for small companies or startups with tight marketing resources. Further reducing the cost, SMS resellers may assist organizations in sending bulk text messages at cheap rates.

Best Practices for SMS Marketing

Get Permission

It's critical to obtain consent from clients before sending them any text messages. This may be accomplished by sending a keyword to a short code or requesting clients opt-in to your SMS marketing program via a sign-up form. This ensures you only communicate with those who want to hear from you.

Additionally, several nations, including the United States, have laws requiring businesses to obtain customer consent before sending them text messages. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is the name for these regulations.

Be Concise and Straightforward

Since there is a character limit on texts, it's important to be succinct and to the point. The clarity of your message and its accompanying call to action is essential. Slang, acronyms, and emojis should not be used since they can be confusing or may not appear correctly on all devices. 

Consider adding the receiver's name or past purchase information to personalize your messages and make them feel more relevant to the recipient.

Personalize Your Messages

Your SMS marketing messages may be more successful if they are personalized. Use customers' names or other personal information to make your messages more personalized and targeted. 

In addition, you should think about dividing your audience into several groups and communicating with each of those groups in a manner specific to that group's preferences, activities, or demographics.

Getting Started with SMS Marketing

Choose a Platform

You must select a platform that enables you to send and manage your text messages before you can begin using SMS marketing. SMS marketing systems range in price, functionality, and number of users. It is essential to examine many SMS marketing platforms to choose the one that best fits your business's needs, limits, and goals.

Build Your Audience

After selecting a platform, the next stage is to grow your SMS marketing audience. You may advertise your SMS marketing campaign on your website, social media accounts, and in-store. To entice people to sign up for your program, consider providing an incentive, such as a discount or access to special material. Additionally, be sure to have the consent to send text messages from clients and their cell phone numbers.

Create Your Campaign

Now that you know your target, it's time to implement your SMS marketing strategy. This procedure involves three steps: writing your message, selecting the recipients, and determining when the message will be sent. The best practices we've already highlighted, such as the value of personalization, clarity, and a clear call to action, should be kept in mind while you build your campaign.

Conclusion

SMS marketing may be an efficient technique for companies to connect quickly, directly, and affordably with their target audience. Businesses may design successful SMS marketing programs encouraging interaction, providing leads, and increasing sales by adhering to best practices and selecting the appropriate platform. 

Your SMS marketing efforts should be tested and improved over time, just like any other marketing technique, to ensure they achieve the required outcomes.