The market for Short Message Service i˳e˳ SMS is booming˳ As per a recent report approximately 73% of US adults send text messages˳ The study showed that people in the U˳S˳ increasingly prefer SMS over voice calls˳ Such and more statistics present marketers with enormous opportunities for bulk SMS marketing˳
Mass text message marketing is unfortunately a highly abused marketing medium˳ To fully leverage the power of this effective marketing channel, it is important for businesses to follow certain guidelines˳ Read on to know more:
Bulk SMS Marketing: 6 SMS Marketing Best Practices
1˳ Get Permission: Begin by having users to opt in˳ It’s important to make sure the consumer has agreed to receive text messages from you via prior keyword opt-in or web opt-in˳ Getting permission is one of the safest options to build a valuable bulk SMS database˳ Make it easy for customers to join your SMS marketing list˳ And make certain they know how often to expect messages from you˳
2˳ Use a simple code: It’s always a good idea to work with an easy-to-memorize short code˳ You don’t want it a pain for your customers to remember your code˳ Small businesses can find it a tad too expensive to acquire dedicated short codes˳ Sharing codes with non-competitors can help in such cases˳
3˳ Keep the message direct: Avoid the temptation of including all the details of your great offer in just 140 characters˳ An effective SMS ad copy just lets the customer know “what’s in for them”˳ Most effective messages use simple plain language employing only well-known texting shortcuts to avoid ambiguity˳
4˳ Keep the message relevant: The relevancy factor cannot be over-emphasized˳ Even if you come up with the most creative ad copy, it doesn’t matter if it’s not relevant to your customer˳ Segmentation and targeting come into picture here˳ Take into account major demographics and your target group while crafting your SMS message˳
5˳ Keep it personal: SMS marketing presents a unique chance to build a long-lasting relationship with your customers via personalized messages˳ Using the subscriber’s first name in your SMS message is an impressive way to make your customers feel necessary, special and valuable˳
6˳ Time it: And even if you form the most creative, relevant, exciting SMS message ever, it doesn’t matter if it’s not timed right˳ A text message sent during the day while people are busy may not get the same response as one sent at a more appropriate time˳ Are messages sent in early morning or late-night text effective? Timings depend on the characteristics/preferences of your target audience˳ Continual testing for timing is an ideal way to find the “right” time˳
To Conclude:
Sending bulk SMS is perfect for harnessing the power of “local” market˳ Location-based marketing is a booming industry already˳ A Google study showed that close to 90% of searches are for local businesses˳ Mobile SMS marketing is a great way to connect personally with customers and offer them “instant” value, “locally”˳
With SMS marketing it is important to see the “big picture”˳
When businesses send bulk SMS online it may not always result in a sale˳ However, and very importantly, it is a part of the big plot˳ Bulk SMS marketing may be used for generating leads, public relations, or customer education˳ Remember – Never lose focus of your reason for sending out an SMS˳
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