Businesses are adding text messaging to the marketing mix without taking proper contemplation of all the factors that can make or break the attempt for successful marketing.
As text is still thought to be a personal form of communication, so the possibility of being seen as an uninvited spammer is very high, which is why it is essential to fit in a few fundamental principles into your plan to make sure you get the best possible results.
Below are some practices which an organization should adhere to when designing an SMS campaign:
- It is important to consider what relationship you or your company has with the recipient. You should start with a “Hello!” in SMS marketing because basic manners are important for impressions.
- To avoid having an undesirable response, you ought to have a reputable relationship with the recipient.
- Just like snail mail or email, if the letter is addressed to someone individually she/he is more liable to read it than a message which calls out a “home owner” or “customer.”
- Text messages should always be short, simple and personal. You should find another medium of market if what you want to say is none of those things.
- You can only know your target audience if you know what they will find valuable and when.
- Messages must not be used for billboard style advertising. Include a call to action with a special deal or request for response.
- Regular consumers love to get special coupons for a product or service so, indulge them. A beauty salon offering 20 percent off of all waxing and tanning appointments made that week, is a great example.
- Don’t forget to consider the timing of your message and be insightful to the activity of daily life. A message sent during the times of a day when people are preoccupied will not get the attention you are looking for.
- Common short codes are numbers that are shorter than phone numbers and controlled by corporations to send and receive messages.
- Nothing is more exasperating to individuals than to constantly receive promotional messages when they are just not fascinated by them.
Whilst it might be easy to set up an account, draft a message and send it to a bunch of people, just like any other successful marketing campaign, understanding your audience and how they wish to receive information is the key to achieve your marketing goals.