From friends and family to co-workers and professional contacts, our networks have now expanded to a new social circle: brands via text message marketing.
U.K. Direct Marketing Association and Velti’s 2012 survey found that consumers were more hesitant to open up their text message inbox to marketing messages. Now, consumers are more welcoming to text message marketing as long as the messages are relevant and personalized. In a 2014 Hipcricket survey, 41 percent of U.S. consumers admitted they’d share more information with brands via mobile if there was incentive to receive offers.
Mobile devices are an important platform for businesses to target unique audiences when their phone number has been provided because they’re always within arm’s reach of consumers.
Depending on the subject of your content and the user’s interest, text message marketing can be a premium platform for your business.
Why Market Your Brand With Texts
To market in real-time, sending text messages are the way to go. Unlike turning off notifications for email and other social networks, nearly everyone will continue to receive text messages.
Sending text messages will sort of take over by appearing on the user’s home screen, allowing for more impressions. When businesses use location-based text messages in real time, these campaigns are significantly more successful. These provide users with the most value as they are related to timely events versus a general message that doesn’t consider location. In addition, text messages are also being sent to a captive audience that must read your message when it’s sent to their mobile device.
Mastering Text Message Marketing
While effective, text message marketing isn’t for every company. Examine your products and services, and then see if it offers connection between your company and your audience. There’s a fine line between coming off as helpful or as spam. It’s up to you to determine whether or not you fall into the latter category becoming more of an annoyance to your customers.
Here are three tips to successful text message marketing:
Get permission. Don’t risk losing your credibility by sending your consumers text messages without their consent. This approach will only hurt your brand.
Examine your marketing scenario. Try using text messages for receipts of purchase, special discounts, a secondary message after users download an app, etc. In the same boat as email marketing, don’t oversaturate your consumer’s inbox. Consider timing, don’t use wordy language, and always keep your message relevant.
Don’t be self-serving. Your company’s message should be relevant and add value to your consumer’s experience. The wisest brands that use text message marketing effectively will not be intrusive. Instead, their messages flow naturally as they do among peers and social circles.
