How to Run a Successful Text Message Marketing Campaign
Social notifications from friends, family, work, and marketers are continually barraged on consumers. Many people turn off email and other social network alerts as a result of these disturbances. Sending a text message is necessary if you want to promote in real time. But for an SMS campaign to be effective—one that uses text message marketing Campaign as the main channel for connecting with current clients—it must be planned, lawful, and provide verifiable leads.
According to Luke Wilson, chief revenue officer of EZ Texting, text messages seem more personal than other types of marketing since they are sent to recipients’ mobile devices. Without having to spend more money on additional technology, labour, printing, or media purchases, texting enables companies to do many of the same tasks as conventional media.
However, not everyone likes text message marketing, so businesses using it must make sure their messages are relevant and useful rather than obtrusive and spammy (or worse, illegal). With your communications, it’s simple to tilt the scales and alienate listeners. Here’s how to use texting in your digital marketing plan without upsetting your target audience.
What is text message marketing?
Text message marketing is the continual practice of sharing pertinent information with your clients through SMS (short messaging service) text messages on their mobile devices, such as company news, sales, or promotions. It is a specific kind of digital marketing technique that promotes brand recognition on a more individualized basis. Prior to starting to SMS customers, you must have their consent to do so.
You may send bulk messages to customer or audience segments, or you can send customized messages to further tailor the experience. By using this strategy, you may circumvent other marketing noise like social media advertisements and email marketing efforts and reach customers straight on their phones.
How does text message marketing work?
With text message marketing, you may follow the sales process using a database of your clients’ names, mobile phone numbers, and other details (geographic location, customer categories, and customer interests).
Text message marketing targets a specific audience.
The more data you have on hand and the more precise your consumer groups are, the better. This is true for every marketing attempt. The finest text message marketing is highly tailored and aimed toward a particular target group, similar to how Facebook advertising target individuals within a specified region, by age, and by hobbies.
You may be as detailed as possible and reach out to your clients where they are—on their smartphones—by using SMS marketing. You may create more deep relationships with users and engagements with qualified prospects by expressing your marketing messaging to a focused audience.
Text message marketing acts as part of an overall marketing campaign.
The most crucial thing for marketers to keep in mind when it comes to mobile marketing is that it should be a component of a larger marketing strategy. By definition, mobile marketing refers to marketing that uses technological and digital means rather than printed materials to target mobile consumers. No business should begin text message marketing without a strategy for how it will all work together to reach new clients.
Not all marketing situations call for text messaging. Marketers could utilise it for things like a delivery status, a follow-up message when you download a certain mobile app or programme, a receipt of purchase, or an exclusive discount, recommends Yoni Ben-Yehuda, director of business development at Material Good. Only companies whose target market favours this method of communication may successfully use text message marketing.
According to Ben-Yehuda, “A text is more personal than an email, so if you’re approaching the user and they haven’t heard of you… you’ll probably be deemed spam.” Offering users material through text might be effective if they recognize your brand and are acquainted with your business or items.
The many mobile marketing channels, such as SMS, social media, email, and others, should all work in harmony with one another to improve your business’s total mobile marketing strategy.
How do I set up text advertising?
If done correctly, text message marketing is a distinctive and efficient approach to communicate with your current clientele. To avoid breaking Federal Communications Commission rules, you must first get the legal authorization to SMS your consumers.
As soon as you get your clients’ consent, make sure your SMS messages are relevant to your business and helpful to them rather than bothersome or invasive. These actions can help your SMS campaign increase brand recognition and keep your goods and services in the forefront of your clients’ minds.
When sending bulk SMS, some businesses create their own database for text message marketing and sometimes use a third-party provider like Twilio for the actual transmission. Of course, a small company or startup may use their own campaign and send group messages to engage in SMS marketing.
To manage part of the database collecting, legal concerns, and actual text message transmissions, businesses often collaborate with an SMS text messaging service like Twilio, TrueDialog, Trumpia, or Simple Texting. These businesses may provide you a price for text message marketing and bulk SMS campaigns based on your client segmentation and demographics.
Additionally, in addition to offering straightforward database collecting and transmission, SMS marketing software from businesses like EZ Texting and Braze offers other services. This sort of marketing automation may be used to plan a campaign and monitor its performance.
Who regulates SMS text message marketing?
The Federal Communications Commission
You must be aware of the FCC’s severe rules on message transmission and consumer permission before you send any text messages to customers. The crucial thing to remember is that text message marketing is not something you set up randomly and bombard potential clients with.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act
The TCPA safeguards consumers against unsolicited bulk text messages and is quite strict about how such messages may be sent. The most crucial step is getting each customer’s signed authorization.
The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association
Although you won’t find the same amount of legal rules as you would with the FCC and the TCPA, the CTIA is a trade organization that offers guidelines and practical advice on text message marketing.
Text message marketing best practices
Your text message marketing campaign is prepared to start. Here are some recommendations for success.
Get permission.
Over time, text message marketing has changed. In the beginning, sending unwanted SMS to individuals was frowned upon ethically, but some businesses still did it.
These days, unless you have specific authorization, it is prohibited under FCC regulations. It’s no longer acceptable to buy a large database of phone numbers and send messages to all of them. In fact, doing so may be in breach of FCC regulations, which is punishable by a steep fine and other consequences.
Prior to sending customers text messages, you must have their express authorization, just as with email marketing. You’ll not only be communicating with a group of people who are receptive to this kind of marketing, but you’ll also spare those who are not.
According to Ben-Yehuda, you should only use text messaging as a marketing tool if the client or prospective client has given their consent and provided you with their phone number. Users may unsubscribe from your communications and you run the risk of losing their trust if you contact them without their consent.
In order for customers to text a certain term to a short code and opt in for specials, notifications, and more, Wilson advocated employing a keyword campaign to expand your list. As an example, he suggested asking customers to “text TRY to 858585 for a demo,” where TRY is the keyword and 858585 is the code.
Keep texts short and to the point.
The messages you send to contacts should be succinct, concise, and easy to understand. If you send long messages on a regular basis, people won’t bother reading them and will decide not to receive communications from you in the future.
The character restriction for SMS messages is 160, so it’s a good idea to capture their attention, get your marketing message through, and end with a CTA all in 160 characters or fewer. There is no need for superfluous fluff when telling clients about mobile coupons, for instance. Instead, grab their attention with an engaging welcome or opener before relaying the relevant information and describing how to get the discounts.
Don’t bombard users.
While it may be tempting to share every announcement or promotion pertaining to your company, be careful not to overdo your SMS advertising. Text messages are more difficult for customers to simply ignore than a billboard or social media campaign. They will unsubscribe if they get an excessive number of mails from your company.
Instead, plan your text message marketing strategy so that you only send SMS when absolutely essential and to an adequate amount of clients.
Add value.
Above all things, make sure the information you provide with customers via marketing text messages is relevant and enhances their experience with your business.
When you’re prepared to contact your list, consider messaging that your contacts will appreciate, said Wilson. “Your subscribers should be pleased to get coupons, incentives, and sneak peeks,” the author writes.
Smart businesses provide customers with the kind of communication they are used to with their peer groups and social circles, according to Joseph Anthony, founder and CEO of the millennial-focused marketing firm Hero Collective.
In addition to promotional offers, he stated, “providing meaningful information can foster a sense of expectation and surprise.” “Brands need to approach text message marketing in the same way they approach participating in discussions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They must consider ways to provide value without being invasive so that what they provide is comparable to what customers may get from [their friends].
Send texts at appropriate times.
Make sure your customers don’t experience excessive message volume at odd hours or subscription lock-in. Pay great attention to the timing of your message scheduling (e.g., during the day versus late at night). If you send SMS at opportune times, customers can believe you’re being invasive or even unprofessional.
Wilson advises messaging during regular business hours and being upfront with clients about what they may anticipate from your programme. In this manner, no one will be annoyed by your SMS marketing, and fewer individuals would feel compelled to respond “STOP.”
Offer an unsubscribe option.
The last thing you want to think about is your audience choosing not to participate in your programme, but making it simple for them to do so may encourage them to sign up for your SMS right away.
Wilson suggests making it simple for people to opt out whenever they want. You may give them the choice to opt out by giving them a link to click or by asking them to respond “STOP” to your message.
