3 Key SMS Messaging Tips - This Oldie May Be a Goodie for Reaching Your Customers
Consumers’ love affair with their
mobile devices is in no danger of slowing down. Our smartphones are constantly
at our fingertips and we spend nearly
five hours accessing them each day—making a simple text message an
ideal method for capturing your customers’ attention. Additionally, open rates for mobile messages far
outpace that of email because SMS is easy-to-use and can be done
while on-the-go, leading to an almost instant payoff.
So, we know that SMS is an
effective and accessible channel, but MarketingProfs cautions that there are
three important considerations to keep in mind when using text messaging to reach
your audience.
Be Personal
Make your customers feel special.
Personalize your messaging whenever possible, send special offers for
birthdays, recognize loyal customers, or invite them to exclusive events. If
your database or CRM allows you to track past purchases, reference those
details in future communications. Encourage an ongoing relationship by being personal and
direct—the simple act of the (required) opt-in lets you open the
door to further conversation.
Be Relevant
Always tailor your messaging to
your audience. Just as in any other medium, irrelevant content will turn the
customer off and can lead to opt-outs. Segment your target audience as much as
possible to ensure that your SMS text content resonates
with recipients. Consider how your messaging should differ by
gender, age, interest, prior actions they have taken or purchases they made,
etc.
Be Timely
Make sure you’re messaging your
audience when they will be interested, awake and receptive. Look at your
existing data: when do your customers view your current communications? Is
there a better day or time to reach them? Depending on who you are sending your
SMS messages to, consider whether they will be online during business hours or
if they are likely to be free on weekends. Also look at other demographic
indicators (age, location) to determine if they are they likely to be awake and
active when you are sending your messages. And unless it makes sense for your
customers, don’t message on holidays—and never SPAM your audience.
SMS messaging is inexpensive, convenient and
likely to be viewed by nearly everyone with a mobile device. Audiences are
typically receptive to responsible texting since they are already on their
phones anyway. Integrated marketers looking for that ‘holy grail’ of simplified
communication may find that SMS is an effective way of reaching even the most
selective of consumers because it doesn’t require much more than typing in a
brief code to subscribe or unsubscribe.