It’s not often you see a person without a cellphone in hand, or at least a cell phone within reach. This is why text message marketing has become an incredibly popular and effective way to market products and services to customers. Audiences are extremely receptive to text message marketing according to recent statistics. These statistics reveal that over 90% of these texts are opened, giving text message marketing an unparalleled open rate across the board. Having an email address, or an app to allow you to see emails on your phone are optional features. Unlike the text messaging feature that is pre-installed into every cellphone by default. Here are a few quick tips for your next text message campaign!
1. Catch Their Attention, But Don’t Be Annoying About It
Once an individual has opted into receiving regular updates via text message you want to avoid taking advantage of that fact. This is why it’s important to make your messages short, sweet, and attention catching. This is when humor and other clever marketing quips will come in handy.
2. Give the Option to Opt Out
Whether they use this option or not, customers appreciate knowing that they’re not trapped in something if they don’t want to be. That being said, make your opt-out process simple. You will likely get a lot of negative feedback from customers if they can’t easily opt out of continuing to receive text messages from you.
3. Get Their Permission
No one enjoys being bombarded with unsolicited text messages, especially from a business or service. Proper digital etiquette involves getting permission from the individual to send them text messages. You are more likely to be successful if your target audience willingly opts in for your text messages, rather than trying to hook new customers by sending texts randomly.
4. Converse in Real-Time
The beauty of text messaging is that it gives individuals the ability to chat in real time. Often, when someone receives a text message from a company or service it appears to have been sent by a robot or some other automated system. Consider connecting with your audience on a different level and offer the option for them to text you back in regard to the message that you just sent out. Giving the customer the ability to give you feedback in real time gives them the impression that they are talking with a real person rather than a robot. A person who is interested in hearing their feedback, in order to make improvements on a product or service.
5. Use Relevant Keywords
Since it’s been established that you’ll want to keep your text messages short and simple, keyword choice is very important. These keywords can be used in the main message as well as incorporated into the shortcode that recipients can reply to your message with.
6. Use Unique Short Code
Shortcode, a simple 5-6-character code used in text message marketing allows customers to interact with the messages they’ve received. Shortcodes can be used when sending out a time-sensitive campaign, to give your customer the option to save the deal to be used before the campaign expires.
7. Track and Measure Your Progress
With certain text messaging programs made for digital marketers, you are given the option to review the performance statistics behind each of your campaigns. Giving you the ability to see what is and isn’t working so that you can make alterations where necessary. That way you can stay on top of creating content that has worked best with your audience.
When working as a digital marketer, keeping up with the times and adapting accordingly is a crucial part of the job. Cell phones consume more than half of a person’s awake time each day. Sending your marketing campaigns in text messages can be one of the most effective ways to get your message to your audience when done correctly.