Mobile Marketing has several elements. Mobile web sites, voice, mobile ads, location base, blue tooth proximity and text messaging/SMS. Text messaging is the King of them all. You may ask why is this. There are several reasons. First and foremost, text messages have a 98% read rate. Think about it. Every time you receive a text you read it. Text messages are used to communicate quick and important messages. When you hear the message alert you feel a sense of urgency to view it. Secondly, text messages are short and simple unlike lengthy emails. I know if I view my text message it will take about 10 seconds of my time to read. If I am in a meeting I can take a quick peak and no one will even notice. Finally, text messaging is a part of most of our lives. It is inevitable, someone will probably text you today. Maybe your kids, your spouse, a co-worker or a friend. Guess what! You will view that text today.
As a business how can you ignore the power of using text messages to reach your customers. Remember when the web first gained its popularity. No one knew the power it possessed. Today if you don’t have a web site for your business you are losing potential customers daily. Well that’s where mobile marketing is headed. Early adopters will already have taken your potential customers because they have taken advantage of this tool early on.
There are many benefits to text message campaigns. Today I will give you 4 of them.
1. Permission based
This means your target audience wants to receive your message because they have to opt-in to receive it. Consumers today will no-longer tolerate spam of any kind. They will block your message or worst sue you. Unlike the internet mobile phones are regulated. The Mobile Marketing Association and the mobile carriers govern campaigns with strict rules. Consumers love this. This will make them more eager to opt-in knowing you have limits to the messages you send them. Businesses should feel good that their customers want to hear from them. So don’t take advantage of them. Send a max of 4 messages a week. Make the message worth it to the customer. Give them something like a coupon, sale announcement, tips or valuable information. If you don’t they will opt-out.
2. Allow you to deliver timely and informative content
Check your pocket or your hip. Guess what? You have your mobile phone there or close by. So do your customers or target audience. This means you can send them alerts such as a 1 day sale starting in 10 minutes. Turn that slow day into a herd of customers. If you own a Karate school you can send parents a text that school is canceled today (timely & informative).
3. Drive customer interaction.
Through offers and promotions Landline Texting messages can allow you to connect with your customers. For example a local ice cream parlor can have a text to vote campaign on their newest flavors.
Sample: Help us decide which flavor is the best. Reply mudpie, bannabuzz or chubbyhubby
Thanks for your help – Baskin Robins
This type of campaign allows customers to have fun with the brand and feel like they are a part of your decision process. You can also do a survey on your service.
Sample: How is our service? Reply excellent, fair, or poor
Thanks for your Input – (Your Company)
4. Has a high return on investment (ROI)
Traditional forms of marketing such as radio, TV and direct marketing have a low ROI. Text message campaigns have a 92% opt- in rate compared to 25% for email campaigns. This is why I have crowned text message campaigns the King. In business its about the bottom line. SMS campaigns are low in cost and high in impact. Even with these facts you still need some traditional forms of marketing to promote your text message campaigns.