How Does SMS Marketing Work?

What is SMS marketing?

SMS marketing, commonly referred to as text message marketing, is a marketing strategy that involves sending clients or potential consumers promotional or informative messages by text message.

Companies can use SMS marketing to send customers customised and targeted messages like alerts, updates, reminders for appointments, and promotions. Due to the fact that text messages are frequently viewed shortly after being received, SMS marketing is an efficient technique to swiftly and directly target clients.

There are two main types of texts you usually send via SMS, which are:

1. Campaign Texts / Bulk SMS Marketing
   In SMS marketing, the term “campaign texts” refers to scheduled and targeted messages that are a part of a broader marketing effort. These messages aim to improve sales, engagement, or the promotion of a good or service.

2. Transactional Texts
   Transactional texts are texts that are sent in response to a specific consumer action, such as a purchase, an appointment request, or an account update. These messages, which are often automated, give the customer crucial details about their transaction.

How does SMS marketing work? 

Sending text messages to clients or potential consumers who have chosen to receive marketing texts from a business is how SMS marketing operates. The fundamental steps in SMS marketing are listed below:

1. Accumulate a list of subscribers: It is important to understand that people must first opt-in before you’re able to send them marketing text messages, so as a business you must first obtain permission. This can be done by offering incentives or promotions in exchange for the consumer to opt-in and receive your SMS marketing. You can also include a checkbox on a website or physical form where customers can choose to opt-in.
2. Pick a platform: Businesses can utilise a variety of SMS marketing solutions to control their text messaging campaigns. These platforms can be used to manage subscribers, send messages, and monitor the success of campaigns.
3. Develop an effective marketing strategy: Companies should create a strategy outlining the objectives of their SMS marketing campaign, the kinds of messages they’ll send, and how frequently they’ll send them. Your audience should also be taken into consideration to get the full potential out of your messages, such as their demographic and personalised messaging for them.
4. Create creative content: Short, clear, and engaging text messages should be used by businesses. A call-to-action (CTA) that encourages the receiver to take action, such as buying something or going to a website, should be included in messages.
5. Send targeted and personalised messages:  With their selected SMS marketing platform, firms may schedule and send messages to their subscriber list after creating the content. These lists should be selective and be relevant for your messages, it is best to segment your audience to get the most impact out of your marketing and make your content more personal to that specific audience.
6. Analyse results: To identify what is working and what can be improved, businesses should track and analyse their SMS marketing programme. Monitoring open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates can be used to achieve this.

7 benefits of SMS marketing

1. High open rates: SMS messages have a very high open rate, usually higher than email marketing. This means that most of the recipients that you send your messages to will  read the message and your content will get across effectively.
2. Cost-effective: When compared to other forms of marketing, SMS marketing is quite affordable. It is an appealing alternative for small enterprises because it needs little time and financial investment.
3. Improved consumer relationships: By giving customers useful information, updates, and offers, SMS marketing can aid companies in improving relationships with their clients.
4. Increased sales: Customers that receive SMS promotions are more likely to make a purchase, therefore SMS marketing is found to increase sales.
5. High engagement: Most SMS message recipients respond to them within minutes, and they have a high engagement rate. You are also able to add links to get the readers to engage with your other platforms such as your app or website.
6. Targeted marketing: Businesses can target particular client groups with SMS marketing based on their preferences, activity, and geography. You are able to reach segmented lists of your audience to get maximum engagement and even personalise your content to that demographic.
7. Instant delivery: As SMS messages are rapidly delivered, you can be sure that your message will go to the intended recipient quickly.

5 Tips for SMS marketing

1 Get permission: Always make sure you have the recipient’s permission to send your messages as it is a legal requirement in many countries and also good practice.

2 Personalisation: Personalising your content can increase the effectiveness of your SMS marketing. Using elements such as the recipient’s name and tailoring the content to their interests or preference can make them feel like it is a personal message to them and boost engagement rates.

3 Call-to-action: Always use a clear call-to-action within your SMS messaging. This could range from an offer such as a coupon code, a request for a response or even a link to your website or social media.

4 Use the data: It is important to always test your SMS campaigns and then analyse the results which can help to improve your future campaigns. Take the data from previous campaigns to know what is working well and what to improve, causing you to improve your SMS marketing each time.

5 Keep it short: SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, therefore it is important to keep it short, effective and concise to get the maximum impact out of your message. Make sure you know what your customer is wanting to hear and include an appropriate call-to-action.

Are you looking for effective SMS marketing solutions?

In conclusion, SMS marketing can serve as an extremely powerful tool for companies trying to establish a direct and personal connection with their audience. Your clients can receive timely and tailored messages from you offering goods, services, and limited-time deals.

SMS marketing can be a useful tool in your marketing toolbox for both small business owners and marketing professionals at larger organisations, enabling you to connect with clients in fresh and interesting ways. If you’re looking for effective SMS marketing solutions, contact us today to start connecting with your audience with careful planning and execution.