Smart businesses are using SMS marketing, also called text message marketing, to get the edge on competition. Getting the attention of potential customers has become a battle of technology. Companies using the latest digital marketing channels and techniques are finding and targeting consumers where they hang out the most – on their mobile phones. This is one of the main SMS marketing benefits.

Why use SMS marketing?

SMS marketing is a great way for businesses to connect with customers. It’s personal, direct, and fast. And it’s a great way to reach people who might not see your other marketing messages. You don’t need any special skills or training to start texting your customers.

Businesses can send messages to specific groups of customers, or tailor your message to each individual. This makes your communications more relevant and engaging, and helps you build better relationships with your customers.

There are many providers that make it easy for anyone to set up SMS campaigns and start messaging customers. As long as you’re familiar with a few basics of SMS marketing, you’re ready to jump in.

SMS marketing benefits

1. Personalized messages: With SMS marketing, you can send highly personalized messages to your existing customers. You can include their name, purchase history, and other information in the message to make it more relevant to them, which can increase customer loyalty.

2. Timely messages: SMS marketing allows you to send messages in real-time, so you can take advantage of opportunities as they happen. For example, if you’re running a sale or promotion, you can quickly send a text message to your customers to let them know.

3. Increased engagement: text message marketing can help you boost customer engagement and loyalty. By sending timely, relevant messages, you can keep your customers engaged with your brand.

4. Higher conversion rates: SMS marketing can also lead to higher conversion rates. Because SMS messages are so personal and direct, they can prompt customers to take action, such as making a purchase or scheduling an appointment.

5. Cost-effective: SMS marketing is a very effective way to reach the right audience at a low cost, especially small businesses. It can be much cheaper, often just a few cents, than other marketing methods, such as Google ads or traditional advertising. It is also more personal than even social media.

6. Low spam rate: Since it’s permission-based, another benefit of SMS marketing is the low spam rate – only 3% of text messages are marked as spam. This means you don’t have to worry about upsetting a customer base or complaints of unwanted messages.

Three main types of SMS marketing campaigns

1. Automated text messages are pre-written and sent out in a series. They can be used to send customers promotional content, or to keep them updated on new products or services.

2. One-time messages are sent as one-off communications and are often used for time-sensitive offers or announcements.

3. Triggered messages are sent in response to an action taken by the customer, such as opting in to a service or making a purchase.

SMS marketing best practices

When it comes to text marketing, there are a few best practices to keep in mind in order to ensure success. First, make sure your content is relevant to your audience. Keep the tone of your messages conversational and be sure to use keywords that will resonate with your subscribers. Additionally, make sure your messages are brief and to the point — no one wants to read a novel on their mobile phone! Finally, always give subscribers the option to opt out of future communications.

SMS marketing regulations

When it comes to mobile marketing, there are a few regulations you need to be aware of. The first is that you need to include a disclaimer in the first text message you send. This disclaimer should let your recipients know that msg & data rates may apply.

Another regulation to be aware of is that you can only send SMS marketing messages to people who have opted-in to receive them. This means that you can’t just add people’s cell numbers to your SMS marketing list without their permission.

Many, if not all, text message providers make it easy to comply with these and other SMS marketing regulations. They often automatically include the required disclaimer in all of the texts.

Disadvantages of SMS marketing

While SMS marketing does have its benefits, it does have a few disadvantages that you should be aware of before you start using this type of marketing.

First, your messages can have a character limit. This means that you can’t really include any rich media in your messages, such as audio or image files. Secondly, because of the way SMS messages are delivered, there is a chance that your message could get broken up into several smaller messages, which could bombard the recipient with multiple notifications.

Another big disadvantage: It’s easy to block unknown numbers. This means that any texts that don’t come from a saved contact will be filtered into a spam folder where the customer may never even realize it’s there.

This can be a major issue for businesses who rely on SMS marketing to reach mobile phone users. If customers are constantly blocking unknown numbers, they may never see your messages. One way to avoid being blocked is to use a short code. They are typically used by businesses and organizations, so customers are more likely to recognize them.

As already explained, one of the many text marketing benefits is its cost effectiveness. However, the money can add up quickly if you are sending messages to a large number of people. Finally, because SMS messages are so personal, they can sometimes come across as intrusive or unwanted, which could turn off potential customers.

Keep these disadvantages in mind before you start using SMS marketing for your business. While there are several benefits of SMS marketing, it comes with some potential downsides that you should be aware of.

If you’re not using text message marketing, you’re missing out on a powerful marketing tool that can help you reach and engage your customers. With email marketing mostly dead, social media getting more restrictive and robo phone calls annoying, it’s probably a good idea to start looking at the benefits of SMS marketing for your business. Start using SMS marketing today to boost your businesses’ sales and get the edge on your competition.