Traditionally, was the primary communication channel to engage with prospects and customers. While other channels, like social media and company websites, could also attract target audiences, many organizations turn to SMS to outpace the competition and stay on top of new marketing strategies.
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SMS marketing differs from other traditional and digital advertising methods because it offers a direct line of communication to customers. With an SMS strategy, businesses can reach out to customers directly, engage in meaningful conversations with them and update them on new products or business news quickly and effectively.
Explore the main benefits that SMS marketing can bring to businesses.
1. Increased reach
SMS marketing is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes, as it enables them to reach a much larger customer base than traditional methods of advertising.
With SMS marketing, organizations can send text messages directly to prospects' and customers' mobile phones, which gives them increased access to audiences that were previously difficult or expensive to target. This direct communication targets users where they are on a regular basis.
2. Higher engagement
Higher engagement is a substantial benefit of SMS marketing. If marketers target and send text messages directly to customers' mobile devices, organizations can ensure their audience will see messages in real time.
Text messages have a higher open rate than emails or other digital marketing channels, which increases the opportunity for engagement. Because text messages require little effort to read and respond to, customers are more likely to interact with them than with emails or other digital marketing methods. And, as businesses already use customer data, marketers can customize and personalize SMS marketing messages to make the content more relevant for higher engagement.
Organizations looking to gain immediate results from their marketing efforts can turn to SMS.
3. Cost-effective
Compared to traditional methods of advertising, such as radio, print or digital channels, text messages require minimal investment and marketers can send them in bulk without spending a lot of money. SMS marketing's personalization and targeting benefits help businesses avoid wasting time and money on irrelevant messages to customers outside of their target market.
Combined with higher engagement, conversion rates, sales and profits, the ROI potential from SMS marketing makes it enticing for organizations that want a reliable and low-cost method to reach out to their customers. Ultimately, this approach helps businesses get more value for their money.
4. Immediate results
Organizations looking to gain immediate results from their marketing efforts can turn to SMS. Unlike emails that can take hours or days before customers open them, they instantly receive text messages on mobile devices and often read them within minutes.
With little effort to execute and the potential for high engagement, businesses see more immediate feedback and results from these messages, and they can take advantage of their built-in immediacy.
SMS marketing and personalization are closely tied together, as personalization is a benefit of SMS marketing and brings all its benefits along too.
5. Personalization
Unlike print ads or broad advertising campaigns, text messages can take advantage of marketing's historical benefits, like being tailored to specific users based on demographics or behavior analysis. Marketers can make text messages more personalized than traditional marketing channels.
If marketers use customer data, they can customize text messages to ensure they address individual needs. This data lets organizations create more relevant and engaging messages that are more likely to resonate with recipients.
Additionally, when customers receive personalized messages from a business, it helps them feel valued and recognized by the organization, which helps build trust between them and the brand.
6. Loyalty building
If marketing teams use text messages to engage customers in meaningful conversations, they can foster long-term relationships and create a sense of loyalty. Personalized messages help businesses tailor their content to individual customers, which can show how the brand values and appreciates each person individually.
With a personalized approach, organizations can give customers discounts or promotions over text messages, which incentivizes them to return and purchase again. And, if marketers embrace SMS automation, those text messages can remind customers of upcoming events or offers to ensure the business stays top-of-mind and encourage customers to remain loyal.
7. Better for the customer
Altogether, the aforementioned benefits of SMS marketing make this approach better for the customer, compared to traditional methods. Personalized text messages with relevant offers and updates make it easy for customers to receive the latest communications from an organization. Customers can more easily open a text message they find relevant to engage with a brand, rather than emails or website searches, which often require extra steps.
Overall, SMS marketing offers customers more control over their journey, as they can easily opt in and out of marketing messages. Customers can also set their own preferences for the type of content they receive, so they can easily tailor their experiences to their individual needs with minimal effort on their part.
The average person spends five to six hours on their phones, while the average smartphone user unlocks their device around 150 times.
What the heck are we doing with our devices all day? Well, when we're not endlessly scrolling the web or social media, we're probably texting.
In , 15 million texts are sent per minute while nearly 70% of people open up a new text message within five minutes of receiving it. With endless stats like this in mind, businesses are presented numerous opportunities and touchpoints to engage their target market through SMS.
What is SMS marketing?
SMS, an acronym for "Short Message Service," is a communication channel used to send and receive text messages on mobile devices. It allows users to send brief messages, typically 160 characters, to individuals or groups instantly. Text messaging has gained immense popularity due to its simplicity, convenience, and widespread availability across different devices and networks.
On the other hand, MMS, or "Multimedia Message Service", goes beyond simple text and allows users to send multimedia content such as pictures, videos, audio files, and even formatted text.
SMS marketing allows businesses to connect with their target audience through personalized and timely text messages. It leverages the widespread use of mobile phones and the convenience of SMS to deliver promotional offers, updates, reminders, and other engaging content directly into the palm of the recipients' hands.
Integrating SMS marketing alongside and social media allows businesses to strike the right balance when it comes to timing and frequency of their messages.
SMS Marketing Usage Data & Results
Based on the compelling trends from , SMS marketing plays a crucial role for businesses in .
With 86% of business owners and marketing managers having embraced SMS marketing in the past year, it's clear that it's become an integral part of marketing strategies. What's more, 71% of those who used SMS marketing reported an increase in their SMS opt-in rates in , highlighting its effectiveness in engaging and capturing the attention of audiences across many industries.
Think people are bothered by SMS from brands? Think again. Today, the unsubscribe rate for SMS subscribers is less than 5%, demonstrating the high level of engagement and satisfaction. This is in stark contrast to marketing, where approximately 20% of subscribers leave each year.
Additionally, incorporating an SMS follow-up to an has shown to increase open rates by 20-30%, proving the effectiveness of a multi-channel approach. Lastly, SMS advertising also boasts an exceptional return on investment (ROI) of approximately $71 for every dollar spent, exceeding the estimated ROI of marketing, which stands at around $36 per dollar invested.
Are you interested in learning more about bulk sms marketing service? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
AI&#;s impact on SMS Marketing
Gone are the days of spending hours crafting the perfect SMS message. With AI-powered tools at your disposal, you can now quickly generate personalized and impactful messages that will wow your audience.
Harnessing the capabilities of AI, you can leverage customer data and insights to create tailored SMS campaigns that resonate with your recipients.
Check out HubSpot's newest AI tools. >>
How to Get Started with SMS Marketing
Editors note: To help make things clearer, we've used HubSpot's tools to illustrate best practices. However, the tips and tricks below should be applicable to a wide range of tools and products.
And while HubSpot's SMS tools may not be accessible in all regions, the valuable guidance shared in this post is applicable to other regional channels, such as , with more than 2 billion monthly active users globally.
1. Identify your SMS use case:
The key to achieving success with SMS marketing lies in effective planning. As you prepare to launch your first SMS campaign, it is essential to have a clear idea of the use case you are addressing with your messages.
By aligning your SMS strategy to the various stages of the buyer's journey, you gain a deeper understanding of the purpose behind each message and how it contributes to both your target audience's needs and your business goals. This strategic approach enables you to ensure that every SMS you send serves a specific purpose in guiding your persona towards the desired outcome.
Consider these common SMS use cases:
Informative:
- Order updates: provide real-time tracking information and keep customers informed about their purchase progress.
- Receipt confirmation: ensure customers have proof of their purchase and create a seamless customer experience.
- Product launches: generate excitement and awareness among customers for a new product.
- Brand announcements: effectively communicate important updates, new initiatives, or significant milestones to your audience.
Promotional:
- Seasonal campaigns: leverage the time-sensitive nature of holidays or specific seasons to drive customer engagement, boost sales, and create a sense of urgency.
- Loyalty programs: nurture customer relationships, reward loyalty, and promote continued engagement and brand advocacy.
- Event management: effectively communicate event details, updates, and reminders to attendees for a seamless and organized event experience.
Customer Service:
- Timely support: providing quick and convenient assistance to customers.
- Onboarding flows: guide new customers through the process of getting started and ensure successful user adoption.
Sales
- Marketing to sales handoff: seamlessly transfer leads or prospects from the marketing team to the sales team.
- Upsell/Cross sell opportunities: leverage existing customer relationships to offer additional products or services.
Non-Forbidden Messsage Categories
- If you're using HubSpot&#;s SMS tools, you should also be aware of use cases that are non-compliant due to the forbidden message categories. These regulations are upheld by most SMS service providers and are outlined by CTIA.
- If you're sending your SMS messages using HubSpot, be sure to review your use case against the forbidden message categories in order to ensure you don&#;t run the risk of being filtered or blocked.
2. Build a compliant consent process
Establishing a robust and compliant consent process is crucial for the success of your SMS campaigns, protecting you from sending messages to inappropriate contacts, which could undermine the effectiveness of your campaign and expose you to the risk of being blocked.
Depending on the specific use case you have chosen, your consent process may vary, but it should incorporate essential elements to ensure compliance and maximize results. In this section we will explore the key inputs that should be addressed in every consent process, empowering you to build a solid foundation for engaging your audience through SMS campaigns.
Gather explicit consent: Obtaining explicit consent is vital when it comes to SMS marketing, setting it apart as a highly effective and engaged channel. Explicit consent is defined as consent given when you ask an individual for permission to send them marketing materials and they agree. The recipient has to manually opt-in to receive your content through written consent, clicking a checkbox on a form, or by confirming through double opt-in.
Alternatively, implicit consent is defined as consent given when an individual gives you their address for some business purpose, but has not explicitly stated that they want to receive marketing content from you.
- Utilize opt-in terminology: Contacts have the option to opt in by using any of the three words: START, UNSTOP, or SUBSCRIBE. These keywords allow individuals to express their interest and willingly join your communication channel.
- Provide value in exchange for consent: Transparency is key, so it's important to offer your contacts something valuable in exchange for their consent. Clearly communicate the frequency of messages they can expect and define the specific content they will receive, such as order updates, exclusive discounts, or dedicated customer support. By providing this clarity and promising real value, you'll build trust and increase the likelihood of obtaining and retaining consent.
- Manage contact consent status: Leverage a comprehensive consent management tool to effectively handle and track the consent status of your contacts. This tool should enable you to efficiently manage the consent of your contacts, offering the flexibility to handle consent in bulk or manually as needed.
- Always offer opt-out: Prioritize giving your contacts the option to opt out of receiving messages.
3. Register your business for SMS.
Before sending SMS messages, it is crucial to register your business with your SMS service provider. While the specific nomenclature may vary across providers (check out HubSpot&#;s process here), the registration process typically involves following these steps:
- Register your business: Provide specific details about your business including status, website URL, registration number, and industry.
- Provide SMS details: Enter additional information about how your business intends to use SMS and manage consent. Ensuring you have properly outlined your intended use cases and consent process is vital to this step.
- Get an SMS number: Generate a number that your business will use to send SMS messages.
4. Set up your first campaign.
Create a list of contacts: Compile a list of contacts who have provided explicit consent to receive your SMS messages. It is crucial that all contacts on the list have willingly opted in to receive SMS communications from your business. If you need assistance in expanding this list with qualified contacts, consider implementing a low-barrier opt-in method, such as a QR code, on another channel like social media. This allows for easy and seamless engagement, helping you grow your contact list while maintaining compliance with consent requirements.
5. Write Actionable SMS Copy
Remember, when you're messaging someone in their SMS inbox, you could be adding to the many texts they're already receiving from family, friends, and other competitors, so you should ensure that your messaging is valuable, relevant, actionable, and concise so they understand why you're reaching out to them there and seeing enough benefit in your messages to stay subscribed.
Customize these messages according to the specific stage of the buyer's journey your contacts are in. For optimal targeting, consider segmenting your list into smaller, more focused groups based on the various stages of the buyer's journey.
SMS Campaign Samples
Re-engagement Campaign:
The SMS copy below reminds users that they're still a member, user, or past customer of a given service and encourages them to re-engage with a brand in some way &#; ideally by highlighting perks they'll discover when they re-engage.
Event Updates:
When hosting an in-person or online event, sending event updates can keep your attendees excited, engaged, and in the know before, during, and sometimes even after an event.
Marketing to Sales Handoff:
When a prospect converts, these messages can help smoothly introduce them to your sales team incase they choose to buy a product.
Customer service feedback:
After a deal is made, keep the customer journey going by following up and seeing how their experience went by sending customer service feedback or survey messages.
Kickstarting & Reporting on SMS Campaigns
Once your messages have been carefully crafted and thoroughly reviewed, it's time to initiate sending them to your contacts! Take the step forward and begin delivering your impactful messages to engage and connect with your audience.
To ensure your campaign's running as planned, analyze key performance indicators such as click-through rate and return on investment (ROI). Monitoring and reporting on these metrics will help you measure the success of your campaign and make data-driven adjustments as needed.
Check out HubSpot's Analytics tools. >>
SMS Marketing Best Practices
- Say hello! Send a welcome message to any new contact. Clearly state who you are and why you're messaging to provide valuable context.
- Manage your subscriber lists: Effective contact management is crucial for successful SMS marketing and ensures you're sending the right messages to engaged contacts at the right time.
- Segment different groups: By strategically categorizing your audience into segments, you can tailor your SMS campaigns, ensure message relevancy, and optimize engagement with specific segments of your target market.
- Get to the point: By keeping messages brief, recipients can easily read and action the information across smartphones, watches, and digital assistants like Siri.
- Don&#;t overdo it: SMS is a high cost communication channel. Make sure you reserve SMS for use cases that are deeply personalized and/or express urgency.
- Personalize your copy: Tailor SMS communication, recommendations, or offers to individuanamescipients and/or acknowledge their name, preferences, and past interactions, to create a sense of relevance and make a meaningful connection with them
- Incorporate AI: Want to personalize a campaign, but don't have time to write individual message,es? AI tools, like workflows or tools can bring a new level of efficiency, personalization, and effectiveness to SMS cahigh-cost
- Avoid forbidden message categories: If sending your SMS messages using HubSpot, never send a message that falls into a forbidden category.
- Be transparent: Consistently reintroduce your brand, purpose, and message frequency.
- Offer a way out: Every message should include the option to opt out.
Step into SMS with HubSpot Today
Get started with HubSpot SMS for Marketers today! You can learn more about HubSpot&#;s SMS tools on our knowledge base. For pricing and packaging details, please visit our Pricing and Services catalog.
For more information on HubSpot&#;s integration with , please visit our feature page.
Not ready to invest in a new product just yet? Check out our free resource with a plethora of SMS templates you can use across many different business strategies by clicking the banner below.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Two-Way Communication Service. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
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