Getting started with SMS marketing: tips, advice, and SMS strategy
Are you tired of traditional marketing methods that don’t seem to get the desired results? Well, look no further than SMS marketing. In today’s fast-paced digital world, where everyone is glued to their phones, SMS marketing has emerged as a popular and effective tool for businesses of all sizes.
Did you know that research shows that over 66% of customers would prefer to receive notifications via SMS compared to other forms of communication? That’s right. With SMS marketing, businesses can reach their customers directly and instantly, without having to worry about their message being lost in the clutter of emails or social media.
But what exactly is SMS marketing and how does it work? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this blog, we will introduce you to the basics of SMS marketing and how it can benefit your business. So, let’s dive in.
What is SMS marketing?
Short message service (SMS) marketing is a form of marketing that businesses use to send promotions to customers via text messages. In other words, SMS marketing is the same thing as text marketing. Like email marketing, SMS marketing is permission-based, which means businesses can only send messages to those who have given their consent to receive them.
This direct communication method allows businesses to keep you connected by sharing news about exclusive deals, new products, or even helpful tips, all in real-time. This type of messaging creates a personal connection between you and the business, making customers feel valued and special. And, since it’s permission-based, you don’t have to worry about spam or unwanted texts flooding your inbox.
The 4 types of SMS marketing messages
SMS marketing uses different types of messages depending on what you want to achieve. The three most popular SMS messages are:
1. Promotional
Promotional messages are the most commonly used type of message in SMS marketing. These are the ones you receive when a business wants to tell you about a sale, a new product, or an event happening soon. Promotional messages aim to entice you to make a purchase or take advantage of a limited-time offer.
2. Transactional
Have you ever made a purchase or signed up for something and then received a text about it? That’s a transactional message. These messages let you know that what you did went through successfully and give you important information about it, like your order details or account info. Businesses also use these messages as a chance to suggest other things you might like.
3. Reminder
Reminder messages are friendly texts from businesses to make sure you don’t forget about an appointment, an event, or something important related to them. For example, if you booked a haircut, you might get a message reminding you when it is, so you don’t miss out or arrive late.
These reminders not only help you stay on top of your plans but also provide convenience and improved customer experience. Plus, they’re beneficial for businesses as well – they can reduce no-shows or last-minute cancellations, ensuring that appointments and events run smoothly.
4. Broadcast
SMS broadcast, also known as “mass texts” or “bulk texts,” is a messaging service that allows businesses and organizations to send a single message to a large group of contacts, customers, or clients.
Using Dotdigital’s SMS broadcast tool, you can send an SMS campaign immediately or schedule it for a later time. You can also choose the lists, segments, or marketing preferences you want to send it to. Additionally, you can send single SMS messages to individual contacts.
The benefits of SMS marketing
SMS marketing offers a wide array of advantages for both businesses and their customers. Let’s explore some of the key benefits of incorporating text message marketing into your strategy:
- Sky-high open rates: Almost everyone reads their text messages – we’re talking a 98% open rate. This means there’s a way better chance customers will see and read your texts than emails or other types of messages.
- Super quick communication: Since text messages reach people’s phones super fast, businesses can get important info or deals to their customers in no time. This means customers are more likely to act right away.
- They reach your audience: Unlike emails that sometimes bounce – text messages have a way better chance of reaching their destination. Dotdigtial’s SMS is supported in over 220 countries. So whether a phone’s off or out of range, when it’s back in action, your message will be there waiting.
- Wallet-friendly: Sending lots of text messages can be affordable, especially when you think about the great engagement rates. So businesses big and small can get in on the action.
- Make it personal: Businesses can personalize text messages for individual preferences or even specific events. This makes messages feel special and meaningful to each person getting them.
- Boosts cross-channel strategies: SMS marketing is a great addition to cross-channel campaigns, as it complements other marketing strategies. By incorporating texts into their overall plan, businesses can create a well-rounded marketing strategy.
- One size fits all: No matter what type of business you have, how big or small you are, or what you want to achieve – SMS marketing is flexible and can be used for all sorts of purposes like alerts, contests, reminders, account confirmations, and more.
Is SMS a global channel?
Yes. SMS is the channel that can deliver, no matter where in the world your customer is. As a permission-based channel, customers expressly want you to reach out to them on this channel. That means there are no grey areas around whether customers are engaged with your marketing. They want to hear from you wherever they are.
How to use SMS to engage international customers
1. Automated welcome messages
Welcome messages are a vital part of a customer’s journey. It’s your one and only chance to make a first impression. For those customers who opt-in to receiving SMS marketing, it’s important to engage them immediately on this channel. With a high rate of conversion, you can include discount codes to be redeemed in your welcome text. Adding a time limit will add the FOMO effect to your marketing and drive new customers to convert quicker.
2. Target time zones
When you’re a global marketing team, based in one city but target others around the world, delivering messages at the right time may be a struggle. Targeting time zones ensures you’re always reaching customers at the right stage of their journey.
Localized content is more important to customers than ever before. Customers don’t like irrelevance. By keeping content relevant to their location, situation, and stage in the customer journey, you’re going to be creating consistent and meaningful experiences that drive customer loyalty.
3. Triggered SMS automations
Timing goes a long way in creating relevant messaging. Triggered automations ensure key stages in the customer journey are taken care of, no matter where they are. Abandoned carts are a great way to encourage shoppers to continue the journey while they’re on the go.
Birthday discounts with a limited-time discount code drive customers to act spontaneously as well as delighting them with unexpected experiences. And they’re not just limited to ecommerce brands. Using lead scoring B2B brands can target customers with renewal reminders and upselling offers when customer actions tip them into a new audience group.
4. Competitions and surveys
Short and easy experiences are essential for successful SMS marketing. With the ability to reach regions separately, you can stagger or target messages to land exactly when you want them. Whether you’re collecting feedback or driving competition entrances, you want to make it as easy as possible for customers to complete. Multiple choice questions take far less time than open-ended questions. It’s also easier for you to measure, so it’s a win-win all around.
5. Expiry periods
When you’re working with customer bases around the world, you need to be careful not to disappoint customers with broken links or expired offers. While open rates for SMS marketing are unrivaled, there are still many reasons why customers might not receive your message at the right time. Dead batteries and lack of signal are just a couple factors that might affect the customer experience.
To ensure you’re not failing to meet customer expectations, you should be setting expiry periods on your messages. This means they won’t receive an offer after the discount code has timed out. With audiences around the world, it’s important you set expiration periods on any campaign that has a time limit. Therefore, you can’t risk upsetting or disappointing any shopper.
SMS marketing best practices
To ensure the success of your SMS marketing campaigns, it’s essential to follow industry best practices. Here are some key tips to help you create effective and results-driven text message marketing:
Obtain clear consent from subscribers
As SMS marketing is permission-based, it’s crucial that you only send messages to recipients who have given explicit consent to receive them. You can obtain consent through opt-in forms on your website, in-store sign-ups, or through SMS keyword campaigns.
Respect the frequency of messages
Avoid overwhelming your subscribers by finding the right balance in the frequency of your messages. Sending too many messages can lead to a higher opt-out rate while sending too few can result in lost engagement. Test different frequencies and analyze the impact on engagement rates to find the sweet spot for your audience.
Optimize for mobile
Since text messages are viewed on mobile devices, it’s important to optimize your campaigns for a seamless mobile experience. If you include links in your messages, make sure they direct your subscribers to mobile-optimized landing pages or websites for the best user experience.
Use clear and concise language
As SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, it’s essential to use clear and straightforward language to communicate your message effectively. Focus on the most critical information and include a clear call to action that encourages the desired response from your recipients.
Test and analyze
Always keep testing and analyzing your SMS marketing campaigns to identify areas of improvement. A/B test different message variations, offers, or send times. Use the data gathered from these tests to optimize your strategies for the best possible results.
SMS marketing strategies to try
If you are planning to explore SMS marketing, it’s important to have a few effective strategies up your sleeve to ensure the best possible results for your campaigns. By implementing the following strategies, you can increase engagement and create a personalized experience for your subscribers.
Here are some highly effective strategies and examples to consider for your SMS marketing campaigns:
1. Multimedia messaging services (MMS) for interactive messaging
If you want to take your SMS campaigns to the next level, consider using Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS). MMS empowers you to integrate images, audio, and video into your text messages, offering your audience a richer and more immersive experience that goes beyond the limitations of plain text.
A notable example of a successful MMS campaign is White + Warren’s approach to promoting their latest cashmere collection. The brand utilized MMS by sending their customers an eye-catching snippet of their newest offerings, accompanied by an enticing 25% discount code. This not only showed the company’s branding but also provided a visual incentive to take advantage of the sale marketed.
2. Grow your SMS lists with email
Email marketing is not limited to promoting products or sending newsletters. It can also be an effective way of expanding your SMS subscriber base and spreading the word about your text message campaigns. By combining the strengths of these two communication channels, you can maximize your marketing efforts and drive greater engagement with your target audience.
Saje, for example, offers a great example of how to integrate SMS and email campaigns. The promotional email shows a screenshot of a text conversation that encourages customers to text ‘SAJE’ to 34857. As an incentive, customers get a 20% discount on their purchases. This smart approach promotes the use of text messaging as an additional way of communication, seamlessly combining the two mediums for a more successful marketing campaign.
3. Create time-sensitive flash sales
Flash sales can be a great way to create a sense of urgency, generate excitement, and convert potential customers into actual buyers. SMS campaigns are an ideal medium for this, as they offer instant notifications and easy access to purchase opportunities. By announcing limited-time deals via SMS, you can capture your audience’s attention and encourage them to make purchases right away, resulting in a high return on investment.
A great example of this is Urban Decay, which used an SMS campaign to announce a Black Friday deal: customers could get 50% off on their makeup palettes while supplies last. The offer also included an additional 25% off on the whole site using a discount code. This offer, available for a limited time, was effectively communicated via a simple and concise text message, motivating customers to act quickly and grab a bargain before it was gone.
4. Inform customers about back-in-stock items
With the help of SMS marketing, notifying customers when their favorite products are back-in-stock can drive immediate sales and maintain strong relationships. By keeping your audience informed, you not only meet their expectations but also showcase your commitment to providing the best possible customer service.
Dormify is a prime example of a brand that utilizes back-in-stock SMS notifications. The retailer effectively informs customers about the arrival of sought-after inventory restocks, creating urgency by emphasizing the limited availability. In addition, the brand optimizes the customer experience by including a direct link for easy purchasing, making it incredibly convenient for customers to secure their desired items.
5. Reward your loyal customers with exclusive offers
SMS campaigns are an effective way to celebrate and reward your most loyal customers, by sharing exclusive offers and discounts. This kind of personal touch strengthens the bond between the brand and the customer and encourages repeat purchases.
Glossier’s gifting campaign stands as a prime illustration of an effective customer reward strategy. The brand provides a free product, typically valued at $22 when customers spend over $75. However, this offer is only valid for a limited time, which creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity. This approach not only makes customers feel valued but also drives immediate sales.
6. Follow up with cart abandoners
Abandoned carts can be a challenge in ecommerce and result in lost sales and frustrated marketers. However, by using SMS marketing, you can recover lost revenue and maintain customer interest by following up with customers who left your store without completing their purchase. By sending a gentle reminder, you can effectively re-engage cart abandoners and remind them of what they’re missing out on.
It’s important to keep in mind that when sending abandoned cart messages, you can’t add GIFs or beautiful product images as you can when sending emails, and your text can’t be longer than 160 characters. That means your copy needs to be both concise and engaging.
Take for example this SMS message from OSEA. The brand offers free shipping to the recipient. Offering free shipping can be even more effective for a cart recovery campaign than offering a discount, as many shoppers leave their carts because they didn’t expect the shipping fee. Even if you already offer free shipping, your abandoned cart text message is a good place to remind shoppers of that.
7. Play with SMS polls and surveys
SMS polls and surveys provide valuable insights into consumer preferences while simultaneously engaging your audience. By offering them the opportunity to participate in your brand’s decision-making process, you can develop products and strategies that cater to their unique needs, fostering a strong relationship between you and your customers.
Good American makes use of customer feedback by sending a short SMS survey. To further encourage participation, the retailer offers a 20% discount code for the customer’s next purchase. This dual approach not only gathers important customer insight but also rewards them for their involvement, further solidifying a positive relationship between the brand and its audience.
8. Birthday automation
Birthday automation programs are a fantastic way to encourage shoppers to return to your website. By incorporating SMS into your birthday campaigns, you can ensure your special birthday discount stands out and feels personal.
A great example of this is World Market’s approach. The World Market sent a personalized SMS message to their customers, reminding them of their exclusive birthday offer. This message not only makes the customer feel special but also creates a sense of urgency, encouraging them to take advantage of the offer before it expires.
9. SMS contests and giveaways
Engage your audience and expand your marketing list by running SMS-based contests and giveaways. Encourage your subscribers to text a designated short code to enter the contest, and follow up with automated messages for confirmation and opt-in permissions.
A great example of this strategy in action is Shoe Sensation’s giveaway campaign. The brand created excitement and engagement by offering a chance to win a family gym membership for a year. This approach not only incentivizes participation but also helps expand Shoe Sensation’s SMS subscriber list, creating a win-win situation for both the brand and its customers.
You could also create text-to-win competitions. This campaign is great for growing your marketing database. Simply advertise your competition and include a dedicated short code for entrants to text. Follow that up with an opt-in message that requires a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.
10. Appointment and event reminders
Use SMS messages to send reminders about upcoming appointments or events to keep your customers informed and reduce no-shows. These timely reminders can improve the customer experience, save resources, and help ensure that your events or bookings run smoothly.
When creating appointment and event reminders, it’s essential to be clear and concise. Providing all necessary details without overwhelming the recipient is key. A well-timed reminder can significantly impact attendance rates and customer satisfaction.
Take, for example, a reminder from Lenovo. This reminder effectively informs customers about the event, creates a sense of urgency, and offers an incentive to participate. All these factors contribute to a successful reminder campaign.
11. Re-engagement campaigns
It costs you 5 times as much to gain a new customer than to retain an existing one, so creating a re-engagement campaign is a no-brainer. Reach out to customers who haven’t engaged with your brand or made a purchase in a while through SMS. Sending personalized offers, product recommendations, or a simple “we miss you” message can effectively re-establish a connection and motivate them to re-engage with your brand.
A great example of a re-engagement campaign is the one used by Touch of Modern. The brand’s SMS messages are effective because they create a sense of urgency and excitement, prompting customers to take immediate action.
By emphasizing potential savings and the limited-time nature of their deals, Touch of Modern successfully reconnects with customers who may have lost interest, reminding them of the benefits of returning to the brand. This strategy not only rekindles interest but also boosts sales through personalized and timely communication.
12. Send personalized product recommendations
Utilize customer data to send AI product recommendations and promotions based on their shopping behavior or preferences. By providing personalized recommendations, you increase the chances of making a sale and fostering customer loyalty.
A great example of this is Stuart Weitzman’s approach. They send personalized SMS messages to their customers, suggesting products that match their preferences. This strategy not only makes the customer feel valued but also enhances their shopping experience by offering tailored suggestions.
Set your SMS marketing on the path to success with Dotdigital
SMS marketing has proven to be a highly effective and versatile communication channel for businesses of all sizes. By leveraging the power of SMS marketing, you can connect with your audience in a more personal and direct way. This, in turn, drives higher engagement and conversion rates, ultimately contributing to your overall marketing success.
