98% of customers respond to text messages making it the most viral medium of direct promotion. 8.6 Trillion text messages are sent every year on average. SMS Marketing is effective because it’s short, crisp and above all, it sticks.
You may ask, what would be the right time to start an SMS Marketing Campaign? I would say, now! The only prerequisite to starting an SMS Marketing Campaign is to get your communications right.
There are no fixed steps for getting started with an SMS campaign. One needs to tune the campaign goals, length and frequency as per their service or product and the purpose of the campaign. But strategically, here’s what you need to bear in mind before starting off with your SMS Marketing Campaigns.
1. Why do you want to run an SMS Campaign
If you are indulging in an SMS campaign only because you have to, then you are going all wrong about this. Get the purpose of your campaign clear in your mind before you begin. Your campaign goals should align well with the corporate vision of your organization. For eg: If you need more customers who will stay with you for a longer time, run a loyalty program. Earn loyal customers who will lend positive social proof to your brand by incentivising them deals and offers “Just for Them”.
2. Product Research
Analyse your product from the point of view of your communication pitch. Get creative and craft your message in snackable formats for users to absorb, implement and share! Your sms campaign must clearly define your product/service, and be able to make it stand out from the rest of the competitors and their promotional messages.
3. Understand your Audience
First of all, shooting out a zillion messages to everyone and anyone is just going land you in the black list. Identify WHO wants to hear from you. Segment and Target them based on WHAT they want to hear from you. Tip: Get a formal opt-in from your target customers before you send out any SMSs and provide a link to unsubscribe, in every message you send. SMS is an extremely personal channel and you as a marketer are getting a chance to reach out to your customers directly! Make the most of it, but accurately. Delight and not Sell.
4. Choose the right SMS Marketing Service provider
The most important aspect of conducting an SMS Campaign is to choose the right SMS Marketing Service Provider. There are plenty of providers out there who offer features and packages that suit every need and budget. For eg: Juvlon’s SMS Marketing platform gives you the option to send personalized messages and also provides click tracking on the link included in the message, unlike any other service provider.
5. Nail the timing and frequency
Timing the key in this. Instead of sending open ended messages, send them messages with have “deals that expire soon”. It creates a sense of urgency making them act. Second and the most important, try out different days of the week to see which one works better in terms of response and open rates. Weekends or evenings during the weekdays, usually works the best. Keep the frequency to not more than one or two text messages in a week. You could also work with Trigger-based SMSes, where you can send text messages just after the customer purchases showing related products.
6. Clear Call to Action and The Right KeyWord
Give a clear call to action with a link for the customer to act upon. Use the right keyword to ensure that it goes viral and sticks.
Launching an SMS Marketing Campaign needs round the clock monitoring, tuning and above all, precision in crafting clear and concise messages. Have any of these tips worked for you? Let us know!