SMS Marketing: 8 Best Practices and 6 Top Examples!
SMS Marketing can prove itself as a powerful tool in your efforts for growing your business, as well designed and executed SMS campaigns grab the audiences’ attention and may significantly grow the total sales.
In order to understand the power of SMS, we have to take into consideration that
SMS campaigns present a 209% higher response rate in comparison to phone calls, email marketing and Facebook ads.
Moreover, 75% of consumers want to receive SMS messages from the brands that they already follow.
Maybe it’s time to invest in SMS marketing and enjoy its numerous benefits and advantages… In today’s article we will present the Best Practices for successful campaigns and 6 popular examples.
Best Practices for Effective SMS Campaigns
1. Use friendly language and tone
One of the most important and frequent mistakes in all marketing messages is the wrong use of tone and language. Businesses most of the time use cold tone and sales language with expressions like: Buy Now, or The Offer Expires Today. In order to attract and convince your customers, your messages should be simple, casual, friendly and cohesive.
Think of how you would speak to a friend
and apply the same principles to your SMS campaigns.
2. Timing Matters
What impression would your customers form if they received an advertising message from you at midnight? Respecting the off-work hours is of critical importance, that’s why we advise you to send your SMS messages at working days and hours, except for some special exceptions.
Keep in mind that purchases are usually impulses of the moment, so your campaigns should be sent just before the beginning of your offers or the event you are planning.
3. Use simple and clear messages
Always remember, your messages should include all the necessary info and convince in 160 characters.
Avoid complex messages and unclear wording that might confuse your audience. If you share information about an event or a promotional campaign make sure to include all the necessary information, so the recipients know exactly what it’s expected from them.
4. Offer real value
The secret for successful SMS campaigns is the provision of substantial benefit to the recipients of the message. Use unique content that is specific and relevant to the audience that you target. Avoid sending generic messages to all of your customers.
Segment your lists with criteria such as demographics and interests, and send targeted campaigns based on the age and previous behaviors.
5. Always include CTA
If you forget to include a Call to Action, then your message loses a lot of its efficiency. Every SMS marketing campaign should include a direct and incentive CTA, so users can understand what action they should take.
A few examples of effective CTAs for different occasions: “Check our new collection”, “Give us your feedback”, “Visit today our store”.
6. Always include links
Don’t worry for long and complex URLs, all advanced SMS marketing platforms provide link shorteners that shorten the links to the minimum characters.
Add a link directing to the landing page of your offer, where users can find additional information about the product you are promoting.
7. Evaluate the results
It is vital to check the effectiveness and performance of your SMS campaigns.
After each campaign finishes, you should check the engagement of the recipients by studying the Open Rate and total Conversions according to the initial goals.
This way you can improve and optimize all future campaigns.
8. Address your customers with their name
Make use of the power of personalization… Your message may be mass, but that fact doesn’t mean that you can’t make it unique for each recipient. Advanced and fully featured SMS marketing platforms provide plenty of personalization options for the messages, so you may insert the name, surname or any personalized info you have about the recipient.
Using the first name and capitalizing on personalization in general makes your message more human and increases the chances of success.
Are you ready to start your own SMS Marketing Campaigns?
The Anatomy of a complete and effective SMS
Offer actual value
Your message should provide real and substantial value to the recipient and make his life easier in a way.
Introduce yourself
Use the Sender ID in your SMS to promote your Brand Name. Avoid using as Sender ID generic terms like “Exclusive Offers”. The recipient should know from the 1st moment the sender of the message.
Use appropriate language
Don’t confuse a friendly tone with sloppiness. Avoid the use of slang terms and abbreviations, if you wish your message to be professional.
Make your message unique
Customize the content of the message, so it addresses each recipient separately. Use the first name of every recipient and send unique content that interests him/her.
BONUS!
SMS Marketing Examples for building better relations with your customers
1. Welcome SMS combined with offer
Nearly all of us are accustomed to receiving a welcome email when we subscribe to a new brand. Think about adding to your welcome kit an SMS with a welcome offer. This way you may create a great first impression!
2. Time - Sensitive Offers
SMS is the ideal channel to promote an extra special promotion or a limited time offer. SMS are read within 3 min of the time they are received, thus you can estimate with high accuracy when you will inform the audience.
3. Order Confirmations - Delivery Notifications
SMS is a great tool when it comes to order confirmations and shipping updates. Your customers don’t have to check their emails to be sure that their order is complete, instead they receive within seconds an SMS confirmation.
4. Customer Service
SMS Marketing isn’t exclusively for sale purposes. You can use it successfully to inform your customer base for technical problems that might occur or for expected delays of a delivery.
5. Special Occasions - Happy Birthday SMS
Make your customers feel that they truly matter to you. Remember them on important occasions such as their birthdays. Combine the greeting SMS with an exclusive offer.
6. Schedule - Remind Appointments
SMS, thanks to its attention grabbing nature is the perfect tool to send appointment reminders or invite your customers to schedule a new appointment with you. Send the previous day a reminder and reduce no-shows to the minimum.
Are you ready to start your own SMS Marketing Campaigns?
