SMS MARKETING – The advertisement goldmine hiding in plain sight.
Gives Individuals/brands faster, efficient, and most importantly, conservative ways to reach out to customers/clients.
Building a stable, consistent and progressive relationship with your clients as a business owner often relies on being proactive in your efforts to reach out to them.
There are several methods by which you can reach your clients. Some of these methods include organizing television and social media ad campaigns, posting adverts in newspapers and magazines, emailing, and more. All the methods stated above are effective means of advertisement in their own right but they just do not cut across all manner of audiences and this difference is what helps SMS marketing stand out in an efficient manner in relation to other advertising methods.
SMS marketing is short for Short Messaging Service and it is an advertisement method that allows brands and companies to send short, communicative, time-sensitive and most importantly converting messages to new, intending, and even regular clients/customers.
To understand reasons as to why several brands and even private individuals are opting to use SMS marketing, in reaching out to customers on a personal level, it is also important to understand how SMS marketing works.
This simple but effective process is completed in a few steps;
- Create a texting account.
- Create a contact group of people who’d receive your texts.
- The recipient of the messages needs to accept that they’ll be receiving messages from you.
- You’ll need a service to compose and send converting texts.
- Send your texts out.
In addition to the steps above, SMS marketing could also be added to other subscription services like emails to help brands follow up subscription services, advertisement campaigns, and more.
The next question would be that since SMS marketing can be completed in such a short manner, how does it manage to help brands gain so much traction?
Well, the answer is quite simple. Since it is a text which is short, straight to the point, and is sent to individuals personally, it feels more personal (not like a broadcast message), can reach every manner of audience, and most importantly, puts the receiver at the center of your brand’s product or services and this is the most important aspect of drawing people to your products or services.
The emergence of SMS messaging as a means of reaching out to clients isn’t something new or recent. In fact, it comes as a result of the common means of an advertisement being crowded which has, in turn, freed up space for SMS marketing to carve a niche of its own.
SMS marketing helps brands to maintain a level of intimacy while providing an immediate channel with which advertisement of products and services becomes effective.
Just to put the influence SMS marketing has had on advertisement into perspective, here are some interesting statistics about this marketing style. Text messages could be used as follow-up advertisement means and they are said to increase email open rates by 20-30% and this is actually a decent amount considering how redundant emailing is these days. Emails have an average open rate of 20% and 2% of the links contained in these emails are clicked. In comparison with SMS, there is a meteoric rise which has seen about 82% of texts being opened and links clicked in 19% of these texts.
Research conducted in the United States showed that a third of Americans prefer to receive offers via text and ads instead of direct calling. In France, 60% of the population prefer to receive offers via texts.
These stats could even go higher if much more effective messaging techniques are employed in reaching out to customers or clients.
Most active players in the SMS Marketing Space.
Just like every breakout technology, information or system, there are some individuals who have fully embraced the SMS technology trend and have done so to great effect. Some of these people and how they made use of SMS marketing are discussed below.
This SMS marketing channel was used by Avochato to promote the album release of BIG K.R.I.T. With this marketing campaign, they were able to make a stronger bond with KRIT’s fans and bring more engagement through social media.
Avochato was used by BIG K.R.I.T’s management team. Avochato is a cloud-based text messaging and live chat solution aimed at making text messaging light affairs as it allows its user to set up an Avochato phone number in minutes and text customers. It seamlessly integrates SMS, web, and landline communication via a mobile platform.
Avochato allows a range of features including; Segment, import, and broadcast to your customers to scale your team’s communications. Other features included in this app include 2-way messaging, alerts, automated routing, call routing, chat messaging, contact management and more.
Considering how many things Avochato actually helps business users to do, it is easy to see why BIG K.R.I.T’s album sale was effective and converting. For starters, Avochato offers a free trial too.
Jack butcher utilized SMS marketing for @Visualizevalue and it was utilized to great effect for customers. Comments made included how it was super easy and exciting to get daily news and updates on news concerning his products and services.
Jack actually made use of community.com which launched at the end of 2019. When you open an account with a community, you get a unique phone number and that is what some celebrities display on their social media platform for their fans. Some tools help community.com perform its function effectively and one of these tools is Zapier which allows users send data to google sheets concerning already sent texts so that this way, two individuals do not end up receiving the same text.
Another is autoresponders which allow newcomers into the community to receive links to the next steps to take on the registration process.
Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio after stating the importance of social media in getting across to clients developed a text community with which several clients can engage with him and his products. He has developed a special ability to communicate with people at different levels while still being able to get his message across and this is why he excelled so much in text messaging.
He understands that individuals prefer different methods of being reached out to and the statistics surely favor text messaging.
Buckeye talk is a podcast in text format which allows subscribers to discuss topics on Ohio state football, basketball, and recruiting from Cleveland. It allows users to gain information about sporting activities via text subscription.
Subtext was used to facilitate this texting community and it was a hugely successful endeavor as the foundations of what subtext clearly states that it aims to simplify how people connect with the personalities and topics that impact their lives.
Texting pairs friendly, familiar technology with the connective benefits of social networks to create real relationships and healthier communication.
SMS marketing in this case is used to keep subscribers mindful and grounded along with science-based productivity tips, and insights for a happier workday. Since it utilizes SMS marketing, it can be used any time of the day as long as there are service agents to reply to such texts.
Ashton also made use of the Community text messaging platform to get across to users and it does this by allowing users (celebrities) to get a special community phone number with which fans can easily seal through. After sending this text, the next thing would be to receive an automated message showing the next step towards generating communications with their fans.
Minda Zeitlan utilizes text subscriptions to hand out tips for healthy, happy, and productive living on a daily basis.
In times like the quarantine imposed by the Covid-19 outbreak, the importance of SMS texting was so evident. With text messaging, users do not have to travel to apps, go to websites, and more. So even in the most unfriendly situations, users will always receive encouraging texts.
Mason Aren’t makes uses of texting in providing updates/insights of the latest tech happenings around the world. He tells you about the companies, gadgets, and gear that matter most to you, all via text. Texting allows him to reach a wide audience range at once.
Gary Vee created a text community with which he interacts with fans. Gary describes text marketing as “the counterpoint of social media”. He utilizes his text community as a means to channel new content as well as engage with his fans on a one-on-one basis.
Jake Paul, an American YouTuber also utilizes text messaging as a means to communicate/engage with his fans.
Iam Somerhalder, a movie star who uses text messaging to develop a grove with his fans via group texting.
Jennifer Lopez shared her phone number on her Instagram handle for a text contest which in turn led to engagement for fans.
Marshmello sent his fans personalized texts. First, fans text the number and receive an automatic message. Then, they fill out a form stating their name and location, and proceed to Marshmello’s address book.
Eric Stromberg via SMS marketing ensured that customers can get new essays via text.
Amy Schumer also utilized text messaging to build a personal connection with those who have experienced IVF before as she was new to the experience. This infection brought her from being run down and emotional to being cheerful and comfortably bearing her second child.
Also utilized in creating a personal connection with his fans.
Kerry Washington, an American actress also used Short Messaging Services in creating a community for her fan base. To establish her own texting structure, after texting a phone number she placed on her social media handles, an automated message is sent and this message prompts signing up into her list of contacts via a provided link. After the first message, another one is sent welcoming you into the mini-community she created and her real contact information is sent.
With this method of creating a texting community, a fan of hers even referred to her as a new best friend.
The Jonas Brothers, a popular music band also used SMS texting to reach out to their customers. They simply sent out the phrase – Happiness Continues. This simple text generated a lot of buzz amongst their fans.
Alex Rodriguez also created a texting community with which his followers to discuss business and baseball.
John Legend is also a part of the imploding SMS trend as opened up his phone number to his fans for interaction with them.
Swae Lee also released his mobile number on his social media platform to ensure that his fans easily get in touch with him.
Tony Hawk, a professional skateboarder also keeps in touch with his fans by texting them via SMS. He even announced that the new Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game is on the way…by texting people.
Lil Baby also created a rapport with his fans by placing his phone number on his Twitter handle so that fans can easily get in touch with him. The text messages he sends to fans help them with information concerning his tours, music release date, and more.
Ellen DeGeneres also jumped on the bandwagon of sharing her phone number on social media pages so as to receive more engagement from fans.
Alicia Keys also uses text messaging to get across to her fans amidst the prevalence of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In keeping with celebrities helping out their fans push through the difficulties of social distancing during the global COVID-19 pandemic, LL COOL created a text messaging community with which his fans could easily exchange inspiring and spirit-lifting ideas to help them survive.
King Bach has also used SMS to create a personal connection with his fans.
Apart from private individuals, some corporate brands have also joined the SMS movement and have done so to great effect. Some of these brands are listed below;
WineText provides an incredibly easy way to purchase top-quality wine in a ridiculously cheap and convenient manner by simply activating text subscriptions. It takes about three minutes to subscribe to WineText and after subscription, users would get pictures of quality wine to be purchased, links to Instagram posts and even price tags on a daily basis.
Amazon treasure truck as a text subscription service allows subscribers to enjoy rare and exclusive deals as it helps them to locate trending, exclusive or discounted products and also alerts them when those products are available.
BuzzFeed is an independent digital media company that delivers text (including news and entertainment) to a wide audience range by texting its subscribers.
Protocol allows subscribers to get a daily message concerning updates on text.
Pod Save America is an apple podcast channeled at enlightening Americans about weekly news updates, current occurrences and how they could be of help.
Summersalt is a texting community that provides meditation-videos, self-care ideas, and animal GIFs to keep mental health intact especially in these uncertain times.
Best buy is a multinational, consumer electronic retailer which allows customers to talk to a live customer care representative by simply dialing a phone number.
Sonic is a American drive-in fast-food restaurant that also utilizes a text marketing program that provides subscribers with information about special promotions and new menu items.
Usual Wines also makes use of two-way marketing and it has helped increase their revenue by 10% as well as DTS. Usual’s two-way SMS helped them to improve conversion with text for answer solutions as it helps customers to easily get answers to certain questions which in turn drives revenue with frictionless experience as more people even get to subscribe to this SMS service.
To make their SMS service even more effective, the inclusion of phone numbers at the end of the registration process also helps them stay in constant touch with their customers.
LensRedirect.com uses text subscription services to help more than 9,000 individuals get their contact lenses in good time via a programmable SMS messaging system.
Urban Outfitters is a multinational lifestyle retail corporation which uses text messaging subscription to provide customers with information concerning company sales and exclusive discounts.
Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in the United States and its text marketing program helps to provide customers with special promotion and home improvement ideas. Attached to the messages Home Depot sends is a link to encourage recipients to visit their website as well as purchase certain services.
Hydrant also keeps in constant touch with customers by giving them options to be part of an exclusive text community where subscribers easily receive text updates concerning products and services.
Starbucks has also pushed SMS messaging to newer heights by leveraging this method to surprise and engage customers in a marketing way.
OpenRent has built a company of over 3 million registered users. This company through SMS connects tenants to landlords hence reducing dependence on Agents who could slow down the rental process.
Empathy Wines
Empathy Wines have utilized SMS marketing to distinguish itself from the traditional online ordering of wine from websites. It simply allows subscribers to order great tasting and quality wine over text removing the need for middlemen.
Twilio SMS helps Steele Auto-generate leads, advertise special sales, and provide better customer service.
PacSun is a retail clothing brand rooted in the youth-oriented culture and lifestyle of California. This brand makes use of SMS marketing to provide customers with short and concise detailing exclusive offers in addition to a coupon code and a purchase link.
The Dollar General text marketing program provides recipients with special promotions and mobile coupons. Using SMS messages, Dollar General includes a link to encourage online browsing and purchasing.
Salesforce integrates Twillo SMS to create an efficient voting system with which they could make their customers a part of the voting process for awards. This SMS system was integrated with the Salesforce.com app which was used to manage the awards.
Cover is an insurance brokerage that uses mobile technology, automation, and expert advice to match individuals with favorable insurance policies. Using Twilio’s Flex Salesforce CTI (Computer Telephony Interface), nearly all of Cover’s customer communications happen via SMS, driven through a customized instance of Salesforce integrated with Flex.
Advance auto parts provide automatic aftermarket parts. Customers can sign up for text message marketing alerts from Advance Auto Parts to receive bonus points on popular products, save more with hassle-free rewards, and get even more benefits.
Uniqlo is a Chinese casual wear designer, manufacturer and retailer. Uniqlo sends biweekly SMS text messages to its subscribers. Their messages are short and to the point, detailing their exclusive and company-wide discounts.
Kohl’s is an American department store retail chain. Kohl’s text marketing program provides recipients with special promotions. Using both SMS and MMS messages, Kohl’s includes a link to encourage online browsing and purchasing.
Dell uses SMS communication to create a rapport with customers as well as keep them in the loop about the status of their orders, keeping them informed even during peak online shopping periods such as Black Friday
Trulia also uses a Twilio powered platform for covering leads into sales. Success in Trulia has being built on its ability to get back to clients in super quick time after filling an online form.
Tools used for efficient SMS Marketing
Subtext allows creates an intimate way for creators to easily connect with their audiences. Subtext hosts have the ability to communicate with their subscribers one on one or at scale through a medium that feels like an unfiltered conversation with a friend, free from the noise of social media.
Blueprint is a conversational eCommerce platform that enables brands to drive revenue via the SMS route.
Bottle utilizes a two-way SMS system that allows users to send photos of foods, ask for feedback, and coordinate pick-ups and drop-offs all over the text. It provides a means for users to steadily grow their local businesses over time.
LiveRecover contacts engages, and converts your abandoned carts into sales for you over text Messages.
Postscript help eCommerce brands design and operate SMS programs that keep users engaged and happy while driving substantial new revenue.
Emotive enables eCommerce businesses to scale 1:1 relationships through conversational text messaging. The conversational text messages Emotive makes keeping a steady relationship with clients much easier.
Cartloop helps Shopify brands bring in additional revenue every month, where real people convert abandoned carts by texting shoppers at just the right time.
Front works with over 6,000 companies
Privy is a text messaging sales channel for online stores. Privy takes SMS messaging to a personal level as period replying those texts are actually humans and they reply on a human level which gives users a satisfying level of comfort.
Drips is a conversational texting brand that communicates with customers of several brands on the brand’s behalf using a combination of dialing programs and Conversational Texting® to help brands increase engagement, drive sales, create transformation in their operations, and retain more customers through the Drips platform.
Twilio is a type of software that helps users to send SMS messages globally.
Omnisend helps users to generate automated SMS and emails to help increase sales without an increase in workload.
Klayvio is an emailing marketing platform created for online businesses. Efficient emailing and messaging is powered by automated messaging.
PostSheet software is a platform used to send personalized emails using Google Sheets. Create spreadsheets with messages and the software sends the data to the recipients in minutes. It works with Gmail, MailGun, Mailjet, SparkPost, and more. Marketers, Small, Medium companies make use of the software.
Podium is a privately held technology company that produces cloud-based software that ensures modernized and interactive customer interactions. Some of the interactions Podium helps to regulate include messaging and customer feedback.
Simple Texting allows you to text message all your contacts at once or just a particular segment of your contacts. Simple Texting allows users to have two-way conversations and makes it easy, fast, and affordable to send SMS marketing campaigns or engage in 1-on-1 conversations with customers.
Attentive drives a total of 18.5% of total revenue for its online customers. It is a text messaging marketing solution that provides a new way for innovative e-commerce and retail brands to send personalized mobile messages across the entire customer lifecycle. Using real-time behavioral data, Attentive automatically sends engaging text messages to each subscriber at every step of the customer lifecycle. 300+ brands rely on Attentive and see strong performance, like 30%+ click-through rates and 25x+ ROI.
SMSBump is a marketing and automation app that works with Shopify. SMSBump creates SMS /MMS(Text with image) marketing campaigns in seconds and tracks results. It also integrates with all major Shopify apps for Reviews, UGC, Loyalty, ESPs, Subscription services, and more.
Tatango is a U.S. mobile marketing company that specializes in text message marketing services for enterprise-type clients. Tatango’s software enables publicly traded business clients to build campaigns and engage consumers through text message promotions and alerts and this is open to users in the U.S. and Canada. Several clients have attested to the huge expertise and ability to deliver results that Tantango provides.
Respond Flow is the Mailchimp of SMS and it is a globally available SMS platform that helps businesses acquire, retain, and engage customers effortlessly through automated text messages.
ClickSend is a global leader in business communication solutions. It helps its users to track, receive and send SMS online messages worldwide. CliCkSend’s reputation is built on technical expertise, industry experience, quality support, and service reliability.
EZ Texting is a top-rated SaaS company that delivers the fastest, easiest, and most reliable way for brands to connect to their customers. EZ Texting has served over 160,000 customers and is the #1 SMS marketing software, setting the standard for business texting platforms.
SuperPhone helps companies or brands develop a stronghold in SMS marketing. SuperPhone even has a never loose feature which automatically pings lapsed contacts to keep conversations and collaborations alive. With these features, you never forget to contact all your clients.
Predictions Concerning The New SMS Texting trend
From Jake Paul to the Jonas Brothers, several individuals and corporate brands have jumped on the SMS marketing bandwagon. With the emergence of this outreach method, several opportunities abound on its way to top scale success. Stated below are some predictions about the SMS texting trend.
- SMS-only commerce will thrive. An example of the thriving SMS texting space is seen in WineText.com which helps subscribers to easily buy quality wine at cheap prices and it. Million-dollar, single-channel companies are built on email and ewing how conversational and personalized SMS texting could be made, it is only expected for SMS messages to be the foundations for building of million-dollar companies.
- Paid SMS will gain traction. Subtext is Substack for text messages. SMS messaging is also used by Minda Zetlin, Doug Lemerises and Jason Aten.
- Text courses, like email courses, will be used as growth tools. Arist helps you set yours up. Text Courses helps brands teach their customers new skills for more marketing traction.
- More platforms will offer lead ads with prefilled phone numbers. Product Hunt prefills email addresses. Facebook goes further.
- Spam filtering will improve. Carriers tag spam calls. Texts are next as they seem even more personalized and frequenting as compared to emails. Some campaigns don’t stop despite requests and regulation.
- Conversational UX will improve. Conversational UX is a user experience that combines chat, voice or any other natural language-based technology to mimic a human conversation. Currently used for ordering and modifying subscriptions. Replika shows us what’s possible.
Opportunities
Having understood how top companies, brands and even individuals make use of the SMS marketing train, it is also quite important to show how much potential the texting train has to get even better. Here are some ways in which this trend is being explored;
- Brand Promotion.
Cart Recovery (Gold Cultures)
A great example of how efficiently text messaging works is seen in Gold Cultures. It was a startup online store focused on delivering the best quality jewelry at lower prices than competitors. Within a few months, thousands of visitors were hitting the site on a daily basis and the brand exploded.
Advertisement for Gold Cultures was dependent on emailing and use of social media platforms. Although this technique yielded profits, there were still several emails that were left unopened and links clicked. To add also, recovery of abandoned carts via email marketing tactics was a bit of a daunting task.
To solve this, Gold Cultures began using TxtCart to fill the void of seemingly useless email marketing tactics. They were certain that there were other means besides social media posts and email. SMS marketing was the perfect fit for the business, yielding more sales and customer satisfaction than ever before.
Promotions (Dunkin Donuts)
Another aspect in which text messaging presents an opportunity for companies to expand and grow is seen in Dunkin Donuts. A 9% increase in sales was recorded when text messaging was incorporated as reported by the two individuals who create the company.
This 9% increase was achieved within 3 weeks and it started by allowing their customers to get coupons for Dunkin Donut goods by responding to advertisements displayed on billboards using their mobile phones.
By sending a short message to the published numbers, users receive an immediate reply featuring a free gift coupon or special offer exchangeable at local outlets. This entire process was also designed in a way that they do not push their customers to much leading to a breakdown of client relationship.
According to Dunkin Donuts’ Italian franchisee GianLuigi, Cellular coupons are not cute promotions, rather they are serious marketing tools that not only extend the brand but are also directed towards the people we want to reach.”
Reorders (LensRedirect.com)
Lenses are really important parts of most of our lives and this importance is what LensRedirect is built. The urgency with which most people need lenses has even made the success of text messaging even more important and successful.
With text messaging, LensRedirect is able to get lenses to customers with the high level of efficiency accelerated via one-to-one communication. Every single customer is assigned one dedicated account rep to build a relationship and to be there to answer questions. LensRedirect’s text messaging operation is powered by Twilio. When individuals are in need of lenses, all they need to do is send a text and their lenses would be made available in double quick time.
Mindshare (Screenshot Essays)
Mindshare is a marketing term that describes the amount of consumer awareness or popularity surrounding a particular product, idea, or company. And with text messaging, followers of Eric Stomberg are able to get new essays and in this way, the awareness of products is further increased, and hence, mindsharing increased.
Flash Sales (HYPE)
A flash sale is a type of promotion run for a short time, and featuring a specific product/service. In flash sales, limited amounts of products are made available for short periods of time. With processes as simple as text messages, it is sure that much more buzz would be given to an already promotional event like flash sales.
Pop Up Shops (Amazon Treasure Truck)
Amazon Treasure Truck is a service offered to users of the Amazon app offering daily deals and special finds. The Treasure Trucks locate trending, exclusive, or discounted products that users can be alerted of to purchase.
During daily activities, it is only normal to be so occupied as to not be able to church out favorites and apps but with SMS texting contribution, this procedure is made so easy as alerts on these favorable deals can be sent via text as well as reply to these texts also.
Personal Recommendations (Good Counsel)
Good Counsel, a mens clothing brand also leverages the SMS marketing trend as it gives its customers the feeling of having a specialized stylist while selecting their favorite clothes. With Good Counsel, everything fits perfectly.
They send some questions over to their customers via text and with the answer provided, they are able to supply clothes that perfectly fit their customers in quick time.
Micro-Challenges (Minda Zetlin)
2020 was a truly difficult year especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown of services but it was a year wher text messaging shone as a true difference maker. One of the superb services it has facilitated are micro-challenges by Minda Zetlin.
With text messaging, participants were able to receive daily self-care micro-challenges to keep themselves fit and to have a refreshed mind during the ongoing lockdown.
Customer Support (Dell)
To enjoy a truly successful business, several fragments from customer support to provision of products and services have to be combined in efficient and productive manner. One of these very important fragment is Customer Support and text messaging makes this whole process so much easier.
Dell utilizes text notification to facilitate communication between the company and customers concerning the status of their orders and to keep them informed about special events and more.
Surveys (Salesforce)
Another way to improve expansion of your products and services is to actually include your customer our audience in your decision making processes. An example of this survey is the one setup by Salesforce.
Salesforce utilized text messaging to include their audience/customers in the voting process for the very best apps. This method was integrated by Salesforce.com as they wanted something they could develop quickly and integrate into their existing workflow.
Powered by Twilio SMS and Force.com, the app received and tallied votes from the 19,000 Dreamforce participants and responded in real time with SMS confirmation messages.
Payment Collection (Cardiovascular Consultants)
Text messaging is a fast and friendly means of communicating to customers especially in cases that involve getting paid.
Certain medical consultants were finding it extremely difficult to obtain their co-payment from clients but with text messaging, they were able to communicate with customers in a specialized, friendly and frictionless manner for an overall wonderful result.
- Use bonuses to boost signups. Good Counsel offers 30% off when you sign up to their SMS list.
The use of SMS texting could also be further improved by giving out bonuses for signups to SMS services.
- Turn your leased audience into an owned audience. Jack Butcher nudges Twitter followers to subscribe for text messages.
Texting also gives brands, comparers and individuals the opportunity to efficiently convert hovering audiences into full time audiences. This can be done by making sure communication is maintained as the audience must be carried along in babe processes.
- Monetize your SMS audience directly. Minda Zetlin charges $5/month for micro-challenges.
Text messaging also provides additional means of revenue for brands or individuals as seen in the case of Minda Zetlin. In her campaign to keep everyone mentally fit during the pandemic, charges of $5/month were actually issued.
This method can also be adopted by brands to generate extra revenue as well as keep in touch with their clients and keep them happy as well.
- Run virtual events to grow your list. NextGenAmerica promotes its short code on live streams.
To further improve the chances of your text messaging campaign being a top top one, advertisements of short codes could be included on live streams of top brand events.
- Use click-to-text links to reduce friction. Community.com provides one-click button subscriptions that open your SMS app with a pre-populated message.
- Find micro-SaaS opportunities in verticals. OhMD helps medical professionals effortlessly connect with patients via texting.
Text messaging also provides ways for micro businesses to thrive as they are cost efficient and are able to reach a wide audience range.
A case of SMS helping a micro business is seen in OhMD as it gives patients the liberty of texting without downloading an app and still being able to receive answers in quick time. OhMD utilizes a two-way texting system amd is trusted by over 30,000 healthcare professionals.
- Add an SMS opt-in to checkouts. Omnisend helps you set these up. Leave opt-ins unchecked by default.
Add important as it is to get you brand products and service out there as well as please your customers, it is important to keep your promotional processes within which guidelines and that is what SMS opt-ins provides us with. It ensures that receivers of SMS texts give their full consent to receive such texts.
Omnisend allows its users to set up opt-ins like this up and it covers all omnisend pricing plans.
- Build lead ads into your platform to reduce friction for users, send sponsors more leads and capture more value.
- Use SMS campaigns for brand marketing. Screenshot Essays are not monetized but Eric Stromberg pays ≈ $0.05 per text to capture mindshare for himself and his fund.
Important Takeaways.
We have seen from several points discussed above how text messaging could be a game changer as to how several brands do business as well as advertise their products.
It is important to understand That with the several possibilities and positivity that can be drawn from making use of this “so-called gold mine called text messaging but it is important to note some developments that may arise from making use of this method.
- SMS is an intimate, immediate channel. Reserved for high-affinity brands or urgent messages.
As earlier discussed, SMS marketing provides a way for brands and companies to connect with clients on a more personal level. Having understood this, it is advisable that SMS marketing should be utilized by brands with already established marketing structure as texting would help the brand progress and as a helping hand. In cases where brands need to pass urgent messages across, texting is a lovely way to pass this across.
- SMS and email are owned channels. Unlike Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Also important to note is the fact that SMS messaging channels are completely company owned meaning that they are controlled by the company. In this way, the company has control over the text sent to their customers and the regulations guiding it.
The freedom SMS texting gives reduces cost in management and allows for flexibility in it’s usage.
- Competition breeds innovation. The Red Queen Effect applies to marketing. The Red Queen Effect is a hypothesis that species must constantly adapt and evolve when pitted against other ever-evolving species. This hypothesis would mean that the need for SMS marketing to come up with innovative ideas to keep it relevant amongst competitors would always be necessary.
As advertising means, text messaging has a lot of room for improvement and this improvement could
- SMS enforces constraints. Shorter is harder. “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter text.”
- Marketers ruin everything. New, effective channels become noisier over time.
- Think from first principles. Don’t copy and paste your email marketing strategy. Laws, expectations and constraints are different.
Arguments against the SMS Marketing trend
For every innovative trend, there are always arguments as to why these methods won’t work. Some of these arguments are genuine while others, not so much. Either way, some arguments against the sustainability of the SMS trend have been itemized below as well as counter arguments against these notions.
“SMS won’t always be this effective.”
So start now. And don’t overreact when the arbitrage fades. Physical mail still works.
“Why not just use push notifications?”
This comes with platform risk, it’s not ubiquitous (cell phones ≠ smartphones) and all brands can’t justify building an app.
“Your entire audience won’t move from Instagram to SMS.”
They don’t need to. Your true fans are enough.
“SMS Marketing isn’t new.”
Trends.vc isn’t about what’s new. It’s about what matters. Sure. Fitness instructors, real estate agents and cosmetologists have used SMS for business for as long as it’s existed.
“SMS and email also have platform risk.”
It’s a spectrum. Carriers live between you and SMS subscribers. Email clients live between you and email subscribers. Perfect is a myth.
Links
- Who should I talk to about SMS marketing? • The tweet behind this report.
- Creating Stronger Bonds With Fans Using SMS Marketing • See how BIG K.R.I.T. used SMS marketing for his album release.
- The Complete Guide to SMS Compliance • An 8-chapter guide on laws and regulations surrounding SMS marketing.
- Really Good Texts • A swipe file for inspiration.
- SMS Archives • Another source for SMS inspiration. Search by brand, message type or industry.
- Twilio Case Studies • 200+ case studies on companies using SMS marketing.
- Community Directory • A collection of 900+ people using Community.com.
- Podcasting + SMS Marketing • A reimagined model for podcasters to capture more value. TLDR: Text ‘shopify’ to the influencer instead of the company.
- An Intro into SMS Marketing • How SMS is being used to tell the story of custom-made products.
- SMS Marketing and Email Marketing • Compare SMS to email based on open rate, deliverability, click-through rate, cost and customization.
