SMS Marketing What It Is Top Tips and Tools

What is SMS Marketing?

Alright, let's dive into SMS marketing. You know, it's funny, but I still get surprised how many businesses aren't using text messages to reach customers. It's like they're missing out on a huge opportunity!

So, what exactly is sms marketing? It's pretty straightforward:

• It is a way to send promotions or important updates to customers who've said "yes" to getting texts from you.
• Think of it as a direct line to peoples' phones, which is way more immediate than email. According to Hootsuite's blog, two-thirds of customers worldwide use sms to engage with companies.
• You need to get permission first (no spamming!), keep your messages short and sweet, and always tell people what you want them to do – click a link, use a code, visit your store, etc.

Basically, you, the business owner, use software to manage your contacts and shoot out those texts. Customers opt-in, usually by texting a keyword or filling out a form online or maybe even at the point of sale. Then, you can send automated messages based on triggers – like a welcome text when someone signs up, or a reminder if they left something in their cart.

sequenceDiagram
    participant Customer
    participant Business
    participant SMS Platform

Customer->>Business: Opts-in to receive SMS
Business->>SMS Platform: Adds customer to SMS list
Business->>SMS Platform: Creates and schedules SMS campaign
SMS Platform->>Customer: Sends automated SMS message
Customer->>Business: Responds or takes action based on SMS</pre>

Here's the thing: people open texts way more often than emails or even social media posts. It's also a more personal way to get in touch, but that also means you gotta be respectful and get their permission first. Unlike social media, where folks can stumble upon your content, sms is a VIP club.

So, SMS marketing is a killer way to connect with customers if you do it right. Next up, we'll look at how to build a successful sms strategy.

Types of SMS Marketing Campaigns

SMS marketing isn't just about blasting out texts; it's about having conversations. Think of it as whispering a killer deal directly into someone's ear – if they've given you permission, of course.

Promotional sms marketing is probably what first pops in your head. It's all about offering discounts, coupons, and other special offers to folks who've signed up to hear from you. It's a great way to drive sales and get people excited about your products or services.

• Example: Imagine getting a text saying "Hey VIP! Show this code SMS20 at checkout for 20% off your entire order at [website]!" Now that's tempting.
• The key is to make it exclusive. Incentivize customers to opt-in by promising deals they won't find anywhere else. Think: "Text JOIN to get early access to our Black Friday sale!"

This type of sms is less about "buy now!" and more about "here's what's happening." It's about sending real-time updates, like order confirmations, shipping notifications, and appointment reminders. Basically, it's all the stuff customers need to know.

• Example: Picture this: "Your order #12345 has shipped! Track it here: [tracking link]" – super helpful and keeps customers informed.
• It's not just for e-commerce, either. A healthcare provider could send appointment reminders, or a financial institution could send transaction alerts.

sms can also be used for customer service and support. Think satisfaction surveys and quick Q&A. It's a fast and convenient way for customers to get help and for you to gather feedback.

• Example: After a service, you might get a text asking, "How would you rate your experience today? Reply 1-5 (5=great)". Easy peasy.
• Using SMS, businesses can quickly address customer concerns, improving satisfaction and loyalty.

This is about more than just a quick sale. It's about sending a sequence of messages to educate potential customers about your product or service, building trust and establishing yourself as an expert.

• Share valuable content like blog posts, ebooks, or webinars. Think: "Check out our latest blog post on [topic]! [link]"
• Offer exclusive deals to incentivize leads to take the next step. Maybe a free consultation or a discount on their first purchase.

All of these types of campaigns have the potential to boost your reach and sales, but it's all about using them right. Now that you know the types, let's talk about how to build a sms strategy.

Benefits of SMS Marketing

SMS marketing – it's not just for sending coupons anymore, ya know? Turns out, there's a whole bunch of benefits that businesses are waking up to, and it's way more than just getting people to buy stuff.

• High Open and Engagement Rates: Let's face it; emails can get lost in the shuffle. But SMS? People actually see those texts. According to startup.unitelvoice.com, text messages boast open rates as high as 98%, while email open rates sit at 20%. Think about it: when was the last time you ignored a text from an unknown number? Yeah, me neither.
• Wide Reach and Accessibility: Practically everyone has a cell phone these days. It's not like you're trying to reach people on a platform that only a small percentage of the population uses. Plus, smartphones can support rich media, so you're not stuck with just plain text anymore.
• Increased Sales and Conversions: When people are actually seeing your message, it's a lot more likely they'll click through and buy something. SMS is also great for guided shopping – think of it as having a personal shopper in your pocket. Re-engaging old customers with personalized offers can also work wonders.
• Support for Omnichannel Marketing: I don't know about you, but I interact with businesses on tons of different platforms. SMS can tie all that together; it can reach those customers who primarily interact offline.

Think about a local coffee shop. They could use sms to send out a daily "secret word" for a discount, or a reminder about their live music night. It's direct, personal, and effective.

So, SMS marketing? It's a big win. Now, let's talk about supporting omnichannel marketing.

Top Tips for Successful SMS Marketing

Okay, so you're ready to take your sms marketing to the next level, huh? Well, it's not just about blasting out texts and hoping for the best; there's a few things you gotta keep in mind.

First off, you absolutely need to get explicit consent before sending any messages. Don't even think about adding numbers you found in a dusty old spreadsheet. It's not just good manners, it's the law, people.

• Make sure folks actively opt-in, whether it's through a form on your website, a keyword they text to your number, or a checkbox at the point of sale. A simple "yes" or "no" text confirmation is a great way to double-check.
• And hey, if someone doesn't opt-in, respect their decision. Don't try to be sneaky and text them anyway – that's a surefire way to get blocked and build a bad reputation.

Just as important as getting people in is making it easy for them to get out. Every message needs to have clear unsubscribe instructions, like "Text STOP to unsubscribe."

• Keep an eye on those unsubscribe rates, too. If you're seeing a big spike after a particular message, maybe it's time to rethink your content strategy.
• The easier you make it to opt-out, the more trustworthy you look, and the more likely people are to stick around in the long run.

Speaking of the law, you've gotta make sure you're complying with all the relevant privacy regulations. In the US, that's the tcpa, and in europe, it's the gdpr. It's a whole alphabet soup, I know, but it's important.

• That means including a clear call to action in your opt-in messages, only sending messages to folks who've actually opted in, and keeping records of consent.
• Trust me, a little bit of legal compliance is a lot easier than dealing with a lawsuit.

Think about it – you wouldn't want to get a promotional text at 3 am, right? So respect time zones and try to send texts between 8 am and 9 pm in the recipient's local time.

• If you're a service-based business, consider sending messages right after appointments, when you're already top of mind.
• Experiment with different times to see what gets the best response rates. There's no one-size-fits-all answer here, so testing is key.

Last but not least, always identify your business in each message. It seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many companies forget this.

• Encourage subscribers to add your number to their contacts so they know who's texting them, and it builds trust.
• Otherwise, they might just assume you're spam and block you – and nobody wants that.

Following these tips isn't just about avoiding legal trouble; it's about building trust and creating a positive experience for your customers. And that, my friends, is what leads to long-term success with sms marketing. Now that we have some best practices down, let's talk about keeping those messages short and sweet.

Top SMS Marketing Tools

Okay, so you're thinking about jumping into the exciting, confusing world of sms marketing tools? It's like walking into a candy store – so many options, but which one will actually satisfy your cravings, ya know? Let's break down some of the top contenders and see what makes'em tick.

If you're running an e-commerce biz and want your marketing to feel, well, integrated, Omnisend might be your jam. It’s all about multi-channel marketing, which sounds fancy, but really just means you can hit customers with emails, texts, and push notifications all from one spot.

• It's got some serious automation and segmentation tools, so you can target folks based on their behavior. Think: "Hey, you left that sweet jacket in your cart!"
• The downside? It is pricing can be a bit steep for smaller operations that don't need all the bells and whistles.

Klaviyo is another big player in the e-commerce game, especially if you're into personalization. It's all about customer data, baby!

• it hooks into your store and lets you slice and dice your audience based on purchase history, predicted lifetime value, and all sorts of other juicy details.
• this means you can send super-targeted campaigns that actually resonate with people. I mean, who doesn't like feeling understood, right?

EZ Texting is like the "easy button" of sms marketing tools. It's not gonna overwhelm you with features, but it'll get the job done.

• It's got keyword campaigns, integrations, and all the essentials, but where it really shines is usability. Even if you're, like, allergic to tech, you can probably figure this one out.
• Just be aware that the costs can climb if you're sending a lot of messages. Gotta watch those pennies, folks!

SimpleTexting is about, well, keeping things simple, but that doesn't mean it's not powerful. They let you do 2-way messaging with your customer with a new toll-free or local number, schedule texts and set up specific dates and times for your messages to go out.

• It is great for filter responses by time-waiting and time-received, plan your messaging cycle months in advance.
• SimpleTexting also integrates with Shopify, BigCommerce, Zoho, Mailchimp, and HubSpot so you can stay in the loop.

SlickText is great for those who need an sms and email marketing platform, communication for customer support and clients to send reminders or sms promotional blasts.

• SlickText is built for companies of any size, including single business owners and enterprise corporations.
• The platform also integrates with different marketing platforms to manage leads, a unique one-word code, allowing customers to opt-in and reducing spam.

TextMagic is like that reliable friend who always shows up when you need them. It's straightforward sms service that's simple and effective, with a clear pricing model.

• It's got all the essential features for running basic campaigns, but it might not scratch your itch if you're craving advanced automation or super-detailed analytics.
• Still, for a no-fuss experience, it's a solid choice.

Salesmate is a bit of an all-in-one solution, blending crm and sms marketing into a single package.

• It's got advanced automation and analytics, making it a good fit if you want your texting efforts tightly integrated with your overall sales process.
• But, heads up, if you're just looking for a simple texting tool, Salesmate might be overkill.

So, there you have it – a quick rundown of some top sms marketing tools. Which one's right for you? Well, that depends on your business, your budget, and how fancy you wanna get with your texting campaigns. Do your homework, test a few out, and find the one that feels like the perfect fit.