The unrealized potential in text message marketing
Businesses are realizing the potential of integrating SMS marketing into their overall marketing strategy, regardless of their size. With a majority of people owning a smartphone and preferring texting over talking, SMS has become the best way to get to consumers without disrupting their day.
Opt-in customers who have willingly given their contact details are the foundation of a good text marketing campaign. SMS can be an effective way to communicate promotions, sales, customer support, confirmations, news, updates, and other relevant business information directly to customers on their mobile devices.
However, it’s important to note that there are laws regulating SMS marketing, such as the CCPA, GDPR and CAN-SPAM Act among others. Businesses must create a strategic and lawful SMS marketing plan.
7 reasons why businesses should invest in SMS communications
Higher open rates with SMS
Immediate and direct delivery: SMS is the most immediate marketing channel available, with a 98% open rate and most messages read within three minutes of delivery. Recipients are motivated to open a text message simply by the buzz in their pocket.
Unmatched reach
Even people without smartphones can send and receive text messages, making SMS marketing one of the most accessible and effective tools for instantly delivering promotional messages to consumers. Text messages usually deliver within seconds, with a high level of deliverability that makes SMS marketing worthwhile.
Higher conversion rate
SMS has a very high conversion rate, with an average response rate of 45% compared to just 8% for email. The simplicity and clarity of the message, without a lot of links or images, make the call to action more effective.
Personalization and customization
Text messages are more personal than other forms of communication, allowing businesses to use casual and friendly language to build a personal relationship with customers. Customizing messages can also create a more personal feel.
Brand awareness
SMS marketing is great for increasing brand awareness by staying top of mind with consistent messages. Personal and reliable messages can also foster trust and loyalty among customers, expanding brand awareness.
High ROI
SMS marketing is inexpensive compared to other marketing solutions, with a high return on investment due to its high open and response rates. Campaigns pay for messages delivered as opposed to email campaigns with much lower open rates or advertising where most of your spend is wasted on the wrong people.
No spam filters
SMS messages don’t have to battle with spam filters, ensuring that promotional messages reach their intended recipients. Opt-in customers don’t have to whitelist short codes to avoid accidentally landing in spam folders.
Trends in text message marketing in 2023
Increased use of chatbots
Chatbots have been used for a while in text message marketing, but in 2023, they may become even more prevalent. AI-powered chatbots can provide quick and automated responses to customers, saving businesses time and money while also improving customer service.
Integration with other marketing channels
Text message marketing can be a powerful standalone tool, but it can be even more effective when integrated with other marketing channels like email, social media, and push notifications. In 2023, businesses may look to integrate text message marketing with these other channels to create a more cohesive and comprehensive marketing strategy.
Greater emphasis on visual content
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) allows businesses to send images, videos, and GIFs alongside text messages, which can make their marketing messages more engaging and memorable. In 2023, we may see more businesses using MMS to create visually compelling messages that stand out in customers’ inboxes.
Increased use of mobile payments
Mobile payments are already on the rise, and in 2023, businesses may increasingly use text message marketing to facilitate mobile payments. Customers could receive payment requests via text message, making it easy to complete transactions with just a few taps on their smartphones.
How to get started with text message marketing
As a business your first port of call should be your enterprise network operator. Increasingly these network operators will provide Communication Platforms as a Service (CPaaS) direct to their business subscribers. CPaaS solutions allow businesses to create and deliver communications to their customers on a range of channels including SMS, Whatsapp, Voice, Video and more. These new channels of communication with customers are proving far more effective than traditional methods.
Secondly, you might want to research text message marketing companies who provide the platform interface for you to build your communication campaigns but where the provider deals with the network operators to ensure your communications get through. These solutions can be a better experience for the business in terms of platform interface but can be more expensive on a per-message basis.
If you are a network operator that wants to provide CPaaS solutions to your business subscribers why not contact us for a free audit of your existing capabilities.
