More and more businesses are seeing the benefits of how to use text message marketing, also known as SMS marketing, in their advertising plans. However, the rise of text campaigns has been commensurate with companies wondering how to do SMS marketing. Fortunately learning how to write SMS for marketing is more about knowing what the “Dos and Don’ts” rather than becoming embroiled in the minutiae.
Before getting into what businesses should and should not do with SMS marketing, it is important to know the uses and unique benefits. Text message marketing is utilized because it provides benefits such as:
- Immediate communication with clients
- A higher chance of being opened relative to other marketing
- Higher rates of customer response
- Affordability relative to other campaigns
When looking at how to do text marketing, one must remember that, despite the name, text message marketing can integrate pictures, links, specials, and more. The flexibility of SMS advertisements also lends itself to being implemented in a variety of business settings.
How to Do Text Marketing Right
Getting your text message marketing campaign on the right track is not as difficult as it may seem. These are some of the ways that you can get off on the right foot.
Keep It Short
The average SMS text message allows the business to send 160 characters. You should focus on sending messages that do not even brush up against that limit. Get to the point quickly!
Grab Your Customer’s Attention
Use capitalization, numbers, and buzz words to lock in customer attention. The phrase “SALE 25% OFF all t-shirts” is noticeable and exciting.
Perfect Your Timing
Do not send messages too often and do not send them at bad times. Try to aim for the late morning or middle of the day rather than too early, too late, or during transit hours. Focus on your customers’ needs.
Give Your Customers the Ability to Opt-Out
If you are fortunate enough to have customers sign up, give them a way out. When customers can opt-out, they feel more control over the situation; they are willing recipients instead of a captive audience.
Be Upfront about Pricing
Text marketing does not come with the benefit of emails that allows you to fill in all the disclaimers about combining coupons, standard rates, and more. Make sure you carefully develop your content to tell your customers what to expect about prices.
What You Should Avoid
There are some ways that you can sink the perfect text marketing scheme. Here are some things to avoid.
Avoid Extraneous Language
Texts are somewhat informal by nature. Do not overload your customers with fancy language that avoids the point.
Do not Forget the Call-to-Acton (CTA)
Your call-to-action is the most important part of your advertisement. Make sure to work on converting the sale, informing your customers, or meeting whatever goal you have.
Do not Send Out Blocks of Texts
Nothing will make customers click on the “opt-out” option faster than a messaging spree from a business. Send out a single message, focus on perfecting those 160 characters, and do not send out multiple messages in a day.
Putting an SMS marketing campaign together can be difficult. While understanding the dos and don’ts of this advertisement style can help, sometimes it is better to bring in the professionals.
Work with professionals to generate unique advertisements and outcomes for your restaurants. With our Marketing4WiFi platform, WiFi guests can provide their phone numbers in a simple and effective way while accessing the guest WiFi you give away for free. GoZone WiFi has to tools to not only grow your SMS list but to also help you create fast and efficient SMS campaigns.
