Texting is for kids, right?
Wrong. Texting is for sales.
If you’re selling something online—whether it’s a product or a service—you can use text messaging to boost your bottom line.
Let us explain.
When you text someone, you’re making an immediate connection with them, so you’re more likely to get their attention than if you just sent them an email or called them. Plus, texting is fast and easy—people don’t have to take time out of their day to sit down in front of their computer and read through a long email message (or even a short one). They can just open up the text and respond quickly while they’re on their way to work or sitting on their couch after dinner.
The best part about SMS Marketing?
It reaches people on their phones, where they’re most likely to be. That means that if you want to get in touch with someone who has a question about one of your products or services, you don’t have to wait for them to find their way back to your website—you can reach them immediately when they’re ready for your message!
- What is SMS Marketing?
- Why Texting Is #1?
- Benefits of SMS for Businesses
- How Texting Can Boost Your Sales
- SMS Marketing Tips (Dos & Don’ts)
- DOs
- 1. USE MESSAGES THAT ARE MORE FORMAL THAN YOUR TYPICAL TEXT
- 2. USE YOUR COMPANY NAME IN EVERY MESSAGE
- 3. KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET (AND TO THE POINT)
- 4. USE EMOJIS— THEY’RE FUN!
- 5. BE SURE TO PERSONALIZE EACH MESSAGE, EVEN IF IT’S JUST A SIMPLE “HEY” OR “HEY THERE”
- 6. SET SPECIFIC GOAL FOR EACH MESSAGE
- 7. SPELL-CHECK, THEN CHECK AGAIN
- 8. INCLUDE THE LINKS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC
- 9. CREATE SHORT-TERM DEALS WITH A DEADLINE TO ENCOURAGE FAST ACTION
- 10. MAKE STATEMENTS IN YOUR TEXT, NOT QUESTIONS
- 11. SHARE A NEW PRODUCT OR SERVICES YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT
- 12. MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT YOU WANT THE CUSTOMERS TO DO NEXT
- Don’ts
- 1. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE WITTY
- 2. DON’T BE A ROBOT
- 3. DON’T BE TOO PERSONAL
- 4. DON’T SEND TOO MANY MESSAGES IN ONE DAY, BUT DON’T WAIT TOO LONG BETWEEN THEM EITHER
- 5. DON’T USE ALL CAPS FOR EVERY WORD IN YOUR MESSAGE– IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING (BUT DO CAPITALIZE IMPORTANT NOUNS AND VERBS)
- 6. IF YOU CAN’T DO IT RIGHT, DON’T DO IT AT ALL
- Where You Should Start Your SMS Marketing Needs
SMS marketing has been around for almost two decades now, but only recently has it truly started to explode by word of mouth. The reason behind this is that business owners and marketers have realized the real potential in supporting their sales with text messages and how beneficial it can be.
Let’s find out how it works and what strategies you can use.
What is SMS Marketing?
SMS marketing is a marketing strategy that allows you to reach your audience via text message. It’s one of the most popular ways to connect with customers because it’s fast, effective, and affordable.
SMS stands for Short Message Service and refers to the messages that are sent between cell phones via mobile phone networks. Text message has become a popular way to communicate because it’s easy to use and accessible from any mobile device, even without an internet connection. It also allows users to respond instantly without having to wait for an email or phone call to be returned.
The popularity of SMS marketing has exploded in recent years due to the ubiquity of smartphones and mobile devices that can access the internet at all times of day or night. It allows businesses to reach their target audience immediately wherever they may be located around the world.
Why Texting Is #1?
SMS marketing is number one because it’s simple, it works, and people respond to it. You can send a text message to any phone in the world and be sure that someone will read it. It doesn’t matter if you’re sending messages to your own database or sending them out to a random audience—people are going to read what you have to say.
It’s one of the oldest forms of marketing, and it’s still one of the most effective.
Think about it: there’s no better way to reach your customers than through their phones, and there’s no better way to get them to respond than with a text message.
SMS marketing is also cost-effective. You don’t need an app or any fancy equipment—just a phone number and an idea (and maybe a writer). You can set up an SMS campaign quickly and easily, then watch as your sales increase!
Benefits of SMS for Businesses
You’ve heard of email marketing? You’ve heard of social media marketing? But have you heard of SMS marketing?
Whether you answer yes or no, let us tell you why it’s the best way to reach your customers and grow your business.
SMS marketing is the fastest growing form of communication in the world—and that means that your customers are already using it to communicate with each other. So, if they’re already using it on their phone, why shouldn’t you be there too?
It’s fast. MSM messages takes less than 30 seconds for most people to read it.
Text messages are much more personal than any other type of digital communication. When someone receives a text from you (or about you), they’re going to feel like they know you better than any other type of message. That’s because text messages are informal, conversational, and usually very short; they tend to be sent between two people who already have some kind of relationship (even if it’s just a professional one).
It has a great reach. SMS messages are delivered instantly to over 90% of all phones worldwide, making it an ideal marketing tool for reaching international audiences.
SMS marketing is cost-effective! Since text messages don’t take up much data or time to send or receive—and since they’re so easy for consumers to access—they cost businesses far less money than other forms of digital communication.
SMS marketing is an effective and non-intrusive way of getting your message out to your customers. This is especially useful for smaller businesses that do not have the resources to professionally run an email marketing campaign. It will also help define the boundaries of a client or customer that may be casual in their relationship with you and provides you with a low-cost opportunity to reacquaint them with your business.
Overall, SMS marketing is a safe and easy way to get more prospects looking at your business.
How Texting Can Boost Your Sales
Texting makes you money.
That’s right, it’s not a typo. You can literally make money by texting people. And as if that wasn’t enough to get you excited, there are other benefits too!
When you text people, they don’t have time to think and make excuses not to buy your product or service. They’re on the go and need answers fast, so when they get a text message from you with those answers, they’re more likely to respond favorably.
Texts are also easy for busy people to read quickly—so if someone is in the middle of something when your text arrives, they won’t feel as pressured about taking time out of their day to respond. In fact, research has shown that people are more likely to respond positively when they’re in a state of low cognitive load—and texting definitely falls under that category!
And lastly: texting requires no context whatsoever! So even if someone isn’t sure what you’re referring to when they open up your message (which happens all the time), they can still figure out what it means and even follow along with any instructions it might include.
SMS Marketing Tips (Dos & Don’ts)
SMS marketing can be a great way to reach your customers and increase sales. But as we dive in— let’s talk about the dos and don’ts of SMS marketing. After all, it can be easy to forget some of the main principles.
DOs
- Use messages that are more formal than your typical text.
- Use your company name in every message.
- Keep it short and sweet (and to the point).
- Use emojis— they’re fun!
- Be sure to personalize each message, even if it’s just a simple “Hey” or “Hey there.”
- Set a Specific Goal for Each Message.
- Spell-check, then check again.
- Include the Links That Are Relevant to the Topic.
- Create Short-term Deals with a Deadline to Encourage Fast Action.
- Make Statements in Your Text, Not Questions.
- Share a New Product or Services You’re Excited About.
- Make It Clear What You Want the Customers to Do Next.
Texting can help increase sales but needs to be done in a thoughtful way.
1. USE MESSAGES THAT ARE MORE FORMAL THAN YOUR TYPICAL TEXT
Formal language shows that you’re trustworthy, professional, and truly dedicated to your customers. It also shows that you know what you’re talking about—and even if the customer doesn’t agree with everything you say, they’ll be more likely to listen to what you have to say because of how well-spoken and intelligent it makes them feel.
And when it comes down to it, everyone wants to feel smart!
2. USE YOUR COMPANY NAME IN EVERY MESSAGE
It might not seem like it, but including your company name in every text will help you gain customers in an SMS marketing campaign. Here’s why:
First of all, when you’re sending out a text, the most important thing is to get the recipient’s attention. By including your company name in each message, you’re making sure that whatever else you say will be remembered.
And, if someone doesn’t immediately recognize what your business is after reading your text, they’ll assume that it’s spam and delete it without reading any further—but if they see “Groovy Galoshes” front and center on their screen, they’ll know they’ve found a new pair of boots!
3. KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET (AND TO THE POINT)
Keeping your messages short, sweet, and to the point will help you gain customers in an SMS marketing campaign because it allows you to communicate quickly and effectively.
You have a limited amount of time to capture someone’s attention when they’re scrolling through their phone’s messaging app, so if your message is too long or confusing, it can get lost in the shuffle. By keeping things simple and brief, you make sure that your customer will actually read what you have to say—or at least remember it long enough to click on your link or call you back.
4. USE EMOJIS— THEY’RE FUN!
Emojis are the new way to express yourself, and it’s not just for teenagers anymore!
They’re also a great way to engage with your customers, who will be more likely to respond if they like how you talk to them.
We’ve all been on the receiving end of a boring text message, right? You’re just sitting there, waiting for the other person to finish typing, and then bam—you get a message that’s just a bunch of words strung together with some punctuation marks. It’s like being punched in the face by someone who forgot their manners.
That’s why emojis are so important: they help break up long strings of text and make your messages more interesting. Emojis also make it easier for people to respond because they can simply tap on an emoji instead of having to think of something else to say or type.
If you use emojis correctly in your messaging campaign, it can help you increase engagement rates and improve customer retention rates, too!
5. BE SURE TO PERSONALIZE EACH MESSAGE, EVEN IF IT’S JUST A SIMPLE “HEY” OR “HEY THERE”
It’s simple. When someone gets an SMS message from a friend, they’re more likely to engage with it and read it carefully than if they get an email from someone that doesn’t know them personally. Because we trust our friends—we know they’re not going to try to sell us something or trick us into doing something we don’t want to do.
So why not make your customers feel like they’re getting an SMS message from a friend? Add a simple hey or hey there at the beginning of each message. It’ll help build trust with your customers and give them the feeling that they’re getting a personal touch in their inboxes!
6. SET SPECIFIC GOAL FOR EACH MESSAGE
Setting a specific goal for each message is one of the most important things you can do to help you gain customers in an SMS marketing campaign.
The reason why is that it forces you to think about what your end goal is with every message. Are you trying to get people to click on a link? Are you trying to drive people to a website? Are you trying to get people to sign up for a newsletter? Setting goals like this will help you focus on what matters most, which will help make sure that every single message gets results.
7. SPELL-CHECK, THEN CHECK AGAIN
Checking the spelling of your messages can help you gain customers in an SMS marketing campaign because it shows that you’re a professional and that you take your business seriously.
No one wants to do business with someone who doesn’t care about the quality of their work. Your customers will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to make sure that they get the best possible experience with your company.
And since this is a text-based medium, spelling mistakes are more obvious than they would be in other types of communication. If you want to look like an expert and impress your customers, then make sure you don’t misspell anything!
8. INCLUDE THE LINKS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC
The reason this is important is that customers are more likely to engage with your brand when they feel like they’re getting something out of it—and they’ll only feel like they’re getting something out of it if there’s something in it for them. For example, if you’re sending a message about the benefits of using your product or service and then include a link to buy it, customers will be more likely to click on that link than if you hadn’t included it at all.
Including links is also important because it helps build trust between you and your customers. If they see that you’re providing them with extra information or helpful resources related to the topic at hand, then they’ll know that you care about them enough to give them more than just generic sales pitches aimed at getting them on board immediately; instead, you’re providing them with valuable content so that they can make an informed decision about whether or not your product or service is right for them!
9. CREATE SHORT-TERM DEALS WITH A DEADLINE TO ENCOURAGE FAST ACTION
Short-term deals with deadlines are the perfect way to encourage fast action in an SMS marketing campaign.
When you’re running an SMS marketing campaign, it’s easy to get bogged down in details and lose sight of your ultimate goal: to get customers.
Sometimes, it’s helpful to think about your SMS marketing campaign as a game—a game where the goal is to get customers! And if you want to win that game, you’ve got to keep score.
And what do we all do when we want something? We set a deadline. We have a deadline for when we need our taxes done or when we need our car fixed, or when we need our kid signed up for soccer practice. You know what happens when people set deadlines? They act fast! They don’t waste time dilly-dallying around; they get things done. That’s why short-term deals with deadlines are such an effective way of encouraging fast action in an SMS marketing campaign.
For example: “Get 15% off today only!” Or: “Get $10 off your next purchase!” Or even just “Buy now!”
10. MAKE STATEMENTS IN YOUR TEXT, NOT QUESTIONS
When you make statements, the customer feels like they’re being spoken to directly and that you know what they want. When you ask them how they’re doing or whether they want this product or service, it makes them feel like they need to reply. And if they don’t? You’ve just made them feel bad.
You can use statements to make your text sound authoritative, which will help you gain customers in an SMS marketing campaign.
For example, if you’re selling shoes, you could say, “you need these boots,” not “do you need these boots?”
Your tone will be much more persuasive if it sounds like you know what you’re talking about.
11. SHARE A NEW PRODUCT OR SERVICES YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT
When you’re excited about something, it’s hard not to want to share it with the world. And when you’re sharing your excitement through an SMS marketing campaign, you can actually use that excitement to help you gain customers.
When you share your excitement in an SMS marketing campaign, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with potential clients on a more personal level than if you were just sending out a traditional email or direct mail piece. Being able to connect with people in this way allows them to see who they’re working with and feel comfortable with their decision. It also helps them remember who they’re working with—which is important in any kind of marketing campaign!
So, get out there and start sharing!
12. MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT YOU WANT THE CUSTOMERS TO DO NEXT
When it comes to SMS marketing, there’s one thing that can help you gain customers more than anything else: clear calls to action.
You want your customers to do something—so make sure that it’s obvious what that is.
If you’re asking for their email address, make it obvious by saying something like this: “To get a free sample of our product, enter your email address here.”
If you’re asking them to buy something, say something like this: “Click the button below to purchase our product.” That way, they know exactly what they need to do without guessing what they’re supposed to be doing next.
By making it clear what you want your customers to do next in an SMS campaign, you’ll see an increase in the number of people who respond positively. And that can only mean good things for your business!
Don’ts
- Don’t Be Afraid to Be Witty.
- Don’t Be a Robot.
- Don’t Be Too Personal.
- Don’t Send Too Many Messages in One Day (But Don’t Wait Too Long Between Them Either).
- Don’t Use All Caps for Every Word in Your Message– It Looks Like You’re Shouting (But Do Capitalize Important Nouns and Verbs).
- If You Can’t Do it Right, Don’t Do It at All.
Texting is a useful tool for salespeople if you use it wisely, don’t over-use it, and use the right tone of voice.
1. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE WITTY
It means to be yourself, be authentic, and be personal.
When you’re trying to gain customers through an SMS marketing campaign, one of the best ways to do that is by being witty.
In fact, it’s pretty much a requirement.
But what does it mean to be witty?
Well, it doesn’t just mean to be funny—it means to be genuine, authentic, and honest. It means to be yourself and show off your personality in every message you send out. It also means that your messages should be personal; they should not only come from the heart but also address each recipient by name. You want people who receive your messages to feel like they’re getting them specifically for them—and not just another email or text message sent out in some robotic fashion with no consideration for who will see it or why they’ll see it at all!
2. DON’T BE A ROBOT
It’s easy to get caught up in being a robot in your messages. After all, they’re just texts, and you can’t really see the recipient’s face. But what you do with the words you send can make a big difference in whether someone responds—so don’t be afraid to be yourself!
Think of it like this: if someone is getting a message from a friend, they want to feel like they’re talking to their friend. They want to know what’s going on in their friend’s life, hear about important things to them and how they’re feeling, and so on.
If you’re sending an SMS marketing campaign, it’s just like being in person with that person. You have the opportunity to connect with them by sharing some of your own interests or concerns. You can even tell them about something funny that happened today or recommend something new (like a movie or book) that might interest them! Think about what would make YOU want to listen if someone else was talking about it—and then go for it!
3. DON’T BE TOO PERSONAL
When you’re sending an SMS marketing campaign, it’s important to remember that you’re not just reaching out to the customer—you’re reaching out to the customer’s phone.
You want them to see your message as a helpful and friendly reminder that makes them feel good about using your product. And if they don’t? Well… maybe they should try some other products!
But being too personal is a no-no in SMS marketing campaigns. You can’t just text something like “Hey there! Did you forget we have new flavors?” or “I know you’ve been meaning to come back in, so here’s a coupon!” because then it feels like you’re trying too hard.
Instead, think of yourself as the gatekeeper of information about yourself—you’re offering it up for free, but only if they want it! So instead of saying things that are too personal and specific (like asking them how their day is going), just give them information that will make sense if they’re interested in hearing from you again (like a new flavor or promotion).
4. DON’T SEND TOO MANY MESSAGES IN ONE DAY, BUT DON’T WAIT TOO LONG BETWEEN THEM EITHER
It’s all about the timing.
If you send too many messages in one day, you’re going to overwhelm your customer—and we all know that’s not the right way to make friends. But if you wait too long between messages, they’ll forget who you are and why they should spend their hard-earned money on your product.
It’s a thin line, but it’s worth it: you can get your customers interested without overwhelming them or making them feel like they’re being pestered by sending just the right amount of texts per day.
5. DON’T USE ALL CAPS FOR EVERY WORD IN YOUR MESSAGE– IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING (BUT DO CAPITALIZE IMPORTANT NOUNS AND VERBS)
When you’re sending an SMS marketing message, it’s tempting to use all caps for every word. After all, it makes your message look like you’re shouting—which is the whole point of an SMS marketing campaign, right?
Well, yes and no.
It turns out that while it’s important to get your point across as forcefully as possible, there are some limits on how many times you should use all caps in a single message.
If you’re thinking of using all caps in your SMS messages, stop right there. Overdoing it on the caps will make people less likely to respond.
6. IF YOU CAN’T DO IT RIGHT, DON’T DO IT AT ALL
If you can’t do it right, don’t do it at all. That’s a saying that has been around for a long time, and it means that if you’re going to do something, you should make sure to do it well.
In the context of an SMS marketing campaign, this translates to making sure that your text message is as clear and concise as possible. This is because the recipient of your text message will only have about 5 seconds to read it before deciding whether or not to open or delete it. If your message isn’t compelling enough, they’ll just hit delete without opening it at all.
The good news is that there are plenty of tips and tricks out there for writing good SMS messages! Just make sure you follow them—don’t try to get too fancy with your text messages if they’re going to be in a medium where people expect things to be short and sweet (like an SMS).
Where You Should Start Your SMS Marketing Needs
Excited to start with your SMS marketing campaign? Your website is the perfect place to start.
Your website gives you a place to collect information from your customers, which can then be used in their messages. For example, if a customer signs up for your product or service, they’ll be asked for their name and email address.
You can use that information to personalize each message, making it more relevant and engaging for the customer.
Creating a website for your business helps a lot not just with your SMS Marketing, but all your marketing campaigns, including:
- A website can be a great conversation starter
- Some people will want to read more about your product or service
- People need a place to connect with you for more information
- It can help your campaign look professional and credible
To get started, contact us!
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