You might be thinking that SMS marketing is just a spammy tactic that annoys customers.
The truth is that when executed according to marketing best practices, it can lead to building a strong brand with your customers.
Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand from our customers how much success they’ve had using SMS to connect with and create value for their customers, driving sales for their own businesses.
These days, our smartphones are practically glued to our hands.
Just like email, you now have an opportunity to build and grow a true revenue asset, which is the SMS subscriber list.
Why Mass SMS Marketing is a Game Changer
Here’s the thing – email open rates are plummeting.
Social media algorithms are burying your organic posts.
But SMS? It boasts open rates as high as 98%.
When you can get nearly every single person to see your offer, that makes a direct impact on your business goals, whether that be generating quality leads, sales, donations, member sign-ups, etc.
Mass SMS platforms like 160.com.au allow you to send targeted, personalized messages to your entire customer base with just a few clicks. The ROI can be incredible – I’ve seen some campaigns generate $25 in revenue for every $1 spent on SMS.
My Top Tips for SMS Marketing Success
Warning: blasting out spammy, generic texts is a guaranteed way to get customers to opt-out and ruin your brand. To really grasp the power of mass SMS, follow these best practices:
- ALWAYS get explicit permission before texting customers. This is a legal requirement and essential for building trust.
- Clearly identify your brand in every message so customers know who it’s from. Consider setting up a custom sender ID instead of a random number.
- Make opting out easy and obvious. No one likes feeling trapped on a text list they didn’t want to be on.
- Set clear expectations about what you’ll be texting and FOLLOW THROUGH. Don’t blindside customers with off-topic or overly promotional messages.
- Keep it concise—aim for 115-160 characters. Attention spans are short, so get to the point with a clear call to action.
- Make every message targeted and relevant based on customer behaviours and preferences. Blasting generic texts is a great way to end up in the spam folder.
- Use SMS to drive traffic to your other optimized channels, like sending a link to a personalized offer on your mobile-friendly website.
By following these guidelines, you’ll build real relationships with your SMS subscribers. They’ll look forward to your valuable texts instead of dreading the ding of spam.
Take Your Business to the Next Level
Still not convinced? A recent study found that 75% of consumers are comfortable receiving SMS messages from brands (as long as they opted in). And the average click-through rate for text promotions is an incredible 36% – compare that to email CTRs that barely crack 3%!
The numbers speak for themselves. If you want to take your customer engagement and revenue to new heights this year, you need to get serious about mass SMS marketing. It’s been a massive driver of growth and loyalty for my own brands.
Ready to dive in? I highly recommend getting started with a platform like 160.com.au. They make it easy to import your contacts, create targeted segments, and measure your results. Trust me, once you see those sales rolling in, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start texting your customers sooner!
