With so many ways to reach prospects these days, marketers have found a way to stick to traditional marketing roots. Text or SMS marketing hasn’t lost its touch, connecting brands with their target audience. And small businesses might find SMS advertising advantageous as it’s affordable, manageable, and results-oriented. If you’re wondering how to promote your small business, here are some SMS marketing tips.
What is SMS Marketing?
Did you know that SMS open rates are relatively higher than other message-centric methods? The survey tells us that 90 percent of messages are opened within the first three minutes. Additionally, SMS’s average open rate is 98 percent. If that figure doesn’t motivate you to start SMS marketing, we don’t know what will!
But what is SMS advertising?
SMS or short message service is a straightforward way for brands to send marketing messages to prospects. These messages could contain special promos, discounts, launching rates, new products, limited-time offers, etc. Compared to email marketing, SMS is a surefire way to get your message across in real-time, with a high open rate.
Advertisers also have complete control over when they can send text messages and how much budget they spend for the campaign. Small businesses will find this advertising tactic cost-efficient as SMS software and app subscriptions cost as low as $5. However, the cost depends on the area code or country to which you’re sending the messages.
Key Aspects of SMS Small Business Marketing:
Text messages are an excellent and targeted way to send to your target audience. Although text messaging is a more personal way of reaching close contacts, networks have found a way to keep this platform a safe and controllable space for both parties. Here are the critical aspects of SMS marketing:
- Permission-based: Brands can only send users text messages if they’ve opted to receive them. This ensures companies are compliant with privacy regulations for network users.
- Opt-in and opt-out system: Users can opt out anytime they want, requiring marketers to include an option to stop receiving promotional texts.
- Personalized messaging: The upper hand of SMS marketing is personalization. Advertisers address users by their first names when sending promotional text messages.
- Promotional messages: Text messages are sales-driven methods to achieve your marketing goals. It’s easy to inform prospects and customers of special offers, coupons, or discounts to increase website traffic or foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar stores.
- Appointment reminders: SMS can also be used for service-based companies to remind clients of upcoming appointments. It may also be used as a confirmation tool for companies for an easier and smoother user journey when availing of their services.
- Customer surveys and feedback: Another aspect of SMS advertising is for customer surveys and feedback. Some customers hesitate to provide feedback, especially if the feedback platform is not accessible. However, texting makes it easier for customers to reply when you ask for their opinions or feedback.
- Integration: To automate SMS, you need the help of a reliable SMS marketing app. These apps can usually be integrated with CRM tools so marketers can segment their audience list and push out messaging campaigns simultaneously on various channels.
- Monitoring and analytics: Marketers can monitor and analyze SMS marketing results quickly. You’ll determine use behavior and measure quantifiable metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, read rates, and customer engagement.
5 Top SMS Small Business Benefits
Small businesses will find SMS effective in connecting with their target audience. Not to mention, it’s cheap and efficient, allowing small business marketers for quick automation. Here’s why small businesses should invest in SMS marketing:
1. High open rates
According to studies, SMS open rates are between 95 and 99 percent, with an average open rate of 98 percent. If you think of it, who doesn’t read text messages on their phones? You almost always open text messages, which keeps the open rates up for SMS. The only downside is when users block your number. That said, try to keep your copy short and sweet, enticing users of your offers.
2. Increase engagement and conversion rates
You’d almost always get a response when you craft the most irresistible text message to your target audience. It may be challenging to pitch offers to new prospects for credibility reasons. Users won’t be able to see the face of the brand or the logo in SMS. However, one way you can use SMS is for retargeting. You can offer upgrades or new products to current customers—if you use personalization when interacting with them.
3. Easy to implement and use
With the help of SMS apps, marketers can quickly implement this marketing method and use apps efficiently. Most SMS tools offer user-friendly interfaces that don’t require a learning curve, making them suitable for small business advertisers without extensive technical know-how.
4. Cost-efficient
SMS is cheaper than other digital marketing methods. The price per text in your same region or country could be as low as $0.049 per message. Some subscriptions also offer low monthly rates from $5 to $10 monthly.
5. Geotargeting and segmentation
Small businesses can start promoting their brand locally, which makes geotargeting a beneficial method for gaining traction. SMS allows segmentation based on user behavior and location. This way, every message is tailored to the right recipients.
Best SMS Apps for Small Businesses
Here are some examples of SMS apps for small businesses:
- Salesmsg: This is a scalable, simple, and secure business calling and texting tool. It lets you do two-way business texting, sending, receiving, and managing text messages. You can also use unlimited contacts using your local, professional, or current number. Pay $25 per month for 500 messages.
- Sakari: A cloud-based text messaging service that lets businesses send text reminders, confirmations, alerts, and marketing campaigns. You can start with zero technical knowledge within five minutes of signing up to the platform. Pay $4 monthly within the United States for local and toll-free numbers.
- TextMagic: This is a user-friendly SMS app for small businesses that allows sending texts to customers, staff, and suppliers. TextMagic is an SMS software for PC and Mac desktops. The price per text is $0.049.
