Tip #1 - Get Permission From Your Subscribers
Just like any email mailing list, you need to get explicit permission from your recipients before sending them marketing text messages. This is the most important tip!
There are many ways to entice people onto your subscriber list--perhaps offer them special offers, product updates, and other perks when they opt into the list.
Remember that if they gave you their email address only as part of their online order, that isn’t an invitation to start messaging them about your new products. So take the opportunity to invite them to opt in while they’re checking out their online cart or in your order communications.
Tip #2 - Provide Great Value
It goes without saying that the best way you make sure your recipients are happy with your SMS program is to provide value to them. Remember that the high open and response rates enjoyed by SMS campaigns is due to how intimate SMS messaging is for most people. Subscribers have less patience for unwanted, useless messaging in their SMS inbox than in their email inbox.
This means that while you have higher chances of getting noticed with SMS, make sure that your message is something that they would really want to know about, and act upon. Your subscribers need to feel like a VIP.
Tip #3 - Tell Subscribers What to Expect
Managing expectations is important. You don’t need to have a long explanation of what your program is about. But it’s important to be clear what subscribers can get from joining your list. This minimizes disgruntled recipients and can be a compelling reason why subscribers might join.
Make sure to reiterate your program in the auto-response that subscribers receive after they join.
Tip #4 - Don’t Nag Your Subscribers
Nobody wants to get too many messages per month, or about the same campaign. Don’t annoy your subscribers, or you’ll see more people removing themselves from your list in short order.
It’s also good practice to tell your subscribers up front how many times they can expect to receive messages from you. Anywhere from 2-6 messages per month is a good number.
Tip #5 - Time Your Messages Right
Aside from regulations that limit promotional messaging to normal hours, your recipients are more likely to take action on your message during the daytime.
A message they receive while they’re getting ready to sleep will not likely inspire them to take your offer, and may even annoy them if they wake up to your notification. In addition, sending messages after office hours can also be counterproductive for your business.
Tip #6 - Be Professional and Don’t Use Shorthand
While many people use shorthand forms when messaging their friends and family, using the same in your promotional messages may come across as sloppy and unprofessional. Sending out your promotion copy in full will rarely cause readers to think negatively of your brand, while shorthand may be detrimental.
Additionally, the shorthand forms you know may be different for your target audience. Minimize the chance of misunderstanding by sticking to normal word forms.
Tip #7 - Respond in Real Time
One of the best aspects of SMS channels is the ability to develop customer relationships through conversational marketing. By giving them an opportunity to respond to you and start a conversation, you’re building long-term relationships and loyalty.
It’s important to keep these customers engaged. While manually responding to subscribers may not be ideal, usage of autoresponders can help in many scenarios, from instantly giving them access to purchase products in your catalog to responding to their feedback appropriately.
Tip #8 - Track and Measure Your Campaigns
As with many marketing campaigns, it’s important to measure your SMS campaigns effectiveness in order to maximize current and future efforts. Don’t just send your messages blind and hope that something comes back.
Check your provider if they have tracking tools available, but you can also use third party tools like Google Analytics to track your SMS campaigns’ effectiveness. These need to be embedded in the message you send out, so don’t forget to include it as you hit send.
Tip #9 - Personalize Where You Can
While there’s only so many characters you can include in an SMS, it’s important to show your business’ personality and care for your customer through the copy that you use. It’s easy to send an impersonal message through, but it has less chances of grabbing your recipient’s attention.
Where possible, try to personalize your messaging, whether it’s by adding their name or tailoring an offer for their interests. You’re more likely to catch their attention and they’ll feel closer to your brand if you make them feel like a VIP.
Tip #10 - Stay Transparent and Compliant
Lastly, using SMS for marketing purposes is more than just making sure they’ve explicitly opted into your program. There are many important laws regulating marketing on this channel, so make sure you’re following them.
These are things like:
- Informing recipients about extra message/data rates that they may incur when they respond to your campaign messages.
- Letting subscribers know how to remove themselves from your program.
- Sending promotional messages only within allowed times of the day.
Keep up to date with the current regulations, and make sure your bases are covered.
Conclusion
SMS is a great channel that can fully round out your existing marketing efforts. Don’t ignore newer channels such as social media ads, messenger and chat apps, and the like, but don’t dismiss this veteran marketing channel. A solid marketing plan must harness all available channels to deliver a powerful message.
If you follow all the tips outlined below, your program and campaign has a better chance of delighting your customers.
- Get permission from your subscribers.
- Provide great value.
- Tell subscribers what to expect.
- Don’t nag your subscribers.
- Time your messages right.
- Be professional and don’t use shorthand.
- Respond in real time.
- Track and measure your campaigns.
- Personalize where you can.
- Stay transparent and compliant.
A happy subscriber list can help you build strong customer relationships and encourage brand loyalty to your subscribers. Taking care of them and making sure you bring value through your SMS program can give you great long-term results.