SMS Marketing Guide 2021: Best Practices From TXTImpact

TXTImpact is one of the leading business text messaging service providers. It is an SMS marketing platform that allows organizations from different spheres to use text messaging effectively for marketing. Whether it is an educational institution, a retail store, a spa, a church, or a non-profit organization SMS marketing is a powerful marketing tool. It allows organizations to reach out to customers and engage with them easily and effectively. This is the secret of marketing success in today’s competitive world.

While using SMS marketing, there are some best practices that can be followed. Some of them are listed below. These can be followed by marketers to use text messaging effectively.

1) Use the best SMS Marketing software

You can send SMS using a mobile phone. You can also do it by sending messages using a free app downloaded from the internet. But these are suitable for small scale operations. If you have a large number of any type of finance, retails customers, this will not help you. You need professional software. This software can be subscribed as a service. You need to only pay for the messages you send and the charges are reasonable. You can use this software to send bulk messages and even customized messages and even schedule messages to be sent automatically. This is convenient as no one is needed to send the messages, it goes automatically.

2) Don’t spam

It is illegal to spam people with marketing messages. You need to obtain consent before listing them in the database. Most importantly, you need to allow the customer to opt out of the service. Your messages should include a line with the details of the code/keyword to be used to stop receiving messages. This is not only an ethical practice but also a legal requirement in many places.

3) Let the messages be simple

Don’t complicate things. Let the message be short. Because you have 160 characters, you don’t need to use them. Let the language be simple. This makes the message easy to read and will get you the best results. The message must follow the principles of communication for it to be effective:

• Crisp and to the point.
• Clear and easy to understand.
• Concise or simple without using complex words or phrases.
• Correct with no errors, and
• Coherent and able to convey what you are saying.

4) Use promotions effectively

Promotions are the best way to attract new customers and also to get existing customers to spend more. You can run promotional campaigns through SMS. The message can contain an attractive offer that compels the customer to make a purchase. You can offer a discount, voucher, or coupon code that customers can use while shopping to get a discount. If your business is online, you can give a link to your e-commerce website where customers can avail the offer. Else, you can invite them to the store to shop and show it to the cashier.

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5) Use a CTA

A CTA or call to action is very important in any marketing message. A CTA helps in getting quick results. Phrases like ‘Offer available till stocks last’, ‘Offer only this weekend’, ‘Promotional offer for first 20 customers’, ‘Code expires today midnight’, etc. will attract a customer and move the customer to action.

6) Plan the message well

Plan the content of the message properly. The content is the key to the success of the message. Test the content with loyal customers and take their suggestions. Apart from the content, you also need to plan when to send the message. You can keep these guidelines in mind:

• Don’t send messages daily, they will irritate your customer who may opt out or block your number.
• Send messages only if you have something valuable to convey.
• Plan the timing well. Do not send messages early morning or late at night. The best time is between 10am to 6pm.
• You can schedule messages at the start of the week or month so the messages go automatically.
• You can send tips and advice to clients. For example, if you offer health services, you can send health tips, weight loss advice, advice to protect against virus infections, etc. This is useful content that customers would appreciate.

7) Personalize the message

Try to personalize the message to customize it. Avoid sending bulk messages. SMS software will have an option to include customer name, area, and other information. Use this so the customer feels this is a special message and not a mass text.

This SMS marketing guide listed out many useful best practices. These practices are easy to implement. All you have to do is subscribe to a business text messaging service. You can use this service for effective engagement with customers so your business can perform better. In 2021, you can these practices to ensure you are able to achieve your targets.

Marketing Head of TXTImpact

I am Susan Raj, Marketing Head of TXTImpact provides Business Text Message products for marketing and support customers to increase your client base. Our Enterprise Text Message Marketing Platform designed for your business, allows marketers to communicate and engage customers on the go instantly.