Getting the most out of SMS marketing
SMS, otherwise known as text messaging, is an increasingly popular communication channel for
service providers and retailers in many different industry sectors. It is not just another way of
keeping in touch, offering customers assistance and support, it can also be an effective marketing
method, usable for announcing special offers, promotions and product launches.
Cost effective customer service
SMS text messaging service can be used to enable your customers to request information, help or
send information such as metre readings or codes. This benefits them as it is cheaper, easier and
faster than phoning up, and it benefits you as you can save on call centre costs. It is also available 24
hours a day, and their queries can be responded to at your own convenience, through whichever
channel suits you best - text, email or phone.
It does not just work for end users or retail customers either. Your distributors, agents or clients can
also benefit from the provision of an SMS channel of communication with you. For example, they
may wish to check the availability or stock levels of certain items, or request pricing information. All
this can be integrated into an SMS system in a much more cost efficient way than a phone channel.
Targeted marketing
SMS advertising has not been around very long in comparison to other methods but it has already
proven its effectiveness. It can of course be very precisely targeted, and is much more likely to be
read than emails or paper mailings. Messages can contain special offers and discounts, reminders of
customer events in stores or other ways of generating sales. The beauty of SMS marketing is that
customers can text straight back to take up offers, click on a phone number in the message in order
to call you, or click on a web address to visit the website, all direct from their phones.
There does not necessarily need to be a direct call to action in the messages. They can equally be
used to provide more general sales information such as new products or services being launched,
interesting company news, or even a brochure optimised for viewing on mobile phones.
Data gathering
Of course the key to SMS marketing is to have a large and reliable database of customers' mobile
phone numbers. Methods of gathering these include asking for mobile numbers during website
registration, requesting them through loyalty schemes or during face to face retail transactions.
Additionally, you can ensure that all your brochures, leaflets, posters and signage asks customers - or
potential customers - to text with their business name to a specific number in order to join your
database and receive special offers and discounts.