SMS marketing, also known as text message marketing, is an excellent approach to reaching customers via mobile phones. It’s a more personal and direct approach to customer communication and has a higher open rate than other marketing mediums.
This blog will take you through 7 steps for creating an effective SMS marketing strategy.
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You Must Establish a Clear Goal.
The foundation of any SMS marketing campaign is to have clear, well-defined objectives. Start by asking yourself, what do you want to achieve with your campaign? Is it to drive more traffic to your website, promote a new product or service, increase revenue, or raise brand awareness?
Make sure your goals are specific, such as “increase sales by 10% over the next three months,” and measurable so that you can track your success. Setting clear goals helps to align your strategy and provides direction on how to go forward with it.
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You Must Segment Your Target Demographic.
One message does not fit all. To get the most out of your SMS marketing, it’s imperative to attune your messages to the right audience. Audience segmentation allows you to categorise your contacts based on factors such as age, location, interests, or past purchasing behaviour. This ensures that your message is relevant to the recipient, making it more likely they’ll engage.
For instance, promoting a back-to-school sale may not interest an older demographic, but sending it to parents or students could yield better results. By segmenting, you’ll send more effective, targeted messages, which in turn increases engagement and conversion rates.
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You Have to Create Engaging Content.
Content is key, especially in SMS marketing, where space is limited. Your message needs to be both interesting and valuable to capture the recipient’s attention. A compelling SMS has to be concise yet powerful, focusing on benefits for the recipient.
Whether it’s a special discount, a flash sale, or an important update, make sure it’s relevant to your audience. Also, keep in mind that people often skim their messages, so writing a clear, straightforward message will ensure it gets read rather than deleted.
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You Must Optimise the Time of Your Messages.
Timing can make or break your SMS campaign. When your message reaches the recipient is crucial, as it needs to arrive when they’re most likely to engage with it. For instance, sending promotional texts during typical work hours may be less effective than sending them during breaks or in the evening.
Study your audience’s behaviour to determine the best time to send your messages. Also, take into account time zones if you’re targeting a broader geographic area. By sending your message at the right time, you improve your chances of getting a response.
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You Must Consider The Frequency of Your Texts
Finding the appropriate balance in frequency is also very essential. Send messages too often, and your audience may become irritated, leading to higher unsubscribe rates. However, if you send messages too infrequently, you risk being forgotten.
Create a schedule that maintains consistent communication while respecting the recipient’s time and attention. For example, sending out messages once a week might keep you on their radar without overwhelming them.
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Make a Strong Call to Action.
Every SMS should end with a clear and compelling Call to Action (CTA). What do you want the recipient to do next? Whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for an exclusive offer, or making a purchase, your CTA should be simple and clear.
Use action-oriented words like “Shop Now,” “Claim Your Discount,” or “Sign Up Today” to guide the recipient on what to do next. A strong CTA drives engagement and ultimately boosts conversion rates.
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You Must Track and Analyse Your Progress.
Once your campaign is underway, tracking its performance is crucial. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates can provide valuable insights into the campaign’s performance.
Analyse these metrics to see how many recipients engaged with your messages, how many followed through with your CTA, and how successful the campaign was in meeting your goals. This data will help you tweak and improve future SMS campaigns for even better results.
Conclusion:
SMS marketing is a personal channel, so your messages must be personalised as well. Instead of using generic, sales-y language, use friendly and supportive language.
However, you should consider a few factors while employing SMS marketing:
- Ensure that you have the consumer’s consent to send them communications.
- Your messages must be precise and concise.
- Your messages are both relevant and interesting.
By considering these aspects, you can develop a strategy that maximises the impact of your SMS marketing campaign.
