How do you launch a text marketing program for your business? The short answer in this case is not very short at all. I’m going to summarize the key elements to setting up an (SMS) text marketing program for your business.
First, it’s important to know why you are thinking of mobile text messages as a marketing program. Yes, I know it’s cool, but why else? Are you seeing site traffic and site purchases from mobile visitors? Do you see text as an effective way to communicate or share offers? Are your competitors doing it? Are customers asking for you to send them offers via text? Text (SMS) is a powerful, personal, effective, and a trackable mobile channel.
SMS or text messages are typically read within 3 minutes of receipt versus 48 hours for emails. Just about every phone can accept text messages and studies have showed that customers prefer offers via text message to those via mobile web, apps and email. “Mobile offers are redeemed 10x more frequently than print offers” eMarketer
Back to the question at hand. How To Launch An (SMS) Text Marketing Program for Businesses?
Here are five steps to get you started with text message marketing:
- Goals- To increase sales and communicate via text message are the number one reasons we get hired. If these are your goals, please proceed to the next step.
- Database- Text message marketing requires a 100% opt-in database of subscribers. Offering customers an incentive and providing an easy way to enter your mobile SMS program is the way to build your database.
- Mobile Partner– To ask customers to join your mobile program you will need a short code. It’s a five or six digit number from which one can deliver messages and accept subscribers. A good mobile partner (like us- hint, hint) will provide you with a short code (65047) and the backend text message platform to manage subscribers.
- Promote your Program– You can start by inviting Facebook fans, Twitter followers, or in-store patrons to text a keyword to the short code (Text STORENAME to 65047 to enter.) to begin receiving offers, alerts, or offering an incentive to sign up such a sweepstakes prize.
- Optimize – As with any marketing program, it’s important to test and compare to determine the best performing campaigns.
I hope the five steps above can help you get your program organized. If you need any help, please contact us.