Our world is becoming more and more technologically integrated each and every year. This has been an ongoing trend for at least a pair of decades and seems to be happening at a faster rate year-over-year as well.
This is partly because of the way that technological innovation breeds technological innovation. Another, perhaps simpler, way to say that is – once the wheel’s invented, there’s no need to reinvent it.
There have been other contributing factors to the way in which our society has advanced alongside technology as well, though. For instance, rewinding the clock three or so years ago would land you in a world where remote work was rare and the mobile economy, albeit very viable and established, was a fraction of the size it is today.
However, in the face of a worldwide pandemic, society was already able to transition into a more remote and virtual world because of the existing technology. This is all to say that technology and smart technology are all around us, and is going to continue becoming more and more prominent in our everyday lives.
Marketing, sales, advertising, and growth professionals need to acknowledge and prepare strategies that speak to a consumer market that is largely populated by digital natives and utilizes the available technology.
One technology specific that might not get quite as much attention in the world of marketing as it should, is the simplicity of text messaging. SMS communications can be a powerful part of any modern brand’s comprehensive marketing strategy because they boast a high open rate. However, SMS marketing still needs to be executed properly in order to be effective.
Consent Is Key; Opt-Ins And Opt-Outs
When you’re looking into a mass texting service and SMS marketing strategies, one of the first and most important things to learn about is consumer consent.
While you might not be trying to get into anyone’s pants with your marketing strategies, consent and consumer permissions are becoming more and more important in the virtual interactions and transactions that take place. Consider the recent integrations toward consumer privacy and the use of cookies and consumer data tracking across the internet.
In other words, consumers need to have an easy, obvious, and clear way to either opt in or opt out of continual SMS communications from a mass texting service. This is vital to avoid costly lawsuits and other complications that could potentially sink the business.
Be Transparent In Setting Expectations
When you’re first designing and eventually launching an SMS marketing campaign, it’s going to be important that you establish the expectations of the SMS campaign with the targeted consumers and recipients right from the start.
This is because mass texting services offer a variety of different ways in which SMS marketing campaigns can be designed and utilized. If this is an interactive campaign through which consumers are expected to respond, engage, and connect with the brand, there should be participation information included in the very first text. If this is a promotional campaign for a specific event, on the other hand – response instructions may not be required at all.
Knowing the way in which the SMS campaign is supposed to function will help the mass texting service in creating a campaign that is effective in communicating with and engaging consumers.
Be Purposeful, Not Spammy
Text messaging has become a relatively private and intimate form of communication for most consumers. Recognizing this is important for marketing professionals who want to design effective and impactful SMS marketing campaigns.
By being intentional in the way you use a mass texting service and only delivering text messages that offer some level of value to the consumer, your brand can avoid the negative reputation of being spammy.
While text messaging can be an extremely effective form of marketing, if your brand is constantly barraging consumers with a flurry of texts, you’re much more likely to get blocked than if you send the occasional text that is both relevant and informational.
You May Also Check: How Can You Boost Your Sales With Effective Email Marketing?
Deploy Surveys And Polls
Another really great way that brands have started making use of text messaging as a part of their overall strategy is through the deployment of surveys and polls.
This can be an easy and anonymous way for consumers to give feedback on a recent transaction or interaction or for brands to just get a general sense of where they stand in the eyes of their customers.
Product Or Major Deal Announcements
Finally, one of the best ways to make use of an SMS marketing strategy is to use it for special occasions like a new product announcement or a major sale that is exclusive for consumers that have opted-in to receive continual texts from the brand.
These types of strategies offer value to the consumer and even contribute to building consumer loyalty.
Final Thoughts On Effective SMS Strategies
The majority of consumers worldwide own a smartphone. This makes text messaging one of the most widely accessible forms of marketing there is and an absolutely vital piece of any modern-day marketing strategy.
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