SMS marketing done right is the number one marketing tool of the future.

Messaging in marketing will always sound too salesly or spammy, the upside is that there is a strategic and accurate way of using messaging in your makreting strategy.

SMS marketing has a 100% open rate with 90% of recipients reading the message in the first 30 minutes. That is a lot of people within your target audience that have seen your message in a matter of minutes.

It is importante for you to master the basics of SMS marketing so you don’t miss out on any oppurtunities or fin the down side of messaging for lead generation. For example, no consumer would want to receive a message about an upcoming deal in the middle of the night at 2 AM. It would surely be a recipe for disaster. There are certain compliance requirements that every organization that is implementing SMS marketing needs to follow for success.

In this post, we will look at the basics of SMS marketing, why invest in SMS marketing, and three game-changing reasons to use automated SMS messaging for marketing.  

Basics of SMS marketing

SMS marketing or text marketing is the process of reaching consumers via text messages. Text messages are one of the most personal forms of marketing. With more than 85% of US adults owning smartphones and an exceptional 100% open rate, you can reach your target audience directly. This is so instantaneous and that’s why there are very important requirements for SMS marketing done right.

Unless the consumer allows you to send the message via text, you cannot send it, and it is illegal. If you want to send a message to someone, you need the recipient’s number, official permission, and a tool to send the message. The Federal Communications Commission is the organization that regulates message transmission. Follow the FCC and other regulatory guidelines for message transmission and customer consent.

So you ask “how in the world do I get over this? Is it even possible?” Yes, it is. All you have to do is ask.

Gathering the information for SMS marketing is similar to e-mail marketing. Via soclai media activity, subscriptions, offers and annoucements on your website are ways you can have people deliver their information to you.

In any of the examples above, before the form or “fill in the blank” you just need to state something like this: “Thank you so much for finding us, We would love for you to know more about us and get our latest news and offers. Fill out your information below to subscribe to our newsletter, emails, and messages.”

Once people subscribe, you are building your list.

Why invest in SMS marketing?

SMS marketing can be used effectively to communicate business sales promotions, news, or other relevant information to your customers and remind them of appointments, billing, and taking other necessary actions. It offers numerous benefits over other marketing techniques, for example:

1. Higher engagement rate

Text messages are a personal form of communication. Almost every phone user opens text messages. Someone may disable notifications for email and social networks, but text messages have a 100% open rate.

You can get the information delivered to the prospect in real-time. It is a great tool to ensure that your time-critical message will be read almost instantly. 

2. Deliver the true information

There is no need to use any tricks to get the attention of the algorithm as with digital marketing. You can deliver only what is important.

You do not have to add hashtags, place keywords, or use catchy headlines to get the attention of the user. You can truly focus on delivering important information.

3. Cost-effective

SMS marketing is a cost-effective solution. It is cheaper to send a message than place an ad on social media or search engines.

You can buy the bulk message plan and send messages to thousands of users at affordable prices. The high engagement rate leads to higher conversions. A recent study revealed that a significant 45% of SMS campaigns generate a successful ROI.

4. Support other marketing efforts

SMS marketing is a great way to support other marketing channels. A recent study revealed that an SMS reminder of opening a marketing email can increase the email open rate by 20-30%.

Similarly, SMS is a great tool to remind your consumer of the appointment. This significantly reduces the no-show.         

5. Ideal for emerging markets

There is still a significant portion of the population that does not have easy access to the internet. You can use SMS marketing effectively to reach those consumers.

Also, in the areas where internet service is expensive, it is a great option to reach your audience.

3 Game-Changing Reasons to Use Automated SMS Messaging for Marketing

Like any other form of marketing, automation has also revolutionized the way SMS is sent nowadays. There are many automated SMS marketing companies and software available in the market that allow you to automate SMS marketing. Here are the advantages of using automated SMS messaging:

i) Save time and effort

Marketing automation platforms allow a business to send automated messages to a large number of users in a few clicks. These platforms are easy to use and provide you with templates and a range of features to create and send messages.

You can upload your contact list and start sending messages. Industry-specific templates help you create engaging messages.

You can create your own short code and keyword and add sign-up forms. You can use the segmentation to target the specific audience based on behaviors, actions, activity level, etc, and create automated messages for segments for better conversions. 

ii) Personalization

SMS automation allows you to create messages with personalization. Mega important, this significantly increases the action rate as most people prefer personalized communications from the brand.

Automation tools automatically insert the contact's first name or other relevant information in a bulk text. This helps you improve your operational efficiency and create an effective marketing campaign.

Also, you can add the brand name to the text message. It helps businesses foster relationships with consumers.

iii) Schedule messages

SMS automation allows you to schedule messages and set up recurring messages. This is a great tool for setting up a reminder campaign.

You can use this feature for sending recurring messages for appointments, monthly billing, annual subscription renewals, birthdays, customer anniversaries, special holiday discounts, etc.

This shows the customer that you value them. It is a popular saying in the business world that a 5% increase in customer retention can increase your profit margin to 25-95%.

So, now you know all about SMS marketing, the benefits, the basics and reasons why you should start to implement this in your marketing startegy. What are you waiting for? Message away!

To learn more about automation strategies for your business go to clickautomations.com

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If you are looking for an automated SMS marketing solution, Click Automations can help you automate your SMS text message marketing. It is an industry-leading marketing automation platform that provides "ONE LOGIN" for your entire lead generation system. It helps you send unlimited messages.

Click Automation has helped various healthcare brands like Medtronic, Institute of Coaching Professional Association, Harvard Medical School Affiliate, etc.

Reduce marketing costs,optimize streamline operations, and elevate online branding and lead generation with clickautomations.com