It has been a long time coming, but the world of SMS marketing is finally catching up with the rest of the digital landscape. With new technology and a wider variety of platforms to choose from, marketers have never had more options for reaching their target audience.
The question remains: how do you succeed in this ever-changing field? How can you use these different platforms to your advantage? In this article, we will explore five key steps that can help you get started on your way to dominating SMS marketing and step by step guide on how to succeed in SMS marketing.
1. Choose Your Platform:
There are a wide variety of platforms to choose from and this is something that makes SMS marketing so unique, but it can also overwhelm novice marketers. Every platform has its own benefits and drawbacks, but some are better than others at certain things such as targeting specific demographics or doing A/B testing.
The best way to figure out which platform is best for you is to try them all out and see what works best for your specific needs. In general, though, the most popular SMS marketing platforms are:
Text Message Marketing:
The most basic form of SMS marketing, text message marketing allows you to contact customers through their cell phones by sending them text messages.
Mobile Marketing:
A more sophisticated form of SMS marketing, mobile marketing allows you to create more interactive and engaging content such as videos, coupons, and polls.
SMS Chatbots:
Also known as chatbots, SMS chatbots are programs that allow you to communicate with customers through text messages in the form of a conversation.
SMS APIs:
For those who are more advanced, SMS APIs allow you to integrate your own software with the platform to create powerful marketing experiences for your customers.
The main goal is to determine what kind of content and experience you want to give your customers and find a platform that will provide this content in the most effective way.
2. Set Up Your Account:
Once you have chosen your platform, it is important to set up your account properly. This means creating a profile and adding all of the necessary information, such as your name, company, website, and contact information.
You will also need to create a strategy for your SMS marketing campaign and determine how you want to use the platform (i.e. whether you will be writing your own content or curating it).
Finally, if your business is located in a country that requires you to pay taxes or abide by certain regulations, make sure that this information appears on your account as well.
3. Craft Engaging Content:
One of the most important aspects of SMS marketing is creating engaging content. This means that you need to produce high-quality, relevant, and timely content that will capture your customer’s attention.
This can be a challenge, but it is important to think outside the box and experiment with different types of content. Some great ideas for marketing content include:
Text Messages:
Obviously, text messages are a great way to communicate with customers, but you need to be careful not to overload them with too many messages. Try to stick to 2-3 messages per week at most.
Static Images:
Static images are a great way to showcase your products or services.
Dynamic Images:
Dynamic images are more interactive and can be used to create a more engaging experience for customers.
Videos:
Videos are a great way to show off your products or services in a more dynamic way.
Coupons:
Coupons are a great way to incentivize customers and drive up sales.
Text to Win:
Text to win campaigns allow you to entice your customers with the chance to win a prize for replying to one of your messages.
4. Measure Your Success:
One of the best things about SMS marketing is that it allows you access to an extremely valuable tool: analytics. This means that you can track how many people open your messages, click on your links, and even make purchases as a result of your SMS marketing campaign.
This data is essential in determining the success of your campaign and allows you to make necessary adjustments along the way.
5. Experiment and Keep Learning:
The beauty of SMS marketing is that it is constantly evolving. This means that you need to be constantly experimenting with new ideas and techniques in order to stay ahead of the curve.
Never be afraid to try something new and always be willing to learn from your mistakes.
SMS marketing can be a great way to connect with customers and build a loyal client base, but it is only as effective as the way that you use it.
