In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, about 75% of the population of over 21 countries in the world still rely heavily on text messaging when it comes to cell phone usage. This medium of communication trumps the social media phenomenon as it is still widespread, irrespective of the economic status of a country.
What is Text Message Marketing?
With texting still being on the top of the list of communication methods being employed around the world, no wonder that it still serves a foolproof way of promoting anything under the sun.
Text message marketing, or sometimes referred to as SMS marketing or direct text marketing, is used by businesses to inform customers or even future clients of their services and products. These text messages are sent through software or platforms which use algorithms to know when and who to send these information blasts.
Most of these messages may transmit to receivers anything relating to the business of the sender, ranging from promo announcements, discount coupons, giveaways, or other gimmicks to pique potential customers’ interest.
How Does Text Message Marketing Work?
Text message marketing allows businesses to have a wider reach wherein information is blasted through text messages, carrying promotional content, and focuses on marketing whatever product or service these entities can provide.
The average American spends approximately 4.5 hours on their phone on a daily basis. Given this, it could be safe to say that a text message most often wouldn’t be left unheeded and ignored.
With the power of this accessible and easy-to-utilize marketing tool, your small business can significantly benefit from using this approach when it comes to promoting your business. Here’s why text message marketing can help:
Text Message Marketing is Practical and Cost-Efficient
For small businesses, the typical word-of-mouth method is frequently used as a starting point in promoting your product. However, text message marketing could be a faster and more practical way to get a wider range of receivership and is much more efficient than email marketing.
Texting for SMBs wouldn’t require an internet connection as phone users may receive these messages anytime, anywhere. For more rural areas where reception is quite challenging to gain access to, communities would opt to rely more on text messages when it comes to knowing about the events and activities happening in their area.
Instant Delivery of What You Want to Send Out to Potential Customers
Text messaging feels more personal to your target customers compared to sending an email that requires them to access their computers, or have to go through different websites through their phones to read whatever is sent to them.
With just one click upon the SMS opening, a 160-worded message gives a straight to the point invitation, which directly says, “Hey! Here’s our product. Just give it a try!” You, as a sender, no longer have to worry about being left on “Unread” in people’s inboxes, or worse, be sent to “Trash” or “Spam.”
Integration with Digital Marketing
However, despite this traditional method, it gives more leverage with marketing your business when integrated with email messaging. Within the text message, you can include a link towards your website or direct them to email to share more information about what your business can provide.
Some digital platforms and software can also integrate SMS marketing with social media accounts such as Facebook Ads or Youtube. Surely, this would entail additional costs, but the return is sweeter if it allows customers to have easier and faster access to your business information.
More channels and mediums mean more engagement with your customers. With text message marketing plus digital promotion, you are allowing your business profile to be made more known, and your future patrons more aware of your existence as a legitimate and noteworthy product or service provider.
Easier Tracking for Receivership
It is also integral when it comes to marketing that you know that your text messages have been sent out to your list of potential customers and that they have received these notifications on their end.
Text message marketing also generates easier and simpler ways for your customers to give feedback whenever they respond to the message, or click on whatever link is provided within the SMS. As a business owner, this allows you to track the development of your marketing strategy and know which areas you can improve for better promotion and advertisement.
Takeaway
Albeit it is now considered “traditional” or “outdated,” text message marketing still hasn’t lost its touch when it comes to plugging your small business and placing it on the map. Maybe you have decided to move on to more advanced and high-tech methods to give your company a better rap, and wonder why your business seems to have slow growth.
Perhaps it’s time to give text message marketing another try!