No matter who you are, when you hear the familiar ping of your phone letting you know you have a message, it is almost impossible to resist the urge to see who wants to get in touch.
Most of us will stop what we are doing and have a quick look, just to check if the message is something urgent from a friend, family member or client.
This natural human instinct to respond to a notification is why SMS is by no means dead. In fact, it is alive, kicking and essential.
Consider that according to Deloitte’s Mobile Nation report, 89 per cent of Australians own a smartphone. And while there are plenty of messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, SMS capability is pre-loaded on every device.
What’s more, when it comes to using smartphones, research has found that texting is the number one activity, even above using the device for phone calls.
Despite this, most major brands don’t have a mobile marketing strategy. They leave this amazing opportunity on the table; often because they fail to realize how simple and affordable sending automated texts via a bulk SMS platform can be.
Email vs mobile marketing
Sending a bulk SMS to your customers really is as simple as sending an EDM.
And while email open rates can be depressingly low (20 per cent is seen as a great result), studies have shown that texts and bulk send SMS open rates can exceed 90 per cent.
Due to the endless flood of emails received each day, people are increasingly turning off their inbox notifications. This is probably why marketing emails usually sit unopened for over an hour, while mobile marketing messages tend to get noticed in five minutes or less. Click-through rates are higher with texts as well (6 per cent for email vs 36 per cent for SMS).
Switching to mobile marketing and adding an SMS strategy to your campaigns just makes good business sense.
Related: Even more fascinating statistics about SMS marketing from SMSGlobal
Ways to use mobile marketing
With a bulk SMS platform, you can contact your entire database with a major marketing message or send personalized messages based on where your customers are at in their journey.
Here are a dozen awesome ways to integrate SMS to your client communications:
- Bulk send special offers and limited promotions
- Automate appointment or event reminders
- Confirm orders
- Send package delivery notifications
- Send Christmas, birthday or ‘client anniversary’ wishes
- Bulk send new product updates
- Share links to helpful content
- Send customer surveys (you can even send a question with a yes/no answer and request responses)
- Send competition entry links
- Issue e-tickets
- Start personalized conversations
- Establish simple or complex recurring message functions
The way you use SMS can be tailored to your business and your customers. Get creative and have fun or use a bulk SMS platform as a practical way to support the people who rely on your business.
Related: Offbeat ways businesses use SMS to increase engagement
How to use mobile marketing
Communicating with your audience using a mobile messaging solution is relatively simple. Once you have created your strategy and identified which customers you want to get in touch with, all you need is a platform designed to integrate SMS messaging with your existing technology.
For example, if your business uses Salesforce, Zapier, HubSpot, WordPress, BigCommerce or Magento, you can connect it to an SMS platform like SMSGlobal. When a client signs up, makes a purchase or indicates that they would like more information, a text can be scheduled or delivered immediately.
A good provider that gives value for money will be able to adapt to your existing platforms and will have a ‘built for you’ service, so you and your team don’t have to spend time figuring out how to activate your mobile messaging solution. They will even be able to take on the challenge of creating a bespoke HTTP integration that can work with your business’ unique software.
SMS is what you make it
If you want the most direct line to your customers, integrate SMS messaging and create a mobile marketing strategy. Thanks to the current technology available, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the messages you send and how you initiate conversations with your clients.
