How relevant is a text message marketing today, you ask? Well, let me tell you this. In all possibility, you’re reading this blog on your cell phone. And if you’re not, then, err.. why not?
According to a Mirror article, People check their smartphones an average 85 times a day without even knowing they are doing it. You could easily be the reason for one of the time.
That’s the beauty of mobile phones. Today, it is practically a digital extension of a human body. Inseparable. And I know you’re reading this and thinking, “…Everyone knows.. What’s the big deal..”. Well, if you’re a marketer, it is a huge deal. A deal that can put your message in the hands of 4.6 billion people on the face of this earth. (Yes, that many people own a mobile phone connection!).
The first ever SMS text was sent on 3rd of December, 1992, with the message “Merry Christmas”. It has been a Christmas for texters and marketers since then. Texting became the mainstream connection platform between people, after phone calls. Big banks started to strike a deal with mobile network providers to send bulk text messages to their customers on the information on their account activities. Why did businesses trust SMS? Because it is instant, short and efficient communication, the way people like. And you are sure the message will get delivered, as long as the phone number is valid.
Today, SMS might have taken a step back to allow her internet counterparts take the central stage as major people-connecting platforms, but her relevance is not at all over. Not even close to getting over. As long as people hold a mobile phone with a network connection, the importance of SMS will prevail. Marketers know this, and that’s the reason they see Text Messaging as a hot marketing channel.. !!
Text messaging as a marketing channel has evolved a lot. You can send transactional as well as promotional text to customers who opted in for your messages. You can set up two-way conversation campaigns for greater customer engagement. You can personalize text messages by including the first name of your customers. You can include a link in your SMSs and track the conversions. You can geo-track your customers and send them attractive messages when they are near your store. Opportunities are endless.
You might have a message that you want to reach millions of customers. But that’s not enough. You need a good marketing platform that will allow you to send bulk SMSs at once with intuitive and easy to use interface. An application that will allow you to send instantly or schedule for later, track your SMS performance by analyzing click rate etc.. The application should also allow unlimited contacts to be added, and ability to segment the customers through specified criteria. And, the application that should not affect your ROI from SMS campaign.
Talking about the SMS marketing applications and their abilities, intelligent marketing platforms like FirstHive.com also lets you perform Email Marketing and Social Media Marketing together with powerful SMS Marketing, all from a single interface. This empowers marketers like you to gather critical customer info at a much granular level. You get the view of your individual customer’s activities across channels, that you can use to send out personalized messages.
Anyway, marketing application or not, do make sure that you don’t underestimate the power of a good SMS marketing campaign. It is kind of an unsung hero of mobile marketing family and perceived as a less popular sibling of Email marketing. But really it’s not. SMSs are as much as effective as Emails, maybe more.
95% of the SMSs are read instantly at the time of delivery. You just need to be relevant and personal, and you should be good. So this summer, get a little hot and texty.. Start your bulk text message campaign today.
