How many text messages do you receive in a single day? How many of those texts are marketing or promotional offers? Do you read them? Most likely, you know the names of the companies (and probably the wide range of discounts they offer) because you see these messages each day. Text messaging is an essential tool in building your business’s reach and recognition. Without a doubt, understanding how to use it is critical to create any success, though.
Current Text Marketing Trends
Texting is a core component of omnichannel marketing. It is another way to reach your customers. Companies of all types can utilize this method, generally in a cost-effective manner, to achieve more of their brand-building goals or increase conversions on their website. It can help to bring customers back into the company as well.
Consider a few of the most important marketing trends and strategies used today to achieve exceptional results in these areas.
1. Personalization matters
Surveys found that 73% of customers are likely to only interact with marketing methods designed to address their specific interests. In other words, personalized messages are key.
2. SMS supports customer service in more ways than ever
While a marketing tool, SMS is also a way to build brands through exceptional customer service, and that is what many companies are doing. This includes using it for appointment reminders, updates on product delivery, and answering customer questions.
3. It continues to be a low-cost way to build branding and bring customers back to the company.
Customers are as much as 4.5 times more likely to click on a link in a text message or respond to a message on their phone than they are to the same message sent to them in an email.
Considering the versatile ways this tool can be used, it is critical to understand its value in marketing campaigns. While it is not the only method to use, it compliments most other marketing channels well, creating a strong way to connect with consumers on an ongoing basis.
The Enduring Relevance of Text Marketing in the Digital Age
Cellphones didn’t always have an SMS or text messaging feature. The first phones from Nokia allowed for texting in 1993, and eight years later, the Sidekick from T-Mobile was released; featured a QWERTY keyboard that slid out from under the screen to enable texting.
Consumers loved texting, and by 2007, Americans were sending and receiving more of these messages than they were phone calls. In 2010, 62.6 million consumers had a cellphone in their hand, and by 2020, that number reached nearly 250 million.
When you couple the demand for smartphones alongside the boom of e-commerce, it’s clear that text messaging was a viable marketing method. A key component of omnichannel messaging, or reaching consumers in multiple ways. People nearly always have their smartphones in their hands, which means they always have a promotional message to notice when sent directly to them.
The Importance of Personalized Text Messaging for Customer Engagement
The key to this form of marketing is to use tools like Mitto to help with the experience. It is not enough to simply send a message to their phone number. Rather, it is critical to offer a personalized message, one based on their specific and unique interests. Effective SMS campaigns must connect with the consumers where they are, which often means providing a very clear level of connectivity.
Why is personalization so important? It creates an effective tool for connecting with consumers in a meaningful way. Consider some of the core benefits of personalization in SMS (and across all forms of marketing for clients).
1. It improves return on investment
Studies indicate that consumers are more likely to engage in connections with brands that offer some level of personalization in their marketing. That is, by using personalized text messaging, it is possible to increase conversions, leading to higher revenue and profit. Without this type of personalization, your messages may not get the response you need and want.
2. Build customer engagement
Another core benefit of using this type of marketing reach is that it creates an opportunity for companies to engage better with their clients. Some studies point to an 82% increase in opening rates to marketing messages and a 75% higher level of click-through rates. In short, consumers are more likely to respond to that text message by taking some type of action than they would in other forms of marketing.
3. It builds brand awareness
Suppose you see a message on your smartphone consistently, which relates to something you looked at on a company’s website a few days ago. In that case, you will continue to remember that item, think about going back for it, and eventually do so. That gets the sale, but it also creates a way for consumers to learn about and build relationships with brands.
A core component of that last bit is using conversational marketing. That is, not every text message you send to your list should be one about a promotion or special offer. Rather, some brands are using SMSs to start conversations, offer insightful information, and build interesting conversations. It should not be considered a simple way to put an ad in front of a customer, though, as that can lead to a quick removal of the number from your marketing methods.
Look deeper, too. As you consider whether you should invest in this omnichannel marketing method, realize that customers today expect that the companies they know, love, and buy from will connect with them in multiple formats. They expect to have a way to communicate with brands on a one-on-one basis.
The Evolving Role of Text Marketing in the Broader Digital Landscape
Digital marketing is here to stay — there’s no question about that. But today’s marketing methods stretch much further than earlier methods. That is, gone are the days when a well-designed, SEO’ed website and some paid ads were enough. You need to consider the value and presence of using text as a component of your business.
How important is it? If you are a small business with a limited budget, you may be unsure how much you should put into this particular area. Finding a balance is important, but excluding text isn’t ideal any longer.
Consider the value that this method of marketing can bring.
1. No other tool has a higher open rate than text messaging. By comparison, then, you should put more effort into texting than you do into email marketing.
2. Mobile coupons create an instant tool for bringing customers in the door. Are they located nearby? Your tools can provide insight into that proximity, and you can send off a message that may encourage them to stop by since they are close. No other tool does that efficiently.
3. Consumers hate cold calls. They will not answer your call. However, they will opt-in for text messages more readily. That means that if your business model involves a sales call, getting your prospect to watch a video from a link sent in a text is more likely than getting them to set up an in-person or over-the-phone conversation.
4. It’s quite affordable. This method of marketing does not eliminate the need for the long play, such as building an effective website that ranks well and utilizing branding tools. However, it is more affordable than using paid ads in terms of the ROI it offers.
5. Consumers can easily join and opt out. Compliance with local marketing is not something to overlook, but texting makes it very easy for consumers to do so. For example, they just have to reply “Stop,” and the program removes them. There’s no multistep process, which means they are less likely to become upset over these messages.
Text messaging fits into the bigger scope of marketing today. How much of your budget goes toward this aspect of marketing depends on your goals, your target customer, and your ability to build a strong list. For companies that do this well, there is a lot of potential to create long-term brand awareness and build a steady stream of conversational text messaging.
Creating an Effective Plan
It is also important to remember that, to be effective, a creative plan and a consistent level of branding must be utilized. The right tools and software need to be used to ensure compliance with all regulations. At the same time, companies also must focus heavily on creating campaigns that drive the overall value of engagement to the consumer.
What does the customer get out of staying on this email chain? Can they see real value in being a part of it? Effective campaigns ensure that and benefit from it over the long term.
