Mobile text messaging may very well be the newest marketing tool for businesses everywhere. In this age of text messaging, it only makes sense that businesses begin to take advantage of a wildly popular form of communication.
Tremendous Growth in Text Messaging Potential
Called Short Message Service, or SMS for short, this marketing channel seems to be a highly effective way for businesses to communicate with their customers. The Wireless Industry trade group, CTIA, reports that SMS has nearly tripled since 2007 and is now more active than cell phone calls! It is important to recognize that the largest increase in SMS involves people under the age of 30.
Industry analysts note that SMS is a much more effective form of communication than emails. Research on this subject revealed that a whopping 97 percent of SMS marketing messages were opened, and that 83 percent were opened in just one hour.
This is likely due to the fact that many consumers have their phones with them 24/7 and generally respond to them at any give time. It therefore only makes sense that text messages will then be read by most mobile phone users.
How to Use SMS for Marketing
There are a number of ways to begin using SMS to market your business:
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Hire a text-messaging company, such as MobiQponsis and 8Coupons. These web-based services can perform a number of advertising strategies, from sending out text coupons when consumers are in the vicinity of a business, to allowing consumers to text themselves coupons as they desire.
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Consider a custom approach that allows you to register your own proprietary short code, thereby allowing dialers to access your text marketing campaign. Companies such as Mobile Commons and HipCricket allow you to share a short code.
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Use your traditional marketing resources to inform customers about your texting campaign.
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Consider offering customers “exclusive” access to something in return for their mobile phone number.
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Don’t irritate consumers by texting constantly; instead, focus on less than five times per month, or if you have a good reason for sharing information with them.
Indeed, you may be soon texting your way to more profits!
