Most companies use common marketing levers such as SEO, animating social networks, PPC (Pay per Click) or offline methods. In spite of the uses of increasingly mobile, these companies have not yet tried the adventure of mobile marketing. This is particularly the case of SMS marketing, also called "SMS Push", which allows any advertiser to automatically send messages in bulk and cost. A paradox when you consider that 100% of mobile phone users have access to the SMS function.
SMS Marketing was actually launched in 2009 and companies have had to adapt to this new way of communicating, composed solely of text. Another new technology is opt-in: this means that the mobile user has agreed early in order to be alerted via SMS. This method allows the company to ensure that its contents are considered undesirable content. The results are clear: the existing studies on the SMS Marketing report a read rate of up to 98% * and that, on average, within three minutes after receiving the SMS *. An absolute record in the channel since no marketing world had hitherto reached such statistics. But is it so surprising when you consider that a mobile phone user visits on average 150 times a day in his camera *?
The commitment is immediate: Studies have shown, a mail messaging is accessed only once or twice a day and many emails are rejected because they are perceived as undesirable content. A SMS inbox, for its part, is accessed several times daily. So many messages are usually read in a few minutes.
Set up an SMS campaign is simple and fast: A text message SMS generally has no more than 160 characters, which means that messages are just two sentences at most. This brevity is a good thing because it allows consumers eager to read the contents of the message in a glance.
SMS Marketing is affordable: Send message is usually cheaper than doing an offline advertising campaign or on the Internet (display). Many operators offer low-cost solutions to less than one Doller per SMS sent. All you need to buy Bulk SMS packages.
SMS Marketing is interactive: To unite around a brand, it should invite its customers to commit to share with her. Thus, an advertiser can use the SMS channel to launch an interactive campaign as a survey or questionnaire. The consumer becomes an active participant and provides valuable data to help the company determine exactly their needs. A good way also to retain your customers!
SMS Marketing is ecological: Companies are increasingly likely to engage in practices that respect the environment. In the marketing sector, the SMS leaves no carbon footprint unlike any paper media such as flyers or billboards.
What content with sending SMS Marketing?
Offers, invitations, contests and giveaways: SMS Marketing is, as its name suggests, the quintessential promotional tool. It is therefore no wonder that advertisers use mainly to send discount coupons and promotional offers of all kinds. Discount coupons as a message are popular with brands because they are 10 times more likely to be used as those distributed by mail. The contest to win gift may be an opportunity to launch a product to test it and to promote it. Inform customers about its latest products, adding web links and a video demonstration can create links with them and better retention.
Custom Notifications: The sending of SMS notifications is a widespread practice of direct marketing, particularly since the great boom in mobile applications. These have the advantage of being customized to the client. They can, for example, allow a trader to alert a customer on the availability of a product, send the details of their nearest store (via geolocation), but also allow a client to follow the status of his order or to protect their accounts via two-step verification (authentication code sent by SMS). With smartphones with increasingly advanced features, the possibilities are endless!
Confirmations of appointments or reminders: If a business or organization is hosting an event or physical features regular appointments with customers, then the SMS is a great way to confirm an appointment and remind them of the date thereof. This may be the case, for example, a doctor or a restaurant. An effective way to fight against absenteeism and thus encourage attendance of a place.
Alerts: SMS Marketing can also be very convenient to broadcast an important or urgent message to a database with a few clicks (Crisis, flood warning, etc.). It can be an ideal tool for debt collection services or bailiffs studies in order to avoid time losses related to wrong numbers or answering machines.
Surveys, satisfaction surveys: The surveys by SMS are a relevant way to understand the market and know how employees of a sign are present and test products to customers. Surveys can be designed as open questions or multiple choice. They are particularly effective when there are codes or other gifts key.
When it comes to marketing, companies are usually willing to invest in technologies that have been proven. Thus, in a time when nearly 90% of the population owns a mobile phone, it is almost absurd that so few companies do not integrate SMS in their marketing strategies. Whatever the reasons, these companies cannot consider that they have exploited their potential to increase their conversion rates without trying such a tool. For the SMS Marketing helps both to gain more customers but also sell more products, and more often, to existing customers. Indeed, flexibility and immediacy make it particularly effective in increasing the revenue generated per customer. Set up as part of a multi-channel marketing strategy, SMS Marketing will only maximize the reach and impact of the message.
In conclusion, even if the SMS marketing is not really a new concept, it remains for a long time and a great way to reach your customers.