SMS bulk messaging: a great tool for any business, but if you do not use it correctly, then you risk wasting time, money and losing opportunity, loyalty, brand and potentially getting yourself into some pretty nasty legal situations.
SMS is a very personal and direct medium, without considering carefully the content, delivery and calls to action in your message you could serve as an irritant and nothing more. In 160 characters, you can either convince someone to buy from you, or anger them into unsubscription. However if you do it well SMS can become a powerful and well regarded part of your marketing strategy.
1. Display who you are:
Many people forget this most basic of information. There are a couple of ways to do this:
a) Set up the caller ID to be a name up to 11 characters (no spaces). The problem is that it is not a number so recipients cannot reply to it and you still have to have an opt-out method in your message. An opt out message is important, so you will have to spend characters on providing an alternate number for opting out. Your message might look like this.
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From: Pub Special
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Patron get 50% off all drinks before 7pm
Friday Night at Kelly’s.
100 George Street, Sydney.
Opt-out SMS STOP to 040506060
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b) The alternative is to use the opt-out number as the caller ID. You then must remember to put the company name in the message. eg.
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From: +040507070884
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All Staff to Meeting Area
Bring your laptops
From the boss
Opt-out reply STOP
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With this method the message is slightly shorter and it is easier for the recipient to opt-out. Over time this will generate less complaints and be more positive for your brand. However, if like in the example you chose to use it a source of information for staff, especially those staff with work paid phones, you may be able to avoid the “öpt-out” line.
2. Add A Call To Action
Customers must always see a point to a message. An attractive offer or opportunity to justify the time spent reading the SMS.
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From: +61429705882
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Bring a friend and get free entry.
Special offers for couple at the Retro Inn.
Interested? REPLY YES
Opt-out reply STOP
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You can also add URL’s to mobile web pages, google maps, mobile video and even application downloads, this is particularly powerful for Iphones. Use a URL shortener to fit in a larger url into your SMS.
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From: 040505958585
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Get your free t-shirt online at tinyshirt.com/sms
Opt-out reply STOP
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3. Try nt 2 use SMS spk!
Shortening words and funky acronyms are used by people with no keyboard. Many marketers to use this language to save characters or ‘connect with Gen Y’. It is much better to speak in simple plain proper English. When marketing you need people to read and understand a short succinct message quickly, they don’t need to be deciphering some kind of code.
Treat mobile numbers with respect, they aren’t like email addresses that people can recreate instantly, people only have one. They can’t just give you a purposely setup one just for collecting spam. They make a conscious decision to trust you with this data and should you abuse it you will be opted out and never be given the opportunity again. Australia particularly has very stringent SPAM laws, and international SPAM laws could also land you into some hot water if you abuse your power.
So be responsible, accurate, succinct and intelligent with your SMS campaigns- and you will not fail.
