With more than 95% of text messages being read within the first five minutes upon receipt and marketers seeing more than fifty times the return on every $1.00 spent on marketing, the benefits of short message service (SMS) marketing are undeniable. Launching a solid SMS marketing campaign can help you reach your target audience, establish your brand as an industry leader, and thrive in today’s modern e-commerce market
In this article, we’ll unpack some SMS marketing benefits and outline some best practices when it comes to utilising SMS.
What Is SMS Marketing?
Text messaging is one of the most universal forms of communication, and companies world-wide have leveraged it to their advantage through SMS marketing.
SMS marketing can take many forms, from companies sending promotional offers, asking for a post purchase review, circulating discount codes, and reminding customers about an upcoming appointment. This form of marketing has proven to be the most effective way businesses are connecting with their customers.
With SMS marketing, companies can build long-term brand loyalty with their customers while delivering a personalised, impactful experience for users. This leaves their target audience not only happy to receive these messages, but looking forward to the next one.
The Benefits of SMS Marketing
Let’s explore some of the benefits of SMS marketing that make it so successful for businesses across all industries:
- Budget friendly: SMS marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways for businesses to connect with their audience. With very low setup costs, businesses can reach a large audience quickly. Additionally, SMS marketing allows businesses to save on printing and postage costs associated with traditional direct mail campaigns.
- Higher open rates: Text messages sent through an SMS marketing channel boast a mighty 98% open rate. Which is four times higher than its next closest competitor–email.
- Direct and timely: Almost all messages received via an SMS marketing channel are read within fifteen minutes of reception, which makes it great for dental practices, physical therapy, eye doctors, and other appointment-based industries.
- Higher click-through rates: Compared to email, SMS text messages have a much higher click-through rate and increased overall engagement from the recipient.
- Plays well with others: SMS will complement other marketing channels you may already have in place. Using SMS in conjunction with other marketing channels will lead to a more balanced and comprehensive marketing campaign.
SMS Benefits Tailored to Your Industry
Now that you know the general benefits of SMS marketing, we have included some examples of how SMS can benefit you depending on your specific industry below:
E-Commerce
Brands in the e-commerce arena are able to convert casual browsers into sales via relevant text messages. For example: cart abandonment reminders, product launches, and time-sensitive sales.
Medical and Pharmaceutical
The medical and pharmaceutical industries can use SMS for things like letting patients know when prescriptions are ready for pick up and reminding patients of upcoming appointments.
Food and Beverage
Businesses in the food and beverage industry can use text messaging to build cafe loyalty with special offers, discounts, or virtual punch cards.
Retail
More traditional retail brands increase foot traffic to stores with location-specific SMS campaigns. This can also help drive website traffic and conversions.
Media and Publishing
Media and publishing companies can increase page views and drive paid subscriptions by segmenting their audience based on interests and past behaviours.
In a Nutshell
There is no shortage of ways that SMS marketing stands to benefit your company. Brands across the board use text messaging to interact with consumers in more personalised ways at every step of the customer lifecycle.
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