Want to capitalize on the growing number of smartphone users in the US? Then you’re right. Going mobile for sending out special offers, discounts and announcements to customers is the way to go.
To help you start off on the right foot, here are the best practices in using mobile text alerts.
1. Define your goals
Your goals should address what your business needs right now. Is it to increase brand awareness? Increase your conversion rate? Increase customer engagement?
Other questions you might want to have answers to:
- What do you hope to achieve at the end of your SMS marketing campaign?
- How many text messages it will take you to convert prospective buyers into sales?
- What kind of text messages (coupon codes, discounts, special offers, appointment reminders) do your customers need in order to take action?
2. Select the right mobile SMS service
Find yourself a reliable SMS marketing service you can use long-term as driving business growth requires a long-term commitment. So, it’s best to select an SMS marketing service that allows you to scale up your SMS text needs over time by providing you with both tiered pricing plans and customizable plans.
3. Set up your contact list
To send out mobile text alerts, the first thing you need is a contact list. Only add people to your list who have agreed to receive such alerts from your company, otherwise, ask for their permission first.
4. Text-in to opt-in
If you’re looking to expand your contact list, make use of the keyword that came with the plan you’ve subscribed to. For example, interested customers may join your subscriber list by texting “JOIN” to 545454
Your SMS marketing platform should then automatically add this new subscriber into your list.
5. Arrange your subscribers into groups
Organize your contact list into groups that you deem appropriate for each of your target audiences.
Your long-term customers could be grouped into your VIP list while putting your new customers into your Exclusive list.
6. Create your text messages and schedule the send outs
If your text plan allows you to create 500 messages a month only, then you have to make it count. Capture the attention of your customers by giving them something of value like incentives.
In your text message for new opt-ins, create a welcome message and include a friendly discount they may use for their next transaction. For seasonal offers like Christmas, Black Friday or birthdays, create a text message and schedule it ahead of time so that customers will receive it in a timely manner.
7. Set up a weekly or monthly text reminder
If you operate a medical clinic, it’s important to remind your patients about their upcoming appointments so as to reduce your no-show rate. Create mobile text alerts, schedule its time and day of delivery and enable the repeat mode depending on how often you need it to be sent out.
So, are you ready to take your marketing and communications strategy to a new level? Be sure to take these best practices in mind to have a good start.
Mobile text alerts are SMS or short text messages that arrive on a person’s cell phone or mobile device advising them of important information, announcements, or promotions by a business or advertiser.
Any online texting provider, such as Express Text, can help you get started with a free trial account for sending text alerts. Just add or upload phone numbers, create the message, schedule the alert, and start sending texts!
SMS text alerts can be great ways to get people’s attention, whether you are a public service organization making important announcements related to health & safety, or a private business sending special offers and discounts to customers.
Sending mobile SMS text alerts costs nothing to start. You can sign up for a free account with Express Text which includes a limited number of phone numbers and keywords, then upgrade to a different pricing tier as your needs grow.