Sending text messages with news, updates, and promotional offers to your customers is known as SMS marketing. It’s a quick and efficient approach to communicating directly with clients and prospects.

This is because 91 percent of Americans always keep their mobile devices within arm’s reach. If you want your customers’ attention, you must meet them where they are, including on their mobile devices. Here are the best SMS marketing practices that might help you plan your marketing strategy.

Create a strategy

You will need to develop a solid SMS marketing strategy before you start texting customers. SMS campaigns require clear messaging and SMART targets, just like all marketing initiatives. Follow these easy steps to begin formulating your strategy:

Recognize the standards for SMS marketing compliance

You must be aware of the laws governing opting in and out, state and federal “quiet hours,” and what you must disclose to SMS subscribers when they sign up before you can plan your SMS marketing campaigns.

Choose an SMS marketing tool

Today, there is no shortage of SMS marketing tools, and each one has advantages and disadvantages. Some seamlessly interact with the other marketing channels or your current email marketing stack; others target particular niches. Find out which SMS marketing tool will perform best for your company by conducting research.

Laying the groundwork

Any successful SMS marketing campaign begins with defining your objectives, your offers, your target market, and why they show interest in your message. Create messages for subscriptions, welcome, autoresponders, and abandoned carts that reflect these objectives.

Make subscription simple

The more opportunities there are for clients to join your SMS list and the simpler the process, the better. Make opt-in simple on all subscriber devices and accessible through all of your marketing channels. Consider how your social media and email platforms might aid you in attracting SMS subscribers.

For instance, many of today’s top businesses employ swipe-up advertisements, stories, or posts with text-to-join language that link to specific SMS landing pages on Instagram. Make sure to maintain consistency and brand identity in all of your messaging when you are trying to get people to opt-in.

Use personalization

Personalization should be a major priority when it comes to SMS marketing best practices or any marketing best practices. Customer loyalty builds and strengthens through personalization. Whenever possible, address texts to your subscribers by their first names. Send only communications that are pertinent to the receiver if your business is location-bound.

Be receptive

90% of all text messages are read by subscribers within 30 minutes of receiving them, according to reports. SMS is a very quick form of communication, so your users expect you to provide them with customer support that is just as quick. If you offer two-way messaging and send SMS marketing messages, you must be prepared to respond quickly to any queries your clients may have.

Your clients can become disinterested in the offer or perhaps unsubscribe if you take a whole day or even a few hours to react. Ensure that your team is organized and aware of any messages that can raise inquiries. You can send your clients a link to a landing page, a FAQ, a customer assistance email address, or a chat forum if you don’t provide two-way messaging. Whatever you choose, be sure you’re answering their messages in a timely manner.

Immediately add value

If the texts you’re sending to your customers are relevant to them, you’ll improve their brand experience and foster a sense of loyalty. SMS marketing aims to motivate immediate and direct action. For instance, if you’re informing your clients about an upcoming promotion or one that is currently taking place, you should clearly describe how they can benefit from it in as little as a phrase or two.

Nevertheless, you shouldn’t undervalue a strong call to action (CTA). It’s time to motivate your customers to proceed after notifying them about your promotion. Include a link to the page where the deal is being offered, the location of your physical business, or the promo code customers will need to receive a discount. Track the click-through rates of any links or codes in your CTA to determine their effectiveness.

Conclusion

With social media marketing on the rise, you might be thinking that other types of marketing would pretty much perish. But SMS marketing is here to stay. Since most of the world’s population has phones that they use daily, promoting your products and services via SMS is crucial for your business to thrive. Make sure to plan your strategy ahead and research your target audience for the best results.