It takes a lot of work to capture the attention of today’s audience. Though email marketing remains valuable in the marketing toolbox, SMS messaging offers a distinct advantage, with its unmatched open rates exceeding 90% and lightning-fast response times averaging under 3 minutes.
This blog will show you how to use SMS messaging for marketing in a fantastic way, not just boring blasts.
Summary:
Make the most of what’s trending
Think about it: when it’s hot outside, wouldn’t you love a text about a summer sale on sunglasses? Or it’s pouring rain, and you get a text reminding you about your discount on raincoats. SMS messaging lets you connect with people when they’re thinking about things they might need
- Summer: Text exclusive sale alerts for summer clothes, promote refreshing drinks, or give early access to new summer products.
- Rainy Season: Send reminders to be prepared for bad weather or offer deals on umbrellas and rain gear.
- Holidays: Wish your customers a happy holiday with a personalised text, send exclusive holiday offers, or reward them with loyalty points through SMS.
Here are some ideas:
Cover big events with SMS messaging!
Let’s say there’s a huge concert coming to town. SMS messaging can help you connect with fans in a fun way:
- Concert Hype: Build excitement with countdown messages leading up to the concert. Include a special offer or a link to exclusive content, like band interviews.
- Ticket Reminders: Make sure nobody misses the show. Send a quick text reminder with the concert’s date, time, and location. You can even add a link to a map of the venue.
Messaging with a Twist:
SMS messaging can be more than just sending messages. Here are some ways to make your seasonal and event campaigns even more engaging:
- Interactive SMS messaging: Go beyond basic texts. Ask people questions about what they like (through polls) or run fun quizzes related to the event, with prizes for winners.
- Games with SMS messaging: Make things fun with a points system or rewards program you can access through texts. Imagine earning points for every purchase during a summer sale, unlocking special discounts.
- Knowing Your Customers: Don’t send the same text to everyone! Use what you know about your customers (what they buy, where they live) to send them messages that are more interesting to them. For example, cricket fans might get trivia questions about their favourite players.
Personalize Your SMS messaging with Customer Data
Take your SMS messaging campaigns to the next level by personalizing messages based on your customer data. Here are a few ideas:
- Location-Based Offers: Is there a heatwave in your area? Send texts to customers in those locations with special deals on sunscreen or cooling drinks.
- Purchase History: Did a customer buy a new pair of running shoes recently? Text them about upcoming races in their area or exclusive offers on athletic apparel.
- Past Event Attendance: Did a customer attend a music festival last year? Send them a text about early access to tickets for this year’s festival, or exclusive merchandise offers.
By using customer data to personalize your text messages, you can create more relevant and engaging campaigns that are more likely to resonate with your audience and drive sales.
Keeping Track of Your SMS Messaging Magic
The best marketing is all about learning what works. Track how people respond to your texts (open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates) and use this data to improve your future campaigns. Here are some metrics to consider:
- Open Rates: This shows the percentage of people who receive and open your text messages. A high open rate indicates that your target audience finds your messages relevant and interesting.
- Click-Through Rates: This tells you how many people who open your text messages click on the links you include. A high click-through rate suggests that your messages are compelling and that people are interested in learning more about your offers.
- Conversion Rates: This is the ultimate measure of success. It shows how many people who click on the links in your text messages take the desired action, such as purchasing or signing up for your email list.
By tracking these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into what’s working well with your text message campaigns and what areas you can improve on. You can then use this information to refine your targeting, craft more engaging messages, and ultimately drive better results for your business.
Conclusion
Using these tips, you can turn SMS messaging from a simple way to send messages into a powerful tool for connecting with customers and boosting sales all year round. With a focus on what’s hot right now, fun event engagement, and a dash of creativity, your SMS messaging campaigns can stand out and win over your customers in 2024 and beyond.
