![5 Tips on Improving Marketing SMS Engagement [Free SMS Checklist]](https://b1731151.smushcdn.com/1731151/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bring-SMS-Into-Your-Marketing-Plan.jpg?size=2000x1334&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
In the 21st century, potential customers have strayed far from traditional media like television, broadcast radio, and print. In an ever-changing environment, advertisers need to hit their customers on the go, wherever they are.
Marketing SMS can take your business to wherever your customers go. To be successful, it needs to be engaging. While bad SMS strategy can alienate customers, a savvy campaign prioritising marketing SMS engagement can build lifelong customer relationships.
What is Marketing SMS?
Marketing SMS refers to the use of mobile text messages for promotional, transactional and communicative purposes. Marketing SMS often involves the publication of a text-message-based campaign to a target audience. This is made possible (and easy) with a marketing SMS platform.
A marketer may choose SMS over email when carrying out a campaign due to its immediacy and higher open rate. Recipients of an SMS campaign are 3 times more likely to open and respond than recipients of an email.
SMS Marketing Campaign Checklist
Make sure you’ve got all these things checked off before launching your SMS campaign.
Download our SMS Marketing Campaign Checklist.
Is Marketing SMS Effective?
Current trends indicate that the effectiveness of marketing SMS is strong, and only getting stronger. This is because younger audiences have a higher rate of engagement with SMS than older cohorts. As time passes, the marketing SMS engagement can only improve, as SMS open rate averages are already sitting at a huge 98%.
Five Tips for Better SMS Marketing
1. Offer Real Value
Use SMS to connect customers with coupons or information on deals exclusive to those getting the message. Customers love both saving money and knowing they can get an inside deal.
2. Be Helpful - Use SMS for reminders and important information
Customers lead busy lives and appreciate reminders that their appointment is coming up. If there’s a last minute venue change for your event, a timely SMS notifying your attendees will be a welcome heads up.
In more recent times, the use of SMS has been used by the Australian Government to notify people of Covid-19 updates in their states as well as provide them with information and advise on best Covid-19 prevention practices.
3. Use SMS To Get Feedback
Messages can request that customers take a brief poll on their experience or write a short review. These polls usually ask customers to rate the service they have received. i.e. call centres will send a text message asking you to rate your call 1-10.
Of course, these can be tied to offers of more coupons or exclusive deals to drive long-term connections. This is not quite SMS marketing, but it is great feedback that can be used as part of your longer-term customer service and/or marketing strategy.
4. Make Your Call To Action Clear
A top SMS marketing tactic is to include CTAs in your marketing SMS campaigns. As hyperlinks or buttons can’t be included in SMS, your CTA may be to visit a URL address, call a number, send an email, or reply with a YES or NO (or another shortcode).
Whatever it is, make it unmissable and make it easy for your audience to reply for higher conversion rates.
5. Capture Attention With Emojis
Text messages can be visually boring. Spice up your SMS marketing campaign with the use of (appropriate) emojis. People often respond better to visual stimulus and they can be the subtle attention grab you require.
Get A Great Marketing SMS Plan
Businesses across Australia both large and small are perfecting SMS marketing as part of a broad-based digital effort to build their customer base. 89.9% of Australians own a mobile phone. Do not get left behind while your competitors can potentially access every mobile phone in the country.
Harness the Power of Automation Software for your SMS Campaigns
SMS Marketing isn’t just the future, it’s the present day. Without SMS as a core part of your marketing strategy, your brand runs the risk of lagging behind and failing to reap the benefits of the wider reach, and better engagement rates of catering to mobile devices.
Is your business currently using SMS and email as part of your wider strategy? Do you need help with the creation, automation, or increasing engagement?
Here at Swift Digital, we can help you with your email and SMS campaigns by providing tips on email and SMS best practices to make your next campaign a success! Start collecting SMS subscriptions today, and see how your ideal ROI is only a couple of text messages away.
To find out how your business can get the best out of Swift Digital’s SMS module, contact our team today!
The Preferred Email, Events and SMS Automation Software For All Australian Government Departments
Swift Digital’s templates help you effortlessly create stunning emails and events communications using our drag-and-drop email and event builder.
You can raise engagement with embedded images, videos, polls, article feedback, and emojis and schedule messages to send at the right time.
Government departments’ unique marketing requirements are covered with Swift Digital, and full compliance with all anti-spam and privacy laws is guaranteed. Swift Digital is also ISO 27001 certified.
Swift Digital is Australia’s leader in marketing automation software and event management working with organisations like the NSW Government, ATO, and companies like Westpac Bank and Qantas.
Find out why we’re the Australian government department’s number one choice for their professional communications and events.
To find out how your business can get the best out of Swift Digital’s platform, contact our team today.
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