You know the feeling, you are sitting there in the restaurant (or is it waiting at a red light? sitting in the airport? walking down the street? chillin’ in front of the TV at home?) and you have no clue where your phone is. Oh, good, it was just in your pocket, but you didn’t realize it. Everything is right with the world. Because of our connectedness to our smartphones, SMS marketing, aka text message marketing, is making a comeback.
If you would like to try out, our friends at NextLevelText.com have a special offer for you: Sign up and get $50 off your set-up fee when you visit their website and enter the coupon code: WoosterMedia50. Next Level Text offers a variety of text message marketing packages from which to choose.
I recently conducted a poll on the Wooster Media Group Facebook page (stop by and Like it, if you haven’t already by clicking here), and voters were split 50/50 on whether they would consider using text message marketing. The poll was certainly not scientific, but I believe it demonstrates a positive outlook. One friend who took time to address why he would not consider using it is because he didn’t want businesses sending him endless texts. He added he already has to deal with companies bombarding him with emails.
I understand the concern about abusing SMS marketing. Just the other day I unsubscribed because a maker of WordPress themes was emailing me everyday, asking what I believed to be stupid questions just to provoke me to engagement. Well, I did engage by unsubscribing.
Still, the one thing that might hedge against abuse is companies pay for every text in this kind of marketing platform. Sure, they can purchase a variety of packages, but they have a finite number of text messages they can send out.
Some pros of text message marketing
Here is what Next Level Text reports on its website:
- Everyone who has a cell phone has it with them virtually at all times.
- 97% of consumers text daily.
- 83% of all texts are read within 90 seconds.
- 50% of all local searches are done on a mobile phone.
Think about it, don’t you read every text message you receive?
Some concerns of SMS marketing
As mentioned above, there is the potential for abuse. Some are also worried about receiving unwanted texts, however, with the Next Level Text service, customers give you permission up front. Also, because SMS refers to Short Message Service, your messages must be succinct, because you might want to include a live link to your website for more information.
Potential uses of this kind of marketing campaign
I think this kind of campaign can be great for retail establishments, restaurants and bars. Imagine blasting out a text to your subscribers about a great deal on burgers today at the restaurant; or letting them know tickets go on sale for that great tribute band that will be playing at the club this weekend. If you present a compelling deal with a deadline, then it can help motivate people to make purchase decisions.
Remember, the only people who will receive text messages are those who have signed up and have given you permission to market to them. They can do this a couple ways: Sending a message to a specific number or by taking a photo of a QR code that is prominently displayed throughout your establishment.
What are you waiting for?
Give our friends at NextLevelText.com a visit and see if text message marketing is right for you and your business. Visit them here to check out pricing. They will also give you a 15-day free trial. And, if you want to know how effective SMS marketing can be, visit this page and look at the companies who have had success.
As always, if you would like to schedule a free consultation about how Wooster Media Group LLC can help you with search engine optimization, digital marketing, content creation, website design or other services, schedule a free consultation here.