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Those of us over 40 may vaguely remember that old Yellow Pages campaign encouraging people to reach out, reach out and touch someone – there was even a catchy jingle.

To the youngsters in the room, think of the Yellow Pages as an analog iPad, a printed resource that connected you with potentially anyone and everyone in the world, provided you had the correct editions. Businesses used the monstrous paper volumes and their walking fingers to contact potential customers, and also made sure they were in there and able to be contacted.

The classic phone book has pretty much become a relic but its goal to encourage us to “reach out” is just as important today, perhaps more so, since there are more voices demanding attention.

Nowhere is the call so loud than with modern small businesses. They are told that in order to stay competitive and be noticed, they need a site, a blog, a social media presence, and some kind of storefront, either physical or digital. Along with these passive ways of getting their name out there and hope customers find them, businesses are also urged to keep bringing people in and keep them happy. Both are noble theories, so sometimes the promotional budget may dip from all of those other must-dos.

Luckily for you, text messaging allows you to attract potential customers and build your database. If you work with a messaging software, you can send messages in bulk, keep track of recipients, even segment and target different interests and user groups.

Here’s why SMS makes sense as an outreach and small business marketing tool.

• Texting is universal. More people are using mobile devices, especially younger users. But there are still debates whether the best way to connect with current or prospective clients is through text or email. Text has definite advantages – they look the same on every mobile device and operating system. Emails, on the other hand, are easy to send but may sometimes not be viewable depending on their format or email platform. Email marketers are now encouraged to use simple text only, which can be seen better but won’t be as visually impressive.
  
  
• Texting has a better, faster open rate. Depending which company is promoting their particular service, the current average open rate ranges between 15 and 25 percent, although Social Media Today said personalizing them can increase the rate slightly.  In comparison, MobileMarketingWatch said text open rate can be as high as 99 percent. Texts are also more likely to be opened within a few minutes of being received, compared to emails that may sit in inboxes for hours or days. EmailMonday.com also said the response time for push emails is gradually decreasing.
  
  
• Easy opt-in. Since texts are traditionally short, the “would you like to sign up for more info/fun from us?” link can come up quick, rather than at the bottom of email fine print. Texting software can help keep track of who clicks, and adds them to the database.
  
  
• Easy list management. Your business can create different text mailing lists based on different categories, like fans of different products or services, or different genders or ages. Maybe even birthdays – customers will enjoy receiving a text from you on their big day, and you don’t have to spend money to send an actual card.
  
  
• Easy promotions. Modern texting services allow you to launch and run fun interactive games and activities via texting. Get creative with letting people text a certain code to register for a contest. Set up a reader loyalty program, where instead of giving out physical punch cards, customers receive digital points. All of these used to be done off-line, usually with higher costs and a larger investment of time.
  
  
• Texting saves money. Everyone likes to get a bargain, especially when there aren’t a lot of steps involved. With text marketing, you can skip printing and mailing coupons, or buying print or online ads. Instead, create a landing page with a coupon, and text customers where it is, with an exciting message describing the value. “Get a coupon for $5 off your next purchase” and direct them where to print or save the image.
  
  
• Easy to track results. The rapid nature of texting – the brief message and short response time – lends itself well to a “get it fast” special offer. Consider putting a deep discount on something for only a few hours, which can be a good experiment to what products get people moving faster. Or you can track and compare results of different texts to different audiences.
  
  

Texting software like Trumpia.com can create excellent – and affordable -- outreach opportunities for small businesses. It handles the automation process, and makes it easier to focus on the content and delivery.

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