SMS text messaging has become one of the most effective ways to reach customers and prospects, raise brand awareness and drive conversions and sales. Messages can be sent to anyone with a cell phone, without the need for WiFi or an Internet connection. That accessibility broadens the market of potential customers exponentially including people who do not have smartphones. Many large name brands are using SMS messaging in a wide variety of ways to reach their customers with great success including the following list:

• Coca-Cola
• Reese’s
• General Mills
• Pepsi
• Macy’s
• Papa John’s Pizza
• U.S. Tennis Association
• Starbucks
• Chili’s
• Coors Light

These companies are only a small selection of the major brands that find SMS messaging useful in reaching and engaging with customers. With 94% of Americans owning a mobile device, and 90% of 18 - 34 year olds using mobile phones to send and receive text messages, SMS text messaging is really a marketer's dream.

One of the toughest parts of any type of marketing is getting customers to notice, read and engage with the promoted message. SMS offers a unique way to reach people and have them take notice. Texts are often read as soon as they are received which is dramatically different from email, print ads or any other type of marketing material. Here are some examples of how some of the largest brands are using texting to engage customers, increase awareness and drive sales.

Macy's

Macy's retail department store uses SMS messaging in several ways. Recently they ran an SMS promotion with NBC's "Fashion Star" and invited viewers of the show to text the word "STAR" to the shortcode to shop featured styles right from their phone on Macy's mobile site. As a follow up to the campaign, Macy's leveraged this engagement to promote their VIP list which customers can opt-into and receive ongoing text messages about special events, sales or promotions.

Starbucks

Starbucks is a forward-thinking company that uses mobile devices and SMS messaging in exciting ways. In one campaign, they sent an email to their My Starbucks rewards members to invite them to text the word "HAPPY" to the shortcode to receive Frappuccino Happy Hour reminders. This promotion gives Starbucks a method of reminding customers about promotions with timely messages that include an instant call-to-action such as, "Drop by Starbucks between 3 pm and 5 pm today to enjoy a half-price Frappuccino!

Chuck E. Cheese

Well-loved brand Chuck E. Cheese wanted to increase the signups for their email loyalty program by using SMS to drive them. Patrons were encouraged to text their email addresses to the shortcode to join the email loyalty program. The new signup method amounted to 5% of daily signups to the program. Additionally, the customers that opted-in to the loyalty program via texting opened their emails between 10% to 20% and clicked on coupons 8% to 10% more than customers who signed up using the paper signup sheet.

Redbox

Redbox has found that using SMS marketing is extremely effective with their customers. One holiday season, Redbox used SMS to increase their Instagram following by sending a link via SMS text messaging with the incentive of a special discount code. Using SMS marketing to promote other marketing channels makes sense because of its high open rate and 36% average click rate.

Another campaign that worked well for Redbox involved their "10 Days of Deals" holiday promotion. Throughout the ten days leading up to the holidays, Redbox invited customers to text "DEALS" to the shortcode for the opportunity to save between $.10 to $1.50 off movie rentals. Promoted to Redbox's 3 million Facebook followers and 33 million email subscribers, it engaged 400,000 customers, producing over 1.5 million SMS text messages.

Takeaway

As many major brands are proving, SMS marketing is extremely effective at engaging customers and allows for creativity and versatility in promotional methods.

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