Creating a successful SMS Marketing program is like conducting a symphony. There are many instruments that, when combined, create a unique composition that captivates your audience. As the conductor, you’re responsible for leading the orchestra to create an inspirational experience for the listener. Similarly, the success of your SMS Marketing program all depends on how well you are able to execute it.
How do you compose a SMS Marketing program that produces the best results? By following this basic checklist, taking care to include these five essential steps in each of your campaigns, you’ll be on your way with a harmonious start.
1. Integrate SMS and Mobile Messaging into All Your Marketing Programs
To increase your response rates, five to ten times, and make the most of your traditional advertising and marketing programs, you can invite customers who view your brochure, print ad or presentation to send a mobile keyword like pizza to a short code such as 99000. Anybody who has sent a basic text message from any phone can do this. One clever real estate company even went a step further. It recently ran a full-page ad in California Home and Design Magazine that included a Quick Response (QR) Code in its print advertisement, linking the reader to the company’s home page. A reader can simply take a picture of a QR Code using any cell phone and the cell phone can either bring up the associated webpage or send a keyword to a certain short code to receive an automated promotional response.
2. Create a Following and Promote your SMS Marketing Programs Using Social Media Sites
Social Media sites allow today’s marketers to build a greater following and network than anyone could ever imagine. Using sites like Facebook and Twitter to provide information about your brand, products and promotions – including your SMS Marketing programs – will give you the brand recognition and competitive advantage you need in today’s cluttered marketplace. By using added tools like Trumpia’s Facebook widget, which invites Facebook Fans or Business colleagues to receive your special mobile offers, you’ll be able to broaden your horizons and, coincidentally, your CRM database. Soon you’ll find yourself sending hundreds and thousands of mobile text messages.
3. Use Video and Pictures to For Greater Customer Engagement
Pictures have always been worth a thousand words. The same is true when it comes to mobile marketing. By integrating the use of MMS messaging – using pictures and videos -- along with your SMS text marketing campaigns, you can expect response rates that are often two to three times greater than those that are just text based.
4. Optimize Your Email and Web Marketing Programs for SMS Marketing
Not all smart phones are created equal when it comes to rendering your Email, SMS and MMS marketing programs – especially when pictures are involved. For example, BlackBerry devices don't display images by default, whereas iPhones and Android devices do. So be sure that you test your campaigns to see how they will render on different platforms.
5. Keep Top of Mind and Build Relationships with Your Customers Using Mobile E-Cards and Mobile Coupons
While SMS text marketing can keep your customers up-to-date on latest happenings, using Mobile Coupons and E-Cards – even in conjunction with one another – allows you to give a more personalized touch to your offers and campaigns. Extending well wishes along with a fabulous offer is, not surprisingly, a good way to build rapport with your customers. But by featuring offers that your customers can only redeem by visiting your physical location or online store, you’re likely to boost more than your foot and web traffic.
As the conductor of your SMS Marketing program, you’ll find that blending the use of Mobile, Email, Voice, IM and Social Media with other more traditional marketing programs in an integrated and optimized way will help you achieve an ovation when it comes to increasing response rates and brand awareness. Working with the right mobile marketing technology partner, you’ll realize return on your investment many times over.
While mobile marketing is definitely effective, it is the cornerstone of an even more powerful strategy -- mixed media or multi-channel marketing – which can help you expand upon your SMS text messaging program.
Think Mobile. Think Email. Think Social. But if you want to stay ahead of your competition, you’ll think about combining all of these together.
