SMS Marketing Tips for Small Businesses – Best Practices and Benefits

In this article, we are going to discuss SMS marketing tips for small businesses so they can leverage their messaging capabilities to a full extent. Before delving into the article, let’s have a look at some statistics that back SMS marketing.

According to surveys,

• About 46% of people spend around 5 to 6 hours on their mobiles per day. 
• By 2024, 85% of all e-commerce stores will shift to mobiles.
• SMS coupons are 8% redeemed more than email coupons.
• The opening rate of SMSs is 98% whereas that of emails is only 20%.
• 99% of the SMSs are read and responded to only within 90 seconds after which they are sent.
• Engagement rates of SMSs are 6-8 times more than emails.
• Hence SMS marketing is a great platform for small businesses to build their brand value.

SMS marketing is the promotion of products and services of a business through SMSs. It includes sending campaigns, promotional messages, updates, news, etc to customers and leads by SMSs.

Why Should Small Businesses Use SMS Marketing?

Before telling you about the SMS marketing tips, let us show you some benefits that you will get if invested in SMS marketing.

• Best for lead generation- Based on customers’ previous activities and interactions with your company you can create personalized messages for them and send them via SMSs.
• Instant delivery- SMSs provide direct communication with your customers and leads. It is cost-effective and does not have an internet connection. Also, it is very fast and takes seconds to send or receive. It has the highest opening rates among all the communication channels. 
• Instant customer feedback- According to research, 31% of the customers who responded to the surveys were taken by mobile. Small business owners especially need to know about their products and services because they can only improve them for the future and expand their business. It has the fastest response time of fewer than 6 minutes on average hence it helps businesses to get the responses fast and take quick decisions.
• Highest open rate- SMSs have the highest open rates than any other communication channel. Hence it is the perfect media to get a call to action from customers.
• Better conversion rate- SMSs have the highest response rates among all other communication channels and if links to your website are provided in the messages then you can drive more and more leads to your website and convert them into customers. Hence small businesses must use SMS marketing for the conversion of leads into customers.

SMS Marketing Tips For Small Businesses

• Welcome messages

Follow the ideology of “Strike while the iron is hot.” When they are treated in the beginning better then they will surely want to stick to your business. After all first impression lasts a long, always delight the people who have recently subscribed to you by sending them a welcoming message and giving them special offers and discounts to them. This will motivate them to buy from your brand and later you can ask them for reviews and feedback also.

• Product launch messages

Whenever you launch a new product or service offer your customers and leads a discount on it. Your existing customers who are to you, trust your brand and like your products and services will be definitely interested in trying your new launches. Your leads will also be interested if they get amazing offers.

• Targeting the right moments

People generally buy on their special occasions. Like their birthdays, anniversaries, membership anniversaries, etc. Hence you can provide them with offers and discounts on these occasions than their chances of buying from your brand only. You can personalize recommendations for them based on their previous purchases and their website visits.

• Abandoned cart offers

According to research, 81% of people abandon their carts. These abandoned carts contain a lot of revenue within themselves. Hence brands must do something to get those revenues out. Brands should offer customers and lead offers and discounts on their abandoned carts. This will definitely motivate customers and leads them to purchase. Adding a timeline for these offers will even encourage them more to purchase. Many companies have generated a lot of revenue from their abandoned cart campaigns. Many abandoned carts campaigns have gained a lot of success.

• Always keep in touch with your customers

You just don’t have to stay in touch with your customers at the time of making the purchase. But, you also need to nurture them at regular time interval. You have to ask your customers about their purchase experience and experience of your products and services, and always ask them for reviews and feedback at specific times. They will make customers feel that you are open to listening to their requirements and preferences. This will make you gain their trust and hence they will become loyal to you and buy from you more and more. Apart from reviews and feedback always be open to listening to their inquiries.

• Always be precise

SMSs have only 160 characters limit hence frame your messages in the best precise way possible. Don’t include any additional points just focus on the main points like the product, its benefits, and the time in which you will see the results. You can include additional points only if these points are covered up. SMS has the most impact on the audience because of its precision. So don’t compromise on it.

• Always take consent from the audience before sending them messages

You have to take permission from the audience i.e. send them a message to subscribe before sending them promotional messages. Even the GDPR guidelines say this. Similarly always give them an option to unsubscribe if the customer is not at all interested in your products and services. Otherwise, they will simply block you and you cannot contact them in the future also.

• Send Drip SMSs

Based on your customers and leads actions send them drip messages. You can figure out customer and leads actions by using CRM tools. Then frame personalized messages for them and automate them at scheduled intervals. Drip SMSs are much more effective than simple promotional SMSs.

Conclusion- 

SMS marketing due to its high opening, engagement, and response rates is the perfect channel for small businesses to increase their brand awareness. Also, SMSs are cost-effective and do not require any internet connection. People always carry their mobiles hence they can check messages anywhere on the go. This makes SMS marketing a perfect medium for small businesses to increase their revenues. We hope this article on SMS marketing tips was valuable and insightful for you.