You’ve connected with your customers over email. You’ve talked to them on social media. You know the importance of creating personalized experiences for them.
But one place you’re missing out on to connect with your customers is over text message, aka Short Message Service (SMS). With automated text messages, your customers will feel like you’re talking directly to them. Automated messages also make it easy to keep your clients up to date on their orders, appointments, or what-have-you. If you’re not yet implementing SMS, there are many reasons to start now.
Automated messaging allows you to write and schedule texts sent to customers or clients at a particular time. You may use automated messaging to reach a group of customers or to send order updates or appointment reminders to a single customer. You can also use automated messaging to send personalized texts to people, such as a “Happy Birthday” message or “Thanks for subscribing.”
If you’re not using SMS, there are many reasons to add it to your marketing mix:
As we mentioned above, automated messaging is versatile, and there are many occasions to use it. If you’re still not sure how your brand could use SMS, here are a few ideas to inspire you:
Your brand has a voice. It’s important to maintain that voice through any texts you send your customers. If you’re fun and flirty on social media and through email initiatives, match that over text. And if you’re a bit more buttoned up, keep that same tone with your SMS messages.
Along with keeping your texts on brand, keep them relevant to your audience. Text messaging isn’t like email, though. Most of the texts that get read aren’t relegated to a spam folder. But the less relevant your texts are, the easier it will be for people to ignore them. So cut out the fluff and send people messages you know they like, whether they’re update messages, important reminders, or, even better, discount codes.
Also, remember the “law” before texting. You have to give people an opt-out. Something as simple as “text STOP to unsubscribe” is sufficient. And make sure you have people’s permission before you start texting them.
The beauty of automated SMS is that you don’t have to DIY it. Plenty of SMS platforms are out there that let you set up bulk messages, schedule automatic reminders, or send out welcome messages. Some are easier to use than others, so it might take some trial and error before you find the one that’s right for you.
If you want to get started with SMS marketing but aren’t sure where to start, a digital marketing agency can give you a boost. The right automation agency can help you incorporate texting into your overall marketing plan, giving you the tools and support you need to form deeper bonds with your customers. Reach out to the ZGM team today!