The popularity of SMS advertising has skyrocketed since businesses began to use it almost a decade ago to reach consumers with marketing communications. The statistical evidence from numerous studies clearly demonstrates the reasons businesses of all sizes are reaching out to their customers with SMS. If you are among the companies not yet using SMS advertising, it might be time to jump on the bandwagon.
SMS Advertising Essentials
SMS is an abbreviation for Short Message Services. In essence, SMS is text messaging over the telephone, specifically sending a text message to someone’s cell phone or smart phone or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). As technology has significantly improved the capabilities of cell phones and other hand-held devices, the kind of messaging included in the SMS designation has also broadened. SMS can now include text, voice, video or some combination of message types.
Many small business owners are reluctant to use SMS advertising because they fear antagonizing customers or potential customers by invading their privacy. Some are also concerned about the time required to learn all of the laws that govern SMS advertising. The way text messaging works, however, is based on permission marketing. The people who receive these messages are those who have “opted in” or given permission for you to send them messages.
SMS advertising messages are sent only to people who opt in to your messages directly or to advertising messages from a marketing service. Once you hire that service to deliver your messages, you can send messages to their list. Using a service eliminates the concern about permission to contact the audience and it is available at an affordable price.
Why Use SMS Advertising?
If you plan marketing for a small business, you really should be considering SMS advertising as part of the marketing mix. 64.1 million Americans now have mobile access to the web.
SMS advertising is an important tactic in your marketing strategy for several reasons:
1. When people subscribe to your advertising, it is because they want to hear from you.
2. People subscribe to your messaging because they want you to give them a reason to buy from you.
3. You will have the opportunity to target every aspect of your SMS advertising message – when, where and how it is delivered, and how specific it will be.
4. SMS is an ideal way to build customer loyalty by providing targeted information and targeted offers.
5. You have the ability to combine text messaging with voice messaging, pictures, video clips and even GPS technology to deliver the message at the most advantageous moment.
SMS Advertising in Practice
During the second quarter of a college football game everyone in the stadium and using a specific cell phone company receives a text message that says: “Answer this question for free food: What is the name of the visiting team’s mascot? Text answer to 99999.” When the correct answer is received, the sender gets this message back: “Correct!. Bring this message to the nearest food vendor for free fries with every hot dog or burger purchase.”
You could also use SMS advertising to entice your customers to shop your next sale. Your message might go out to everyone who has ever made a purchase from you. It might say: “Your Store Spring blowout. Everything 30% off. Bring this message for extra 10% on any one item.”
On a Friday evening, you send a text message to every teen in the mall with a cell phone. It reads: Buy one ticket, get second 1/2 price; buy food, get free drink. Just show this message. My guess is that you will have a full theater, sell a lot of food, and perform the community service to other store owners of moving all of the packs of teenagers roaming the mall aimlessly into the theater.
SMS advertising is popular because it is exceptionally versatile, highly memorable, and can be personalized in many ways. Whether you want to use it to build your brand or sell products, you simply cannot afford to miss the opportunity it presents.
If you own a small business or professional and want more information about sms advertising, see the free video, “How You Can Send 25,000 – 50,000 New Prospects to Your Web Site Every Month – For Free” at http://internetleadgenerationacademy.com/freevideo.htm