The Original Mobile Marketing, SMS
Text Messaging or SMS (Short Message Service) is the original form of mobile marketing. It all began over 20 years ago when an SMS message was used for the first time on December 3, 1992, when Neil Papworth, a 22-year-old test engineer for Sema Group in the UK (now Airwide Solutions), used a personal computer to send the text message “Merry Christmas” via the Vodafone network to the phone of Richard Jarvis. (Wikipedia) Since then the mobile phone has evolved into smartphones and the SMS has become a staple in the lives of almost everyone.
How far SMS has came.
Text Messaging has increase from 1 billion messages sent monthly in Dec. 2002 to over 171 billion sent in Dec. 2012. (CTIA) SMS marketing is still the tops for business mobile marketing spend because of the almost 100% open rate giving business owners and brands a all but certain window to engage a customer via their mobile device. With this important window brands and marketers alike have been searching for a way to send the most effective text message possible.
Wikipedia
How to send a better text message.
In the age of MMS and Location Based Advertising the tools are available to turn a regular every day SMS to the perfect text message. Here are five ways on how to send the perfect text message to your customers.
1. Collect demographic information with opt-in. By collecting basic information with opt-in it can help you craft a text message to be as effective as possible. By having basic information such as gender gives the marketer the ability to make the SMS more personal and more effective.
2. Don’t over do it. Sending too many text messages to your customers is a sure way to get an opt-out. Choose a few times and stick with them for a while and ocassionally throw in something different to see what gets the best results.
3. Send something worth sending. Sending a text messaging for a sale on something that no one wants just to send a message is like sending to many. Try to have something worth while ocassionally send out surveys and get feed back on what customers want. Knowledge is power.
4. Think outside the box. Think of fun ways to use SMS in other forms of advertising in and out of the business location. Use keywords to get more data base opt-ins , for example “Text Sale to 1234 to get an extra 5% off this table”.
5. Use Location. Location based messaging give you the ability to send the perfect sms. By utilizing a Geofence (virtual perimeter around desired location to trigger notifactions) can allow you to craft customized text messages that have shown to increase effectiveness substantially.
Having the chance to engage someone on their mobile device can be a very powerful tool if done correctly. If you are interested in starting an SMS (text messaging) campaign or wish to get more information on geofencing and location based advertising please contact us today.