Article Contributed by James Pointon
SMS marketing is gaining momentum, and it’s not likely to stop. An incredible 75% of people say that they would like to receive marketing via text message, and that’s far too many potential customers for you to ignore. Small businesses should be jumping on this bandwagon – there’s no size limit on how to make this work for you. Here are some actions you can take in order to boost your SMS lead generation and sales.
Make it personal
A generic marketing text can sometimes fall far from the mark. Customers want the personal touch, so make it seem as though you are talking directly to them. Using their name is a great start, and will grab their attention.
But you can do even more to make it personal. Consider targeting customers based on what they have purchased from you in the past. If they bought a watch, for example, you might send them an SMS about the latest bracelets you have on sale that match their watch style. If your customers are parents and you know that one has just become pregnant again, start sending them offers on newborn products. Keeping a thorough database on your customers can help with this.
You can set up a sales funnel process, too, so that any customers who have bought a certain product get reminders about new ones. Then if they respond, give them a second prompt for something else. If it’s working, keep doing it.
Be specific
Customers aren’t likely to pay attention if you give them vague offers. Telling them, “log on tomorrow for big savings” isn’t going to incite much excitement. Give them something to log on for! How about telling them what is on sale, and for how much? “Log on tomorrow for 50% off all apparel” is a much better draw.
How can you make this even better? By adding a sense of urgency. “50% off on all apparel on our website tomorrow – 24 hours only!” tells the customer that they need to act immediately or miss their chance. Otherwise, they might put the message aside for later and forget all about it.
Be exclusive
SMS customers need a reason to opt in to your marketing. Give them exclusive offers so that they can save where others can’t. You can do this by sending them a specific discount code that only they will know about. It’s most effective when combined with an existing sale. If you have 20% off on certain items, offer a further 10% off with a specific SMS code.
You can also use exclusive deals to hook in new sign-ups for your SMS list. Let them know that they will get a special discount code as soon as they sign up and you will watch your list grow rapidly.
Aim for immediacy
People tend to open texts immediately, but they might not open emails until the next day. That’s why it is important that you use SMS marketing for immediate effects. Tell them to log in now – not later. This is fantastic for you as a small business owner, because it means that you can manage sales more effectively. As soon as you need that sales boost, put out the word. If your sale isn’t attracting many buyers, you can send out an SMS to give it a push before it ends.
Make sure that you also think about timing during the day. If you have an online shop, you might send a message at lunchtime, when those who are at work will be able to take a break and browse your shop. If you have a restaurant, it’s better to text right before dinner. You can also use the service to send mass texts to employees and make sure everyone is on top of their tasks.
Stay top of mind
When you don’t have a sale on, you might still want to send out a message every now and then. Perhaps you’re a crafter who sends handmade goods. Your items take a long time to make and sell out quickly. To help create more buzz, try texting your database an hour or so before your newest listings are due to go live.
This will encourage buyers to check out your online store and will also remind them that if they want something, they should buy it fast. You’ll create a culture where your items sell out as soon as they are listed!
Using SMS marketing can seriously help your small business grow. Done right, it can even turn you into more of a medium business.
Author’s Bio: James Pointon is a blogger deeply interested in boosting businesses’ marketing opportunities through original and untapped channels. At the moment, James is sharing his ideas for business promotion working at OpenAgent – experts on real estate market.