Using an SMS messaging service as part of your personalized marketing strategy is increasingly valuable to small businesses. It costs far less money to encourage existing customers to continue using your products and services than it does trying to attract new customers.
One of the most powerful platforms for personalised marketing is the good old mobile handset. Statistics show that 95% of US consumers own a mobile device. That means brands have an opportunity to reach over 300 million people.
Now the economic climate in the United States is improving, consumers are more confident about spending. Furthermore, over 90% of SMS marketing messages are opened – which means they reach people that are encouraged to spend.
Personalized marketing has an unequivocal role to play in modern business settings. The rise of social media, mobile apps, Live Chat assistants and customer management software enable brands to develop closer relationships with customers.
SMS is another example of this. There is no other channel as intimate as text messages. And because our brains are hard-wired to open texts – because we associate texts with rewards – SMS marketing has a higher success rate than any other advertising channel.
And brands are not limited to the US. SMS has a global reach which when combined with the internet shopping, online payment gateways and international delivery services, brands can stay connected and service customers all over the world.
Because SMS only has room for 160 characters, messaging is precise and to the point. It does not waste time for consumers or leave them feeling frustrated by marketers not getting to the point.
Modern consumers want to be told what the deal is and how to take advantage of the offer. That’s it. Because SMS recipients have already subscribed to your brand, they do not need persuading that your products and services are better than your rivals.
Generally speaking, an SMS marketing message will state the promotion and either invite customers to text in a code or redeem a voucher in your physical store. Whenever customers redeem vouchers in your shop, their name appears on a screen – which gives your employees the opportunity to say hello and address customers by name.
When customers subscribe to your SMS marketing service, they are essentially joining an exclusive club of private members. Brands can take advantage of this concept in personalized marketing strategies by making customers feel special.
Use SMS channels to promote exclusive offers that are not advertised through any other marketing channels. When customers feel you are providing them a special offer just for them, you strike an emotional chord, strengthen the bonds of loyalty and increase your chances of making a sale.
Aftercare is a long-running fixture of good customer service that has proven to be an effective way of building customer relationships. But modern consumers are not comfortable about being contacted with a phone call.
Phone calls are considered intrusive, and for customers with social anxiety, speaking on a phone can be uncomfortable. Furthermore, people are more likely to tell you what you want to hear rather than how they really feel about your service.
Using an SMS messaging service to follow up sales therefore has several benefits. Brands receive honest answers which enables you to improve your service, customers do not feel as though they have been unnecessarily interrupted, nor do they feel pressured to answer your questions. And consumers prefer to receive texts from brands.
Addressing customers by their first or last name is more engaging than sending a marketing message that reads, ‘Dear customer.’ This generic approach is often dealt with by using the delete button.
Personalized marketing has to focus on making the customer feel special. Treat them like a friend that cares rather than just another person you are trying to prize money out of.
By keeping precise records of consumer data, you can use customer information to create special offers and marketing messages that you know will be of interest to your customers.
Consumers demand relevance. They are not happy to receive marketing messages for generic products and services they have no interest in. People typically unsubscribe from mailing lists if they receive to many misplaced or irrelevant ads.
SMS has many benefits for modern businesses – and maximizing your personalized marketing strategy is just one of them. If you want to know how an SMS marketing service can really benefit your brand, contact Bulktextmessage today.
