Mobile text marketing offers a high-return method of engaging consumers and converting them into loyal customers with very little up-front investment. With a bulk SMS service and the right campaign strategy, any business can leverage mobile trends to bring in customers. However, any mobile plan has to be developed with the needs of the consumer in mind, specifically toward getting them to opt in to the strategy, and keeping them from opting out.
Often, engaging consumers and getting them to sign up for marketing and promotional texts is the easy part. However, many firms make some critical mistakes when it comes to keeping users. There are a variety of reasons consumers opt out of a text marketing plan, but below are some of the most common:
Failure to offer incentives – Text marketing centers around making texts interesting and engaging and the best way to accomplish that is to offer incentives, whether they are discount codes or in-store offers. Customers that receive incentives, especially those offered only to text message recipients, are more likely to remain on in an SMS marketing program.
Failure to integrate other channels – While text is an excellent way to share marketing messages, many consumers will be more engaged when other channels, particularly social, are integrated as well. Tying text strategies to social media offers customers a way to share and communicate the plan, which encourages others to opt in as well.
Sending too frequently – Sending messages too frequently is the most-cited reason for opting out of an SMS marketing subscription. Users don't want to see their mobile device flooded with marketing messages, so firms need to carefully research optimal schedules for their market.
Taking the wrong tone – Tone is critically important in any marketing message, whether it's text, email, social media or visual. Firms need to ensure that they are sending messages that get to the point quickly, offer an incentive and keep the recipient interested. This can be accomplished by keeping these messages short, including a call to action, and an incentive with every message.
Targeting the wrong demographic – Many firms also make the mistake of offering mobile text marketing options to the wrong demographic. Text marketing is favored by Millennials and the other generations that have embraced smart phones and tablets. It is important for firms that don't market to these demographics to consider the true value that texts will have in their strategy.
Firms considering SMS marketing solutions need to ensure they have the right services in place to support and enable bulk texting and customer relationship management as well, to ensure success with their plans.
