If you have encountered a text message that reads something like, "Text 2 Win" or "Text YES to receive updates," you have experienced the early forms of two-way SMS messaging. And while messages like those are considered rather antiquated by modern marketing standards, they served as great stepping stones to what conversational messaging services between businesses and consumers have become.
The Problem With Early SMS Messages
Although people with mobile devices were likely to at least open the text message advertisement, the marketing message was not always received by the consumer. Early forms of SMS services were extremely impersonal. And although marketing texts are sent in bulk, they should not make customers feel as if they are receiving spam. The awkward – often grammatically incorrect – language of the messages was enough to remind consumers that they were receiving messages from an automated system and not a human being.
Today's Two-Way Messaging
Current SMS messaging services have evolved to allow businesses and consumers to interact seamlessly as though they are casual acquaintances or even friends. If businesses to a good job of getting to know their potential consumer bases, it is much easier to send out text messages that have a more personal ring to them. Taking the time to perfect the art of two-way messaging will help businesses see improved results in customer engagement, and likely increase business overall.
It's important to remember that people don't typically don't correspond the same way in texts as they do in emails. At this point, consumers have come to expect spam in their email inboxes, but receiving one via text message can be seen as a much more severe invasion of privacy and personal space. Modern consumers often feel overwhelmed by the amount of marketing material that they encounter on a daily basis, so it's probably not a good idea to send out more than one or two a week.
