Get started with SMS marketing
A Step-By-Step Guide
Get started with SMS marketing
A Step-By-Step Guide
Are you thinking of giving SMS marketing a try but don't really know how it works or how to get started? This is the article for you. We'll run you through what you need to have in place before you hit 'Send' on your first ever campaign.
To be able to send your first bulk messaging campaign you'll need to gather some customer data. The best place to start is by finding any customer data you already have access to. This could be stored in your CRM, a spreadsheet or wherever you file customer information.
From now on it's also a good idea to collect mobile numbers from your new customers (with their consent) so you can continue building your database. It can be a bit nerve wracking asking new customers for their mobile number, but you'll find that if you can link it to something that will benefit them they'll be much more willing to give it to you.
For example, let's take a look at Sophie, the owner of a designer clothing store. Sophie is just getting started
with SMS marketing and isn't sure how to collect mobile numbers from her customers without them feeling
like she's to going spam them with a load of rubbish.
Let's look at who Sophie's customers are. The majority are very interested in fashion and are concerned about
being 'on trend'. They don't like to miss out or having to wait for Sophie to re-order stock when it runs out.
Based on this, Sophie is going to ask for customer mobile numbers in exchange for sending them text alerts
when new stock arrives. Customers are now happy to give Sophie the information she needs because they get
to be the first to know about the latest trends coming in store.
Sophie will experience a boost in sales because customers know about her new stock and she could even ask
customers to reply to her text if they want an item so she knows how much stock to order.
You can't just rely on your current data because this won't attract new customers to your business. By promoting your SMS campaign you can increase opt-in rates and spread your marketing message even further.
Try promoting your campaign by:
1.
Asking customers to opt-in on your website. If you have a
website where you collect customer details, add a tick box to
the bottom of your form saying something like: "I agree that my
information can be used to send me SMS offers and updates."
2.
Add a keyword to printed materials (leaflets, posters, postcards),
your website and social media pages that customers can text to
automatically opt-in to your SMS campaign in exchange for a
reward.
For example, Sophie might send postcards to homes in the local
area that say: "Text FASHION followed by your name to 882249 to
receive exclusive discounts."
Now you have some customer data it's time to sign up for an SMS marketing
account. You can do this very easily (in less than 5 minutes) by clicking here.
Once you've signed up you'll need to input your customer data. This is fairly straight
forward but if you need any help you can contact our friendly team on
+44 (0) 3333 111 020 or tech.support@reach-data.com
Writing your first message can be a little intimidating. What should you say? If you
want your text to grab attention, focus on being concise and get to the point
quickly. That's the beauty of a text message, they're not very long so it won't take
your customers much time to read it.
Finish by clearly telling your customers what they need to do using a call to action
at the end of your message. A good call to action could be a link to sign up for your
service, asking customers to opt-in by replying to your message or to use their text
as a voucher.
There's no point sending one message and expecting loads of customers. Marketing
works by being in front of your customers consistently. We're not saying to text
your customers every day but think about their patterns and when they'd expect to
hear from you.
For example, Fred who owns a pizza takeaway might schedule a text every Friday
afternoon to get people thinking about having pizza for dinner later that evening.
No matter what your budget is, we can find a price plan to suit your business needs.
