Businesses can benefit from various SMS marketing features in which each can benefit their strategy the right way depending on their business goal,
SMS marketing is lingering in the spotlight in the buzz of mobile marketing, immediate messaging, and proximity technologies. Just take a look on a search engine to see for yourself: Partner predicts that by end of 2020, 20% of the major international brands will drop their apps in favor of a simpler and more direct communication system; while Google aims to revive SMS marketing through a protocol called RCS (Rich Communications Services) using classic text messages also to send images and videos, create groups and much more.
There is a steady buzz around SMS marketing, demonstrating the ongoing interest in this channel of communication. In this post, we’ll be delving into the current state of text messages. We’re not taking sides with those declaring the downfall of SMS marketing, nor with those announcing their revival, but rather we’ll be exploring the features that make it a vital marketing tool.
Let’s look at these SMS marketing resources to highlight the main SMS features specific to this channel.
10 winning SMS Features
- It’s real-time
Once delivered, the SMS is opened almost regularly. The figures do the talking: the SMS marketing channel ensures open rates above 98%. And of this, 98%, 90% occur within three minutes of delivery (Denmark). These figures position SMS as a real-time marketing channel.
- It gets everywhere
It may sound strange, but this term is more than suitable. Its supporting devices make SMS truly everywhere: the smartphone (or the old-generation mobile phone) is the common accessory that many consider being “the true piece of proximity technology” that we always have on hand, like our wallet or house keys.
SMS is almighty because it reaches the recipient everywhere and at any time of the day because it does not depend on having an internet connection.
- It’s versatile
The customer visit is made up of moments and touchpoints – meaning the various elements of the business relationship.
Looking at the diagram, we can see how SMS can cultivate all touchpoints through targeted communication. An insight of completeness that text messages share with email.
The hotspots of the customer journey are the ones in the middle, from the understanding to the maintenance stage: It is here where SMS makes the biggest impact in supporting purchases and building loyalty. However, as we develop an SMS Marketing plan, we can see how text messages cover the entire customer life cycle.
- It can be personalized.
This feature has two phases: one being targeted at brands, which can personalize the messages making them recognizable, thanks to a text alias to replace the phone number; and the other is targeted at recipients, through segmentation features and dynamic fields, making it possible to customize the SMS based on each contact’s activities, interests, and personal information. Not ignoring the option to link up to three text messages to give your communications greater scope.
- It’s integrated
Within a digital strategy, SMS campaigns’ best partner is email, which complements the text messages. The trick is to coordinate these two channels into a single stream, which we’ll talk about in the next point.
- It’s automatic
We all know the name: Marketing Automation. Yet, there are still a small number of brands that put it into a custom or are familiar enough with it. It is the technology that enables you to have an automatic workflow of emails, SMS, and more: not only a way to save time and make the flow of communications independent, but it also lets you create appropriate and targeted campaigns, automatically gear content and messages (welcome, confirmation order, promotional messages, etc.) in line with the recipient’s personal information, interests, and behavior based on previous communications.
- It’s fully traceable.
Anyone sending an SMS can have in-depth performance information and failed delivery percentages, and opportunities such as clicks on links in the message, not only by the campaign but also by the recipient.
Link traceability with SMS in special is a key tool to find out who clicked the link and how many times they repeated the action. What’s more, recipient-based reports present you with information and statistical data that you can use to receive a filter, create a new group of recipients, or even establish a condition (as accurately as possible) for triggering a workflow.
- It can be expanded
Besides the capacity to link messages, as mentioned earlier, landing pages are a key resource for SMS, where consumers can read about products, innovations, assistance, and information that are introduced in the 160 characters of the SMS. All you need is a drag & drop editor to create a professionally designed page that’s optimized for mobile devices.
Once you’ve created your landing page, shorten the URL with a URL shortened program (often integrated into the mailing platform) and then insert this traceable link in your SMS.
- It’s flexible
In the sending stage, SMS is a tool with a high degree of flexibility. You can:
- Schedule the delivery to determine the day and time when your recipients will automatically collect your communications.
- Set up “do not disturb” time openings to withdraw nighttime offerings or certain days of the week.
- Pause and resume sending to check your campaign, amend its content, and resume it at any time.
- It has a high return on investment.
SMS marketing features help each business reach its goals and settle its needs.
The ROI for SMS Marketing is one of the most powerful in the field of digital marketing. Departing aside the numbers and percentages floating around the web – which are often unreliable or out of date – we’d like to show you our case study where we analyzed SMS Marketing Strategy by exploring their objectives, strategy, and results, armed with percentages and figures.
SMS marketing continues to be an essential part of communication and marketing strategies. Over and above, providing a simple and cost-effective way of communicating with customers, SMS benefits are hard to ignore. Also, with Broadnet Technologies SMS features, we can tailor your SMS needs in a way that turns into success and prosperity.
Try us NOW