Over three-quarters of the world’s population will send and receive SMS messages over the next four years.
Nearly 50 million consumers opt-in to receive SMS marketing services. That number will rise as 92% of US adults now own cell phones and have them nearby 24/7.
This article looks at how to use SMS marketing to promote your business.
Read on to learn about the best SMS marketing services, from two-way messaging to number verification. Learn how to harness the power of sending texts to promote your business brand.
Advantages of SMS Marketing
SMS marketing is now a mainstay of most marketing campaigns as companies look to target customers directly.
This immediate communication channel has a read rate of 97% within 15 minutes of delivery. Time-critical messages get delivered fast to your customer’s most valuable asset — their phone.
Other advantages of SMS marketing services include:
- Almost half of SMS campaigns generate a successful ROI
- Use shortcodes to segment marketing efforts
- Receive feedback through links to surveys with a 31% success rate
- Monitor and track outgoing and incoming messages
Prices are lower than ever to send and receive messages. Combined with email and social media, SMS can promote a brand across the world at a low cost.
Best SMS Marketing Services
Below are 3 SMS marketing tips and services to help your business get the most out of the marketing channel.
Some providers offer only one feature, like sending messages. Offerings like SMS and email verification require a specialist company that focuses on that key area.
Ensure that you estimate how many text messages you aim to send then shop around for the best deals.
1. Two-Way Messaging
Customers want to engage with businesses using SMS just as they would their friends. Two-way messaging allows this to happen, and the service offers:
- Keyword-based rules to sort incoming messages
- Trigger dynamic replies
- Dedicated number options
- Search and view message history
Companies like MessageMedia.com allow you to send and receive SMS messages through their inbox app. They also offer several B2B SMS marketing options like appointments and booking confirmations.
2. SMS Number Verification
Sending messages to blacklisted or non-working numbers is a waste of time, money, and effort.
Sadly, many marketers don’t check their databases. Landline numbers and customers who have complained to the FTC or TCPA get included in their campaigns but shouldn’t.
SMS number verification services check your lists and flag potential problems.
These specialist providers also confirm formatting, status, and current and past carriers. From there, you can remove unwanted numbers to target only the best leads.
Learn more about the phone and email validation tips here.
3. Automation Tools
Some providers offer automation tools that link with your existing apps like CRM.
The rules-based system automatically filters incoming messages. From there, data is sent to your favorite applications or stored within the provider’s system.
Use these tools to create auto-replies, add subscribers to a list, or do anything you can think of.
More B2B SMS Marketing Tips
SMS marketing services offer a unique way to engage with your customers.
Not only can you send a message to them directly but they can reply and interact with your brand. Pricing for bulk texts is relatively inexpensive yet be sure to validate your numbers list before a campaign.
Read more about SMS marketing including business-to-business options on our website. Remember to leave a comment about this article and share it on social media.
