There are over three billion smartphone users globally, which keeps increasing yearly. Many business owners have used Short Message Service for marketing, customer service, and engagement. You can use SMS marketing to schedule and send personalized messages to individuals or groups of recipients. It is one of the best ways to reach out to your target customers and encourage quick response.
While it may be impossible for you to read your emails immediately after they are sent, you will always have your mobile phone to check all the incoming messages. So, should you invest your time and resources in SMS marketing? Is the right strategy to use for your business now and in the future? Here are some reasons you should consider using SMS marketing for your business.
Instant Delivery of Messages to Intended Recipients
Sending bulk SMS to your customers is more effective than emails or direct mail, which may take days for the message to be delivered to the recipients. An SMS only takes seven seconds to be delivered to the intended person. You only need to use the correct number and deliver the message fast. Besides, most business owners will continue using the strategy in the coming years because of its effectiveness.
More People are Likely to Read SMS than Emails
Experts note that 99% of people open their SMS messages compared to only 20% of those who read their emails. Although not everyone who reads the messages you send will reply, more people might respond to your marketing if they see your SMS than if they didn’t. While people are unlikely to ignore opening the messages they receive on their phones, many delete their emails without opening them.
You Can Send a Customized Message
When using bulk SMS marketing, your target recipients might be your whole contacts, a part of them, or an individual. A marketing campaign can only succeed through personalization. For example, the message sent to prospective customers should differ from the one directed to existing ones. You can easily set up templates and personalize SMSs when sending them out to different recipients. Your customers will respond to personalized messages rather than those they find irrelevant.
Has a Better Conversion Rate
The email response rate is around 6%, which is very low compared to 45% or more for SMS. Most individuals read and respond to texts within 90 seconds compared to one and a half hours for email. No matter the reason for your marketing campaign, using an SMS business service will enable you to get a higher response rate than other marketing plans.
The Strategy is Reliable and Flexible
Businesses use SMS services to announce ongoing sales, inform customers about opening a new outlet, provide offers and discounts, and send appointment reminders, among others. Since the SMS service allows them to use 160 characters only, they have to use the right words to reach and impact customers effectively.
Most SMS service providers are encrypted; they provide business owners and managers with a secure and reliable platform to reach their customers. More businesses will continue using the bulk SMS services because cloud messaging solutions are the future of business communication. They not only allow businesses to deliver messages to their customers in real-time but also allow clearer data-driven strategies for future campaigns.
SMS is Cost-effective
Bulk SMS service is cheaper than other marketing methods such as radio, television, and print. You will spend less on messaging and get a higher ROI than other marketing plans. Thus, it is one of the most sustainable and cost-effective strategies you should consider using now and in the future.
Read more: SEO
It is Easy to Opt-In and Opt-Out
It is easy for recipients to subscribe and unsubscribe from your SMS marketing whenever they prefer. Even though you may take this as something negative for your business, it is essential that you only target consumers who are interested in what you sell. With that, you will avoid wasting time and resources on unnecessary leads, protect people from marketing campaigns they may not be interested in, and enable you to build your company’s reputation.
Bulk SMS marketing has great potential because of the high number of global smartphone users and the affordable rates. The above are the reasons why more businesses will embrace the use of the strategy now and in the coming years.
Read More: When to Use Bulk Texting in Business
