Whereas there are companies whose business strategies are guided by their marketing campaigns, others have opted to treat marketing as an afterthought. Not just any other type of marketing, but that which requires companies to take advantage of the propensity of customers to use mobile phones. At a time when the average American is a proud owner of a smartphone, why would companies be finding it hard to market their products or services? In a highly competitive environment, companies that take advantage of short message services are likely to gain traction in the market.
Unlike emails, any prospective customer will open his or her messages. All that is required from the marketer is to entice the customer with a brilliant offer. Since customers have opted into a company’s marketing platform, it is only fair not to leave the target market with the wrong impression. There is a fine line with text message marketing, and the secret is to ensure that it is worth the customer’s time. If executed properly, this form of marketing can be used as a customer retention tool. What are some of the ways that a company can use to make a meal out of this marketing strategy? A few pointers will help you to replenish your marketing niche:
Put in place a text message marketing team
As easy as it may sound, this form of marketing is not the kind to be executed by anyone who can draft a text message. It is imperative to put together a team of professionals who will help to advance the marketing goals and objectives of the company. The unexpected growth of this promotional tool highlights the need for the marketing team to devise strategies that will allow the company to realize the benefits of using this platform.
Familiarize yourself with the needs of the customer
In the field of marketing, technology is considered to be a blessing in disguise. Nowadays, a marketer can understand the buying pattern of a customer. Having this knowledge at your disposal will enable you to have an in-depth understanding of your target market. The essence is to know the kind of messages that are suitable for a particular segment of clients.
Clarity
Nothing is more annoying than reading a message that you can hardly comprehend. What if it is a message that is intended to market a specific product or service? Lack of clarity in text message marketing is the best avenue of losing a client. Do not put the client through the agony of having to decode your marketing campaign.
Engage the customer
The objective of text message marketing is to create a level of engagement between the customer and the marketer. As a marketer, you are required to create text messages that are valuable to the customer. Having read the text message, the customer will be looking forward to buying the product or service on offer. In other instances, you can engage the customer by providing them with an opportunity to win a gift or prize.
Be time conscious
It is appropriate to determine the best time to carry out text message marketing. After all, you would not want a client to forget your promotional offers. The success of the SMS marketing strategy is knowing when to catch the attention of the client. Do not be tempted to send messages in the wee hours of the morning or too late in the night. Lack of time conscience may only serve to irritate the client.
Provide the clients with the option of receiving promotional offers
Not a single client would want to be bombarded with text messages promoting a specific product or service. The best way to gain the attention of a client is to provide them with a choice of whether or not they would want to be notified of any impending offers. For a marketing campaign to be successful, do not give your clients a reason to feel as if they are being ambushed. Why not give them a heads-up?
Nail your loyal clients
As much as your marketing campaign seeks to enroll prospective clients, you should pay attention to those who are loyal to your products or services. Such clients have familiarized themselves with your brand; hence, their loyalty should count for something.
Personalize your marketing platform
If you are using the Customer Relationship Management software to dispense your text messages, it is advisable to send a personalized message. This type of message will help to enhance the level of engagement. Consequently, there is a likelihood that more prospects will be converted into customers.
Any company should devise ways of expanding its marketing platforms. The availability of smartphones should allow you to make the most out of text message marketing. Bottom line, this marketing strategy tends to generate better leads, especially if you are running a start-up company that is operating on a tight budget.
