We live in a world of distractions, plain and simple. And yet, every year it seems like we find new ways to distract ourselves. Whether it is with our phones, our TVs, or even the people we are around, dedicating time to an activity is just harder than it used to be. This is especially true when the activity is something complex like planning a party or making an informed purchase.
So, what does this have to do with mass text messaging? Well, a few things. First of all, as more people are distracted by their phones, the more they interact with them. This is clear when you look at the success of SMS marketing, where most customers receive and read messages in less than 5 seconds.
The second reason is that consumers are now looking for businesses that can help them manage their distractions, not simply add more. Again, mass text messaging is a perfect fit for this buyer attitude. If you’re still skeptical, that’s understandable.
However, we want to alleviate some of that skepticism. So instead of just taking our word for it, let us show you how mass text messaging can benefit you and your organization.
Mass text messaging works
When we first try to tell people about the wonders of mass text messaging, they often tell us it sounds too good to be true. To be fair, when you compare the user engagement metrics of SMS vs. email, it can be easy to see why.
While email, once seen as the end-all-be-all of online marketing, only has open rates of 15-25%, mass text messaging boasts open rates of over 95%. To put this in perspective, even if you have a smaller SMS contact list, your customers are 5x more likely to read a text than an email. Now that, is powerful.
SMS is lightning fast
The next part of what sets SMS apart from other marketing channels is its speed. SMS is lightning fast, with most users reading messages in less than 5 seconds. Additionally, while it usually takes the average person 90 minutes to reply to an email, the same person may only take 90 seconds to reply to a text.
If you are mulling this over, you might be wondering why anyone uses anything other than mass text marketing campaigns if they work so efficiently. The flip side of this lightning speed is that not every message is that urgent. Marketers need to be aware of when they are sending messages and what kind of urgency they expect.
This has led to a few best practices when using SMS. First of all, don’t send messages outside of business hours. Unless you are a late-night restaurant, there probably isn’t a good reason for doing this. Secondly, you should only send mass text messages when you can provide immediate value to the customer. Otherwise, despite the lower performance, email or another channel is likely the right choice.
SMS and texting are everywhere
According to Morgan Stanley, 91% of U.S. citizens have their mobile device within arm’s reach 24/7. 91%! Just imagine what you can do if you can reach 91% of your users at any time throughout the day, regardless of internet connection.
That’s right, another benefit of mass text messaging is that it requires no internet connection. Customers can be anywhere and everywhere and still be receiving your messages. Again, this is a double-edged sword and you should be aware of avoiding certain situations. Just because you can reach customers any time and any place doesn’t mean you always should.
Download-free messages
Another concern that is usually associated with mass text marketing is having users download essential items that you are trying to send them. The fortunate part here is that SMS is download-free, meaning that your customers will never have to wait for an image or offer to download before being able to see it.
With SMS, one simply has to include a short code that users can reply to your text with in order to receive additional information. Be it a link, download code, form, etc., SMS makes it easy for your users to get what they need without a hassle. Not only will this cut down on customer churn, but not annoying your customers is a pretty good customer retentions strategy as well.
SMS requires an opt-in
Our final two benefits of using mass text marketing have to do with the audience of your campaign. Although it may not sound like a benefit, the fact that SMS requires an opt-in actually works for you. Since users have agreed to receive your messages, they are likely much more interested in what you have to say.
Why is this important? When it comes to mobile user engagement, having a dedicated audience that wants to receive your messages is not only rare, but incredibly valuable to your overall marketing campaign.
Your target audience is a click away
Our final benefit of working with mass text messaging is a culmination of what we have just been over. By cultivating an audience that wants to receive your messages wherever they are, you are able to have your target audience a click away.
Think back to just 15, 20 years ago, when advertising was still mainly done through traditional means. Advertisers and marketers back then could never have imagined being able to get into the hands of their target users with a few presses on a screen. Now, that has become our reality, and yet a good number of professionals are slow to join the movement.
As you consider what we have gone over today, think about the benefits that SMS marketing can bring to your business that simply didn’t exist less than 2 decades ago. Then ask yourself, what I am I waiting for?
Business texting, mass text marketing, and SMS are some of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. They have a real shot at turning your organization into something great, which is why we ask again: what are you waiting for?
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