Getting The Schedule Right: 3 Tips To Ensure SMS Marketing Success
The prospect of texting your customers may seem rather straightforward. After all, texting requires less strategy, especially since your customers must only read carefully written blocks of texts. There will be no need for compelling visuals, eliminating the pressure of doing more.
Unfortunately, texting your customers for an SMS marketing campaign also requires you to be vigilant and strategic. You’ll want to know how and when contact can be effective, which makes the choice of time paramount to the success of your campaign.
It’s important to keep in mind that a perfect time doesn’t exist when it comes to text marketing. Each person you’ve sent the message to will respond differently. A customer may respond well to a message in the early hours of the morning, while others end up only reading the campaign well after working hours. Perhaps more importantly, the type of message you’re sending also affects your audience’s receptiveness.
To help you create SMS marketing campaigns that yield results, consider the following tips below:
Tip #1: Consider the type of text message you wish to send carefully
When it comes to figuring out the right time to send your SMS campaigns, you first need to consider the type of message you’ve created. Business text messages are categorized into two types—promotional and transactional.
Promotional messages are essentially designed to generate sales. Here, you’ll be promoting new products and services. Others also make use of this type to raise awareness, which can include enticing offers such as discounts and coupons. These messages must be sent out during business hours, where audiences are given enough time to completely absorb the information.
Transactional messages, on the other hand, are more time-sensitive. They contain information that urges customers to use your services or product, which can include verification codes, payment confirmations, reservation or booking confirmations, and so much more. Such messages can be sent at any time of the day, usually happening once a customer invests in an action.
Tip #2: Know when not to send out SMS campaigns
Although we’ve established that there isn’t one perfect time to send out SMS campaigns, bear in mind that wrong schedules exist. You’ll want to avoid sending out your business messages too early in the morning, or too late in the evening.
This may lead to negative consequences, such as putting off your customers. As a result, you drive them away rather than towards, costing you valuable time and resources. You’ll also want to avoid sending out campaigns during the most celebrated holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas time. Sending out messages before these celebrations is more than welcome, but customers making up to your brand messages won’t be taken well.
Tip #3: Analyze when your audiences will be more active on their phones
In such a highly-digital world, most people rely on their mobile devices for anything. They’re a necessity, which is why they’re brought everywhere. The need to stay connected and check for updates constantly has become a habit, but bear in mind that others can spend more time on their phones than others.
Your audience will be passively checking their devices throughout the day, but their activities will likely take place after work. For this reason, it’s best to send out your brand messages in the evening.
The Bottom Line
The world of texting may be rather simple to engage in, but the success of your marketing campaigns relies heavily on your strategic decisions. While there’s no perfect time to send out business messages, taking your audience’s behavior into account will help you come up with an SMS strategy that works. Remember to keep these tips in mind!
For the best text messaging service for businesses, Main Street Contact is a powerful tool worth investing in. It’s a web-based platform that helps businesses send out voice and text messages with ease. Sign up for free today!