Dos and Don’ts of Text Marketing

Dos and Don’ts of Text Marketing

Marketing is always neck to neck with the ways of communication of the current era – if not ahead. Since marketing is mass communication, it has to work where the world is present the most. For instance, when there was radio, you would hear jingles or advertisements all the time. When people got televisions, the concept of TV commercials came about. In modern times, you can see everybody using social media for advertising and even email marketing is up high! However, nothing beats text marketing. While texting is not new, but the rage of text marketing is relatively newer.

In this guide, we will talk about how you can use text marketing in the best possible way.

Why use text marketing?

Your social media may be working the best for your case in marketing. Of course, that would make you wonder – why use text marketing. Before we talk about the dos and don’ts, you need to know why text marketing is still the best option for you.

• More direct
  
  Everybody has a direct and personal touch with their phones. Hence, text marketing allows you to reach your audience directly without anything in the middle. To allow yourself to be in this personal space, you need prior express consent from the recipient. However, when you have it, you can send out messages to promote your business.
  
  
• There’s no guessing
  
  Allowing businesses to send messages to you is a big commitment that your audience makes. They are interested in your brand and if they find you worthy, they will give you business. However, you can only achieve this level of security in text marketing. You do not have to guess if the target audience is remotely interested in your brand. You know they are which is why they have permitted you. It is up to you to use this privilege as best and as fairly as you can.
  
  
• No complications
  
  Text marketing is as simple as sending a text message. There are no complications attached to it! Simply type your message and send it to hundreds and even thousands of people at once. Moreover, if you use a service like ExpertTexting, you can customize sending mass texting with the custom field option. The character count of one standard message is about 160 characters. However, smartphones concatenate several messages and show them as one. ExpertTexting allows you to send up to 800 characters. They are counted and charged as several but usually shown as one.
  
  The management of the campaigns is very easy and uncomplicated. You can make or even schedule campaigns to go out as you please.
  
  
• Affordable
  
  Advertising is expensive. Even something as little as boosting your Facebook post can cost you a hundred and even thousands of dollars. On top of that, you are boosting to a huge group of people out of which half will not even be interested in your ad. Text ads are highly affordable. ExpertTexting charges less than ONE CENT for every message you send out. There are no annual plans that waste your credits. You just pay for the message you send out to the people who opted into your list.
  
  
• Quick ROI
  
  Traditional marketing and advertising methods rely heavily on customer retention. You have to find an approach that stays in your customers’ minds. Moreover, you have to rely on their interest in your brand and that they stumble across your ad to make a decision. With all this, the only thing that is delayed is your ROI. Since text marketing is direct, you can get almost instant ROI. Moreover, can instantly measure your KPI after every campaign to see if it works or not. Business can market their flash sales and even instantly fill up missed appointments with text marketing.
  
  
• Communication and engagement
  
  Can you look at a billboard and expect it to answer questions instantly? Of course, not! If you have a concern, you will have to send an email to the brand or even call them. Text marketing makes the communication between business and customer better and easy. For any query or concern, all the customer has to do is send you a text. With ExpertTexting, you can also manage one on one conversations easily.

What you should do!

Now that you know why you should be using text marketing, it is time to understand the right approach to it. Here are a couple of dos that you need to follow.

1. Build your list!
2. Introduce yourself
3. The right message at the right time
4. Sound organic

Build your list

The first and foremost rule of text marketing is that you have to build your list. Buying numbers or texting people whose numbers you already have is highly illegal. In text marketing, you need prior consent explicitly to receive a promotional message. Hence, if someone gives your business their number for another purpose you CANNOT message them. So, when you choose to begin text marketing, DO build your list legally. Click on the image below to know how you can build your list with text marketing.

Introduce yourself

You may think why this is important. When a subscriber joins your list, of course, they know who you are. However, you should still welcome them with a short introduction. For example, if you run a spa, it can be something as little as the following. “Hello, thank you for subscribing to XYZ spa.” Here, instead of using pronouns like “subscribing to our list”, you can simply name your spa. This is enough introduction too. You can always elaborate on it if you wish. So, DO introduce yourself in your welcome message.

The right message at the right time

We cannot stress enough the importance of sending your messages at the right time. When your customer gives you their number to receive your promotional messages, they expect you to honor their privacy. Hence, there is not a single reason why you should blindly use it to send texts any time you wish. The wrong time can make them annoyed and they can simply opt-out. Hence, make sure to send your messages at the right time. These are usually business hours where you know most people are awake and may not be disturbed. However, they can vary. Click below on the image to know the right time to send out text messages. Keep in mind that transactional messages that are sent against an action a customer take, can be sent anytime. They usually require instant alerts. For promotional messages, DO take care of the time you send the message.

Sound organic

One of the biggest concerns for recipients is the robotic voice that almost all brands have. People want to connect with brands and find them relatable. Hence, the best thing you can do is to keep your tone friendly, conversational and inviting. This can be a tough thing to do if the tone of your brand is more formal. However, clicking on the image below can help you.

What you should NOT do!

To ensure that you are using the power of text marketing right, here are a few of the don’ts you should always look out for. Don’t:

1. Make it long
2. Use your phone number
3. Text medical information
4. Overdo it!

Make it long

A standard text message is about 160 characters long. While technology has enhanced and you can send more characters, they still count as multiple. Even ExpertTexting allows you to send up to 800 characters at once. Smartphone threads them to make them one long message. However, this is no reason to send long messages. A text message is supposed to be a short and quick message. Do not change this definition by sending long messages. Just add the relevant information and send it.

Don’t use your phone number

So, now that you have decided to incorporate text marketing for your business you need a number to begin. A lot of businesses do everything right but use their number for marketing. This can come with a lot of red flags. What if you send a personal message to a customer? What if you accidentally call them? There are so many issues here. DO NOT use your number. Instead, use a mass texting service provider like ExpertTexting to get a special number. You can have a dedicated shortcode or even a vanity shortcode for your business. Moreover, if you want a more local or organic touch, then you can get a ten-digit textable number. It is legal that way and you can manage your business communicate better. Watch the video below to know about all the source numbers that you can choose from.

Don’t text medical information

If you are using mass texting for pharmaceuticals or even for your clinic then you need to be sure of this. DO NOT ever, in no circumstance text medical information or PHI in any case. Personal health information – PHI – is extremely sensitive and even if the patient wants it, you cannot send it according to the HIPAA act. Click below to know more about it in detail.

Don’t overdo it!

So, you are following all the rules of text marketing. you have the numbers legally. And you have even specified the frequency of the messages. The customer is okay with the number of messages that you intend to send out.  However, are you using the right frequency here? Too many messages can be very annoying. Text messages organically help in retention, then why annoy the customer with the constant buzzing of their phone? On the contrary, too little can be easy to forget. Imagine getting a text message once a month only! You can simply lose the connection with your customer. Keep it simple and balanced! Always specify the frequency of messages when you give the option to sign up.

Begin text marketing with ExpertTexting

ExpertTexting is your one-stop solution for text marketing. it helps you manage your contact list, campaigns, and even personalize mass texts. The best thing is that everything is at prepaid pricing. Instead of buying annual and monthly plans, you pay for the messages that you send only!