Text Marketing Pros and Cons
One of the most common and inexpensive ways of communication is text messaging. Since texts require no downloads of applications and they work on even the simplest phones. Hence, if you are not using text marketing for your business promotions and updates, then you are missing the chance for a 95% high open-rate. In this guide, we will discuss text marketing pros and cons.
How can businesses use text marketing?
Before we discuss the text marketing pros and cons, let us talk about the different ways a business can and is using this service. While the limitations are almost endless, the following are a few of the most common ways.
- Discount offers and coupons
One of the most common ways to use text marketing is to promote discounts and coupons. Since texting is direct and instant, the redemption also becomes direct and instant. These offers also help in gaining foot traffic. Moreover, they give an incentive to the subscriber to stay on the list.
- Updates
Business updates are equally important when it comes to marketing your business. Text marketing allows you to send updates timely to your customers. These can be things like running out of stock, business timings, and other important notifications.
- Time-sensitive offers
One of the best things about texts is the level of immediateness that they bring. Hence, one of the best ways to use them for businesses is for flash sales. You can send out the message as early as a day before and enjoy the quick ROI.
- Contests/ Sweepstakes
If you are using a service like ExpertTexting, then you have the upper hand of having two-way communication. Hence, you can hold giveaways and contests via text marketing.
- Customer engagement
There is nothing more important than customer engagement and satisfaction. Instead of waiting for queries on mails, simply enable two-way communication. Your customers can send you messages regarding their queries and you can respond to them in an instant. Fast customer service can help in client retention and great feedback.
Text Marketing Pros
According to a study, 75% of customers prefer receiving business text messages. Hence, businesses are running towards increasing their marketing budget on text marketing. Here are the top benefits of text marketing.
- Better ROI
One of the best things about text marketing is the increased levels of ROI. The reason is that messages reach the people that have explicitly allow receiving messages. This means that they are interested in your business. Once, you send them updates and promotions, you can enjoy a better return on investment than on any other channel.
- Quicker response
Another great thing about text marketing is that the response time is quick. This is a benefit for the customer as well as the sender. 90% of receivers open their messages within three minutes. Hence, the response time is also under 90 seconds. This is why time-sensitive offers work best when it comes to text marketing.
For customers, quick responses from businesses make it convenient. Instead of sending and waiting for replies after days, they can simply send queries via text messages. Businesses can easily hold conversations and resolve issues over text messages. Businesses using ExpertTexting get an upper hand. The conversational inbox view helps hold one-on-one conversations easily.
- Affordable
Marketing and advertising are relatively expensive. However, text marketing is very affordable. Several message platforms have annual and monthly packages. While these packages are also reasonable comparatively, they are tricky. The number of messages can exhaust in the middle of the plan and you will have to buy more. Similarly, you may not use all the messages which waste your money.
ExpertTexting is a pay-as-you-go platform with about one-third of what others charge you. You only pay for the messages that you send out. Moreover, your credits never expire.
- Personal touch
One of the best things about text marketing is that it is one of the few channels that have the liberty to personalize messages. With a service like ExpertTexting, you can simply set custom fields and send personalized messages to your audience.
However, even if you do not use this feature, text messages by nature are personal.
- Track KPIs
Tracking KPIs is important for all marketing channels. However, since the actions against triggers are almost instantaneous, you can get quicker results of your campaign. Moreover, you can measure KPIs after each campaign.
When you decide to change your strategy against your KPI, you will not have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars. Simply change your message and its nature for the next campaign.
- Voluntary audience
Another great advantage of using text marketing is that the audience is voluntary. By law, businesses can only send messages to the people that give prior express consent. The people that give you consent should have a clear idea of what to expect. Hence, they volunteer to receive promotional messages from your business. This shows that even if it is little, they are interested in your business. Hence, you can convert them more easily.
Text marketing cons
Like all other marketing channels, there are a couple of downsides to text marketing as well. Let us discuss them too.
- Management
One downside is that you will have to manage a new marketing channel. This includes the managing of conversations, messages, and other aspects.
Fortunately, ExpertTexting is a user-friendly service that has features to reduce human errors. For example, duplicate numbers in a single group are automatically omitted out. This helps reduce the doubling of messages.
Since the engagement levels are high, you may have to put in some extra effort when you using text marketing.
- Building your list
Text marketing laws are very strict. You can only send messages to people that have given you some form of permission. This means that you have to build your list.
While this is not a downside, it requires a little effort from you. Once, you have your list – the good part begins.
Begin with ExpertTexting
ExpertTexting is a mass texting service that allows you to enjoy the perks of text marketing and make the downsides almost null. You can personalize your messages, schedule messages, and even send MMS at pay-as-you-go pricing.