Everyone seems to be talking about mobile marketing nowadays. But it’s not all about smartphones and apps – an SMS campaign is the cheapest and most widely accepted form of mobile marketing there is.  SMS can be used for sales promotions, brand building, CRM, loyalty and retention campaigns and as a direct response tool for TV, radio or print advertising.

SMS – the most direct marketing channel
Efficient and effective – cheaper than direct mail, more read than email, more personal than broadcast media, more acceptable than telemarketing and more measurable than print media – SMS is the answer to every
marketer’s dreams.

Direct response channel – using SMS short codes (e.g. text ‘YES’ to 80806), can significantly increase response rates to your advertising campaigns and generate immediate responses, for your sales teams to follow up.

Higher response rates – in a survey undertaken by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), SMS marketing campaigns were found to be the most successful mobile ad medium.  70% of those surveyed had responded to a marketing text message.

Immediate results – most people have their phones with them at all times and so text messages are usually opened within seconds. Two-way messaging functionality can be added so customers can also reply in seconds. No more waiting for weeks to collect results and gain insights from marketing campaigns.

Cost effective  – with a text message costing just a few pence, the high response rates and brand recall generated from an SMS campaign means the Return On Investment of SMS campaigns is significantly higher than other forms of marketing.  And if customers forward your promotion on to their friends, the campaign can go viral for free.

Personalised – today’s marketing demands that customers are spoken to as individuals, by applying segmentation and targeting.  But most marketing mediums (e.g. TV) don’t allow true 121 marketing, whilst those that do (e.g. direct mail) become prohibitively expensive.  A bulk SMS campaign allows every customer to receive a different message, but still benefits from generous volume discounts.

Customer-friendly – reminding customers of their insurance renewal, or chasing non-responders can increase retention rates.  And reminding customers that their vehicle or appliance is due for a service isn’t just great after-sales service, it can generate significant additional revenue.