5 SMS or Mobile Facts You Need to Know
So many of us are used to having our mobiles around nearly 24 hours a day that it’s easy to forget it’s still a growing industry. And though SMS has been around for over two decades, the ways we use it and people’s willingness to use it continue to grow. So for this blog I picked out five facts about mobile communications and SMS messaging that really make the case that SMS for business has come of age. Let’s see if you agree.
- People value their mobile more than pleasure. This one sounds kind of crazy but when asked what people would give up to keep their phone people were willing to part with simple pleasure items before giving up necessities. Here’s what they would be willing to forgo:
- 70% alcohol
- 63% chocolate
- 33% sex
The next item people in the survey would give up is their toothbrush, but 22% would still go that far!
- SMS messages get read faster than emails. According to SAP, 76% of respondents to their survey say they will read a text message sooner than an email. If you want your message to get noticed quickly, SMS is the way to go.
- People like getting text messages from organisations. In SAP’s survey 70% felt SMS messaging is a good way for organisations to get their attention. Another 64% thought businesses should use SMS more often to communicate with them. More and more people are becoming comfortable with text messaging as a main form of communication. Why not take advantage of that?
- Relevant SMS marketing can increase sales. In an Ipsos observer survey 64% of people said they’d made a purchase based on a text message they received that had a relevant offer for them. These consumers were already subscribed to mobile marketing from the companies involved. Email can only dream of reaching response rates like that.
- A variety of offer types work well. Whether you send a price based, time sensitive, or location based offer, your response rates will still top 50%. The Ipsos observer study showed 66% of people will act on a price based offer, 52% to time sensitive offers, and 50% to location based offers. No matter how you look at it, those are awesome response rates.
So what do you think? Can we say SMS marketing is hitting its prime or is it still just beginning? Take a look at our Mobile Marketing Guide for more ideas.
Related Articles
Why People and Companies Prefer SMS Messaging for Customer Support
People like SMS messaging. They really do. In a variety of surveys and studies, consumers continue to say they like it when companies use SMS to communicate with them. Let's look at some of the data that proves it to be true, and also how to make sure your company is using it correctly for customer support communications.
7 Statistics That Show Why You Should be Using SMS Marketing Right Now
You might have heard about SMS marketing and thought it wasn't for you. Maybe you're unconvinced by this method of reaching customers and are just not sure it could help your business thrive. But any business, big or small, can benefit from an online SMS service and the facts are plain to see.
3 Reasons SMS Messaging is Good For The Environment
Many organisations are looking to operate in a more environmentally friendly way. This includes everything from their office supplies, materials used in creating their products, and also choosing suppliers and vendors that are also environmentally aware. And now, SMS.
Death of SMS? Premature indeed.
Do You Ever Unplug From Your Mobile?
While it’s undeniable technology is a growing part of our everyday lives, it may be surprising how few of us ever turn it off. Or leave it behind. Most people rarely 'unplug' from their mobile devices. This provides unparallelled opportunities for marketing, especially via SMS text messaging.
5 Simple Steps to Improve Your SMS Marketing with A/B Testing
Do you ever wonder if your SMS marketing campaigns could be even more successful? Of course, you do! Find out how to put A/B testing to work in your campaigns by following our five simple steps and see your ROI increase
SMS vs. Instant Message App Marketing
It seems there's a new messaging app popping up every month. It's hard to keep track of them all, but it's also hard to ignore them if you're looking to use mobile marketing. When you've got limited marketing resources, should you spend them advertising on the latest IM app, or go with SMS marketing?
SMS Messaging is Much Better Than Shouting!
Just in the last 60-70 years, communications have gone from requiring a person to route the calls to not needing anyone other than the two people at either end. It all got me wondering about the history of communications and how much different it is from even just a 100 years ago, or a thousand. The result of my wondering is this infographic that covers most of recorded history (at some level of detail anyway).
Have IM Apps Made SMS Messaging Irrelevant?
Earlier this year there was big news. WhatsApp users were sending more messages each day than SMS users were sending. According to the Telegraph, WhatsApp was 50% more popular than SMS messaging. And the truth is the number of SMS messages sent each day has declined over the last few years. In the UK it was down almost 25% from 2012 to 2013. But is that the whole picture?
Salesforce Finds SMS Messaging a Growing Part of Mobile Marketing Strategy
What do 5,000 marketers from ten different countries say about SMS? It’s great, and we’re going to do more of it. Well, that’s the gist of the results in the Salesforce 2015 State of Marketing Report. Mobile marketing has taken a central place in most company’s strategies, and SMS is a growing part of it. Here are some key statistics from the report.