7 Reasons SMS Marketing Matters for Startups This Christmas

Whether you sell products or services, one of the single biggest obstacles you face as a startup is obscurity. No matter how good the product or service you are bringing to the market, if nobody knows about it, then your business cannot succeed. The problem of getting noticed is often made even harder by a lack of funds. Although social media offers unprecedented opportunities for mass exposure, the reality is that in such a noisy and crowded space huge amounts of effort often amount to little or no real traction. With a majority of cash needed to cover stock, overheads and day to day operations, there is also very little budget available for marketing – and rarely enough to compete on the same scale as those already established in the field. Luckily, SMS marketing as a lot to offer startups, and Christmas is a great time to take advantage of what it has to offer. Here are seven reasons why.

1. SMS Marketing gets read

The majority of people in the commercial sector have the opportunity over Christmas to take a well-earned break from their usual duties and enjoy some downtime with their families. For many, this mini detox from work often means logging out of the inbox and not returning to the emails until as late as the new year. As a consequence, there is very little chance of marketing emails being opened during the festive period. Whilst this may not matter for many businesses who have already made their end of year profits, startups simply cannot afford to temporarily vanish.

Although people are likely to neglect their inboxes during the festive period, there is little chance of the same thing happening to the mobile phone. Even outside the holidays, people are rarely more than an arm’s length away from their phones, and at family times like Christmas, they will often give them an even greater priority – meaning that it is a great time to get your message out.

2. People have time to respond

One of the most commonly stated reasons for people failing to follow up on an offer or proposition is not disinterest or a lack of sufficient funds as might be expected. Far more often, the reason is simply a lack of time to follow up. With many of your potential customers enjoying some temporary freedom from the constraints of the usual routine, you can take advantage of the opportunity this gives you to make sure your product or service gets their full attention. With a majority of mobile phone users now possessing smartphones, be sure to take advantage of SMS’s ability to include clickable links. For best results, be sure to use a link shortening solution such as Bit.ly.

3. Catch your competition off guard

The majority of established brands will have focussed all of their energy (and budget) on closing as many sales as possible prior to the festive period, knowing that they will have a minimum workforce and lower sales during this time. It is this exact tendency of businesses to take their finger off the pulse that allows you to seize the opportunity and catch them off guard. Plan ahead, prepare an interesting and engaging campaign and make the most of the quiet period to get your voice heard.

4. Get a step ahead with SMS Marketing

The chances are that your main focus is already on sales in the new year. If this is the case, the best time to start is now. Why wait until the bank holidays are over when you can get a step ahead for a minimal cost? With its low cost and extraordinary open and conversion rates, as well as a captive audience at your disposal, Christmas is a great time to jump into the game and put yourself a step ahead of the competition.

5. Everybody likes an unexpected present

Let’s face it, Christmas is all about the children. After a certain age, we generally stop exchanging presents with all but our very nearest and dearest – and these are often symbolic gestures, many of which are of little practical use. And that’s not to mention the ever-expanding plethora of novelty gifts made in China… So how can you turn this to your advantage? Why not use SMS Marketing to send out a very special offer or discount presented as a Christmas gift?  With a little imagination, a single SMS message could turn out to be the perfect present.

6. New year, new goals

With the new year just around the corner from Christmas, people often spend time during the break to focus on their goals and resolutions for the new year. Consider how your product or service can be presented as a solution to a problem that will help somebody to achieve an objective or succeed in a mission. No matter what your niche, with some creativity the chances are that you will be able to find a way to package your offer as an ideal solution to a new year’s resolution.

7. Mobile matters

The latest studies indicate that the majority of UK web searches are now performed on mobile devices, i.e smartphones. The chances are very high that whatever somebody is looking for – be it their nearest dentist, a local DJ, a bespoke wedding dress manufacturer or even the nearest 24hr shop, they are probably looking online with their mobile. With people now so accustomed to working with the information that they have access to in the palm of their hands, SMS is a natural choice for marketing and startups simply cannot afford to ignore it.

Whatever your area of business, the experts here at Fastsms are always available to help startups to succeed with SMS Marketing. Call us today on 0800 954 5305 for a no obligation chat with a member of our award-winning team and we’ll get you up and running in minutes. Using a CRM system? Be sure to ask about our versatile API integration.