Increase Conversion in Your SMS Marketing by Doing This One Thing

Good copywriting is something marketers really need to understand. But it’s easy to forget the basic principles and best practice when running SMS marketing campaigns. You only have 160 characters after all (or up to 456 characters if you’re using fastsms).
While there are many elements to successful copywriting, there’s one element that is often either overlooked or over-used. What is it? Urgency.
You’ve seen what I’m talking about in adverts:
- Only 20 spots left
- Sale ends today
- Get yours before it’s too late
All these phrases (and many more), make the reader feel a sense of urgency. If they don’t hurry then they’ll miss out. It’s this sense they feel that helps drive the call to action, whatever that may be.
But since SMS marketing messages are short, you have limited space to describe the entire offer, let alone create urgency. It’s also important though, to make sure the urgency doesn’t come across as fake. For example, if you send a message with a discount code good “today only”, then you send a similar offer a few days later, then another, your customers will certainly become jaded. They will no longer believe the urgency in your messages.
This can also happen if you send a limited offer to your “exclusive” text messaging club, but then run the same offer for everyone who comes into your store. In today’s world of social media, you’ll lose credibility once word gets around. Running multiple campaigns is fine, just be sure the urgency you describe is real. If you say the special discount ends today, it should end today. If the offer is exclusive or limited, keep it that way.
And speaking of limited offers, examinations of the copy in successful campaigns have shown that a limited time urgency works better than saying there are limited quantities available. So if you have the choice, limit your offers to a defined time frame – preferably short. A day or weekend can work well, but when the time gets much longer the conversion rates drop.
Here’s one more titbit to help build your urgency: don’t use the word “ends”. Apparently people don’t respond well to terms like “ends today”. They much prefer (and by that I mean they act on the offer more often) terms like “until Friday” or “today only”. Small changes like these can have a surprising impact on your conversion rates.
And the best news is that those types of terms are short, create urgency and are perfect for SMS marketing.
For more help and advice on download our free Mobile Marketing Guide.
Related Articles
More Examples of Calls to Action in an SMS Message
In a previous article I shared two examples of SMS marketing messages I received and how their call to action worked, or not. This time I want to share two more examples to help you in crafting the perfect call to action for your SMS marketing messages.
SMS Marketing Best Practice: Do’s and Don’ts
Whilst social media has gained the attention of many small businesses as a marketing technique, SMS marketing has become a highly beneficial way of keeping your customers and clients close and building solid working relationships. According to research, 90% of text messages are read within three minutes, meaning SMS marketing shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to your advertising and customer service strategies. SMS marketing may be an ideal tactic for your business marketing, so here's a list of what to do and what not to do to ensure you're making the most of your campaign.
Should You Tease Your SMS Marketing List?
Teasing is a tried and true marketing technique. But there’s a lot you can learn from some recent examples in the video game industry. In particular, how you can create the same kind of frenzy in your SMS list – but only if you do it right.
What Makes a Great Call to Action in an SMS Message?
Marketing messages, whether in print or electronic have many parts to them. In the beginning there’s the hook that entices someone to continue reading, and near the end is the call to action. That’s where you make it clear what you want someone to do after reading the message. There are many parts in between these two, but these are, arguably, the two most important.
Personalising Your SMS Marketing
Using people’s names in marketing is great. It does provide a certain level of personalisation that can get people more interested in what you’re sending them. Of course in text messaging, you don’t always have the room for a name, your message, and the required opt out information … usually there just isn’t enough room. So how can you make your marketing messages personal?
Use All The Data You Can When Personalising Your SMS Messages
It’s said over and over that SMS is one of the most personal forms of communications today. That’s mainly because people guard their mobile numbers and only give them out to those they think worthy of them. So anyone who has opted into your SMS messaging has indeed invited you into their personal world.
The Psychology of SMS Marketing
In marketing, everyone wants to be more influential and persuasive in order to build loyalty and return custom. To gain the highest ROI, businesses want their marketing campaigns to speak to every individual in such a way that makes them feel connected and yet, with every will in the world, an SMS marketing campaign is only going to achieve this high conversion and success if it manages to tap into consumer psychology.
5 Ways to Build Some Football Fever With SMS Marketing [Infographic]
3 Best Types of CTA for SMS Marketing
One mistake some marketers make is assuming people will know what to do when they read an SMS message. After all, they’re short and to the point right? How confusing could they be? On the other hand, when writing every other form of marketing they know that calls to action need to be clear. So, just because you don't have much room, it doesn’t mean you get to leave out your call to action! Saving space and being brief is important though, so take a look at three of the best SMS marketing CTAs you can use.