3 More Reasons to Use SMS Marketing This Year

Are you still holding out on using SMS marketing for your business?

If so, the “usual” statistics that get thrown around obviously aren’t going to help you decide to start now. But what about something that will convince you of the value of it? Especially the long-term value it has for you and your customers? Sound interesting?

There are three excellent reasons to use SMS marketing that go deeper than just open, read or click through rates. Together they paint a picture of why SMS is a critical part of any mobile marketing plan. Let’s look at them one by one.

Multiple surveys show the number of people who prefer SMS for brand communications is growing every year. Because people prefer it, it is quickly becoming a crucial part of any brand’s efforts to enhance the customer journey.

SMS supports communication at various stages of a purchase, including order and shipping confirmations, status updates, and account enquiries. That allows brands to maintain a connection that is seen as reliable, convenient and consistent (if done correctly) by the customer. That fosters good feelings towards the brand.

And it offers the opportunity for businesses to keep track of that customer in a way not possible with apps. Too much reliance on app-related marketing can actually make it difficult to maintain a connection with a single customer. Today a customer may be on WhatsApp, then SnapChat, then the next popular thing, then back to Facebook Messenger. Which leads to the next reason to use SMS.

It’s hard to effectively use mobile marketing when your user base is unstable. But that’s exactly what happens when you try and leverage the latest popular app, and then the next and the next (because no one stays on the top for too long).

The truth is people stop using apps, or even delete them, on a regular basis. For the “average” app, one estimate is that 77% of people stop using it within three days. That statistic is probably too aggressive when talking about a new popular app that takes hold, but still most of them eventually decline.

This is where SMS marketing shines. Most people keep their mobile number for years. Even when they switch phones or carriers they take their number with them. So, once they are on your list, you have a direct connection to them for as long as they choose (until they opt out).

The relationship you build with them using SMS stays with both of you. You don’t have to bother trying to get them to connect with you again on a different platform, you just keep sending SMS messages.

Marketing can be exhausting. I think that’s particularly true in mobile marketing. Trying to keep up with the latest social networking or instant messaging apps is time-consuming. And often it’s hard to know whether or not your effort and money is being spent wisely.

New platforms require new training, new processes, and lead time. When you use SMS marketing though, you know what it is. You may vary the content, timing, or list management but the channel itself isn’t going to change – at least not quickly.

It is also easy to measure your success and calculate ROI with SMS.  And with SMS you have low, fixed costs per message sent.

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t try out marketing in new platforms and apps. There is no one-size-fits-all in mobile marketing. But when you include SMS in your mix of channels, it can be the foundation you use for “guaranteed” ROI while you experiment with other options.