Skip the Emojis: Your Small Business' Text-Messaging Campaign Should Be All About the Deals Offer your best promotions and get to the point, already -- or customers will unsubscribe just as quickly as they opted in to receive your instant messages.
By Kristen Vanstrom Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
More than 90 percent of all text messages are opened and read within five minutes or less. And tons of small-business owners are ready to write their Short Message Service (SMS) success stories.
Let me give you a piece of advice: If you're stuck on old-school methods, you'll struggle with SMS. This is a tactic for modern-day business owners. If you want to give text-message marketing a try but don't know where to start, check out these golden rules.
Don't ramble.
There's a character limit for a reason. People don't want to receive a 300-word text blast from you. Don't feel too bad: They don't want a manifesto from any business. They just want an awesome offer with simple redemption instructions. So get right to the point. Open with the offer, and finish with a call to action. Unnecessary fluff only will distract your subscriber and result in lower redemption rates.
Related: Planning Your Mobile Marketing Strategy
Include an irresistible offer or exclusive piece of information.
Don't fire out a "Hey, what's up?" text. Remember, you're marketing your business, not trying to make friends. Keep it professional by limiting the amount of conversational language and focusing solely on the promotion. Your subscribers opted in expecting regular promotions, not a top-of-the-morning greeting.
Pay attention to time of day.
Don't send promotions at 10 p.m. Unless you own a nightclub or munchie paradise, launch your text campaigns during daylight hours. This gives people time to read and act on your offer. Always include a semi-urgent call to action, but give subscribers a reasonable window of time to redeem. People have schedules to keep. Your offers might not be their No. 1 priority, so give them ample time to act on the promotion or you'll risk becoming irrelevant to their daily needs.
Related: 5 SMS Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
Keep your customers at the forefront.
Make sure to keep customers' wants and needs in mind as you develop offers. Don't use text messaging as an outlet to discount your closeout inventory. Subscribers want to receive exclusive VIP deals, not backburner promotions. Give them the best of the best.
When you sit down with your staff to brainstorm irresistible promotions, get feedback from customer-support representatives. Talk to your inventory manager about which high-profile or in-demand products you can afford to discount. Finally, keep everyone in the loop. Gather relevant opinions so you can make the most informed decision. Above all else, know your customers.
Related: Here's Why SMS Marketing is Literally the Best Idea Ever
Text-message marketing isn't going anywhere. It's a permanent solution that's also great for small-business owners looking to market on a budget. Think of the last time you didn't open a text message. At least for me, it was the first day of never. That's why most businesses find success using this method.
Always remember text marketing is a permission-based method. If people haven't opted in to your list, you can't text them with offers. Doing so could result in legal ramifications. Abide by the regulations in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and you'll be just fine.
