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What Makes a Top SMS Marketing Message?

What Makes a Top SMS Marketing Message?


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In this post Marketing Executive Nic Weschenfelder presents nine tips for making the perfect SMS Remarketing message, though these tips can apply more generally to all SMS communication.
When was the last time you checked your phone… a minute ago? two minutes ago? five minutes ago? If it wasn’t one of those three options I don’t believe you.
The fact is that phones are with us all the time, and this is why SMS is the most functional, convenient and efficient medium of communication.
90% of SMS marketing messages are read within three minutes of being delivered, giving marketers the power to connect with an audience that is almost two thirds larger than email. The beauty of SMS is it’s quick, simple and practical, enabling marketers to bridge the gap in the customer’s purchasing journey while keeping it all on mobile.
You may have a larger open rate with SMS, but creating the perfect message that converts can be a difficult task. So what makes the perfect SMS message?


1. Build Your Opt-in Customer Database

First things first – collecting data! Using a clear opt in box to consent to marketing communications will ensure you are compliant with recent GDPR  and  PECR regulations.
Different countries have different rules around soft opt-ins and hard opt-ins so be sure to read up on this to see what area you fall into.
By obtaining the customer’s opt-in you will be able to start building trust from the word go, helping you gain more value from your customer relationships and therefore your SMS messages.


2. Less is More

Nobody has the time to read an essay, especially when it’s from someone that isn’t personally known to them.
Keeping texts short, sweet and simple with a clear CTA is more than enough.
Firefly directs customers back to book their lost flights in a very concise 22 words, while still retaining that bit of personality within the text.


3. Be Sure to Have a Sender ID

Using Sender ID increases the likelihood of your text message being read. The Sender ID is the first thing your customer will see and therefore forms that initial judgement on whether or not to open the text.
Many brands opt just to use their brand name i.e. LA MUSCLE, while others use a personal name followed by their brand name to give it that personal touch. Either is fine.


4. Segment for Exclusivity

Mobile is awesome for making a direct approach but it’s important to know your customer and not become spam that gets deleted before it’s even read. So before you start sending make sure you segment.
What gender are they? What do they like? What have they been looking at recently? What did they last purchase? This is all information that can personalize a text and help generate a relevant message to them.
Don’t know what they like? Then ask! Holiday Pirates open up the conversation giving subscribers the option to receive the messages they’re interested in, be it more flights, holidays, Sun Codes or even their daily ‘Deal of the Day’.
Building this kind of report with each individual customer can only help increase conversion rates further making their messages feel more exclusive.


5. Reconnect With Lost Shoppers

Three quarters of all online shoppers will abandon their purchase and it’s a huge problem for many retailers.
Reconnecting these ‘interested’ visitors via an SMS with a link to their abandoned basket is a great tactic.
For example, if they had recently abandoned a basket on their site, sending them a personalized SMS Remarketing message that provides a unique URL to return straight to their basket would make perfect sense.


6. Timing

Timing is crucial when it comes converting your visitors into customers. For an optimum conversion rate from SMS remarketing messages, send 30 minutes to an hour after the visitor has abandoned their basket.
Of course reaching out to customers all depends on their behavior and the product they are buying.
This hungry customer (Dominos text below) ordered pizza on several occasions in the past month, so letting them know about the “Royal Deal” a couple of hours before dinner might just be an offer they can’t refuse.


7. Keep Your Customers in the Loop – Replenishment SMS!

Some products don’t last. Product replenishment makes it easy for customers to reorder their favorite things and even keep their favorite things looking new.
A replenishment message helps to bring your customers back to purchase with you when their products are running low.
Providing a direct route via SMS to the relevant product page will up that conversion rate. These messages also work very well for products that need a bit of care on a regular basis, i.e. Car, bike, or even boiler services.


8. Make your Links Pretty

URLs are unsightly at the best of times. Thankfully this is where vanity URLs come in. A customized vanity URL is clear, short and easy to read.
Use a branded vanity URL and you can expect 40% more clickers than a normal shortened URL. This small cosmetic change is certainly worth the effort.
Our friends at Buffer have created this blog to show you how easily it can be done.


9. Give Your Customers a Way Out

Every SMS you send out should include an unsubscribe function. With SMS, the best practice is simply to instruct the recipient reply ‘STOP’ to unsubscribe at the end of the SMS.
This covers all legal requirements without detracting from the main content.


To Finish

Your customers should anticipate good messages, they should be personal and they should be relevant. A good marketing SMS is one your customers will miss if you don’t send it. That’s the goal you should be aiming for.
Want to find out more about SMS Remarketing?


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