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Text Message Marketing and Your Small Business

John McMalcolm

April 24, 2015

According to a study conducted by Pew Internet Project, about 90 percent of adults in the United States own a cell phone, and 80 percent of them use their cell phones to send and receive text messages.

Due to the increasing popularity of text messaging, more and more businesses are using this communication medium as a marketing tool, including big corporations such as Wal-Mart, Ford, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Nike, Target and others.

Here is a look at why your small business should invest in SMS marketing as well.

Four Reasons Why You Should Implement Text Message Marketing

Immediacy

One of the main reasons why small businesses are using text messaging to reach out to their target consumers is because of its unparalleled immediacy.

In an article "6 Benefits of SMS Marketing", it is mentioned that 97 percent of text messages are read within 15 minutes of delivery, making SMS the ideal medium for sending time-sensitive marketing messages. Text message marketing offers such a high level of immediacy because it follows your target consumers everywhere they go, and it is generally considered non-intrusive.

To get the most out of your SMS marketing campaigns, you should send your marketing messages at times when their intended recipients are more likely to read them.

Cost-Effectiveness

SMS marketing is more cost-effective than most other forms of marketing. The cost of sending text messages can vary significantly depending on which mobile communications company you choose.

However, according to an article entitled "4 Reasons Small Business Should Use Text Message Marketing", there are many companies that charge only a few cents for each text message you send.

If you want to save more money, you can purchase a bulk SMS package that allows you to send hundreds or thousands of text messages every month for a low, flat rate. SMS is an especially suitable marketing medium for small businesses that have a limited marketing budget.

Interactive Messaging

Text message marketing does not only help you get your marketing messages across; it can also boost consumer engagement and response.

There are many things that you can do to make your SMS marketing campaigns fun and engaging, such as conducting surveys, holding contests and linking to interesting articles or videos. You can also drive engagement by offering a toll-free reply option.

Effective engagement strategies can help you build closer relationships with your customers and improve your conversion rates.

Customer Feedback

Text messaging can also be used to gather valuable feedback from your customers.

If you know how your customers perceive your business, you can make the necessary improvements to provide a better shopping experience for them. Customer feedback can be obtained through an SMS suggestion box, polls and questionnaires, and conversations with customers.

Since text message marketing is inexpensive and easy to implement, it makes it possible for your small business to compete on a level playing field with larger businesses.

As such, it is a good idea to incorporate SMS into your marketing strategy.  

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