While we have progressively stopped using SMS in our private communications, its use has skyrocketed in B2C (Business-to-Consumer) messaging, while we reserve Whatsapp for our private communications. We used to consider it intrusive for companies to sneak into our SMS, now we see it as natural for any notification and 72% of people are willing to receive relevant offers by SMS.
At DataCentric, we have had magnificent experiences in recruitment and communication campaigns through this channel in recent years. In our opinion, these are the keys to SMS Marketing success.
You get an almost total opening
SMS is one of the channels with the highest opening rate, 98% of users read their SMS, and 82% do so in less than 5 minutes. Moreover, according to a study by SAP, 81% prefer company notifications via SMS to apps.
SMS is no longer the "old-fashioned" channel you knew it to be
SMS can be a key part of your multichannel communication with an automated marketing strategy (see chart below). Moreover, with new technologies such as RCS (Rich Communication), SMS could have a second life; at the expense of Apple, Google and operators agreeing on a standard installed by default on most smartphones.
Marketing Automation
Example of email + SMS chain
A short but powerful value proposition
For SMS marketing campaigns to be effective, we have to provide real value to our customers. In other words, it is not enough to say how good you are; the important thing is what benefit you bring and to be able to say it in only 160 characters.
For this it is necessary to have carried out a previous study of the customers and their needs, taking into account the immediate nature of the device and the user's movements, in order to be able to make offers not only adjusted to the needs but also to the specific moment in which they arise.
The recipient must be able to manage delivery or cancellation preferences.
In compliance with the LSSI you can only send SMSs with advertising content to those users who have given you express consent, with the only exception that they are users with whom you have had a business relationship. Another legal obligation is to always offer a free means of unsubscribing. Many senders offer an email as an unsubscribe channel, but in many cases people do not give you their telephone number and you may not be able to identify them. On the other hand, it is better not to offer an all or nothing. The ideal would be to create a personalized URL, in which the user could manage individual sending preferences and choose which communications he/she wants to continue receiving. Remember, this is a very personal channel and unsubscribe management must be scrupulously followed.
Segmentation and Data
As in any direct marketing action, the multiplying factor of the results of a campaign is in the database. In this part, with DataCentric as your partner, you can have all kinds of profiles to find the right segmentation according to your offer. As well as numbers validated in checking processes. Discover our portfolio of opt-in mobile databases.
Response channel
Your messages should encourage interactivity from your audience. Encourage them to respond through a call, remember we are reaching phones, or through a short URL that leads to a responsive landing page (designed for mobiles).
Customer service
It is increasingly being used by companies as a channel to provide customer service, banks and insurance companies use it to transmit sensitive information about their customers. In addition, it can also be used to remind them of renewal dates, confirm orders ... and thus build customer loyalty and reduce abandonment rates.
Shipping platform
The sending platform must allow you to customize the text, sender and links. As well as being able to track failed numbers in order to delete them or validate them for future communications. Having a warranty and service partner is essential.
In short, it is a fast and simple channel that allows a great direct impact, but which requires following a series of best practices and which is particularly suitable for very synthetic offers or transactional communications. Finally, SMS costs less than you expect. Talk to us for a proposal to either use it for notifications to your own database or to the mobile number database with DataCentric's permission.
At DataCentric, we have had magnificent experiences in recruitment and communication campaigns through this channel in recent years. In our opinion, these are the keys to SMS Marketing success.
You get an almost total opening
SMS is one of the channels with the highest opening rate, 98% of users read their SMS, and 82% do so in less than 5 minutes. Moreover, according to a study by SAP, 81% prefer company notifications via SMS to apps.
SMS is no longer the "old-fashioned" channel you knew it to be
SMS can be a key part of your multichannel communication with an automated marketing strategy (see chart below). Moreover, with new technologies such as RCS (Rich Communication), SMS could have a second life; at the expense of Apple, Google and operators agreeing on a standard installed by default on most smartphones.
Marketing Automation
Example of email + SMS chain
A short but powerful value proposition
For SMS marketing campaigns to be effective, we have to provide real value to our customers. In other words, it is not enough to say how good you are; the important thing is what benefit you bring and to be able to say it in only 160 characters.
For this it is necessary to have carried out a previous study of the customers and their needs, taking into account the immediate nature of the device and the user's movements, in order to be able to make offers not only adjusted to the needs but also to the specific moment in which they arise.
The recipient must be able to manage delivery or cancellation preferences.
In compliance with the LSSI you can only send SMSs with advertising content to those users who have given you express consent, with the only exception that they are users with whom you have had a business relationship. Another legal obligation is to always offer a free means of unsubscribing. Many senders offer an email as an unsubscribe channel, but in many cases people do not give you their telephone number and you may not be able to identify them. On the other hand, it is better not to offer an all or nothing. The ideal would be to create a personalized URL, in which the user could manage individual sending preferences and choose which communications he/she wants to continue receiving. Remember, this is a very personal channel and unsubscribe management must be scrupulously followed.
Segmentation and Data
As in any direct marketing action, the multiplying factor of the results of a campaign is in the database. In this part, with DataCentric as your partner, you can have all kinds of profiles to find the right segmentation according to your offer. As well as numbers validated in checking processes. Discover our portfolio of opt-in mobile databases.
Response channel
Your messages should encourage interactivity from your audience. Encourage them to respond through a call, remember we are reaching phones, or through a short URL that leads to a responsive landing page (designed for mobiles).
Customer service
It is increasingly being used by companies as a channel to provide customer service, banks and insurance companies use it to transmit sensitive information about their customers. In addition, it can also be used to remind them of renewal dates, confirm orders ... and thus build customer loyalty and reduce abandonment rates.
Shipping platform
The sending platform must allow you to customize the text, sender and links. As well as being able to track failed numbers in order to delete them or validate them for future communications. Having a warranty and service partner is essential.
In short, it is a fast and simple channel that allows a great direct impact, but which requires following a series of best practices and which is particularly suitable for very synthetic offers or transactional communications. Finally, SMS costs less than you expect. Talk to us for a proposal to either use it for notifications to your own database or to the mobile number database with DataCentric's permission.