Topic: SMS marketing doesn’t have to be invasive — 3 reasons why your business should use it

“Sending text messages to your customers? That sounds invasive…”

I was a skeptic at first when the idea was mentioned to me. But when I started to look at SMS marketing, I realized that with the right frequency and messaging, it can be a highly effective method of communication.

SMS open rates are far higher than other types of messaging, and they reach people on a more personal level. And companies are learning how to take advantage of it. SMS marketing in all its forms is making inroads into all different types of companies, including my own. It might seem invasive, but in my experience, you can turn “invasive” into “personal” — with the right strategy.

According to one Intis Telecom report, application-to-person (A2P) messaging has an expected growth rate of 6.99% right now. Furthermore, that’s expected to continue through 2023. So it makes sense this is an area many businesses are trying to optimize.

The same goes for my team. We’re working on integrating message marketing at my company Sourcify, and through that process, I’ve found out some things about this type of marketing that make it a must for just about every business.

Here’s why you should make bulk message marketing part of your strategy.

1) Messages almost always get opened

You’re probably running email marketing — just about everyone is. What’s your best open rate? Maybe 10%? 20%? 30% if you’re doing well? Mailchimp puts the average across all industries at just over 21%.

SMS open rates are as high as 98%. That blows email out of the water.

Be aware though — legally, you have to get permission from the customer to send them text messages. You also have to provide a disclaimer and opt-out.

However, the opt-out is far from being a bad thing for your messaging. It can actually be a great way to build trust with your customers, as it’s far more visible than the option on an email and makes them feel more in control of the messages they receive.

An email may get sorted into a folder that doesn’t get touched, particularly with the high number of people that use Gmail with its automatically sorted inbox. Microsoft Outlook now also has some of the same functionality with its “Focused” inbox.

SMS doesn’t.

Text messages are a fantastic addition to other parts of your marketing mix. They’re almost always read, and if you use the right copy they can drive response in a way that other media can only dream of.

Topic Discussed: SMS marketing doesn’t have to be invasive — 3 reasons why your business should use it

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