Not all businesses are ready for SMS marketing. Some business owners feel that the lack of design and character limits associated with business SMS services makes it a waste of time. However, countless businesses are thriving using SMS messaging, proving this is not the truth.
With SMS Messaging for Business, Context Is King
SMS marketing for businesses can be unbelievably powerful if utilized in the right context. SMS messages are a great tool for communicating time-sensitive and urgent information. Email just won’t cut it in these circumstances.
SMS by no means replaces email. They have a sidekick and superhero relationship. Email is used frequently, has more options, and has more power. However, SMS is the reliable, hard-working, and problem-solving sidekick that is always there to save the hero when they are in a pinch.
That being said, some businesses benefit more from using SMS than others. The following businesses should employ SMS marketing right now.
E-Commerce Websites
If you have an e-commerce store, SMS messaging can help you interact better with your customers. The characteristics that make SMS messaging stand are that they are direct and transmit urgency. You can use SMS messaging to give your clients up-to-the-minute information about the products they have purchased. SMS messaging could include:
- Shipping confirmations
- Order receipts
- Delivery confirmations
E-commerce stores that use SMS in this way save their customers the time and frustration of needing to open or refresh their emails. There is no need to visit UPS or FedEx to track a package. SMS messages let customers know when their package is on the way and when it has arrived.
Businesses with a Presence in Developing Countries
Many countries around the globe have economies that are in the development stage. In these countries, internet access is limited or very expensive. This means that if your business operates in one of these countries, it will be difficult to have a good digital exchange with your customers.
Interestingly, although internet access is limited in developing countries, cell phones are a part of everyday life and are everywhere. In many developing countries, SMS is the best means of direct customer communication.
SMS is intuitive. It is clear to understand and easy to use. For this reason, SMS continues to be the primary source of communication in many developing and developed countries.
Travel Businesses
If you have a business in a travel agency, time can be your greatest friend or your biggest enemy. Customers will purchase a plane ticket or hotel reservation months in advance. Then, they don’t think about it until they arrive at the airport. If something changes about the reservation, the time, or the date of the flight and the information gets sent by email, the customer will likely not pay attention to it.
SMS marketing lets businesses in the travel industry communicate time-sensitive, urgent information to customers. You can quickly let customers know when:
- There is a gate change
- There is a cancellation or delay
- There are security alerts
- There are opportunities for upgrades
If you want to text your customers one-on-one or communicate to patrons at scale, a Business SMS service would be a gamechanger. It lets customers get the necessary information on time and take the steps needed to adjust to travel changes. Communicating instantly pertinent information to traveling customers can make the difference between a customer being happy with or frustrated with your business.
If Your Business Requires Appointments
You need to make appointments, whether at the dentist’s office or the barbershop. Customers might forget about their appointments, arrive late, or fail to show up. Automatic text messaging reminds customers of their appointments and can minimize no-shows. Since the message is sent directly to their phone, most customers will get it immediately.
It Is Time to Give SMS Marketing for Business a Try
SMS is an awesome tool for communicating time-sensitive messages in a way that customers can easily digest and quickly receive. People around the world have their cell phones with them all the time. This makes SMS messaging the most reliable way for businesses to communicate with customers. If your business is one of the types of companies mentioned above and SMS marketing is not in your toolbox, now may be the time to try this powerful marketing resource.
