Guys, SMS marketing is a unicorn marketing channel if I ever saw one.
- At least 5 billion people worldwide can send and receive text messages.
- 95% of texts are read within 3 minutes of being sent.
- SMS averages +90% open rates and +30% response rates.
- In the U.S., text messaging is hands-down the favorite way of 20- to 40-year-olds to stay in touch with businesses.
Businesses should only consider SMS marketing and high-leverage text marketing hacks if their audience mostly communicates using their smartphones. You know, basically everyone.
Of course, you don’t have to employ an army to sit on mobile phones all day, text messaging your customer and leads.
Instead, use SMS marketing tools to automatically grow a contact database, follow up with contacts in SMS, set exact delivery time, and send text messages triggered by behaviors or intent.
These are what we call SMS marketing hacks.
Here are the top 10 SMS marketing hacks that every business should use to increase customer engagement, loyalty and sales:
- SMS Keyword Opt-In
- Upload a Customer Audience List
- Get Opt-in from Web Chat
- Get Opt-in from Facebook Chat
- Post a Sign in a Store or Office
- Incentivize a Website Pop-up
- Mass Text Contacts with an SMS Blaster
- Schedule SMS Blasts in Advance
- Do Drip SMS Campaigns
- Trigger Live Agent Notifications
Ready to dive in?
#1. SMS Marketing Hack: SMS Keyword Opt-In
You’ve seen it before: Text “winner” to this phone number to enter to win. Or, Text “club” to this phone number to join our VIP club for text updates.
SMS keyword opt-in gives you a tool to sign people up to SMS marketing updates with a simple, interactive keyword.
Setting up an SMS keyword opt-in is easy in Customers.ai. Just go to the SMS Keywords tool to create an autoresponder to any keyword you like.
Here I’ve created an SMS opt-in keyword for the keyword “CLUB”. Then I wrote the SMS that will reply.
Want to see it in action? Sign up for my SMS marketing club.
Text CLUB to 1-309-740-3151 to join me and learn all my latest hacks first.
Tips for advertising or promoting any SMS marketing program:
- Provide a link to the Terms and Conditions
- Set expectations about how often the audience gets SMS updates
- And offer an incentive or make the value of joining really clear
Sign people up for SMS text marketing updates with SMS keyword opt-in.
#2. SMS Marketing Hack: Upload a Customer Audience List
Upload a list of contact info and phone numbers for people who are interested in SMS updates.
Your existing contact database may be a key to your SMS marketing list growth. Customers.ai lets you upload your contact list with phone numbers to your contacts.
In order to send people SMS marketing updates, people will need to agree to being messaged. Assuming you have permission, here’s how to upload a contact list in 3 steps.
Step 1: Go to Customers.ai Leads > Contacts and click “Import phone numbers.”
Step 2: Choose a CSV file to import.
Step 3: Match the fields from the CSV to the contact attributes in your Customers.ai lead database.
The phone number attribute is a required field.
Match each column of data from the CSV to a Customers.ai contact attribute using a drop-down selector that lists all Customers.ai attributes.
That’s it! Now your existing contact list is available for you to text message blast using Customers.ai’s SMS blaster.
#3. SMS Marketing Hack: Get Opt-in from Web Chat
Website visitors can be invited to sign up for SMS marketing updates. Get SMS opt-ins from leads and customers chatting on your website chatbot
When a customer is chatting with the chatbot on your website using native web chat, invite them to provide their phone number to get updates or in case they’re disconnected.
One of the easiest ways to grow your SMS list is by adding an opt-in option to an existing chatbot dialogue.
Add the SMS opt-in widget to a chatbot from the StartBot chatbot builder.
Your website chatbot is a tool for adding SMS subscribers who are already engaged with your brand.
Test the website chat widget SMS opt-in for yourself by sending a message in the chat window on this page!
#4. SMS Marketing Hack: Get Opt-in from Facebook Chat
Same way you can invite someone chatting on your website to opt in to SMS updates, you can invite leads and customers chatting on your Facebook page.
When a customer is chatting with the chatbot on your Facebook page, now you can give them the option to stay in touch and receive updates from you via SMS.
Use the Customers.ai SMS opt-in widget from your Facebook Page welcomer to give customers the ability to use the messaging app that’s most convenient for them.
See this in action by clicking the “Send Message” button on the Customers.ai Facebook Page. We’ll ask you if you want to sign up for the Customers.ai Text Marketing Club.
#5. SMS Marketing Hack: Post a Sign in a Store or Office
Inviting customers in your store or visitors to your office to opt-in to SMS updates is one of the top SMS marketing hacks.
Customers who shop in your store can also be encouraged to sign up for SMS updates.
By offering a prize, coupon or discount in-store, you’ll encourage them to sign up on the spot for SMS updates.
It’s basically an invite to subscribe for future text marketing campaigns and SMS blasts with a gift.
#6. SMS Marketing Hack: Incentivize a Website Pop-up
Use a website pop-up to sign people up to text marketing updates.\
Despite their controversial reputation, pop-ups are a great method for generating action. We usually set them up to invite people to sign up for email updates. But email is a crowded place, with donkey engagement rates.
Instead, use a web pop-up to invite SMS opt-in.
When they are properly timed with a strong incentive, pop-ups inviting customers to sign up for SMS marketing updates can be very useful to both retailers and customers.
#7. SMS Marketing Hack: Mass Text Contacts with an SMS Blaster
Send mass SMS text message blasts with the SMS Blaster.
Using SMS chat blasts reaches audiences with whatever business information or promotional material you have to offer; and it’s easier than ever using Customers.ai’s SMS opt-in and text message blasting tools.
By the way, you can send chat blasts via SMS and other messaging channels like Facebook Messenger at the same time using Customers.ai OmniChat multi-channel marketing tools.
Learn how to send a text message blast with Customers.ai.
#8. SMS Marketing Hack: Schedule SMS Blasts in Advance
You aren’t tied to your office chair to send SMS blasts at just the right moment. SMS marketing tools let you schedule text message blasts in advance.
Scheduled SMS blasts are an excellent way to reach the masses, and ensure optimal open and engagement rates.
Scheduled SMS blasts are like scheduled email blasts with one key difference. Marketers can send campaigns at a scheduled time in the future.
Just pick a time for the blast and Customers.ai launches the campaign to your audience based on the sender’s time zone.
People almost always have their phone within reach, and over 98% of text messages are read within just a few minutes. Compared to email or phone calls, text message blasts capture far more attention and generate more response than any other type of mass communication.
SMS blasts are also cost effective. At just pennies per message, reaching people through text is a very affordable outreach channel. What’s also nice is that when people reply to your text blasts, the messages are private and can flow into the Customers.ai OmniChat inbox for 2-way texting.
#9. SMS Marketing Hack: Do Drip SMS Campaigns
Send nurturing drip campaigns via SMS text message.
Drip campaigns are a key to keeping active customers engaged as you continue to send them valuable, relevant content.
You can use your growing database to send SMS drip campaigns to:
- Welcome and onboard customers
- Keep leads engaged with the brand
- Activate use of sophisticated solutions
- Leverage automation to communicate at scale
Customers.ai’s SMS drip campaign builder is all visual and just a matter of choosing an audience, putting some content together, and setting the timing of the drips.
Hello, unicorn engagement gains.
#10. SMS Marketing Hack: Trigger Live Agent Notifications
Set up alerts for your team to jump in when customers need to talk to a real human.
As you send out SMS blasts and SMS drip campaigns, your customers may continue the conversation.
Your team may need to be able to see conversations that require follow up and jump into convos. They can do this from a multi-channel customer support inbox.
View the OmniChat inbox from Customers.ai’s web app or mobile app. Business woners and teams get a single unified inbox for viewing and responding to all conversations happening across messaging apps — from SMS to Messenger.
Seamlessly manage all messaging convos, and a live agent can jump into conversations any time.
You can also set up pop-up notification alerts to let your team know there’s a customer requesting answers or service.
Ready to get started with SMS marketing tools?
You can execute SMS marketing hacks with a Customers.ai professional plan.
Frequently Asked Questions about SMS Marketing Hacks
Q: What is SMS marketing?
A: SMS marketing is a strategy that involves sending promotional messages or alerts to customers’ mobile devices via text messages. It allows businesses to reach their target audience directly and engage with them on a personal level.
Q: What are SMS marketing hacks?
A: SMS marketing hacks refer to innovative techniques and strategies that can help businesses maximize the effectiveness of their SMS marketing campaigns. These hacks involve leveraging various tactics, tools, and best practices to improve open rates, engagement, and overall campaign results.
Q: Are there any legal considerations for SMS marketing?
A: Yes, there are legal considerations for SMS marketing. It’s crucial to comply with regulations such as obtaining explicit consent from recipients, providing opt-out options, and adhering to data privacy laws. Familiarize yourself with the applicable regulations in your region and ensure your SMS marketing campaigns are compliant.
Q: How can I build a subscriber list for SMS marketing?
A: Building a subscriber list for SMS marketing involves several strategies:
- Opt-in campaigns: Encourage customers to opt in by offering incentives or exclusive content.
- Website opt-ins: Provide sign-up forms on your website to capture mobile numbers.
- Point of sale (POS) opt-ins: Collect mobile numbers during in-store transactions.
- Social media promotions: Run campaigns on social media platforms to gather subscribers.
- Events and tradeshows: Collect mobile numbers at events or tradeshows through sign-up sheets or mobile keyword campaigns.
Remember to always obtain proper consent and clearly communicate the value customers will receive by subscribing to your SMS marketing messages.
Q: How can I improve open rates for my SMS marketing campaigns?
A: Improving open rates for SMS marketing campaigns can be achieved through various tactics, such as:
- Crafting compelling and concise messages that create a sense of urgency or exclusivity.
- Using personalized messages to make customers feel valued and connected.
- Sending messages at optimal times, considering the preferences and time zones of your target audience.
- Segmenting your subscriber list and sending targeted messages based on customer preferences or behaviors.
- Testing different approaches, such as varying the sender name or using multimedia elements like images or emojis.
Experimentation and tracking metrics like open rates will help you refine your SMS marketing strategies for better engagement.
Q: Are there any best practices for writing effective SMS marketing messages?
A: Yes, here are some best practices for writing effective SMS marketing messages:
- Keep it concise: SMS messages have character limits, so craft your messages with brevity in mind.
- Create a clear call-to-action: Directly tell recipients what you want them to do and make it easy for them to take action.
- Personalize when possible: Use customer data to personalize messages and make them more relevant.
- Include incentives or exclusive offers: Provide value to recipients by offering discounts, promotions, or exclusive content.
- Ensure clarity and avoid ambiguity: Use simple language, avoid jargon, and proofread your messages for clarity.
Following these best practices will help you craft compelling and impactful SMS marketing messages.
Q: How frequently should I send SMS marketing messages?
A: The frequency of your SMS marketing messages should strike a balance between staying top of mind and avoiding message fatigue. It’s essential to respect your subscribers’ preferences and avoid overwhelming them with excessive messages. Consider factors such as your industry, the nature of your content, and the expectations of your audience when determining the ideal frequency. Testing different frequencies and monitoring engagement metrics will help you find the right balance.
Q: How can I measure the effectiveness of my SMS marketing campaigns?
A: Measuring the effectiveness of your SMS marketing campaigns involves tracking various metrics.
