Over the last 20 years, we have seen unbelievable growth in technology, but more specifically, phones and smartphones. Millennials remember that satisfaction of clapping a Motorola Razr closed at the end of a phone call. They remember the tiny keys on the BlackBerry; some may even remember the innovation from BlackBerry when the BlackBerry Storm was introduced to the market. Now, it feels like everyone we know, even kids, have iPhones.
As smartphones are getting smarter, brands and e-commerce sites are having to expand their marketing strategies to keep up with the evolving tech industry. Although the very first mobile SMS (or text message) advertisement was sent in 2000, the method was not widely adapted until recently. You know, those texts you get from OpenTable to confirm your reservations, or the sale reminder that dings your phone.
As this method has grown in popularity, researchers have studied the analytics from SMS marketing. How many unread emails do you have in your inbox right now? On average, email inboxes have around 8,000 unopened messages. On the other hand, 74% of smartphone users have ZERO unopened text messages. It is true, however, that some people still prefer email over text messages. But for the loyal audiences who want immediate information and access to your site, they want to receive updates on the device they look at almost 100 times a day.
Other benefits of SMS marketing include
A 89-98% open-rate depending on the source
90% of messages are opened within 3 minutes; 99% are opened within 20 minutes
82.4% of customers are more likely to shop stores with an SMS loyalty program
Reduces excessive need for customer service, as customers receive updates and have no need to call
You may be thinking, “well, when do I send text messages to my customers?” It can be annoying to get an SMS message from a brand or company every day. Consider what you would want to receive from a brand:
Abandoned Cart
Loyalty Offer
Shipping Notifications
Welcome Series
Product launches
Sale reminders
Have you used SMS Marketing for your business? Let us know your thoughts and best practices. Do you have questions about how to integrate SMS into your marketing strategy? Emails us at hi@ansleymediaco.com.