6 Essential Elements of SMS Campaigns

Whatever SMS marketing strategy you pursue, whether contests, sweepstakes, discounts or events-based marketing, learn from the most successful campaigns by including these common elements of tried-and-true SMS marketing campaigns.

Relevance

This means keeping your messages in tune with your offer, and fine-tuning both your offer and messages to the wants and needs of your ideal customer. 

It is common and easy to assume relevance without actually being relevant. Double-checking may be mundane, but it is vital. The litmus test of relevance is your SMS analytics. If people aren’t opening their texts, or response rates are really low, your message probably isn’t relevant.

Benefits

Always ask yourself, “What's in it for them?” If you don’t have a compelling answer, try again until you do. When you have your answer, make it the headline of your opt-in campaign. For example, “Be the first to know when select items go on sale.”

Exclusivity

Everyone wants to feel special. Do everything you can to let subscribers know they are on the inside, and are therefore entitled to benefits outsiders don’t get. 

People usually subscribe to SMS alerts because they want information before anyone else, or location-based rewards. Be sure to deliver rewards to your SMS subscribers first. Also, offer them something unique that you don’t offer to your other kinds of subscribers.

Instant rewards

Every time a subscriber opens one of your texts, you want the anticipation to stimulate the pleasure centres of their brain. You have to earn it, though, by providing something worth salivating over. 

To train high levels of engagement, provide instant gratification with each SMS broadcast. Make each subscriber feel as if you delivered an M&M directly into his or her mouth. You can’t literally send M&Ms via text so you will have to get creative to approximate the feeling!

Dunkin Donuts did this well: “Get a medium coffee for 99 cents today. Just bring in your phone to redeem.” Their in-store traffic shot up over 21% that day.

Invitations to participate

The true mark of brand ambassadors is that they volunteer—sometimes incredible amounts of time and energy—to promote your brand.

To most people, an invitation to help you develop your product or service would seem like a chore. Not to brand ambassadors. To them, it is an honour and a privilege to be asked. They are eager to participate, whether by sharing stories of their experiences with your brand, by offering suggestions, or participating in contests.

Opt these kinds of folks into premium lists and be sure to show them how much they mean to you, since they provide such disproportionate value to your business. Then ask them for help with ideas to promote new products they are interested in. Or send them contests to spread the message and win recognition and valuable prizes.

Measurable results

Be sure your SMS marketing provider, like ReachTEL, gives you detailed analytics that prove what is working and what isn't. Never assume you know what your best customers want. Let the facts speak for themselves. If they engage with your content, do more of it. If not, move on to something else. This enables you to get to know and adapt to your market over time, which builds your effectiveness and profits.

For more information on integrating SMS marketing with your business strategy, check out our SMS marketing page and feel free to chat with a live representative.