Text message marketing (also called SMS marketing) has improved to become one of the most effective tools for your business. But it hasn’t caught on in the service industry because of worries about the costs and, for some, texting customers still seems intrusive. That’s just not the case anymore. With the right tools, you can easily, and affordably text your customers at just the right times. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to communicate.
Some Marketing Basics
The service industry has always faced a different set of challenges when marketing to their clients. Businesses only offering services have to understand their customers’ perceptions. Products are tangible objects that can be seen and held. Buyers are able to get a better feel for what they are buying. This makes it easier for people to know what the quality is like, and they can return it if it fails to satisfy their need.
People don’t often have the opportunity to see a service in motion prior to purchasing one. Services also provide convenience and they typically offer fewer options, so there’s less perceived value. How do you change these perceptions?
Improve Your Communication
Services have to communicate their value and build trust before clients are willing to commit to a purchase. One of the best ways they can do this is through mobile marketing, especially text messages. Still not convinced? The following 10 reasons should be convincing enough.
1. People Are Attached To Their Phones
On average, people check their phone 85 times in a day. Plus, it’s always with them wherever they go.
2. Targeted Messaging
Through texting, you have a direct connection to your customer. Often gaining their undivided attention. And it’s all with their permission!
3. Trackable
Open rates for text messaging are over 80%. That’s almost 60% more than email! You know exactly who opened the text and what they were looking for.
4. Customer Engagement
Text messages don’t always have to be about a discount. You can send surveys and provide valuable content to keep your clients engaged.
5. Interactivity
Quick links allow your clients to go where you want them to. You can also get feedback to improve service quality.
6. Personalization
People are turned-off by insincere messages. Text messaging can give a personal greeting that’s followed up with a unique offer.
7. Data
Collecting data over time will help you understand which messages are working and the ones that aren’t. It gives you a much needed point of reference.
8. Metrics
With all that data, you’re going to learn more about your clients’ preferences and how your marketing affects those preferences.
9. Integrate with Other Campaigns
Text messaging is an important marketing activity within any campaign. It should be part of your marketing mix.
10. Automation
This saves you time and headaches. It keeps you from worrying about whether or not the message went out to your customers.
Building Trust
Promoting your services is not the same as marketing a product. You really have to understand the difference in order to effectively get your message across to potential customers. So, you have to focus on the biggest advantage that you have—building personal relationships. Plus, text message marketing provides small businesses with a cost-effective tool that allows them to compete with larger companies.