Top 5 ways to get SMS working for your brand

SMS, a powerful marketing channel, is often overlooked and underutilized by brands due to its 160 character limitation, which is perceived as a hindrance to valuable customer engagement. It’s often viewed as the unattractive cousin to sexier channels like social media, digital, and direct mail. However, SMS has immense potential for creative marketing campaigns that engage customers and deliver results beyond essential communication.

IVE offers five tips to create an effective SMS campaign that stands out from competitors and delivers value to customers:

1. Create a two-way conversation: SMS enables a dialogue between brands and customers, offering an opportunity for personalized communication. For instance, when a customer redeems a coupon sent via SMS, the store can send an acknowledgement message and a customer satisfaction survey, creating a two-way dialogue.
2. Use SMS as a gateway channel: SMS is an opt-in medium, and customers are happy to hear from brands through this channel, increasing the chances of click-through rates. By linking to mobile or social media sites, landing pages, or experiential apps, brands can offer dynamic experiences to users.
3. Make rewards personal: SMS is a personal medium, and rewarding loyalty via SMS increases engagement levels. By using customer data, brands can personalize rewards and tailor future offers. For example, a supermarket chain can offer a personalized offer on the same brand of nappies that a mum buys every two weeks.
4. Understand that timing is everything: Unlike direct mail or email, SMS is immediate and read instantly, wherever the customer is. Brands can leverage the timeliness of the channel by tapping into customer behavior and driving the path to purchase.
5. Get to know your customer better: SMS is an excellent way to gain customer insights and personalize communication. By offering incentivized surveys or analyzing customer behavior, brands can tailor future offers at a highly personalized level and drive customer engagement.

In conclusion, SMS is a powerful and often underutilized channel that can deliver exceptional results when used creatively. By understanding the channel’s potential and leveraging its unique features, brands can engage customers and drive results beyond essential communication.