How to Use Text Messages in Your Advertising: 10 Steps

How to Use Text Messages in Your Advertising: 10 Steps

Whether it is a smart phone with Internet capabilities or an old fashioned flip phone, almost all mobile consumers take advantage of sending and receiving text messages. This makes advertising via text message popular for retailers and brands who are trying to get the attention of a mobile audience. Also called short message service (SMS), advertising by text message is inexpensive, fast, efficient and often provokes a response. Use text messages in your advertising by getting people to opt into receiving your texts, partnering with a company that can manage your subscriber list and launching your advertisements.

Steps

1. Make it easy for customers to opt in. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that companies must only send texts to customers who agree to receive them.

• Ask for permission to send text messages on your website, at any point of sale in stores or during checkout or through your printed materials. Mobile phone users can also get your text messages if they use a free SMS service that they know is supported by ads.

2. Put together a subscriber list. There are companies that can do this for you, the most popular being SimpleWire, ChaCha, 4Info, Skymo and PSWin.com.

• Use these services to build your subscriber list and manage the sending of your ads as texts. Most of them charge per subscriber, so if you are a small company, you will not need a huge budget. Once you create your message, these companies will handle the execution.

3. Target your audience. Research has shown that the most receptive demographic is teens and young adults when it comes to responding to a text ad. However, all cell phone users, including those over 25 years of age are texting more than every before.

4. Advertise with text messages for a variety of purposes. In addition to getting your customers to buy something, you can also use text to drive your brand awareness or share information about new products or services.

• Promote a mobile app with text messages. For example, political campaigns are using text advertisements in 2012 not only to encourage support for candidates, but to introduce applications that can keep supporters in close contact with campaigns on their mobile phones.

5. Make each text count. If your subscribers are not getting value in the texts they receive from you, they will either delete the messages or unsubscribe. Make sure they are useful.

• Text coupons and promotional offers. Instead of printing or clipping coupons, users can walk into a store and flash the coupon that was texted to them for savings and discounts.
• Keep the copy brief. Text messages need to be short and creative. They should also be personal. Give your users what they want, whether it is a sneak peak at a new designer line, a free movie ticket or deep discounts on merchandise.

6. Use text advertising to communicate with your customers. You can send reminders, share news and ask for input.

7. Read some case studies to find out how other companies have used text messages in their advertising strategies. For example, Starbucks and Dominoes are two companies that have shared the benefits of advertising via text.

8. Send texts at appropriate times of the day, and avoid texting on holidays. You are not going to gain customers by sending SMS ads at 11:00 p.m. or during Sunday dinners.

9. Put service ahead of sales. For example, a beauty salon could text customers a reminder about their appointments before suggesting a haircare product or a service upgrade.

10. Incorporate SMS advertising into a comprehensive marketing strategy.While texting has been proven as a sound advertising platform, it must be supported by a dynamic website, engaging social networking sites and high quality customer service.

Tips

• Use good grammar. While slang and abbreviations such as "u" instead of "you" are popular among texters, you want your business to be taken seriously. Stay professional.

Warnings

• Provide instructions on how subscribers can opt out of receiving texts. The FCC requires this from all text and email advertisers.