The marketing industry is benefiting from the rise of technology. It may seem like the industry is being disrupted, but it is being enhanced. SMS marketing software expands the reach of marketing efforts and delivers a more personalized experience to the customer. Whether checking in to an appointment, receiving reminders, or donating to charities, SMS technology makes things easier. For example, Domino’s, the nationwide pizza chain, allows customers to order pizza by texting a pizza emoji.

Companies can now market to specific demographics rather than a broad base. While the ‘email is dead’ cliche is constantly used, email is still one of the best marketing methods. Next, marketing through text messages might be the medium to finally turn email marketing into a thing of the past.

Business owners might be afraid that text messages infringe too much on customers’ lives or could be considered annoying. Surprisingly, most customers would like to receive more SMS marketing, but only a small portion of small businesses send them. There are many advantages to the ROI of text marketing.

SMS Marketing is Effective

Billions of people around the globe carry a cellphone in their pocket or purse everywhere they go. They are bound to look at their phone a few times an hour, and text messages are among the most checked notifications. 

Phones are a direct line to customers. If you want customers to know of current sales or promotions, send them a text. Texts have a 98 percent open rate, significantly higher than email or other online marketing options for small businesses. 

A phone chime is hard to ignore. Most texts are read within minutes after they are received. More than any other type of communication, customers will see your text message. 

Text Messages are Personal

Texting is increasingly becoming a preferred method of communication, especially with younger generations, which most advertisers aim their marketing at. The special thing about phone numbers is their uniqueness to an individual. No one phone number can have two owners. 

This creates valuable data that is personal to a specific customer. SMS marketing software uses data science to increase the effectiveness of your marketing tactics. Leveraging data can send the right message to the right person. 

A middle-aged rural resident will be more responsive to reminders for an oil change than a college student in New York City. You can become a data scientist by attending a Metis data science coding boot camp. Data scientists help companies, large and small, use their resources more efficiently.

Coupons Via Text

One way to increase foot traffic in your business is to send coupons via text. There is a national holiday for everything, from dogs to ice cream cones, so a text reminder of National Ice Cream Cone day for 10% of an ice cream cone is a good way to drum up business.

Order Via Text Message

Text messages are becoming more prevalent in the food and beverage industry. Recurring orders from B2C companies are allowing companies to deliver straight to the customer. 

SMS ordering allows companies to skip the middleman and yield higher margins on their products. It also allows businesses to know exactly what their customers are purchasing instead of relying on retail store reports. Data scientists will be able to create portfolios for customers to help create new lines of desirable products.

Update Package Status

We receive dozens of packages a month. Between USPS, FedEx, and UPS, it’s hard to nail down which service will be completing our order. Tracking and order numbers are easy to get confused and can make tracking a package difficult. Texting out delivery updates can save customers the hassle of combing through emails and receipts to determine when their orders will arrive.

Opting In and Out Should Be Easy

Even sparse marketing campaigns can be a nuisance to customers. Make it easy for them to opt-in or opt-out. The image of a business declines rapidly if they become a pest in their inbox. 

It’s more important than ever for customers to trust businesses with their data, and phone numbers aren’t given out easily. Ensure customers that your team of trusted database administrators are working round the clock to ensure private data stays away from prying eyes. 

Start SMS Marketing Today!

Apps are nice, but it can be frustrating to remember passwords and navigate through websites when customers order on the go. SMS marketing removes barriers and increases the ease of ordering products. SMS marketing companies make it easy and less time consuming for small business owners to reach their customers. Want even more tips on how to boost business through SMS marketing? Learn more by signing up for a demo today.  

Author: Artur Meyster
The CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps.