Bulk SMS marketing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to reach your entire client base. And it can have amazing results – if you do it right. One of the big keys is that it is focused on clients that have a preexisting relationship with you. You already know that they want your product or service. They’ve been working with you already, so you know that they have interest in what you have to offer. Perhaps they’ve opted in after a previous purchase or after exploring your site. Either way, this interest gives you and edge and a chance to make the most of the connection.

But, in order to capitalize on this connection, there are a few things to keep in mind. So, here are a few tips to work with your previous clients, current users, interested parties, or others that have opted in for SMS alerts from your company. Remember, these are ideal clients for targeted marketing. What you want to do with your SMS marketing is to turn this warm connection into a hot conversion. So, here are five key tips to make this happen:

1. Short and sweet is key.

   You don’t want to overwhelm your clients with a long message. Get to the point. Let them know what you’re all about and do it within 160 characters or less. The upper limit is technical. Old phones have to fragment larger messages, so this means that larger messages meaning being charged twice. Plus, when you keep it short and sweet, you can let your customers know what you have to say without wasted words – and without wasting their time. Include a call to action link, and you can leverage the opened message into an invitation for conversions.

2. Make sure your business name shows up in the message.

   One of the most important aspects of marketing is brand awareness. If you send a message and don’t sign it, you pass along the content, but don’t assign any personality or brand. You’re missing out on half the value of the connection. Plus, just think about that hesitation you feel when your phone lights up with an anonymous number. Make your identity transparent. Make the brand clear from the get go. This will legitimize your message and help to build trust for your brand.

3. Make it personal.

   Bulk SMS, by its nature, is a bit impersonal. But it doesn’t have to feel that way. Most SMS marketing services will let you personalize the message based on your stored information on the client. This adds that personal, human touch that can make all the difference. Try to include the client’s name. Make reference to a previous client interaction or previous purchase. Bring in the time or date. Set it up so that the client knows this isn’t a piece of anonymous spam sent by a computer algorithm – even if it is. Keep this in mind when setting up the client database and sign up pages.

4. Make sure the link reflects the brand.

   Remember, you’re keeping the content short. 160 characters isn’t a lot to work with. But, if you incorporate the brand in the link, you get another way to engage the customer and add a personal note. So generic link shorteners aren’t going to be to your highest benefit. With a branded link, you can up your click through rate by almost 40%. This looks neater and extends your brand trust to the SMS. Plus, it customizes the link to boost conversions.

5. Pair your SMS with Analytics

   The most effective marketing strategies come from sensing and responding to the market reaction. That means you’ll want to know who opens the messages, who clicks through to your site, and who actually makes a purchase. You can up your effectiveness by adding UTM parameters to your branded links. This will let you know how effective your SMS marketing campaign actually is. Use this feedback to determine the CTAs, topics, and text content that actually drive conversions and customer engagement. With this info, you can refine your campaign to get the best results out of your promotional efforts.

When you’re ready to look into SMS marketing strategies for your company, feel free to contact us. At Mobivate, we’re dedicated to helping you get the most value out of your marketing strategy.