Mobile marketing is incomplete if you’re not using an SMS marketing program. Some businesses might consider texting as an old channel in the times of social media. But mistake not because still the most powerful medium to engage with users. Well done if you’re already running an SMS program for promotions.
If you’re yet to dirty your hands in this powerful marketing stream, we can help you. Read along to know how to launch a successful SMS marketing campaign.
3-step Guide to Run an SMS Pilot with Results
Plan the Pilot
- Goal and Benchmark
Define the objective you want to achieve. Suppose you want to target churned customers to bring them back on board. For this, access their old feedback and use the enhanced features to target them.
Set a benchmark to measure results. You may have some inputs from previous campaigns. Otherwise, you can test and set your own standards. Some fraction of these markers also depends on your budget and timeline. - Permission
Seek permission from your users. This can be done by blasting emails to your churned customers if they’re on your emailing list. Otherwise, you can display banners at your shops, websites, and social media marketing posts.
Permission-based marketing is a strict regulatory requirement to initiate any mobile marketing campaign. Read in depth about the why of permission-based marketing in the digital era. - Short Code
Secure a short code from your SMS program vendor. A random number on a user’s inbox may put them off. But a short code tells them that the incoming message is not spam. These short codes also help users communicate with you to opt in or get more information. - Finalize a Campaign
Because you know your goal and benchmark, we assume you know the targeted campaign. For instance, bringing back churned customers by reducing the subscription value to half for 3 months is your goal.
Chances are, you may not know yet what your campaign is if it is primarily driven by budget. And that’s all right. Define your campaign and hooks to engage with customers. In our example, you might also provide them a slash of 50% with a referral code and a redeemable gift coupon for their referrals. This also brings in new users. - Segment the Audience
Now that you know your target audience is the churned customers, you should divide them based on age, gender, location, profession, etc. This helps you to offer the right proposition to various segments. Professionals in tech jobs may need better services, while students might look for discounts. It isn’t necessary to target all the churned customers in the pilot; just pick a segment you expect to be more responsive than the others. - Time and Frequency
Your target audience and other aspects define how frequently you should SMS them. Your SMS is not annoying to a working person during lunch hours, evening time, and holidays. While for students, you might want to send the SMSes late at night. And increasing the frequency during summer breaks and the holiday season is a great idea.
Launch the Pilot
1. Preview Campaign
Once your campaign is ready, use software like Textmunication’s SAM to preview your campaigns. One mistake can spoil your investment. And what if the URL you have embedded doesn’t work?
Previewing also helps you visualize the look and feel in the run time.
2. Execute
Use short messages in plain English without fancy or shortened slang. Add a CTA in the message and provide an option to opt out without fail. Send your SMSes at the right time. Don’t take the liberty of bombarding your users daily with 15 messages.
3. Measure
A holistic SMS marketing software like SAM allows you to quantify your facts and achievements. Generate reports for your campaigns, compare them with benchmarks, and share them with stakeholders to mull over.
4. Amend and Aim
As soon as the data start flowing in during the pilot, amend the strategy for a better result if needed. Then, retarget your users and wait for the results.Scale Up the Pilot
1. Plan Ahead
Quite often, a pilot runs for a limited time. Textmunication provides 30 days trial period, which offers a great bandwidth to launch, assess, and retarget. Once you have your results at the end of the trial period, analyze outcomes, and plan your next step.
2. Scale Up
The next step for you should be to scale up the campaigns and bring in more resources. With the benchmark in your hand, the scaling won’t be difficult. You can expand the same campaign in depth by increasing your target audience. You can even launch more campaigns alongside a different segment of users.
3. Feedback
Once your pilot is over, gathering feedback from users is necessary to refine your upcoming strategy. Also, offer incentives to engage with the users. Nothing is better than an engaged audience.Ready to Roll an SMS Campaign?
Getting a marketing plan right in the first go isn’t easy. But it’s not like climbing Mount Everest, just a bit like walking on eggshells. Worry not, though, because, with Textmunication, you’re in safe and skilled hands. Reach out to our team for a talk.
