How many people Don't want to hear from your business?

If you've ever utilized e-mail marketing, you are well familiar with (or at least should be) your "open rates".  When it comes to Text Marketing, the statistical percentage of those text messages being 'opened' or viewed, exceeds 98%.  In e-mail marketing, you would be on your way to the Hall of Fame if you saw 40% opened.

Similar to e-mail, legal SMS Marketing programs require the opted-in consumer have the opportunity to opt-out at any time by replying Stop, Quit, Remove etc.

Last week one of the Moe's Southwest Grill locations Text2VIP works with sent a text blast offer to over 2,000 of their store's subscribers.  It's fair to assume their message was seen by nearly all of those on the list.  A quick glance at our reporting analytics shows that only 1 VIP member chose to opt-out of receiving that location's offers in the future.  Pretty compelling I would say.

A Great Column in Today's Mobile Marketer

As a SMS Marketing service provider, we are often looking around for the other guys in the room who, 'get it'.  Robert Carroll's column in today's edition of Mobile Marketer was filled with great points and was spot on....

Text cannot be marginalized

Not only does texting have deep roots in friend-to-friend communication, it has much stricter rules governing its use than email does, lowering the level of innate resistance to messages received through the medium.

Mobile users have long since wired texting into their behavioral patterns. You get the alert. You read the text. You respond—because you want to.

Not only do text messages have an extraordinary open rate, evidence suggests the response rate also exceeds the performance of other marketing channels.

When used to make real-time, on-the-spot offers, texting has repeatedly yielded a better than 10 percent response.

As long as the offers made via SMS are perceived to be of real value to the recipient, the relationship of trust between consumer and brand only deepens with each exchange. 

According to a 2010 research report from the Mobile Marketing Association, mobile advertising, too, vastly outperforms outreach in any other medium:

• 45 percent of consumers notice mobile advertising

• Of these, 29 percent respond to mobile advertising

• Of these, 39 percent make a purchase

In case you missed it, you can read the entire article here. 

SMS Marketing Programs for Retailers

Retail business owners rely on a loyal clientele, one that provides a steady, recurring business. Building loyalty is dependent on a variety of factors including location, hours of operation, advertising, inventory and quality of product, services, and competitive pricing.

SMS marketing is an ideal complement to a retailer’s marketing efforts, providing a direct and immediate channel to a business’ patrons.

When businesses have a Text Marketing or "SMS mobile program" in place they are, in fact, inviting their clientele to establish a one-on-one relationship with them, with the expectation that upon joining the program, the consumers will receive exclusive incentives that drive them to continue, and INCREASE their patronage.

Benefits of using Text SMS for Retail Stores?

SMS marketing programs are designed to increase the purchase frequency of a business’ existing customers, typically offering coupons or other promotional specials to prompt purchases. It should not be forgotten, however, that loyalty is not only based on the offer of lower price. A business should also use its Text Messaging Marketing program to send other information of value to its program subscribers. For example, an automotive service company could send out winterizing tips; a business could conduct a satisfaction survey through SMS. Put yourself in the place of your consumers and ask yourself what you would want from your business.

Whatever the nature of your business, remember that the people who've subscribed to your mobile program have provided you something of tremendous value; permission to market to their cell phone. Don’t abuse the privilege. Provide value in return, and you’ll see fantastic results.

SMS Marketing, hard at work on both coasts...

I received a couple of pictures from two Text2VIP clients a few minutes apart yesterday.  The contrast and juxtaposition grabbed my attention.  One photo is a screen grab from a professional sporting event, the other, an independent carpet cleaner.  The former uses mobile to engage thousands of spectators simultaneously, the ladder to speak with a single prospect at a time.  In the next 10 days, the New Jersey  LPGA event on the East Coast will host 40,000 fans, by contrast, the California based small business owner might harvest 3 new carpet cleaning customers.  I believe this is yet one more illustration of how the ubiquitous nature of SMS effectively serves across all markets, and communicates with audiences - both large and small.

Website and Facebook Opt-in Features

Here's an example of a web sign up form Text2VIP provides clients to allow their consumers to opt-in via their website or Facebook. It is fully customizable to collect whatever data you might choose and provides the ability to message consumers by name as well.

Mobile Phone: *

Carrier: Please Select Your CarrierAlltelATTBoostBoostiDenCarolina West WirelessCellcomCellSouthCinnBellCricketDobsonNextelnTelosSprintT-MobileUnicelUScellVerizon

First Name:

Birthdate: MonthJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember Day12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Year20102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979197819771976197519741973197219711970196919681967196619651964196319621961196019591958195719561955195419531952195119501949194819471946194519441943194219411940193919381937193619351934193319321931193019291928192719261925192419231922192119201919191819171916191519141913191219111910

Alert Opt-In:

Msg & Data rates may apply

Activating Media Channels

We've often touched on the value that mobile can bring when added to otherwise "traditional" media. This week, one of our text message marketing clients, Subway, took this to heart by incorporating a SMS call to action in their newspaper ad.

Considering that the average text message remains on the mobile device an average of 21 days in the U.S. before being deleted, Subway's text message coupon stands a much greater chance of drawing attention in the days to come -- substantially greater, than the alternative "clip-out" coupon that gets buried in the pants pocket and ends up in the washing machine spin cycle. In addition, consumers will always have access to the coupon since their mobile is with them at all times.

Making it Easy

Have you ever been in a retail setting and wish you could convey your ideas or opinions to ownership or management?  Maybe you don't want it to take up your entire day or delay your meal, maybe you didn't want to make a scene, worse yet...maybe there was no feasible avenue immediately available for you to do so.

If you are the business owner, the only thing worse than the consumer not getting to share their experience or comments with you...is the consumer sharing it instead, with others outside your establishment.

La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill has taken a "fresh" approach to addressing this dilemma.  In select locations, this brand has begun utilizing SMS and Text2VIP's "Open Dialogue" to allow consumers the opportunity to provide invaluable feedback.  Through the use of SMS, consumers can quietly yet immediately convey whatever it is they wish.  Lastly, consumers confirmation text messages contain follow up contact points including customer service phone numbers.  This functions as a digital business card which the consumer can refer back to for follow up.