1. Capacity

At first, you may not know exactly how many messages you’ll send in a given month -especially if you’re just starting out. Most SMS platforms offer tiered plans that allow you to scale and move into another plan to accommodate your needs. What’s important to confirm is that you’re able to send messages in bulk and on a 1-1 basis.

Bulk messaging is what it sounds like- sending one message to many all at once. Some SMS platforms call it bulk messaging or broadcast messaging. You can choose to send a broadcast message to selected segmented audiences or to all. The main benefit of sending broadcast messages to your audience lies in the power of the SMS channel itself- it yields a high open rate.

Conversational SMS has become more prevalent since consumers want to support and engage with brands that are aligned with their own personal values. In fact, according to an article by TechJury, 75% of people aged 44 and below like contacting businesses via text.

You don’t want to use your SMS channel in the same way as email marketing. Developing a unique approach with SMS will help your overall customer satisfaction level that’ll boost your reliability and enhance your reputation.

2. Segmentation

Segmentation is the ability to distribute communications to a particular audience group so that you can target and personalize your message to the right people, at the right time, with the right offer.

Picking up on key audience differentiators is a reliable place to start. You can choose to segment your audience based on location, purchasing behavior, and even the campaign they opted into. There are plenty of other ways to segment your audience and that will come with time.

Think of how social media algorithms work. The algorithm learns more about you based on the content you search and engage with.

The same goes for understanding consumer behavior. The longer they interact with your content, the more information you’ll have to interpret to strategize and create relevant content.

3. Automation

SMS automation is the ability to schedule text marketing campaigns so that you can save time and resources while maintaining consistent communication with your target audience.

Imagine, being able to automate SMS sequences or customer service responses. You’ll save time on repetitive tasks and free up time to focus on other key areas of your business.

Automation is also a great way to ensure your customers are receiving the same messages within the same time span, which results in a uniform experience and reduces the chances of human error.

What makes an automation sequence even more powerful is recognizing how you can personalize each sequence based on which audience segment you’re targeting. Although automated sequences start off as broadcast messages, you have the opportunity to invite each individual to engage with your business in a 1-1 conversation.

4. Tracking Metrics

The ability to track metrics and evaluate results in SMS advertising is important so that you can optimize and improve your campaigns.

As with any marketing channel, setting KPIs (key performance indicators) and fleshing out your campaign goals are integral to knowing if your SMS efforts are paying off- or aren’t.

Being able to extract this data from your SMS platform of choice lets you take back control to own your data and plan out your next move.

Identifying areas of improvement, or areas of success not only supports your bottom line but also your customers’ experience and loyalty.

Common KPIs to measure include

CTR (Click-Through-Rate)
Delivery rate
Unsubscribers
Open rate
Sign-ups/List growth

With the growing need to measure performance, knowing how to effectively track metrics with SMS marketing is key. As SMS continues to be a valuable tool in the hands of marketers, creatives, and business owners, understanding KPIs associated with your campaigns will shape everything from large strategic decisions to small tactical optimizations.

5. Innovation

The ability to incorporate innovation into your marketing plan would be beneficial so that you can stay ahead of the competition and attract new customers.

‍Doing so can help your brand stand out in a crowd and gain a competitive edge. Being unique within your own industry/niche doesn’t mean doing something extraordinary. It can be as simple as focusing on really showcasing your values, or positioning your business by emphasizing what your brand is NOT.

Collaboration is a great way to utilize other existing marketing branches or partnerships for a common goal. Doing this can expand your reach and appeal to a new audience who may not have come across your brand before. An example could be utilizing your podcast to invite listeners to text you their questions for the upcoming episode.

Keeping up with trends and technologies can help you stay ahead of the curve. It’ll be challenging, and there will be tons of trial and error. But, remember that the market is always changing just as consumer preferences and behaviors are too.

Conclusion

SMS marketing software has become an essential tool for businesses looking to communicate effectively with their customers. By focusing on the areas of capacity, segmentation, automation, tracking metrics, and innovation, you can create successful campaigns that lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue.

With the high open rates of SMS messaging, it's hard not to consider it in your marketing plan. When you adopt using SMS marketing, you can stay ahead of the competition and attract new customers while building a strong brand reputation. Remember, the value you get from any marketing software or tool depends on what you put in to make it work, so it's essential to invest the time and resources necessary to make your SMS marketing campaigns successful.

Ready to test out all those ideas you have? You can easily start your free 14-day trial with SUBFLOW today.

‍