Know about the Best Practices and Ethical Ways of SMS Marketing
Using smartphones is not just the requirement for communication, but an addiction or habit for most. And this habit or longing to look at the phone and check often can be taken advantage of very well by using the SMS messaging system for marketing your product or services, or for spreading awareness. But do you realize that you have to follow certain ethics while sending SMS messages? There are certain SMS marketing protocols and ethics too, which when implemented brings you respect from consumers, improves your image, and brings good business with time.
Avoid spamming
Spamming is a word used for over promotions which disturbs, distracts, and frustrates targeted consumers. And this is a very negative image builder. If you are sending 2 or more text messages to one sender in a day, then the messages will not be welcomed warmly. Rather this kind of bombardment of messages is taken quite negatively, and the next time the user sees a new message from the same source or business, they may not even bother to read it, and directly may delete it. That is what you must avoid.
When you have to make an impression, then it must start with respecting the feeling of the consumer. Sending message too much, too frequently, several times in one day, or daily may not be the best techniques to get positive attention. You will certainly get attention with these but as a spammer.
Avoid messaging at odd hours
If you are sending messages at odd hours, then stop it. This can be a big turn off for consumers. Maybe you have the best offers in your kitty to offer. But certainly, the consumers will not be happy getting this information at the middle of the night or dawn, or even during the busy peak office going hours. There is a time to do something, and you must target such hours. Even when people are at work, or even when relaxing, the hours of the day must be such chosen that the mind of the consumer will not get disturbed due to the message.
Respect DND
DND or do not disturb a service consumer opt for when they do not want to get disturbed by messages or contacted by marketers. And if your lead’s number is in that DND list, then you should never contact. And, any such forceful contact may drag you into a foul legal battle too if the consumer sues you.
You may send introductory messages to collect consent
Instead of sending messages directly to a consumer about your product, services, offers, cause, information, event, etc., you may first time ask the consent of the user. This is a nice gesture, which tells the consumer that you bother about their comfort and consent and respect their privacy. And if you ask consent, ask for the best time to send messages, and ask a few more preferences, then with such dignified consent taking, some readers may feel so valued and respected, that they will cooperate more than you expect. And this is not uncommon. All you have to show is that you are not going to feed people with your SMS messages forcefully, and rather you value their privacy and preferences and care to ask.
If you succeed in getting users subscribed to your mobile marketing campaigns, then that will be a big gain for you. You will be able to send messages unobstructed or without guilt to the users provided you make sure not to spam or irritate them with excess messages that senses can handle comfortably.
Include your contact information
This is vital that you include your contact information in your text messages for marketing. Many businesses do not do so and send the message with a piece of information, offer a coupon code, validity date, event schedule, etc. But when you do not give any number to contact you back, then the user cannot contact with any queries. Users will always have queries, and this you must realize. If you do not give them a contact number to get their queries answered, however simple or complex they may be, then you will lose some prospective customers.
Many consumers who do not get any outlet to get their queries resolved to lose interest in the campaign. And this is quite common. Hence, a smart way to communicate, and establish contacts is to send a contact number in a few of your messages, and also ensure that the inquiry calls get attended correctly.
Threaded personalized conversations
There are some APIs which helps you create conversations with a consumer directly one on one. And the consumer can also contact you back directly through the SMS message with a direct reply. Such support makes marketing even direct and much personalized. With services like Simpletexting.com/you can get the experience of such lucid marketing and consumer interaction. Also, consumers feel much privileged when they get answered with such attention through one on one direct messaging in response to their text queries.
Data collection
In the whole process, your lookout should be to collect as much of customer data as possible. This data is your main resource to plan further marketing campaigns. And the more you get data-rich, the more you play with data analytics, the better you will be able to target your consumers and get better responses for your text messages.
Finally
SMS marketing will not get old or undervalued till the time consumers keep checking their smartphones often through the day. In fact, with evolving, technology more sides may get added to the marketing attempts, just like links got added more efficiently in messages through the last one decade. Ethical marketing is the guaranteed way to success through the pace to get success will vary from one business to another. And you must try and adhere to ethical and best practices in marketing for the best results. Continued SMS marketing in a strategized way by taking help of a good marketing partner or service will help you get established stronger in the local market.