90% of SMS are read within 3 minutes after they are received. However, companies are still reluctant to launch their first campaign. They have doubts: Is it too intrusive? How am I supposed to collect phone numbers? None of my competitors send SMS campaigns…
Yet, the benefits are numerous if we compare SMS to other marketing channels: limited deliverability problems (especially compared to email campaigns), high open rates, high memorisation rates…
Our experts at Mindbaz give you the keys to create a successful SMS campaign.
7 steps to a successful SMS campaign
Here are the 7 steps to reach your goals and boost your return on investment:
- Define at least one objective
- Collect phone numbers to complete your list
- Target the right people
- Write an impactful message
- Select the perfect Call to Action (CTA)
- Choose the best time to send your campaign
- Analyze the results
Now, let’s focus on each step.
1. Set goals for your SMS campaign
Before preparing your message, make a list of the reasons you decided to launch an SMS campaign. The best way to set goals is to make them SMART.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-Based
Rather than try to raise your click-through rate, be precise:
Today, you record 13% of visitors that came from an SMS campaign link.
Your goal can be to reach 17% within 4 months.
A realistic method
This method allows you to create more realistic goals. It is also made to follow your Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and optimize your growth.
If you think that the goals you set are unreachable, don’t worry. Think about your ambitions and identify the obstacles that may arise.
Use SMART goals for your SMS
You also need to define SMART actions for every step of your SMS campaign. For instance, how can you collect phone numbers in a smart way ?
2. Collecting phone numbers for SMS marketing
Convincing internet users to share their phone numbers might seem like a difficult task. Let’s begin with the simple part: list the forms you currently use. Then, add a part to ask for the phone number of your lead.
Mandatory or optional? It’s up to you, but be careful not to lose a lead who might refuse to give you their number.
How can you convince them?
Explain clearly why you need their data.
Two reasons:
First of all, think about the legal implications. In France, the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) is in charge of data regulation. They also share recommendations about how to handle personal data.
#ÉLECTIONS #RGPD Envoi de SMS ou de MMS, utilisation d’automates d’appel…La CNIL rappelle les bonnes pratiques en matière de communication #politique par téléphone 👉 https://t.co/lWCg0tDsMi pic.twitter.com/oIxzKtRLSN
— CNIL (@CNIL) April 6, 2022
The CNIL strongly recommends that you explain the use of phone numbers if you are collecting data for professional purposes.
The second reason is to help you reach your goals. If you explain why you’re collecting this data, you’ll probably have more people give you their information. This way, prospects can visualize the potential benefits, so it is easier to convince them.
Which benefits can you offer?
- Unprecedented discounts
- Receive offers before other customers
- Benefit from partner advantages
- Receive personalized advice…
If you are able to reassure your prospect, they might give you their phone number.
We also recommend to explain:
– How often you will contact them
– By what means: call, SMS, whatsapp…
– Who will have access to their information: which services, partners…
3. Learn how to target your audience
Well known fact: SMS is an intrusive marketing technique
Focus on people that will have a strong commitment to your brand.
Who are they?
The ones who are already convinced: a time-saving way to collect phone numbers
Some people won’t have a problem sharing their phone number, such as long-term customers or your most loyal customers. You could send them an email to ask if they’d be willing to share their phone number or other information.
Prospects convinced by a similar service
If some people are already convinced by a service directly related to or close to one of your partners, contact them. Use partnerships to reach these people.
Insert a form in one of their newsletters, reach them with Google Ads, post on your partners’ social networks…
There are many solutions!
Don’t consider #email or #SMS as a one-way channel.
Customers and prospects want to talk with you, not listening to you.
🤝 By creating a trustworthy relationship, you will increase your #engagement rate.
Heard at the @tfm_event
#tfm2022 #technologyformarketing #MarTech pic.twitter.com/SSVKD0jXpN— Mindbaz (@mindbaz) September 29, 2022
How can you reach more people?
First, be careful.
If someone decides to erase their number from your database, you probably won’t get it back. So, if you add a phone number to your database, but you’re not quite sure if the person is interested in your service, try a soft approach first to see if they’re interested.
Focus on loyalty scenarios with SMS. You can use other channels for your acquisition strategy. Your success rate will be higher.
4. How to write an impactful SMS?
You succeeded in collecting enough phone numbers to shoot your fist SMS campaign. But the moment you want to write your message, you can’t think of anything.
Don’t worry. We can help you perfect your marketing message.
Choose a subject for your campaign
Choose a subject that will interest your audience. To do so, you can:
- List the things they have in common
- Think about what they care about. That will be what resonates with them
- Then, think about when you want to schedule your campaign
- Can you use an event that will speak to them? a sale, their birthday, Christmas, the beginning of the school year, the period for finalizing budgets in companies…
Combine the common theme of your target audience, the issue that will resonate and an impactful event. Are you ready?
Finding a hook for your SMS
The first words of your SMS are crucial to your return on investment. They will allow the reader to categorize you as “interesting” or “undesirable”.
We suggest 3 solutions for a good SMS marketing hook:
- A short question that will resonate with your prospect
- Advertise a list to entice them to click
- Highlight the goal your prospect will achieve with your solution
OK, we just talked about the form of your message. Now, how will you approach your topic? 2 concrete tips for your messages:
- Use a subject in the news, so your audience will want to read what is next
Use the data you have on your target audience: what common features can you use to get their attention?
How many words can a commercial SMS contain?
Be careful not to use too many characters in your SMS: keep it short and sweet. You have to be even more concise than Twitter with its 280 characters. Here, every letter counts.
In France, as in most European countries, the limit for an SMS is 160 characters. But your SMS must include the mandatory “STOP SMS XXXXX”. Your message must therefore be less than 149 characters long.
The Mindbaz SMS platform automatically includes this legal notice. So you won’t be able to forget it!
If you want to insist on the importance you attach to customer relations or if transparency is part of your corporate values, we recommend the formula:
“To unsubscribe” + “STOP 36047”
This longer phrase isn’t often used, but it could be to your advantage. It helps you stand out from your competitors.
Is a STOP SMS unsubscribe solution mandatory on all types of SMS?
You might have received messages without “STOP SMS” written in it. There is only one type of text that can be sent without it:
– If it is a transactional SMS, i.e. sent after a specific action (reservation, request, account creation, sending a code…), you don’t need to add “STOP SMS”
Any other professional texts must contain this mention. We’re talking about:
- an informative SMS, without any call to action
- even if the person has specifically agreed to receive SMS from the company
- SMS for business
How can I send a long SMS?
It’s possible. With Mindbaz, your SMS can be as long as you wish. If your message contains 270 characters, two SMS will be sent to each person in your audience. However, it will appear as one SMS to the person who receives it. You will pay for two texts.
The Mindbaz platform automatically warns you when you exceed the length of an SMS to avoid unpleasant surprises. When you type your message, the number of SMS counted appears clearly below your message.
Our platform also allows you to preview your message to see the final result.
SMS Call-to-action
To conclude your message, think about pushing your audience to act. What action do you want to generate? Here are some ideas for actions you can request:
- Buy easily…
- Reserve your ticket before…
- Read the tips for…
- Discover the special collection…
- Start your experience…
- Contact John to…
- Finalize your registration before…
- Watch the latest video on…
- Listen to the episode of our podcast about…
- Choose the student offer…
- Take advantage of a 25% discount on…
The call to action (CTA) is useful to measure the conversion rate of your marketing plan. It is directly linked to the definition of your goals.
Your CTA clearly indicates to the prospect what action they should take. Statistically, it increases your click-through rate and therefore your conversion rate.
How can I prevent my professional campaign from being flagged as SPAM?
Since 2019, some mobile messaging apps have equipped themselves with a spam filter option.
Google is participating in the trend with its Android application. Google analyzes data such as the sender of the message or the content of suspicious messages, similar to its email filter.
Our 5 pieces of advice not to end up in SPAM
- Keep the same sender name for each campaign
- Do not use too many capital letters in your message. The same applies to your sender name URLs
- Your URL must be secure
- Don’t send your campaigns quickly one after the other
- Choose an SMS solution that communicates with other organizations in SMS
What if your messages are considered SPAM?
You won’t have a lot of visibility on this. Some applications do not notify the users who receive spam messages. You also lose credibility. Your reader will not take you seriously and will probably not open your message.
In summary: lower performance and a damaged reputation are the consequences of an SMS campaign reported as spam.
5. When should you send your SMS campaign?
What is the best time to send your SMS message?
It depends.
First, get to know your contacts:
To know exactly the best time to send your campaign, you need to know your target audience. Ask yourself these questions:
- How old are they?
- Where do they live?
- What is their professional situation?
- When do they not want to be bothered?
- How often are they on their phone?
- Are they used to receiving SMS marketing messages?
To find out the answers, you have to roll up your sleeves: contact a dozen of your customers and ask them. Their answers are a gold mine for knowing the right time to send your campaign, as well as its content.
Once you know your audience, think about the best time to send your message: Saturday morning when they are waiting in line at the supermarket? In the morning when they are waiting for their train? At the 4 pm break at work?
It’s up to you to determine which habit will give you a good return rate.
Use statistics for your SMS campaign
Don’t overlook feedback from SMS routers who have a view on the best times to send your campaigns.
The best performing campaigns are sent on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 12pm and 2pm and 4pm.
These are calmer times for your readers, which increases the readability of your messages.
Executives are receptive to messages received between 5pm and 6pm. This is a good time to encourage them to go to a place, such as a store, on their way home.
Advice to companies in the restaurant industry: don’t hesitate to send your SMS campaigns around 11:30 am: you take advantage of your audience’s appetite to encourage them to choose you.
When am I legally allowed to send my professional campaign?
In France, you cannot send your campaign at any old time. The law prohibits sending SMS marketing messages between 8 am and 9 pm, all day Sunday and on national holidays.
You can send marketing campaigns:
- Monday to Saturday
- From 8am to 9pm
- On a day that’s not a national holiday
In Spain, the law is more flexible. You are free to send your campaigns whenever you want. Respect the daily habits of your prospects to ensure better performance.
Businesses in the United Kingdom must also follow the rules and regulations. Since Brexit, the Data Protection Act evolved. So, in the UK, you are allowed to send texts to customers between 8 am and 9 pm.
How do you schedule a text message?
On the Mindbaz SMS platform, set your campaign up by defining :
- the name of the campaign
- your list of recipients
- the name of the sender
- your message
- select the date and time for your campaign within the legal framework
How, you have the recipe to easily send your first professional SMS campaign.
6. Analyze each campaign to reduce costs for the next ones
- What was the cost of your campaign
- How much did you make
Attention, your return on investment can be calculated in different ways
- Number of direct sales
- The number of leads
- Customer loyalty
- The reputation of your brand
- Being “Top of mind”: will your prospects think of you first, among the other actors in your sector?
7. The price of an SMS campaign
Routers have different methods to calculate the price of an SMS campaign: number of contacts in your database or number of SMS sent.
At Mindbaz, we prefer a calculation based on the number of SMS sent. This system allows you to work and expand your database without pressure. You can prepare your campaigns with peace of mind.
With Mindbaz, you can send SMS in France, Spain and Italy.
We offer 4 different packs: Starter, Classic, Essential and Premium depending on the number of SMS in your pack.
In short, the ingredients for a successful campaign
- Define the objective of your campaign
- Collect phones numbers
- Target the right people
- Write an impactful message
- Send your campaign at the right time
- Choose an efficient SMS router
- Analyze the results of your campaigns
Launch your first SMS campaign with the support of Mindbaz experts