Turning Text Messaging into a Bona Fide Marketing/Communications Channel for Customer Engagement
by Leigh Hamer | Last Updated: Sep 13, 2022
Do you feel slightly excited when you get a text message? Researchers have found that receiving a text message triggers a dopamine loop in our brains. When our bodies release a large amount of dopamine, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward.
This addicting feeling of instant gratification is why the average open rate of a text message is about 99%, with 97% of messages read within 15 minutes of delivery.
Marketers, can you think of any other communication channel where you have a 99% open rate? Email open rates are, on average, around 20 percent. Even then, customers are no longer satisfied with emails.
Forrester found that most companies - 92 percent - believe the offers they send are relevant. However, just 33 percent of consumers consider offers relevant and an abysmal 5 percent say email offers are well-timed to their needs. That means 95 percent of email offers are not synced up with customer needs.
The light of hope is that in the same Forrester research paper, 83 percent of consumers say they will buy from brands that send relevant offers.
Texts feel personal. By design, they convey urgency. Whether from a friend or a brand, people pay attention to text messages much more than any other communication channel.
Brands that care about truly engaging with their customers are adopting text messaging into their marketing communications strategy. It’s a way to deliver important messages in what feels like a one-to-one conversation.
7 Reasons a Text Messaging Strategy Works
- Cost-effective. A text messaging program only requires text messaging services, which is included for Lumavate customers with a Professional or Enterprise subscription.
- Increased loyalty. Sending your best customers coupons and promotional offers via text allows them to find and redeem these offers.
- Consumers feel in control. Your customers are familiar with opting into and out of SMS alerts. This gives them the confidence they need to opt-in and give your program a try.
- Provides helpful reminders. Text messages can rise above the noise and help customers get to what’s important. Message your audience with a link to an event registration page. Or, send a friendly reminder to check their email for a more detailed update.
- Instant Communication. If you have an urgent message to get out to your audience, what better way to do that than through text? The brevity of messages means the time to send is minimal.
- Get Responses. Text messages see around a 45 percent response rate. Meaning if you need to confirm appointments, text is a reliable channel to communicate with customers.
- Reach more people. Think about your customers. Nearly all of them likely have a smartphone,and our societal habit is to have that device with us at all times. Text messages cast a wide net, allowing brands to reach more people.
Tips
- Write messages like you’re texting a friend. Make the recipient feel special.
- Keep it short and clear. SMS messages only allow for 160 characters. Don’t go over that limit or your audience will get two separate texts, which c’mon that’s just annoying.
- Emojis are fun, but some count for more than 1 character in the 160 character limit.
Building authentic nurturing moments with customers is increasingly important for any brand. Mobile has become a great equalizer for marketers to better engage with existing customers and future ones when designing a marketing communications strategy. Learn more about Lumavate Text Messaging Today!