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Why Text Messaging Could Be The Marketing Tool You Can't Live Without

Forbes Technology Council

Norman Happ is the CEO of EZ Texting.

Many businesses still rely on weekly circulars to drive foot traffic even though a large percentage of customers now want delivery. Others are pouring cash into social ads but still not finding the right audience as platform usage rises and falls. Businesses have tried a multitude of marketing options, but those that haven't yet tried texting are missing out on the most convenient and engaging platform available.

The Time Is Finally Right

Why does texting now have the power to break through marketplace clutter and noise? Consumers spend more time on their phones texting than using any other application. They rarely ignore text messages the way they do phone calls — this is especially true in today's era of relentless robocalls made to mobile devices, estimated at more than 50 billion in 2019 alone.

Also, consider the prevalence of smartphones and better Wi-Fi access, which offer superior mobile e-commerce experiences. Almost all (97%) Americans send at least one text per day, and research by OpenMarket found that 83% of millennials open texts within 90 seconds of receiving them. In fact, text messaging has rapidly become a favored method for delivering marketing messages.

Needless to say, the general public is primed to be receptive to text marketing like never before.

Why Consider Text Marketing: A Reliable Owned-And-Operated Channel

You may currently have a strong social presence, and your business might be killing it with SEO — until a new competitor eclipses you or the algorithm updates. Whatever you're spending on these "organic" channels, they aren't inexpensive endeavors, and you're still beholden to the search and social giants — who, in turn, rely on advertising dollars from businesses like yours.

With changes to how businesses gather customer data on the horizon, having a direct connection with your customers and new leads can be invaluable.

Perhaps you've invested in email marketing that allows you to own and operate a channel that banishes any audience guard dogs. But what about the more than 300 billion emails sent each day — of which researchers have calculated to be 49.7% spam — achieving only a 20% open rate and a 6% response rate?

Unlike traditional email campaigns or telemarketing, opt-in text messages have a much higher open and response rate. My company's own research shows that 90% of all mobile users open and read text messages within the first 30 minutes of receipt. Depending on the text marketing platform and volume of sending, an SMS campaign can be as cost-effective as email, offering the same ability to convert and attribute an opened message to a sale by including a trackable link to an e-commerce site, for instance.

Actually, the low production cost of a text compared to a marketing email means that merchants can experiment and obtain valuable data about which offers and calls to action work best for their audience segments. Plus, integrations with CRMs enable effective segmentation by geography or demographics, helping to make promotions (and testing) more efficient.

How To Begin The Texting Journey

As they prepare to implement a text marketing strategy, organizations should think about how text can integrate best into their current campaigns, as text can be a phenomenal omnichannel tool. Consider the strengths of text — immediacy and action — and how they may play a part in your campaigns. For instance, we've found that a simple follow-up text can boost email open rates by as much as 30%.

Also, research and consider how text works best for your industry and investigate how others in your space are using text. What's right for a retailer may not be right for a nonprofit, which may not be right for a university admissions department.

There are some specific features to look for when researching potential solutions to assist with this transition. For example, there are key integrations with other communication and productivity tools such as HubSpot, Mailchimp, Shutterstock or Zapier to create a really smart omnichannel marketing experience.

My number one recommendation is to focus on creating a great, succinct message with a clear CTA. Consider low-hanging fruit like texting friendly reminder messages about big seasonal sales events, invitations for test drives, inventory updates — or even service reminders. When it comes to a potentially longer-term sales cycle, businesses can leverage advanced text messaging features — like the ability to handle rich voice, images, links, video, QR codes and emojis — to create relevant and compelling drip campaigns that will drive conversions over time.

Also, understand that text, like email, requires consent from a subscriber. It's not much different than email compliance, and many text platforms offer solutions to help keep you and your messages compliant. However, know that it's a strategy you grow over time, just like growing an email list.

The Bigger Picture

As a natural and immediate way to communicate, texting should be integral to any savvy marketer's forward planning. Its particular applicability for omnichannel campaigns can ensure that a text platform will have a variety of implementations. We're not talking about a single-purpose app that will junk up your workstream; the opportunities to leverage texting for external and internal processes are boundless.

Across industries of all types, marketers are discovering that texting is the marketing tool that they can't live without.


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