SMS marketing has become an essential communication tool for businesses large and small, and a great way to connect with loyal and potential customers. Open rates are skyrocketing, and the immediacy of text messaging pretty much guarantees they'll be read immediately. This is probably why many marketers are converting communications typically sent by email, such as special offers, event announcements and meeting reminders, to SMS: they hope to tap into job title email list this attentive audience. Initially, this may seem like a good idea, but it may not be the most effective way to incorporate SMS into your overall marketing mix. A common mistake is trying to save time and effort by using a single message (usually designed for email) on both platforms.
You might assume this is a business decision – to lighten the workload of marketing copywriters and give their smart words the exposure they deserve – but this strategy can do more harm than good. Text messages are meant to be short and sweet, and while we hope you're not sending consumers long, complex emails, we're sure you're using email marketing to convey more details than the 160 character limit you get with SMS. If converted to SMS, most emails will likely be broken up into several 160-character blocks, eliminating the immediacy and simplicity that SMS offers. Email and SMS are two very different communication tools, each with advantages not offered by the other. And they can certainly be used in unison. Converting an email to SMS: what is the best approach? As with everything else, there is technology that makes it easy to turn standard email content into actionable text messages. Using a simple API, emails can be converted into compatible SMS messages which can then be sent to individual recipients or multiple recipients via bulk delivery.
Technically, it's doable. But since formatted emails and online forms don't translate well to smartphone screens, you'll need to exercise caution before embarking on the quick and easy route to email conversion. Instead, consider incorporating text messaging into your marketing efforts as part of an omnichannel strategy. Omnichannel marketing will allow you to improve the customer experience by using the right channel at the right time and based on consumer preferences. Finding the Email/SMS Marketing Balance When it comes to designing digital and mobile marketing communications, you'll likely find that marketing can be even more effective when text messaging is used alongside email. For example: adding a shortcode prompt (your SMS phone number) to an email campaign is a proven way to get a consumer to interact with you. Similarly, you can send a short text message encouraging your customers to sign up for an email newsletter related to their specific interests. Creative tactics like these give marketers new opportunities to initiate and continue meaningful conversations with customers.