Online marketing is packed with shiny, attention-grabbing tricks and techniques that pull in strong results. Traditional media marketing is still highly effective at reaching some demographics but lacks the glamor and spice of digital channels.
SMS marketing may have become a little less common over the years; however, it can still offer great results in the right hands.
Could SMS marketing be a valuable addition to your campaigns? Here, expert political strategist Neal Kwatra takes a closer look at the pros and cons of this channel.
Pros:
Huge Potential Reach: It’s estimated that 97% of adults carry a cellphone with them at all times. This opens up a broad potential reach for your campaigns.
Widespread Compatibility: Customers don’t need the latest, greatest smartphone to receive SMS. Virtually every model of cell phone has SMS capability; this can be especially important for reaching more mature customers.
No Internet Needed: Although modern cell phone plans allow free data usage, it’s still not an unlimited resource on most plans. Although data connectivity is still patchy in some areas of the country, SMS doesn’t rely on an internet connection for your messages to get through.
Hard to Ignore: Most cellphones are set to notify their users whenever an SMS is received. Plus, the alerts are usually more noticeable and insistent than email messages, which means your messages will be given quicker and more reliable attention.
Instant Delivery: Most SMS messages are read within a short time of them being received; this makes them ideally suited to promoting time-sensitive offers. The typical fast response times make monitoring a campaign’s impact much easier and quicker.
Novelty Value: Although SMS is an extremely mature technology, it’s still not commonly used for mainstream marketing. If you approach it carefully, it will have a novelty impact and will reach customers through a channel most of your competitors are ignoring.
Cons:
It’s Intrusive: The major downside of SMS is that it can be intrusive. You’re placing a marketing message through a device that many people feel a very personal connection to, so if you don’t use at least a little finesse, this can easily backfire and alienate your recipients.
Spammy Reputation: In the early days, SMS marketing was a playground for spammers and scammers. Although the industry has cleaned up its act, that reputation can still linger and could potentially tarnish your brand.
Legal Issues: As a result of the early “Wild West” days, the legal restrictions on SMS are stringent. It’s a regulatory minefield if you enter without knowing all the facts.
Difficult List Building: To stay on the right side of the rules, you’ll need to run an opt-in list. Building this database isn’t easy, especially when compared to other channels like email.
Limited Message Space: Lastly, the SMS format places severe limitations on your message length. However, a little creativity can overcome this drawback.
There’s no doubt that SMS can be an effective way of placing your message directly in the hands of potential customers. However, as a channel, it offers serious risks to your brand reputation. Is it worth adding SMS to your marketing arsenal? It’s a choice only you can make, but if you decide to reap its benefits, tread carefully and give it the respect it deserves.