Is SMS marketing still relevant in 2023?

1 – A 98% open rate!

The open rate for SMS messages is extremely high. With around 98% of messages read within three minutes of receipt, SMS messages have a wider reach than other forms of marketing such as e-mail. In fact, on average, an email campaign will have an open rate of between 18% and 22%.

The CTR of SMS messages is not to be outdone either, climbing as high as 19%!

2 – A direct message, perfect for promotional offers … and more!

SMS marketing offers direct communication between brands and their customers. This makes it the perfect medium for communicating promotional offers that are limited in time.

What’s more, SMS can also be useful at different stages of the conversion funnel and on a variety of occasions:

• Welcoming new customers with a welcome message by linking your sending platform with your CRM;
• Win back dormant customers by announcing the release of your new products and services. This will enable you to gauge your prospects’ interest in particular elements of your product portfolio;
• Communicating about your opening times, when they change, which could generate new interest in your brand again;
• Confirm a reservation or remind them of an appointment close in time. This will allow you to reassure your customer and strengthen your bond with them;
• Maintain contact with your customers by reminding them of your presence if they have any questions;
• Wish your prospects a happy birthday with a special treat for the occasion. This technique allows you to personalise your messages and the prospect will feel directly involved and appreciated.
• Ask for your customer’s opinion via a survey in order to gather feedback about your company.

Thanks to these various messages sent instantly and the dazzling open rate that SMS has, this channel can increase your rate of in-store visits, boost your conversions and even win the loyalty of your customers.

3 – Tailor your messages to your target audience and their behaviours

Given the high deliverability rate of SMS messages, it is important to stand out from the competition and reduce the feeling of intrusion that your prospect may feel when he receives an SMS marketing message. Brands should therefore personalise their messages according to each customer’s preferences.

Did you know that your messages can be sent based on demographic data, previous purchasing behaviour, interests or other data that the brand has on its customers? This will increase their relevance and effectiveness.

Don’t forget to include the first name of the person you are addressing in order to raise awareness among your recipient. And don’t forget to mention your brand name to put your message in context. Instead of starting your communication immediately with your offer or information to be conveyed, it is essential that your prospect identifies the sender directly.

4- Get the message across directly

Not everyone is on social networks every moment of the day, but almost everyone has a mobile phone. There are virtually no barriers between you and the customer via SMS.

This means that SMS marketing can reach a wider audience than social networks at a specific time, chosen by you and key to your business and your audience.

The average user will check their phone 58 times a day, for a total of over 3 hours of screen time. In fact, over 40% of Generation Y say they check their mobile devices every 20 minutes!

As far as timing is concerned, each communication and its objective will influence the timing of your mailing. Be careful, however, to avoid the rush hours of the day (early morning and just after office hours). If you want to inform people about a promotion or an event, your campaign will have a greater impact if it is launched shortly before the event.

Your sector of activity will also influence your mailing. If you’re in the retail sector, we advise you to send your message during peak shopping hours. If you’re in the restaurant business, you should send your message just before mealtimes.

In any case, we strongly advise you to carry out tests to determine the sending times that generate the best results for your campaign. Send messages at different times of day and analyse the response and engagement rates to identify the best-performing times.

5 – Diversify your communication channels according to your message

SMS marketing is a cost-effective method for businesses of all sizes. SMS marketing can generate an attractive return on investment (ROI) due to its high open rate and its ability to generate immediate responses. When set against the click-through rate and the number of conversions per campaign, the costs of sending SMS are relatively low.

By sending mass direct messages to customers without incurring the additional costs (associated with online advertising), companies can make the most of their marketing budget effectively.

When you publish content on social networks, your posts can easily get lost in the flow of information that users see every day. Your posts are competing with lots of other content published by other brands, users’ friends and family, as well as advertising messages.

With SMS marketing, on the other hand, you send a message directly to your recipient’s mobile phone, without that message competing with other messages or publications. The recipient is therefore more likely to read the message you have sent, as there are no distractions or competition.

Note that SMS marketing is often used for exclusive offers and promotions, which can increase your customers’ engagement with your business. Customers can feel privileged to receive special offers reserved for SMS subscribers, which can encourage their loyalty and long-term commitment.