What to check before you send your SMS campaign

In our survey of 1,000 UK consumers about their customer care expectations, nearly half (46%) said they read every single text/SMS received from businesses. Pair this with the text message’s average open rate of up to 98%, and it’s no wonder that SMS is a staple channel for many marketers. 

However, even the most experienced marketers would agree that it is nerve-wracking to send text messages, whether it’s 10 or 10,000. So, here are some things you should be checking to reduce sender angst and ensure you deliver a faultless SMS campaign.

1. Are you sending to the right person at the right time?
2. How compelling is your messaging?
3. How clear is your call-to-action?
4. Have you tested the message?

4 questions to ask before sending an SMS campaign

1. Are you sending to the right person at the right time?

Although SMS is simple, quick and straightforward to use, you still need to put some time into planning your campaign. You need to think about: 

• Who you’re sending it to – make sure you’ve segmented your data correctly so your SMS messages are going to the right people. Accurate segmentation can also help you personalise your messages which can boost engagement and conversion rates.
• When you’re sending it – timing can make a big difference. For example, if you’re sending an offer on a drink delivery, you could send it the day before a big, televised sports match when people might be thinking about stocking up the fridge. 

2. How compelling is your message?

Our research found that 70% of the UK consumers surveyed receive SMS messages from businesses every day. As SMS open rates are as high as 98%, you might be less concerned about whether your customers will open your text messages. Instead, the focus should be on how you can ensure your message stands out and is engaged with.

In addition to proofreading to avoid any typos, spelling or grammatical mistakes, you should send content that adds value to your customers. Review your message with the following in mind:

• Relevance – is it something your customers will be interested in?
• Simplicity – are your messages quick and easy to read/digest?
• Appropriateness – will your messaging resonate with your audience?
• Unique – from tone of voice and branding to personalisation, what makes your message different from the rest?

You only have 160 characters, so make them count. Here are some more tips on creating engaging business SMS messages.

3. How clear is your call-to-action?

In most scenarios, your text messages to customers will aim to take them to a particular website or web page. The short nature of text messages means that consumers typically scan read, so you only have a few seconds to grab their attention and convince them to click on a link. 

Your call-to-action (CTA) must be clear, not just in terms of signposting but whether it concisely states what your audience must do to get what they’re being offered.

4. Have you tested the message?

It’s important that you remember to test your message before sending it to your customers. Send it to your own phone, or your colleagues’ phones – view it on as many different devices as possible (e.g. Apple, Android etc). This will help you check out how your message looks, plus give you an opportunity to test links and make sure everything is perfect. 

This is also a good time to check that all the pages you’re directing the recipients to are all set to mobile. 

What to do after sending your SMS campaign

What happens after you’ve sent your SMS message is as important – if not even more important than the events leading up to it. Once your campaign has started, you must focus on tracking and analysing the results. This is what will form the basis of your future campaigns and help you continuously improve.

You can also now organise follow ups for those customers who replied or clicked on a link. Don’t leave them unattended – either send another campaign specifically for those people or contact them individually to see how you can help. This is a great chance for you to personalise your responses.

How to maximise the power and reach of SMS

SMS is fast, efficient, has an extensive reach, and boasts high engagement and conversion rates. No wonder it’s so popular among businesses wanting to connect with and build stronger relationships with their customers.

When executed correctly, businesses can deploy effective and successful SMS marketing campaigns that engage their customers, grow their database and increase revenue. Hopefully, our four tips will help you see greater success from your SMS campaigns. 

If you’d like to learn more about SMS and how to maximise the power of text, check out our all-in-one resource. It covers benefits, best practices, regulatory considerations and more.