SMS marketing is a powerful channel for businesses, with open rates far higher than email and messages typically read within the first few minutes. With text messages opened 80% more frequently than emails, often within the first three minutes, this channel presents a real opportunity for immediate customer interaction. This section covers the strategic advantages of SMS opt-in campaigns and how you can use them to offer discounts and build a list of customers for ongoing communication.

Ensuring Compliance in SMS Marketing

Before launching your SMS campaign, it's important to ensure compliance with recent legislative changes around SMS marketing. The CRM makes this straightforward:

In your account settings, navigate to the Messaging tab in the Phone System section. There, confirm that the options for SMS compliance, such as adding opt-out messages and including sender information, are enabled.

Building Your SMS Campaign

Creating an effective SMS campaign involves several steps, from setting up workflows to crafting the right message. Here's how to get started:

For campaigns involving an image, upload the image file to the Media Storage section within your account.

Copy the image link to your clipboard. This link will be used to create a trigger link for tracking engagement.

Navigate to the Trigger Links tab inside the Marketing section, then create a new trigger link.

Enter a suitable name for the trigger link, then input the image link in the Link URL section. If you'd prefer to add a link to your SMS instead, input the link in the designated field. Click "Save" to confirm your changes.

Initiate a Workflow

Begin creating a workflow for your campaign in the Workflows tab of the Automation section. This workflow will handle incoming messages and responses.

Set Up Triggers

Add the "Customer Replied" trigger and set the filters as "Reply Channel = SMS" and "Contains phrase" followed by your keyword to start the workflow when someone texts a specific offer code, such as "BDay20" to your business number.

Craft Your Message

Compose a reply or use a template that thanks the customer for their interest and provides a link to the discount coupons or your chosen URL. Make sure the message makes the recipient feel valued and that your campaign settings comply with SMS regulations. Incorporate the trigger link into your SMS message within the workflow so recipients can easily access the coupon.

Incorporate follow-up actions, such as applying tags and adding wait steps, to optimise engagement. Remember to publish and save your workflow to preserve your settings, and test it thoroughly to make sure it performs as intended.

Consider setting up additional workflows to interact with customers who click on the coupon link, using wait steps to avoid overwhelming them with immediate follow-up messages.

By using SMS marketing strategically, you can drive customer engagement and maximise the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if customers don't receive the SMS?

  • A: Ensure your SMS settings are correct and that you've complied with all regulatory requirements. Check the customer's phone number for accuracy.

Q: How can I improve engagement with my SMS campaigns?

  • A: Personalise messages, offer genuine value, and use clear calls to action. Also, consider timing your messages for when customers are most likely to engage.