Growing your business requires finding ways to engage and connect with your top leads. Using a text service to get a conversation going with your leads is essential in today’s competitive marketplace. People rely on their mobile devices more than ever before, using them to text, surf the internet, shop, and communicate with friends and family. When you unleash the power of text messaging to reach potential customers, you will improve your marketing campaigns and increase your customer base.

#1. Get Subscribers for Your Opt-In Texting Campaign

In order to utilize SMS messaging to market your business, you have to begin a text messaging campaign. When sending messages to potential leads, you have to have permission. This is done by creating a shortcode and having users send a message to opt in. For example, you could create a campaign that states, “To learn more about our services, text the word INFO to 12345.” You can also ask users to sign up through email. However, once you receive a cell phone number through email, you will send an initial text message to confirm interest. You must include language that explains how to opt out of the campaign in the initial text.

#2. Entice Users With Deals and Discounts

To get potential leads to sign up for your campaign, make sure that you are offering deals and discounts that are worth it. The same old deals aren’t going to work. If you want to build your customer base, you will need to do something above and beyond what is normal and give your customers something they truly value. Consider having a contest that is only open to your texting program subscribers.

#3. Include a Call to Action on Other Ads

It’s important to integrate your texting campaign throughout your advertising channels. You should have a call to action on all digital and print ads that tells customers how to sign up for your texting program. This will help increase your customer base, and give users a way to reach your business.

#4. Keep Your Messages Simple

Sending text messages for marketing purposes is powerful, but you have to keep your messages simple. For your opt-in campaign, keep your keywords simple. Using special characters is not recommended, and you shouldn’t use complicated words or words that are hard to spell. If a customer is interested, but texts the wrong word, they won’t be added into your campaign.

#5. Always Follow Up With Initial Texts

When you receive a text message to a potential lead, remember to have an auto reply set up. Use your text messaging platform to create automated messages based on the keyword texted to your number. Anyone that opts-in should be thanked and their membership to your campaign confirmed. In general, it is best to send messages once a week or less, so that you don’t overwhelm your leads.

#6. Share Blog Post Links

A great way to drive traffic to your website is by including a short link in text to your blog. It is crucial to share important content that is valuable in relating to your audience. Be sure you’re able to track the link to measure your progress by analyzing your results to your inbound marketing strategy. Keeping track of new subscribers, as well as those who opt out, will give you a better idea when moving forward with your next work. Remember, never forget to tell your customers to share it!

#7. Remember That Texting is a Two-Way Street

You don’t have to simply text your customers and forget about it. You can set up your texting platform so that customers can text you back, ask questions, answer surveys and more. In addition, you can put in a clickable phone number when you send out a marketing message. This allows customers to click on the number and call you directly from their cell phone.

SMS can help you produce more leads for your business. These tips will help you interact with your audience in a more effective way and ultimately generate more customers.

Author Biography:

Ken Rhie

Ken Rhie is the CEO of Trumpia, which earned a reputation as the most complete SMS solution including user-friendly user interface and API for mobile engagement, Smart Targeting, advanced automation, enterprise, and cross-channel features for both mass texting and landline texting use cases. Mr. Rhie holds an MBA degree from Harvard Business School and brings 30 years of software, internet, and mobile communications background.