A Step-By-Step Guide to Launching Your First SMS Marketing Campaign

05 June 2024

Bri Barnett

Americans check their smartphones approximately 144 times in a day! Sounds unbelievable, right? But it's true. Today, mobile phones are one such device that wakes people up and tucks them into bed. Simply put, they are more than just a device. Smartphones are a packet-sized billboard that remains 24*7 in front of your audience. So, the SMS marketing campaign is one such mobile marketing strategy that can deliver exceptional results and increased engagement.

However, without proper planning, guidelines, and tools, setting up an SMS campaign that gets the job done is hard. When customers receive inappropriate/poor messaging from the companies, it can create an adverse/opposite effect than the SMS campaign's aim.

You have invested your valuable time and resources in planning and executing an SMS marketing campaign with high hopes. However, you don't get the expected results.

Right? You have experienced this many times. So, where did you get wrong?

To find its answer, read this blog thoroughly.

This article will walk you through the step-by-step procedure for launching your first SMS marketing campaign to boost ROI.

However, before diving deep into the steps to create a successful SMS marketing campaign, let us briefly understand what an SMS campaign is and its benefits.

What is an SMS Marketing Campaign?

In simple terms, SMS marketing means promoting businesses, services, or products with the help of text messages. These messages can be related to the latest offers, sales, promotions, and events.

These days, the mobile phone is the one such thing that people can't leave their homes without.

That's why SMS marketing is one of the most effective techniques for reaching out to consumers because people who can’t afford smartphones or are not so tech savvy also has knowledge regarding SMS (how to send and receive it) due to its simplicity. It also offers a high open rate as compared to other marketing channels like email.

Another reason is its cost. Compared to other promotional methods, SMS marketing pricing is less.

And, the best part is..

SMS marketing is not limited to any specific industry or market. Almost all industries, such as hospitality, car dealerships, etc., can enjoy SMS marketing.

Now that you understand how you can also opt for the SMS marketing campaign for your business let us walk you through some of the benefits of running a successful SMS marketing campaign.

How can SMS campaigns benefit Businesses?

Here are a few benefits that you can enjoy by running a successful SMS marketing campaign.

SMS has high open rates, which is why your audience will be more likely to read your text message, which can lead to increased sales.
With an SMS campaign, your business can experience better consumer engagement.
SMS campaigns are cheaper compared to other types of marketing.
Using SMS, you can easily provide customers with important updates. Therefore, you will experience a reduced number of customer support inquiries. It is a sign of improved consumer service.
Last but not least, SMS campaigns can create buzz around your service/product, which will lead to increased brand awareness.

Now that you know the benefits of SMS campaigns for business, let us move to the next section. This section will discuss how to create a successful SMS campaign.

A Step-By-Step Procedure To Create a Successful SMS Marketing Campaign

1) Get the Consent From Your Target Customers

It is one of the most important steps that you should never ignore. Before sending text messages to your target audience, you must get their consent.

For that, you need to create a list of customers who have shown interest in your product/service/offer. You can use sign-up forms, SMS opt-ins, and promo codes for it.

You must comply with TCPA and 10DLC when sending SMS to consumers. You must also follow the SMS rules and laws by getting explicit consent from consumers before sending SMS to them.

You can use keyword SMS, opt-in forms, or sign-up sheets to get consumers to opt into your SMS marketing campaign. Also, don't forget to include a way to opt out in case someone doesn't want to get an SMS from your business.

In short, you need to respect your consumer's preferences and create a successful SMS marketing campaign.

2) Set the Clear Goals

What are you expecting from your SMS marketing campaign? Brand awareness? Increased sales? Improved relationship with consumers? More traffic to your business?

Set a clear objective, as it will help you make your SMS marketing campaign a success.

How?

Read on to understand.

Your objective will help you plan, create, and execute your marketing campaign by targeting the right customer base. So you can easily attain your goals and enjoy the desired results of the campaign.

3) Create an Attention-Grabbing SMS Campaign

If you want to launch a successful SMS marketing campaign, you must prioritize your consumer's needs. For that, you need to remember the below-discussed things:

Who are your consumers?
At which stage are they in their buying journey?
What are their expectations from your business?

Your text message should be short, simple, clear, and compelling. The language of your SMS campaign/ text message should be easy for consumers to understand. Personalizing the text message is best. It will boost engagement and conversion rates.

Create a compelling SMS campaign that makes your consumers understand what you are offering and how your product/service can benefit them.

4) Don't Forget to Include a Clear Call-To-Action (CTA)

Including a clear CTA in your SMS will encourage your customers to engage with your brand and take the desired action. Here are a few examples of CTAs that you can include in your text message.

Call now
Sign up
Order now
Try for free
Your website link
Reply "Y" to opt-in

Here, you need to remember that your CTA should be easy to understand. When your consumers understand your CTA, they can act on it easily. So, you need to give your consumer a solid reason to take the next step.

You can easily measure the effectiveness of your SMS marketing campaign through CTA. For example, how many consumers respond to your SMS or click on CTA will help you track your campaign's effectiveness.

5) Send the Text Message at the Right Time

You have created a compelling SMS campaign and are eager to launch it, but have you considered timing?

Before you launch your SMS campaign, you must research the best time to reach your target consumers.

When you send text messages at the right time, your customers will likely open up and respond to them. You can even schedule the message to deliver it at the right time to the right people.

You can send time-sensitive SMS to your consumers and take advantage of the offer. Don't send too many and too few SMSs. Find the perfect balance.

Sending text messages at the right time will increase the chance of consumer interaction and the campaign's success.

6) Select a Trustworthy SMS Service Provider

Your SMS marketing platform plays a major role in the success of SMS marketing plans. Choose a platform which is reliable so your messages get delivered on time and to the right audience base. Select the SMS service provider that offers high deliverability rates and good support.

The SMS platform you choose must be feature-rich. Opt for the platform that provides you with quick delivery and personalization options.

Here are a few key features that you need to consider.

Consumer support
Price
Scalability
Message delivery rates
Features

If you are looking for a reliable platform that offers mass text messaging service, is quick, highly scalable, and assures high delivery rates, Textdrip is the perfect pick.

7) Monitor Your Campaign and Track Results

You can measure the success of your SMS marketing campaign by tracking the engagement, opt-out, and conversion rates.

The results you get by tracking these rates will help you understand how to run a successful SMS marketing campaign.

If you send your consumers a coupon code in the text message, track how many consumers have redeemed the offer. It will help you measure how effective the offer is and how your consumers respond.

Track the opt-in, opt-out, and open rate to fine-tune your SMS marketing campaign. It will ensure that you get the best possible results.

Still not convienced?

Check the example in the next section to understand what a successful SMS marketing campaign looks like.

Real-Life Example Of Successful SMS Marketing Campaign

Domino's Pizza Campaign 2020

In 2020, Domino's launched a contactless delivery campaign during the peak pandemic time of COVID-19.

At that time, consumers couldn't go out to eat pizza.

The main agenda of this campaign is to tell customers that they can enjoy their favourite pizza despite COVID-19.

Therefore, the brand sends SMS to consumers by highlighting the contactless delivery option.

And do you know what happened?

It worked perfectly!

They gave a promo code to consumers for using the contactless delivery option.

This campaign assures consumers that they can eat pizza safely at any time through contactless delivery.

The campaign helps Domino's increase its sales.

To Sum Up

Well-curated SMS marketing campaigns can transform engagement levels and drive business growth. Hopefully, this step-by-step guide helped you understand how to strategize and launch SMS campaigns that boost ROI.

Selecting the right SMS campaign platform is vital for the SMS campaign's success. So, understand all features and functions and check whether or not they align with your requirements before settling down on any platform.

Textdrip is one such AI-capable SMS automation platform that helps you rocket-fuel your sales with personalized and automated SMS marketing campaigns. Contact us today for its 30-day free trial or book a demo along with up to 2500 free credits.

FAQ's

How can an SMS campaign benefit my business?

SMSs are guaranteed to be seen, quick, and simple to send. You can easily integrate it into other marketing strategies, which will help you improve omnichannel customer engagement, leading to increased ROI.

What should be included in a campaign SMS?

First, choose the right SMS platform and then write a short, simple, and clear SMS message along with proper CTA. You need to maintain compliance and personalize the message before sending it. It will encourage two-way communication.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in an SMS marketing campaign?

Some common mistakes to avoid in an SMS marketing campaign are poor timing, sending unsolicited text messages, texting invalid numbers, sending too long messages, missing CTA, sending too many messages, etc.

How frequently should I send SMS to subscribers?

You should send promotional messages one to two times a week for the best results.

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