How Text Message Marketing Works
Overview
Text message marketing is similar to email marketing in that a customer chooses to participate and receives informational and promotional messages, but that is where the similarities end. So much abuse has taken place in email marketing that open rates can be as low as 2%. However, with text message marketing open rates are as high as 98%, and with over 2 billion cell phones in use and a rise in the number of people who subscribe to unlimited text message plans, it has become a much more effective tool for getting your message across and staying connected to your customers.
Text message marketing involves the creation of marketing campaigns to promote your business that are targeted to cell phone users who volunteer to become subscribers to a specific campaign in hopes of reaping some benefit.
A customer signs up by becoming aware of the campign's existence and choosing to participate by sending a text message with specific keywords from their cell phone to a "shortened phone number" called a short code.
Custom Features of our provider's system:
Our provider has over the years built a scalable infrastructure that allows you to start your messaging campaigns with the simple basics and expand into more creative and complex campaigns as your experience and expertise grows.
They have upgraded the platform that includes Mobile Message Queuing (MMQ) technology, which allows companies to deliver the largest of text campaigns at speeds 15x greater than earlier versions. This is one of the ways their experience pays of for you.
Scheduling
You can set up your campaign by scheduling your messages to be sent out at a future date and time to your entire list or a queried sub-list.
Auto-response messages
Send your customers an offer the first time he or she texts your keyword or set it up so that every time they text your keyword they get your customized message.
Customization of opt-in messages
Give your customer an exclusive offer right in their welcome message getting instant VIP club rewards for joining.
Unlimited sub-keywords
You can create unlimited sub-keywords which gives you the ability to track individual events or ad buys. Example: text mainkeyword subkeyword to 12345. A space is between your main keyword and your sub keuword
Generate customized web forms
A web form widget is available in your back office to create customized sign up opt in forms to match the look of your web site. You can also choose to include demographic information in the form and allow users to select specific things that interest them.
Sub-accounts
You will be able to create sub accounts for employees or management so that each individual has specific access and privileges. This is great if you have multiple locations. Example: The day manager has access to only 1 keyword and only has the ability to send messages and unsubscribe members.
Inbox messages
You can receive notifications by setting up your keyword or sub-keyword to route incoming messages to your back office inbox. This can be used to create RSVP lists, answer questions, or receive comments and feedback.
Forwarded messages
You will be able to setup your keyword or sub-keyword to forward a copy of incoming messages to an email address, cell phone, your back office Inbox or to an URL. Use the forward to URL feature to a forward a message to any URL and choose to have the content that the URL returns sent back to the user’s phone. Example: yourspecial 60606 will query the yourspecial database and respond with the nearest party to the zip code.
Export message and usage data
You will be able to export your message data into your system or into Excel, XML or CSV for reporting purposes.
Expanded segmentation
You can customize campaigns and create segmented lists which includes the ability to assign users to a specific interest when they opt-in to your VIP membership from their mobile phone or web form.
Expanded API
Our providers API – or interface - also includes demographic and segmentation information. When you subscribe or send a message to a user you can populate that member's data and then assign them to specific groups.
Here is a list of additional features:
Mobile List Management
- People can join your mobile community by simply sending a keyword text message
- Collect additional demographic data via a customizable web forms
- Create an unlimited list of sub-keywords and interests for segmenting your mobile Opt in community members
- Combine additional demographic information with list management tools
- Text Messaging Campaign Creation
- Choose and combine different keyword types - subscription, auto-response, and forwards
- Assign opt in members to a specific interest during the subscription process
- Preview and test your text messages before you send it out
- Provide initial offer upon completion of subscription which is highly recommended
- User defined roles for accessing certain components of the back office
- Text Message Delivery system
- Our provider has developed proprietary MMQ message delivery technology
- Send immediate messages or schedule future messages to be sent option
- User controlled unsubscribe capability
- Unsubscribe members function
- Full 160 characters for sending messages
- Ability to receive inbound messages from customers
- Anti-Spam compliance to industry standards
- All programs are permission-based only
- Auto response capability
- Ability to deliver messages to all or a segment of your member community
- Delivered message history of all messages
Tracking & Reporting
- Unsubscribe tracking history
- Real-time message tracking
- Summary and detailed reporting
- Dashboard of member, keyword and message data
Custom Connect API
- Send bulk messages from a third party system
- XML based client independent services
- Subscribe users to particular keywords or groups
- Automate the segmentation of your list
- Support by our provider
- Free phone, email, chat support
- On-demand tutorials and manuals for training
- eNewsletters subcription
- FAQ online knowledgebase
If you are looking for a customized application for your business or organization, please contact us so we can discuss your specific needs.
