DON’T Offer That Discount!

Text message marketing relies on exclusive promos and discounts to keep people interested. It is also what drives business.

Or is it the only thing that drives business?

Marketing professionals know that there are other even more effective non-discount promotions that can and will drive business. And not everyone who sign up to your SMS marketing expect a freebie or a discount text voucher in every welcome SMS message they receive confirming their subscription.

Here are some non-discount promotional ideas to consider:

Offer something that won’t cost you much—or anything at all

People love getting free stuff, even if it’s something they probably won’t use much—they just like the idea of not having to pay. But that doesn’t mean the freebies you offer should cost you your entire marketing budget.

There are several examples of stuff that you can offer as freebies that you need not pay extra for. How about offering a free e-book? If you’re a movie house, why not offer free movie tickets? Fast food joints are known to offer free fries or drinks—they have them in their kitchens anyway so giving them away for free won’t cost them much at all.

Here’s another marketing secret: offer something of value to your customers that requires them to make a purchase. How about free shipping or a free coffee upgrade?

Hold a contest

If your marketing budget does not permit you to give away freebies to everyone in your subscriber list, why not hold a contest instead? People won’t mind to take a chance considering the risk is only the cost of a text message.

Don’t have enough to afford a really cool but expensive prize? You don’t need to give away a new car or the latest slick gadget available in the market today. Take inspiration from the tip above and give something that won’t cost you much. If you’re a restaurant, how about offering a free valet service for an entire year? Maybe even a free appetizer or dessert for every meal? How about free popcorn for every movie ticket bought?

Give something exclusive

Your customers likely signed up with your SMS thinking that they are going to get something exclusive—they want to feel special. One of the most effective ways of doing so is by giving them first dibs in everything.

Holding a sale? Let your subscribers be the first to know. You can even hold a private sale that only subscribers can participate in. Launching a new product or organizing an event? Invite them as VIPs.

Your text marketing campaign need cost you much. Be creative, there are several ways to make your campaign a success.