We get it – sms marketing in New Zealand, or anywhere for that matter, is a tough gig. Not only is the market saturated and the customer more jaded to marketing than ever, but text marketing can be an especially tough sell for most consumers. Text messaging is still considered a more “personal” form of communication, and direct marketing – the same kind that would fly via email or on social media – is often deleted or even blocked. A great SMS marketer, then, knows how to reach his customers without bugging them. But how to do that, you ask? Simple – read on…

1.       Build trust – This is true for any form of marketing, but it’s especially true in text marketing. As I mentioned earlier, most consumers are wary of receiving advertising via SMS and are likely to delete or even block unwanted texts. That is why it’s important to send useful messages – shipping updates, appointment reminders, debt sms – to build a rapport as a useful text service. Once you’ve established yourself and are receiving high read rates (a good sms text platform can tell you this) you should be safe to send the occasional marketing message.

2.       Offer things – Contests, giveaways, and promotions are all good reasons why someone might open your text messages. If you send boring boilerplate, you may see your read rates drop in a hurry.

3.       Keep it brief – Really brief. Text messaging is already an efficient communication source, but recipients shouldn’t be forced to scroll to the second page to read your messages. Keep them short and to the point for best results, and consider using bit.ly or tinyurl if you want to link to more in-depth materials.

4.       No text-speak – Remember, you’re not texting your friends here. These are your customers, and professional language is expected.