The Second Most Important Rule of SMS Marketing
I was at a petrol station the other day, and on my way out I saw a sign advertising a contest. You text the keyword “Circle” followed by some seemingly random letters to the short code and have a chance at winning some gift cards from the petrol station. The top prize would mean I wouldn’t have to buy petrol for about six months. Of course I decided to enter!
So while I walked back to my car I repeated the shortcode and keyword in my head so I wouldn’t forget. My kids got mad at me because I told them to stop talking while I furiously typed it all into my iPhone before I forgot.
Just after I clicked “Send”, I noticed my friendly Apple auto-correct function had turned my keyword of “Circle” plus random letters into “Circles”. I sent the wrong code after all!
Quickly I typed in the correct keyword, then clicked the “x” on the iPhone auto-correct suggestion I hadn’t noticed in my frenzy and sent it on its way. I was putting my iPhone away when I heard the familiar sound letting me know I received a text. I read it and saw something I didn’t expect:
“Sorry, this postcode is not eligible.”
Hmm. That stumped me as I hadn’t entered a postcode at all. But I was in danger of being late for my son’s appointment so I put my iPhone away and drove off.
Later when I had time, I went back and looked at the text message to see what happened. After I had sent the correct keyword, the first reply I received was “Thanks for the text, please reply with your postcode.”
That was immediately followed by the text letting me know my postcode wasn’t eligible. A couple of things went wrong here:
- Their system didn’t recognize an invalid keyword, or they accept any keyword on that short code and assume it is for the same promotion. I thought about testing the theory and texting a random word, but I didn’t want to endanger my chances of winning the prize.
- When I sent my correct keyword, it assumed it was a reply to their request for a postcode and followed that with a reply it wasn’t eligible. Of course it wasn’t because it was a word, not a postcode. But it was a valid keyword.
That wasn’t the end of my adventure trying to enter this contest using a text message. Once I had sent the proper keyword (again) and the correct postal code, I received another reply asking me to send my email address. Ugh. The whole process was starting to feel too much like work.
Still, I did enter my email address. Finally, after sending the email, I received a text with confirmation I was entered into the contest. In that final message was a URL I could visit for the full rules.
If you’ve stuck with me this long, you may have some hint at what the second most important rule of SMS marketing is. Have you guessed?
It’s keep it simple.
Text message marketing works because it is short, quick, personal, and immediate. You don’t want to annoy the people you’re reaching out to. If you’re running an opt-in campaign, or a contest, keep the process to as few steps as possible. And also make sure the logic behind the campaign is working perfectly so you don’t end up confusing people, or looking like you don’t know what you’re doing. They may rethink what they are doing and decide not to participate.
If you’re dying to find out what rule number one is, check out this blog post to learn all about it.
Related Articles
The Never-Ending Conflict of Email vs. SMS Marketing
Many marketers think they need to choose between email and SMS marketing. And depending on what you read, you’ll find one is “better” than the other. But that isn’t necessarily true. Learn how a united effort using both can increase your profits with only a little bit of effort.
The benefits of virtual mobile numbers and short code SMS
5 Reasons SMS Should be a Major Part of Your Marketing Mix
81% of mobile phone users use SMS or text messaging and 90% read text messages within three minutes of receipt. But it's not just a convenient way to chat with friends, fix a rendez-vous or remind people to do things; it has also become a powerful marketing tool for businesses large and small, national or global.
Why SMS Marketing is Like Facebook Marketing, But Better
Facebook is a popular place. According to Statista, they had 1.44 billion active users in the first quarter of 2015. It’s no wonder then that businesses are flocking to advertise there. But big isn’t always better. SMS marketing is similar in many respects to Facebook advertising, and for some uses it is actually better. Let me explain and see if you agree.
On The Rise: 6 Changes in Marketing That SMS Can Help Exploit
While traditional advertising methods are declining, SMS marketing is increasing and it is a trend that looks likely to continue. Here are 6 recent marketing trends that open the door for you to take advantage through your next SMS marketing campaign.
7 Statistics That Show Why You Should be Using SMS Marketing Right Now
You might have heard about SMS marketing and thought it wasn't for you. Maybe you're unconvinced by this method of reaching customers and are just not sure it could help your business thrive. But any business, big or small, can benefit from an online SMS service and the facts are plain to see.
How To Know If Your SMS Campaigns Work
If you’re using SMS campaigns as part of your strategy to drive sales, sign ups, fund raise, or any goal, you’ll need to know if it’s working. You may be familiar with email tracking or other forms of marketing metrics but how do you measure the effectiveness of SMS campaigns? Here are five different ideas for you to try.
Three Things You Must Do Right in Your SMS Marketing
SMS messaging can be one of your more effective marketing techniques, but only if you do it right. A poorly executed SMS marketing campaign could have disastrous results for your future budget, and for your organisation.
3 tips to building recipient lists for SMS campaigns
As SMS boasts a 95% open rate, it makes sense to ensure you can utilise this channel with your entire target audience. Read our tips on building SMS recipient lists.
3 Reasons Why SMS is The Key to Your Mobile Marketing
The year of mobile marketing is finally here. You’ve heard it before, but it’s clear it has finally arrived. In fact, it may have arrived last year so if you haven’t joined yet you might be late to the party. Don’t worry, there’s still time. Here are 3 reasons SMS needs to be an integral part of your mobile strategy going forward.