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10 Business SMS Campaigns to Generate Revenue in 2021

Business SMS Campaigns to Generate Revenue in 2021

SMS marketing has come a long way since its original debut back in 1992. As technology continues to evolve each day, so do the marketing methods and trends aimed around these platforms.

Today, several brands are continuously improving their strategies by using SMS to become more approachable with their customers. This has opened new lines of communication for businesses-to-consumer (B2C) brands by introducing customer support and transactional messaging. Additionally, it is another convenient way for consumers to reach out to a brand regarding their concerns and feedback.

SMS marketing is one of the most effective ways to engage with consumers and other important clients. This is because it offers a personalized touch towards interactions that can make consumers feel more cared for and prioritized over others. As a result, this can gradually boost the loyalty and revenue of a business over time.

Many known key trends in today’s modern age offer numerous possibilities and opportunities for businesses to reach their target market. These include the use of tech messaging, chatbots, personalized messaging, and many more. However, using these methods to start an SMS campaign can also come with many challenges when businesses do not know how to maintain them properly. Continue reading “10 Business SMS Campaigns to Generate Revenue in 2021”

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19 Free Text Message Templates for Business SMS Campaigns

SMS Templates for Businesses

Despite the exponential increase of communication channels in the digital age, short messaging service (SMS) remains widely popular all over the world. Currently, there are 4.2 billion people around the world who continue to send and receive text messages. This means that SMS campaigns can help you reach both new customers and existing ones.

Knowing that SMS can be a good channel for your business to reach its target audience, thinking of the right message is essential for any campaign to succeed. This article will provide you with a compilation of text message templates you can use to inspire and jumpstart your SMS campaigns.

SMS Templates for Businesses

 

  • Discount Messages

Your customers are always looking for good deals and discounts to help get their money’s worth. Starting an SMS campaign for discount offers makes it easier for them to find these offers and act on them. Make sure to grab their attention with urgent language and a direct call to action. 

flash discount

Today only! Get XX% off on all (TYPE) ITEMS! Shop now at: WEBSITE LINK

exclusive discount offer

BRAND is giving an exclusive discount offer to our loyal customers! Just enter CODE at checkout to get XX% off on your purchase!

seasonal discount

Be ready for the (TYPE) season and get all our seasonal ITEMS at XX% off for TIME PERIOD. Stocks are limited! Shop now at BRAND

 

  • Sales Promotions

SMS campaigns are useful for reaching out to promote new and existing products to both customers and prospects. These can be used for creating opportunities for sales pitches, having prospects upgrade from trials, or even make purchases directly from your store. Whenever possible, highlight key features of the product to make them more enticing for customers.

sales pitch

Hi, [First Name]. This is [Name] from BRAND, checking if you’re available for a short call to discuss PRODUCT/SERVICE. Please reply to this message if you are interested. Looking forward to speaking with you. Thank you!

free trial

Hi, [First Name]. This is [Name] from BRAND. Thank you for availing our demo for PRODUCT/SERVICE. Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.

restock

Our best-selling ITEMS have been restocked! Get yours today before they’re gone! Shop now at: WEBSITE LINK

new product release

New at BRAND: Releasing ITEM today! Check out this and other new arrivals here: WEBSITE LINK

 

  • Contests and Giveaways

Contests and giveaways are staples for many businesses to drum up interest and attract more prospects. Starting an SMS campaign for your ongoing giveaway or contest can inform your customer base and get them to participate and even spread the word.

contest

Hello, [First Name]! You are invited to enter our contest for a chance to win ITEM! Learn more and enter at: WEBSITE LINK. Good luck!

giveaway

For loyal BRAND customers, we’re giving away a limited-edition ITEM to X lucky winners! To join and learn more, visit: WEBSITE LINK

 

  • General Advertising

One of the advantages of SMS is that your message is more likely to be seen by your audience. An SMS campaign to advertise your store, any events, or even other communication channels your business uses is a great way to get the word out. Just be mindful of the details that should be included in your message.

event

BRAND is hosting an EVENT on [DATE AND TIME] with ACTIVITIES. Learn more and RSVP now at our page: WEBSITE LINK 

store location and hours

See what we have to offer at our BRAND branches! We’re open from TIME to TIME on DAY to DAY, and TIME to TIME on OTHER DAY. Find a branch near you at: WEBSITE LINK

website and socmed

See all the latest updates from BRAND on our new page: WEBSITE LINK Don’t forget to follow us on SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS at @BRANDNAME for more exciting content!

 

  • Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are a great way to reward your core customer base for their patronage. If your business runs a loyalty program for its customers, you can use an SMS campaign to invite customers to join this program and avail of the available benefits. 

For existing program members, texts are a great way to remind them of relevant details like redeeming points for rewards or renewing their membership. 

invitation to join

Get the most out of your experience with BRAND! Join our loyalty program and get exclusive discounts, earn points with every purchase to redeem rewards, and many more perks! Sign up today at: WEBSITE LINK

membership renewal

Hello, [First Name]. Your membership with BRAND loyalty program will end by DATE. To continue receiving exclusive perks and redeem rewards, make sure to renew before the given date. For more information on how to renew, visit: WEBSITE LINK

points expiry

Hello, [First Name]. Your total of XX reward points will expire on DATE. Redeem your points for rewards and other perks before the given date. To view the list of available rewards and perks, visit: WEBSITE LINK

 

  • Confirmation Texts

In the age of online shopping, transactions happen on a screen rather than in person. Sending out confirmation texts lets your customer know that each step of the process has successfully pushed through. 

This level of transparency helps increase the trustworthiness and reliability of your business. Use an order or transaction number alongside relevant details to keep your text short and don’t forget to thank your customer for their business.

shipping confirmation

Hello, [First Name]. Your BRAND Order #XXXXXX has been shipped out today. ETA is in X-X business days. If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you!

payment confirmation

Hello, [First Name]. This is to confirm your payment for BRAND Order #XXXXXX via PAYMENT METHOD for a total of AMOUNT. Your order is currently being processed for delivery. Thank you!

 

  • Action Requests

Sometimes, customers need a friendly reminder or push to take action on certain things. Sending an SMS is a quick and convenient way to deliver this reminder to them. The action they need to take should be clear, as well as the reason why they need to take it. Make it clear if this action is time-sensitive or can be done at their convenience.

review request

Hi, [First Name]. Thank you for being a valued BRAND customer. We would appreciate it if you could leave a review about your experience with us. Click here to leave us a review on REVIEW PAGE: WEBSITE NAME

confirm reservation

Hi, [First Name]. Your reservation with BRAND for ITEM/APPOINTMENT on DATE has been noted in our system. Please reply to this text to confirm your reservation by TIME otherwise, your slot will be forfeited. Let us know if you have any questions. Thank you!

 

Tips for SMS Success

SMS campaigns rely on two factors–your message and how you deliver it. Below are some best practices when planning and executing your SMS campaigns:

 

  • Get consent

Nothing pushes a potential customer away like sending unsolicited texts. In some cases, this can even be in violation of certain privacy policies. Before starting your SMS campaigns, make sure that your recipients have opted in to receive your message.

 

  • Know your audience

Knowing your target audience means understanding what kinds of messages they want to receive from you. Other things to factor in when considering your audience is the tone of the text, the call to action, and even when to send your SMS.

 

  • Keep texts short and simple

In an SMS, you only have a limited amount of characters to say what you mean. Messages that are short, simple, and direct are often the most effective. Don’t add details that aren’t relevant to your core message.

 

  • Always have a call to action

SMS campaigns should always have a purpose and should always get your customers to act on your message. Adding a call to action can make this purpose clearer to your customer. Depending on the wording, it can even be used to drive more urgent, time-sensitive actions.

 

  • Make texts personal

Unlike other communication channels, text messages can seem personal as it is a one-to-one conversation. The key to making SMS campaigns effective is to make them feel even more personal, like using their first name or preferred name. 

 

  • Let customers know who you are

SMS campaigns serve to both add value to your customer’s experience with your brand and help promote it. Ensure that your brand name is in every text as customers may not have your number saved. The best way to do this is to mention it in your message or create a custom sign-off for every text.

 

Text Your Customers Like a Pro

In this ever-connected world, texting remains one of the most popular and accessible communication forms across the globe. Most people–including your customer base and future prospects–own a mobile phone, making SMS an effective and direct way to reach them.

These text message templates can help jumpstart SMS campaigns that address all areas of your business needs. Try them out and see which texts work and which ones need tweaking. With the right message and best practices, you’re sure to deliver a text message that says everything your customers need to take action at the right moment. 

 

Sometimes, optimizing the returns on your SMS marketing campaigns takes the help of experts. Contact Semaphore today to learn more about our secure SMS marketing solutions!

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8 of the Most Effective Marketing Channels for Businesses

Effective Marketing Channels for Businesses

The age of information has brought about a host of new ways and channels for you to reach your audience and grow your brand, not to mention the overwhelming feeling you get as you try to figure out where or how to allocate your marketing resources. 

“Will SEO generate more ROI than PPC? Should I pull the plug on email marketing and shift to SMS marketing instead?” 

Understandably, you want to go for whichever mix has the potential to give the biggest bang for your buck (ROI). But if you try to be active on every channel, you may well be spreading your efforts too thinly and not optimizing your marketing budget.

In this post, we take our pick on the most effective marketing channels for your B2B or B2C business, so you know which baskets to put your eggs in.

Effective Marketing Channels for Businesses - Infographic

Effective B2B Channels

Email

Email will probably never be dislodged from its position as a go-to B2B marketing channel. With email, you can do a myriad of things and get positive results in terms of high open rates, audience reach, and revenue attribution. 

And because users don’t become your subscribers until they opt in, you can take it as a signal that they would like to hear from you to learn more about your products or services. By delivering personalized content to targeted accounts, you get to demonstrate what or how much value you can deliver to your prospects’ businesses, leading to a relationship based on trust.

Social Media

Undeniably, B2C and B2B social media marketing don’t operate in the same way. B2C focuses on using social platforms to drive brand awareness, traffic, and sales, while B2B brands are more likely to use social media channels for engagement purposes.

For one, B2B marketers tend to leverage social media by engaging in activities that lead to new partnerships. B2B social media marketing is about helping potential customers solve their problems as you provide them with informative content that they in turn feel compelled to share across their networks.

Search Engines

If Google receives over 5 billion searches per day, that’s the number of chances that your brand has for its name to show up on the search engine results pages (SERPs). To put it more realistically, search users will almost always click through the links that appear at the top of the SERPs—which is, of course, where you want to be found.

Your position on SERPs depends on a combination of marketing strategies, which may include search engine optimization (SEO) and content marketing. You need to be creating content that not only highlights your authority and expertise but also allows you to rank for your SEO keywords. Alternatively, you can utilize search engine marketing (SEM) or pay-per-click (PPC) ads to be more visible on search engines.

Referrals

Customer referrals have the potential to give quality leads for your business. When satisfied customers spread word about their positive experience with your company, product, or service, their contacts are likely to respond more positively simply because referrals are synonymous to credibility.

Since customers who have been referred to you are already willing to buy, it won’t take so much of your marketing efforts or budget to get them onboard, allowing you to grow your profit more quickly and easily.

SMS

SMS marketing works in the same way as email marketing, where people are supposed to opt in to hear from you. However, the advantage of SMS lies in how attached—literally and figuratively—mobile phone users are to their devices. In fact, statistics say that at any given time, 97% of business professionals in the United States are about 3 feet away from their mobile phone and look at it 150 times on average in a day.

SMS marketing applications for your B2B brand are as varied as can be, including delivery of your web content via URL, status notification, and poll invitations, among others. Needless to mention, you’ll need to communicate your message to B2B customers using a more formal and professional language than what you would use for B2C customers.

Effective B2C Channels

Social Media

Social media makes it on the list again as a powerful marketing channel—this time for B2C audiences— because it’s where highly engaged customers are. Social media users are actively searching for brands that their friends like and which they might take an interest, too.

One of the best practices in B2C social media marketing include paid ads, which is how 27% of internet users find brands and products. However, it also pays to simply be active on social for community building if your goal is to allow customers to get to know you on a more relationship-focused rather than a sales-focused level.

Podcasts

In marketing, storytelling is the strategy for appealing to consumers’ emotions, influencing their purchase decisions, and ultimately, cultivating customer loyalty. Among various content formats, podcasts are arguably the most compelling medium that you can use to incorporate brand messages into your marketing campaigns.

Podcasts allow you to create engaging narratives about your company’s milestones, values, and culture with a lot of creativity as you decide on the theme and topics that will best capture the story that you want to share. Whatever size or type your business is, podcasts provide a venue for you to share your thought leadership in your niche market.

Point-of-Purchase

Some years back, the New York Post delved into a research about retail therapy, which is when people shop to improve their mood or emotional state. The article also mentioned that retail therapy makes up more than a fifth of all shopping purchases among Americans. 

If you’re in the retail business, you can utilize point-of-purchase (POP) displays to sell to in-store shoppers whether they’re part of the impulse buyer or practical spender demographic. The rationale here is that POP marketing materials help in highlighting the product that you want to promote, helping shoppers narrow down their choices and make a final decision as to which they should buy.  

Websites

Having a business website is a must because this is where users go for information about your company, including your contact details, company profile, customer testimonials, and branded content. These things can help you build credibility, make a positive impression with your visitors, and give them a reason to explore your brand. In the same manner, your e-commerce website should include ratings, reviews, or any other type of endorsement that can help boost your business’ social proof.

SMS

SMS connects brands and consumers in more ways than one. As a built-in tool or feature found in virtually every mobile phone, SMS lets you communicate with your target audience, which includes 47% of consumers who prefer to reach or be reached by brands through native text messaging. Perhaps this preference has something to do with the idea that when there’s an alternative to face-to-face interactions with businesses, consumers will still choose to communicate via a messaging system.

On the marketing side, SMS is the fastest way to reach customers and get a response at the same time. This can be extremely useful for time-sensitive promotions where a single text lets you direct consumers immediately to your website or app to make a purchase. In case they’re not ready to buy, you can always send reminder texts the next time around for them to come back and finish shopping.

Need Help with SMS Marketing?

Your B2B organization can benefit from marketing channels that have the ability to generate leads, build relationships, improve ROI, and boost revenue for your business. If you’re a B2C brand, you need to choose marketing channels that allow you to facilitate transactional purchases by motivating customers to buy and simplifying the buying process for them.

Although SMS marketing ticks all of these boxes, not too many businesses recognize its potential as a valuable marketing and communication channel. Often, the problem lies not so much on the technology but rather on the way that it’s used.

 

If you need assistance optimizing returns on your SMS marketing campaigns, contact the bulk SMS experts at Semaphore!  Get the best results with Semaphore’s secure SMS marketing solutions.