Integrate SMS marketing

When creating a marketing plan, integrating SMS into it is a wise move. Although SMS and other forms of mobile marketing are still developing, it is better to start using it now, and make changes as necessary than to play catch up later, or find yourself irrelevant in an area of marketing. The following are some things to consider about integrating SMS marketing into your overall marketing mix:

SMS is a great way to tie together many aspects of your marketing strategy. One of the beauties of SMS is that it can be used in conjunction with almost every other aspect of your marketing plan. You can provide opt-in information online, and use SMS to send links to your landing pages, click to call links for talking to customer support, and more. Shortcodes can be used on mailers and flyers, and information provides through SMS messaging can help reinforce messages sent out in more traditional ways. SMS is often used for the most timely messages, such as announcing a sale going on right now, thus reinforcing a print ad reminder of it the week before. It integrates well.

On its own it is not going to create a large impact. SMS marketing is highly personal and has the potential to really engage customers, but it is best done when combined with other forms of marketing. It is a tool in a box of tools, needed, but best when combined with other resources.

When integrated with other types of media, both creative and content, SMS can create a deeper engagement, as well as help you build a consumer list. The messages they are receiving come into their highly personalized devices, and are often received instantaneously. This means that it has the potential to really engage consumers. However, to do that it must provide them with value. This can be found in a number of ways, and will really depend on the type of company you have. Tips, scores, coupon codes, information, updates, etc. are all good ways to provide value to consumers while integrating SMS with other forms of media and advertising.

How can you integrate SMS marketing into your current strategy? Start by looking for places or information that your consumer might benefit by receiving via their phone, or for holes in your current marketing plan. Look for places that SMS and other mobile marketing can do the "I'll scratch your back, if you scratch mine" routine with your other forms of marketing. In other words, include short codes in radio ads, and include announcements, coupon codes, etc. in your SMS messages that point people back to the retail or online location, etc.

Use your SMS marketing as a branding tool to help engage customers and drive customer involvement. Use it as a way to get personal, provide information, gather information, and basically engage customers so that they become more familiar and comfortable with your brand.