Cell phones are ubiquitous, with penetration well over 80% in the United States and even higher among younger adults – a demographic of immense importance thanks to their high levels of disposable income. With cell phones now such an important and indispensable part of everyday life, it’s no surprise that marketers are increasingly looking for ways to reach those consumers directly on their mobile devices. SMS messaging is arguably the best way to do that, and in this article, we’ll look at some of the basics of what makes SMS marketing such a powerful tool and how your business can get started utilizing it today. 

 

The Basics of SMS Marketing

SMS marketing is essentially exactly what it sounds like – utilizing text messages, also known as SMS messages, to deliver marketing messages and campaigns directly to targeted prospects. SMS offers some significant benefits, not the least of which is that it’s highly engaging, blowing any other forms of marketing communication out of the water in terms of open rates. Because of its effectiveness, many companies have turned to SMS as a new medium through which to reach their target markets. Additionally, the relatively low barriers and costs associated with getting started also deliver a boost to the popularity of text messages as a marketing tool.

 

Why SMS is So Effective

The primary reason SMS marketing is so effective is that it cuts through the noise and engages the recipient better than other mediums. People are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages every day, and the vast majority of consumers have developed a high-level of ad blindness – the ability to tune those messages out altogether. But the feeling of a buzz in their pockets almost always gets a person’s attention, because most of us have developed a reward-response associated with receiving texts. Combine that with the fact that SMS messaging is the primary communication medium of choice for millennials – a consumer group that grows in importance every year – and it’s clear why SMS marketing is such a useful tool when employed respectfully. 

 

How to Get Started with SMS Marketing

The first and potentially most obvious method of getting into SMS marketing is manually from a company-owned cell phone. However, this is probably also the worst method possible for all but the smallest messaging lists. First of all, it could land your account in hot water if you don’t do things right. Secondly, it’s incredibly time-consuming. A much better option is to use a web-based service. There are a sea of SMS marketing services available and a quick Google search will turn up dozens of them at various price points, representing various levels of value. Maybe the best solution of all though is to integrate SMS messaging directly into your existing office tools. CRMDialer, for example, is a full-featured customer resource management platform that, in addition to a wide set of sales and administration tools designed to boost office productivity, also includes a full suite. As a result, marketing teams can send all of their SMS campaigns from directly within the same software used for office communications, lead management, email marketing, customer service, and essentially all other operations. 

For more information on how your company can get started benefiting from SMS marketing with CRMDialer, start your free trial today.