With the massive volume of SMS messages being sent every day, SMS marketing must be considered by marketers. However, mobile phone users have proved reluctant to hand over their phone numbers for marketing messages, perhaps fearing a similar deluge of spam to the one they receive in their email inboxes.
This is changing to some extent, with the prevalence of Common Short Codes (CSC) in marketing. CSCs are short codes used in text messages, usually to get something in return, such as a competition entry. These can be sent to and from consumers, and often use keywords. There are two standard keywords that should always elicit a standard response:
- STOP. Unsubscribe the sender’s number from the service.
- HELP. A support request from the sender’s number.
As consumers are comfortable with using text messages for their communication, no extensive education process is required to have consumers access marketing campaigns based on CSCs.
There are several ways that SMS messages can be used to complement an existing marketing strategy.
Customer relationship management
SMS updates can be an exceptionally useful tool for customer relationship management (CRM). In the travel industry, hotel and airplane reservations can be sent by mobile phone, with updates being sent close to the time of travel. These short messages can include directions or details of a flight’s status. When it comes to insurance claims or order processing, SMS updates on the progress of a claim or order can reduce call centre volumes and go a long way to ensuring that a client feels valued.
Promotions
SMS messages allow you to send timely sales promotions to a large database for a relatively low cost. These can be targeted to a particular time of day when prospects are most likely to be out shopping.
Receiving messages
CSCs are often used to receive messages from prospects or customers. They provide a fast, instant and trackable means for the public to enter competitions, voice opinions, or make requests. Even better for a company, the costs can often be passed on to the consumer, meaning that it can be a cost-effective way to receive marketing messages.
Please call me messages
Please call me messages – SMSs that are sent for free, asking the recipient to phone the sender back – are popular across Africa. These usually include an advert after the message, and this is an excellent position to reach lower-LSM users, who are more likely to be sending these messages.
