| Text Message Marketing is a new way for business | | | | employees wear. |
| owners to market to their customer base at a time | | | | At the beginning, the name of the game is collecting |
| of their choosing. Today, they have the ability to | | | | phone numbers. Once you have about 50 numbers, |
| market to their customers whatever product or | | | | start sending out your first text message. The |
| service they choose and tomorrow it can be | | | | biggest piece of advice I can give you is the |
| something totally different. | | | | message has to be good. You have to give your |
| To begin a text message marketing campaign, a | | | | customers a heck of a deal. Remember, you are |
| business owner needs to find a provider that offers | | | | advertising in one of the most personal ways |
| a fair price and text a message package that fits | | | | possible, in the palm of your customer's hand. Give |
| their current need, but will allow them to grow. There | | | | them some real good value. "Buy one pizza at regular |
| are a lot of companies to choose from on the | | | | price and get a second of equal or lesser value free. |
| internet. Many of these companies are internet | | | | Today only! EXP 8/8/2010" |
| based, meaning you are only going to get help online | | | | Once you start sending out text messages, the |
| or over the phone. Personally, I think it is a better | | | | game starts to change. You are still trying to acquire |
| option to work with a company that provides you | | | | more numbers, but now you need to bring as many |
| with a sales representative who will be able to walk | | | | customers through the door as possible. When |
| you through the process of a Text Message | | | | customers start getting good deals from your Text |
| Marketing campaign. That person will be able to help | | | | Message Marketing campaign, they will start talking to |
| you operate your internet back office and give you | | | | their friends. Thus, bringing in new customers. The |
| promotional ideas to send out to your customers. | | | | bigger objective is branding your company in the |
| Look for a company that has a short code that can | | | | mind of your customer. You want them to think |
| be easily remembered. What is a short code? It is | | | | about your burger restaurant before they think of a |
| the five digit number that the customer will text the | | | | McDonald's or a Burger King. Text Message Marketing |
| "keyword" to, so they can opt in to your Text | | | | does just that. |
| Message Marketing campaign. If you have a short | | | | Watch the number of messages you are sending out. |
| code that isn't easy to remember, you can have a | | | | I would recommend no more than two per week. |
| lower opt in rate. | | | | Too many could cause your customers to start |
| You are going to want to promote your Text | | | | opting out, because they find the amount of text |
| Message Marketing campaign to your customers. | | | | messages to become a bit of a nuisance. |
| Promoting it can be as simple as hanging some signs | | | | If you are sending one message out per week and |
| over your cash register, at each table and in your | | | | your list of numbers is close to 500 and your |
| windows, that say "Text (your company name) to | | | | package only allows for 2,000 messages, then it is |
| 55555 and get discounts, coupons and FREE stuff". | | | | time to consider upgrading to the next higher |
| This way is very effective for those businesses that | | | | package. Remember, if your list of numbers is |
| have a younger crowd that will use text messaging a | | | | growing, then you are doing something right. Don't be |
| lot. | | | | afraid to move up to that next package. When you |
| Other Businesses will want to offer an incentive to | | | | make that move, it means you have already |
| its customers to opt in. For example, a pizza place | | | | increased your revenue and are in a position to |
| could offer a free small pizza when a customer joins | | | | increase it even more. |
| their Mobile VIP Club. Try marketing your campaign | | | | Once you get the hang of it and start coming up |
| as a Mobile VIP Club and let your customers know | | | | with great offers for your customers, it becomes a |
| that they will get discounts, coupons and free stuff | | | | simple and fun process. Remember, the only way a |
| exclusive only to members. | | | | Text Message Marketing campaign can fail is if you |
| You will need to market your campaign. Advertise it | | | | do not give your customers a good value with each |
| in any other medium that you currently advertise | | | | text you send. Always give good value. These are |
| your business. Like, the phone book, newspaper, the | | | | your loyal customers! |
| internet and even on the back of the T-shirts your | | | | |