| Text message marketing is being used widely in retail | | | | making an open ended offer. |
| businesses to lure existing customers back into the | | | | 2. Use this marketing for special deals. The cell phone |
| store as well as to attract new customers. Like any | | | | number database should be full of premium |
| marketing tactic, text message marketing has rules | | | | customers. Use the text campaign to respect them |
| which need to be followed for it to be successful. | | | | and provide an opportunity they are sure to love. |
| Before you can contemplate a text message | | | | 3. Include a call to action. Simply promoting the |
| marketing campaign you will need to prepare. | | | | business is inappropriate use of a text message. |
| Gather cell phone numbers numbers from customers. | | | | Offer a special deal, access to new product or some |
| Do this by running competitions, inviting them to join | | | | other proposition of value which is exclusive to them. |
| your contact list and recording cell phone numbers for | | | | 4. Include your store details in the marketing |
| customer records. Be sure to include the option for | | | | message. |
| them to opt out of marketing on any forms you use. | | | | 5. Use TXT speak - avid cell phone text users will |
| Store cell phone numbers in a customer database. | | | | appreciate this. |
| This should also have the ability to indicate whether a | | | | 6. To get the offer, make it that customers have to |
| customer wants to receive marketing via text | | | | bring their phone in and show the message or quote |
| message. | | | | a code you provide. |
| Source a service which can send messages out for | | | | 7. Talk to your customers about the campaign. Did |
| you. Typically, they will offer a low cost mechanism | | | | they like it? Would they like more? What do they |
| through which you can send messages en masse to | | | | suggest you do differently? |
| your database. Be sure to check that they do not | | | | Track the success of each marketing campaign. |
| use your database for any other purpose. | | | | Record how many messages are sent and the cost. |
| Once you have the database and the service | | | | Track sales as a result and revenue. It is essential |
| established, you are ready to begin a text message | | | | that you measure this to understand if such a |
| campaign. Here are some tips for text message | | | | campaign is worth repeating. |
| marketing based on experience working with several | | | | It will take three or for campaigns before you have |
| businesses: | | | | sufficient data to assess the usefulness of this as a |
| | | | marketing channel for your retail store. |
| 1. Any offer should be for a limited time. Messages | | | | Text message campaigns are ideal for immediate |
| on a cell phone are immediate so there is no point in | | | | offers for which you want to drive a quick response. |