Text Message Advertising Explained

The next big trend in marketing is mobilethat can send to any U.S. carrier. This is key since
marketing - that is marketing to consumers vianumber portability makes carrier data by
wireless phones. The most cost effective waycustomer unreliable.
for a business to implement a mobile marketingOnce you set up your account your goal should
strategy is sending text message advertisements.be to quickly build your opt-in list. Do this by
According to the CTIA Wireless Association, 223creating an appealing offer to your existing
million U.S. wireless subscribers, send roughly 18.7customers. You can run a sweepstakes, offer
billion text messages every month (Source Theinstant savings or offer savings on a future
vast majority of these messages arepurchase. Always put an expiration date in your
non-commercial, but this will soon change.offer as to create a sense of urgency. State
Text messages, also known as SMS messages,your business name and location so consumers
are considered highly personal in nature. As suchknow whom to patronize.
advertisements sent via text message haveUse your text messaging campaign to leverage
great impact with consumers. When recipientsother marketing efforts. Place your keyword call
opt-in to your campaign, they will be expectingto action in your flyers, print ads and radio
your messages and excited to receive your alertspromotions. To launch your campaign simply direct
and special offers.your customers to text your keyword to the
To initiate a text message advertising campaignsupplied number. For example "Text EAT99 to
you will need to build a messaging gateway(214)686-9411 to save 1.00 off your next
(expensive) or set up an account with a companypurchase". In this example the keyword is EAT99.
that specializes in message delivery (very costTry to make your keyword as short as possible
effective). It's best to work with a company thatto make it easier for your customers to key in.
specializes in text message advertising, as theSince wireless carriers typically only allow text
implementation will be very easy. The cost willmessage lengths of 140 to 160 characters, keep
usually be by the message and range from .001your text message advertisements to 140
cents to as high as .15 cents per message. Blitzcharacters or less.
Mobile features unlimited messages on all plans.Finally there are legal considerations. You must
Costs will be significantly higher if you want aprovide a clear and easy way for consumers to
custom number or short code (5 to 6 digitopt out of your campaign. For example "Text
number). In most every instance a virtual (a.k.a.STOP EAT99 to (214)686-9411 to stop receiving
shared) number will work perfectly fine. Longmessages." You will also need to inform your
codes (typical 10 digit U.S. numbers) are bettermessage recipients that they may receive a per
since most consumers are already familiar withmessage charge from their wireless carrier.
them. The final criteria you will want is a provider