About 65% of the world’s population use text messaging, so it’s no wonder SMS marketing is growing at a staggering rate. To get the best out of this, your email and SMS programs must work in perfect harmony to drive engagement and revenue. Here’s how to do that.
Why do both?
Have you ever seen a champion heavyweight win a fight with one hand? Of course not. Knocking your opponent out requires a perfect harmony of bee-stinging, butterfly-floating ambidexterity. Likewise, your marketing efforts will have a greater chance of success with a one-two combination of SMS and email.
That doesn’t mean either one can’t pack a punch by itself. Email marketing weighs in at around 3,600% ROI, while SMS comes out swinging with a whopping 7,100% ROI. Put them together, and not even Tyson himself would last more than two rounds.
Having subscribers’ email and SMS details gives you more opportunities to collect data based on engagement and purchase history. This helps further segment your audience and understand how each customer uses both platforms.
Dig deeper: What is mobile marketing: A guide for marketers
Do the groundwork first
You’re probably already using email pop-ups on your brand’s website to collect the addresses of new visitors. But if you don’t ask for phone numbers while you’re at it, you’re missing out on plenty of potential revenue.
As with email marketing, the more legitimate SMS subscribers you have, the better. Adding a phone number field to your overlay is an efficient way of organically growing your SMS list. I recommend marking the phone number field as optional and including it on the front page of your pop-up.
What happens if recipients don’t submit their phone numbers? It doesn’t mean they aren’t going to in the future. Usually, new subscribers use email to gauge your brand’s sending frequency and the value your content offers them. Subscribers will be more willing to sign up if you share engaging info and discounts at a reasonable cadence.
To nudge email-only subscribers, consider a friendly SMS opt-in email that rewards them with an exclusive discount. You could also offer a gift or a value-added service (depending on your specific business).
One essential caveat: You must be sure to follow all applicable privacy laws — more on this below.
Dig deeper: Why RCS mobile marketing is set to go big in the U.S.
Technical considerations
When asking customers to sign up, have a disclaimer stating the kind of messaging they will receive and if there is a charge for SMS responses. This protects you from legal issues and ensures customer data is not misused.
Your disclaimer needs to specify that, by signing up, subscribers agree to receive marketing messages from your brand. You should include a clear “reply stop to opt-out” in the first few texts you send. Depending on local laws, you may need to add it to every text. It’s always worth reminding yourself that being invited to a customer’s phone or inbox is a privilege. It’s their sanctum sanctorum, and the moment you disrespect that, you’re out.
Look at your SMS character restrictions. Generally, you’ll have around 160 characters to work with — even fewer if your SSP (SMS Service Provider) requires it. That includes your brand name at the start and the link at the end of your message. If you exceed 160 characters, your SSP will charge this as two texts, which can add up quickly when you send frequent SMS campaigns.
For an MMS, you have around 360 characters available, which is more than enough, considering that this also includes images. Having just 160 characters at your disposal requires creative thinking, especially if your campaign has a lot of info to convey. While this could be a significant setback if you were working with SMS alone, you also have your email campaigns to help carry the load.
Orchestrating your platforms
The nature of SMS lends itself to slightly more urgent and more direct messaging. Email, on the other hand, allows for more information, which can be digested at a relaxed pace. Going back to the boxing analogy, it’s the marketing version of jabbing versus landing a knock-out blow — both work together and complement each other perfectly.
SMS is more suitable for short, impactful messages with a stronger sales focus, so it’s an ideal platform for announcing a new product or special offer and notifying customers when a sale is about to end. On the other hand, email campaigns can provide more thorough details about your products and services. For example, if you were running a sale, you would use SMS to focus on the discount amount and email to focus on the products, disclaimer, bells, and whistles.
Perhaps something like this:
- Pre-launch SMS.
- Launch email.
- Reminder email.
- Urgent reminder SMS.
- Last chance SMS/email.
You can shuffle this around to better suit your brand and target audience, just as long as you maintain a knock-out one-two combo.
You could also consider adding SMS touches to your email automation. These can include abandoned cart reminders or warnings that a welcome discount will expire soon.
Dig deeper: SMS deliverability: What you need to know
SMS marketing: Best practices
When it comes to SMS marketing, there are a few simple things to consider to help ensure maximum impact.
Set the right cadence
While some would say that eight texts per month is a good rule of thumb, it’s best to start low and gradually increase your cadence. By closely monitoring your metrics, you’ll be able to gauge what works best for your subscribers.
Deliver exclusive offers
Reward subscribers by offering SMS-only discounts or giving them early access to sitewide sales. Exclusivity is a powerful motivator for customers to stay subscribed, so add these to your marketing calendar regularly.
Master perfect timing
Yes, SMS subscribers usually have a preferred time to read their text messages. With some basic A/B testing, you’ll be able to confirm the best time to send marketing texts for the best engagement. The same goes for sending days. Texts sent on weekends could be more likely to garner high click rates, but it all depends on your audience.
Speak clearly
Leave the flowery language and intricate descriptions for your email campaigns. SMS should always use simple, direct wording.
Final thoughts
In a time when customers scroll through many platforms, you need to use all tools to boost engagement. Two is always better than one — and knowing how to perfect your communication across email and SMS can turn your brand into a prizefighter.
The post Why syncing email and SMS is critical to marketing success appeared first on MarTech.
**The Importance of Integrating Email and SMS for Effective Marketing Strategies**
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to connect with their audiences and drive engagement. While email marketing and SMS marketing have long been effective standalone tools, integrating these two channels can create a powerful synergy that enhances communication, improves customer experience, and boosts overall marketing performance. This article explores the importance of combining email and SMS for effective marketing strategies and offers insights into how businesses can leverage this integration to achieve their goals.
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### The Strengths of Email and SMS Marketing
Before diving into the benefits of integration, it’s important to understand the unique strengths of each channel:
– **Email Marketing**: Email campaigns are ideal for delivering detailed, visually rich content. They allow businesses to share in-depth information, such as newsletters, promotions, product updates, and personalized recommendations. Emails also provide opportunities for branding through design elements like logos, images, and call-to-action buttons. With email, businesses can reach a broad audience at a relatively low cost.
– **SMS Marketing**: SMS (Short Message Service) is a direct and immediate communication channel. With open rates as high as 98%, SMS messages are almost guaranteed to be seen by recipients, often within minutes of delivery. SMS is perfect for time-sensitive updates, reminders, flash sales, and transactional messages. Its concise format ensures that messages are quick and to the point, making it an effective tool for grabbing attention in a crowded digital space.
While both channels are powerful on their own, their combined use can amplify results and create a more cohesive customer journey.
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### Why Integrate Email and SMS Marketing?
1. **Enhanced Reach and Engagement**
By integrating email and SMS, businesses can reach customers on multiple platforms, increasing the likelihood of their messages being seen and acted upon. While some customers may prefer the detailed nature of email, others may respond better to the immediacy of SMS. Using both channels ensures that no segment of your audience is left out.
2. **Improved Customer Experience**
A seamless integration of email and SMS allows businesses to deliver consistent and complementary messages across channels. For example, an email can provide detailed information about a promotion, while an SMS can serve as a timely reminder to act before the offer expires. This coordinated approach creates a cohesive and user-friendly experience for customers.
3. **Higher Conversion Rates**
Combining email and SMS can significantly boost conversion rates. For instance, sending an SMS follow-up after an email campaign can nudge customers who may have missed or ignored the email. The immediacy of SMS can drive action, while the detailed content in the email provides the necessary context and information to make a purchase decision.
4. **Personalization and Targeting**
Both email and SMS offer opportunities for personalization, and when integrated, they allow for even more targeted messaging. Businesses can use customer data to send tailored messages based on preferences, behavior, and purchase history. For example, a customer who abandons their cart can receive an email with product details and an SMS with a discount code to complete the purchase.
5. **Cost-Effectiveness**
While SMS campaigns can be more expensive per message compared to email, their high open and response rates often justify the cost. By strategically integrating the two channels, businesses can maximize their ROI. For example, SMS can be reserved for high-priority messages, while email handles broader communication needs.
6. **Data Insights and Optimization**
Integrating email and SMS provides businesses with a wealth of data to analyze. By tracking metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates across both channels, marketers can gain valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. This data can be used to refine future campaigns and improve overall marketing effectiveness.
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### Best Practices for Integrating Email and SMS Marketing
To successfully integrate email and SMS, businesses should follow these best practices:
1. **Build a Unified Customer Database**
Ensure that your customer data is centralized and accessible across both channels. This allows for consistent messaging and better segmentation.
2. **Obtain Proper Consent**
Compliance with regulations such as GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and TCPA is crucial. Always obtain explicit consent from customers before sending marketing messages via email or SMS.
3. **Segment Your Audience**
Use customer data to segment your audience based on demographics, preferences, and behavior. This enables you to send relevant messages through the most appropriate channel.
4. **Coordinate Messaging**
Ensure that your email and SMS campaigns complement each other rather than duplicate efforts. For example, an email could provide detailed event information, while an SMS could serve as a last-minute reminder with a link to RSVP.
5. **Time Your Messages Wisely**
Be mindful of timing when sending messages. Avoid overwhelming customers with too many communications in a short period. Use automation tools to schedule messages at optimal times.
6. **Test and Optimize**
Continuously test different approaches to find what works
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